

BE BOLD. BE BRAVE. BE BREMERTON.
A message from your Superintendent
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Welcome Back BSD Staff!
Welcome back to the start of a new academic year! I hope this letter finds you well and rested after the summer break. Last spring and throughout the summer, I engaged in transition activities. What surfaced during conversations was the boldness and bravery of our community. This boldness and bravery are woven in the fabric of our community and set us apart.
Be Bold. Be Brave. Be Bremerton.
The times we live in require both courage and innovation, and who better than us, the Bremerton community, to lead the way with conviction and courage? Our rallying call for the year, will be highlighted by the following initiatives:
Superintendent Entry Plan: Over the next few months, my priority is to truly immerse myself within our community. I look forward to visiting each school, attending community events, and fostering open channels of communication. I want to understand our strengths, opportunities, and aspirations from you, the heart of Bremerton. You can view my plan on the website if you are interested.
Strategic Planning: We will initiate a comprehensive strategic planning process that taps into the talents and insights of our teachers, staff, parents, students, and community members. This inclusive and transparent approach will help us define a dynamic blueprint for elevating our future.
Informational Campaign: Infrastructure and resources are the backbone of any successful school. We will soon be launching an informational campaign to share the recommendations in our updated long-range facilities master plan which was completed in June, and some options the board is considering to fund facility improvements. In addition, we will launch an informational campaign for our EP&O Levy (15% of our budget). It’s crucial that we communicate effectively, ensuring everyone understands our championship toward the future of our schools.
Telling Our Story: Too often, our successes and innovations do not receive the recognition they deserve. To elevate our successes and innovations, we’re going to continue focusing on telling our stories with an initiative that will spotlight the achievements and diversity of our students, teachers, and staff across all our communication platforms – from our district website and newsletters to local media. Together, we will celebrate our triumphs and paint a picture of our district’s brilliance.
BSD Professional Learning Community - Schools are co creating their mission, vision, and collective commitments. To ensure equity for all students, Professional Learning Teams at each school are actively engaged in determining a guaranteed and viable curriculum (essential standards), both at grade level and within departments. Elementary grade-level teams are meeting across our BSD system to create common end-of-the-unit assessments.
In the words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” I firmly believe in the collective spirit of Bremerton. Let’s be bold in our visions, brave in our endeavors, and always, proudly Bremerton in our spirits and actions.
To get to know each staff on a more personal level at the school level, I have/will be meeting with staff in the next few weeks to share more about my journey/"why" and our work ahead for the 2023-2024 school year. I will also be asking you about the successes, opportunities, and what you hope/expect for our students. Next year, we will have a district-wide kick-off event.
Your unwavering dedication and passion for our students’ growth never go unnoticed. I eagerly await the magic we will create together in the coming year and look forward to meeting you and spending time with you.
Cheers to an incredible year ahead!
Warmest regards,
Dr. James Crawford
Superintendent
Bremerton School District
Thank you to Jay Montgomery, Karen Bevers & BHS graduate Brady Beaton for their hard work on the beautiful video above. - Dr. Crawford
Bremerton School District
Email: communications@bremertonschools.org
Website: www.BremertonSchools.org
Location: 134 Marion Avenue North, Bremerton, WA, USA
Phone: 360-473-1000