

We Are Bremerton!
Bremerton School District community e-newsletter
October 2023
An update from your Superintendent
Greetings Bremerton community!
I trust this letter finds you in high spirits as we witness the colors and beauty of fall. As we approach fall conferences next week, I wanted to provide a few updates!
Entry Planning - The initial phase of my entry as your new superintendent has been both enlightening and invigorating. This fall I've:
Been visiting schools, where I’ve met students and experienced first hand the excitement and energy in our schools.
Met with various stakeholders, from parents to community leaders, gathering insights about our district’s strengths and areas for growth.
Held "listening sessions" with specific groups, which will continue throughout the year.
Strategic Planning - Building on the insights from the entry phase, we are now entering a critical period of strategic planning. Through this strategic planning process, we will work together to identify our key goals for the next five years, with identified strategies and metrics to monitor our progress.
We've got several teams that will be meeting throughout this year that include students, families, staff, volunteers, and community leaders/partners. We will also hold six (one Spanish speaking) community forums as we work to engage the whole community in this important process. More details to come!
EP&O and Facilities Next Steps - Our current Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) levy expires at the end of 2024 so our Board will be considering a resolution to put a replacement EP&O levy on the ballot in 2024. The board will also consider adding a bond measure to the ballot as an essential step to secure necessary funding for our schools and address infrastructure needs. We've included some information below, and will be sharing more in the coming weeks.
In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome I’ve received. The dedication, passion, and commitment of our school community is seen and heard across our community.
Thank you for your continued optimism and leaning in to being bold and brave this school year! And remember to stop to see the beauty of these fall colors - we are truly blessed to live in such a magical part of the world!
Dr. James Crawford
Proud Superintendent
Bremerton School District
BSD focusing on attendance for 2023-24
Attendance has a lasting impact!
Regularly attending class and being present helps build important school relationships and has a dramatic impact on overall student success. Conversely, missing school can lead to challenges beginning in elementary and extending into high school. Non-attendance ultimately can impact a student's ability to graduate, as well as their future employment opportunities and earning potential.
The Bremerton School District is focusing on improving attendance this year with the launch of our B Present: Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow campaign. As you may have seen on social media or in our other school and District communication, the campaign includes outreach and education for our students and families about the importance of regular attendance. In addition, our principals will be leading school-based data dives with teams of staff and closely monitoring student attendance.
We are improving our notification processes and holding re-engagement meetings with families and students will be a priority as we work to provide interventions and support to address barriers that may be impacting student attendance.
Together we can B Present: Attend today, Achieve tomorrow. We invite you to learn more at www.BremertonSchools.org/BPresent
BSD awarded fourth Department of Defense Activity (DoDEA) grant!
The Bremerton School District has been awarded a grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) for "Project THRIVE."
Project THRIVE's core objective is to empower every student in our district to thrive and excel. We plan to achieve this by implementing three effective strategies: developing a solid curriculum, nurturing students' independence and social-emotional skills, and enhancing teacher confidence.
We'll closely monitor our progress using data and provide the necessary support to our educators and leaders. Ultimately, our goal is to provide a high-quality education for all students, regardless of their school, equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in life.
BHS art students' work on display at Pacific Planetarium
In collaboration with Digitalis Education Solutions, Bremerton High School Art students were invited to create astronomically inspired works of art to launch the grand re-opening of Pacific Planetarium in downtown Bremerton.
Students were given prompts to help spur their imaginations, such as life on other planets, galaxies, planets, and moons. The result was a wide array of mixed media, collage, and graphically inspired works.
The Digitalis staff helped select the window and wall art in the space which made the installation highly interactive.
Sherri Gamble is the new Production Art Instructor at Bremerton High School and curated the installation. Seeing students explore, experiment, and access their creative powers is at the heart of why she teaches. As a local artist in Bremerton, linking youth to real world projects and providing opportunities for public art engagement is the essence of her creative practice.
BHS Coach T named Seahawks Coach of the Week
Paul Theriault, head football coach and Dean of Students at Bremerton High School (aka: Coach T) was recently named Coach of the Week by the Seattle Seahawks!
The award comes not only with some well-deserved recognition, but a $500 donation to the Bremerton Knights football program, and an invitation to be a guest of the Seahawks at their December 17 game vs. the Eagles.
Here are what a couple of our Bremerton Knight Football seniors had to say about Coach T.
“Coach T is a great leader. He does an amazing job of not just teaching football, but teaching character and pushing everyone to be their best on and off the field. He does an excellent job of making the team feel like family, and always supports everyone no matter what.” -- Dillon
“Through the years at BHS Coach T has taught me that football is more than just a sport. It’s a commitment, you have to commit yourself to the team and to your role. You have to commit to trying your hardest no matter the odds put against you. Coach T has not only taught me how to improve in football but also how to improve the person I am, through perseverance and consistency.” --Rick
Board to consider two funding measures on February ballot
As noted in Dr. Crawford's update above, the Bremerton School Board will be considering placing two funding measures on the February 13, 2024 ballot at their November 9 regularly scheduled meeting.
School districts around the state rely on local, voter-approved funding measures - bonds and levies - to fund things not covered by state funding. For example, we are proud to offer Bremerton students the opportunity to participate in 80+ sports and extracurricular activities. This ranges from football to robotics, from theatre to NJROTC. These opportunities are largely funded by the District's EP&O levy (also called "Enrichment Levy), which makes-up about 15% of our total District budget.
The Bremerton School Board has been considering options to fund facility improvements recommended in the Long-Range Facilities Plan which was developed during the 2022-23 school year. School districts receive minimal funding to pay for construction or maintenance for buildings. One option to fund these plans includes asking the community to consider a capital projects bond.
Join us for our next Beloved Community Listening Circle!
Bremerton School District's Restorative Program is working to create a learning environment where all of our scholars feel cared for; a place absent of violence, bigotry, and hate.
If we are going to create a healthier, happier school climate, close the achievement gap, and create competitive workers and forward thinking citizens, we all have to work together to create our own "beloved community." With care and compassion driving us, partnered with the use of restorative practices, we will transform our schools.
We are holding monthly listening circles where all will have the opportunity to participate in-person and share their voice.
Join us! Students, parents, staff and community members are invited to observe the next Beloved Community Listening Circle on Wednesday, November 8 at 5:30 to 7:30 pm via Zoom Webinar. Learn more and get the Zoom link on the District website.
BHS students impress audiences with fall musical The Addam's Family
Mr. Alex Bennett and Dr. Dorothy Ghylin-Bennett receive Alumni Achievement Award
The Bremerton School District has partnered with the Bremerton Schools & Alumni Foundation in the creation of a new annual Alumni Achievement Award. This award recognizes exceptional alumni and/or community member(s) who have significantly contributed to the betterment of the school community and who has/have demonstrated a lasting commitment to enriching the educational environment, fostered community and school spirit, and upheld the values of being bold, being brave, and being Bremerton.
This first annual Alumni Achievement Award was awarded to to Mr. Alex Bennett and Dr. Dorothy Ghylin-Bennett. Mr. Bennett was a 1959 graduate of East High School and taught for the District from 1969 to 1999. Dr. Ghylin- Bennett graduated from West High School in 1963 and worked as a counselor in the District from 1968-1974 and again from 1978-1998.
The Bennetts were honored at a School Board meeting in September and before the Bremerton homecoming football game in September.
This month we celebrated...
Armin Jahr students created an ofrenda in honor of Mexican Día de los Muertos.
Bremerton School Board Highlights
October
POLICY updates for October:
New Student Representatives:
Both of our new Board Student Representatives have taken the oath of office! Our 2023-24 Board Representatives are Dillon Lovestedt (senior) and Nora Ramstad (junior).
Bremerton School Board meetings are in-person and online! All are welcome at Bremerton School Board meetings. Interested in participating in a meeting? Access the meeting schedule and learn more at BremertonSchools.org/SchoolBoard.
The next regular School Board meeting is Thursday, November 9, 2023. There is only one board meeting in November!
Mountain View Middle School Monster Mash a Success!
Mountain View Middle School students had a monster good time at the annual Monster Mash Dance last week, sponsored by Bremerton Secondary PTA. See more photos here.
Kitsap Lake Elementary Families celebrate fall with a Trunk or Treat event
View more photos here!
Don't forget to vote in the November 7 General Election!
What's happening at the PAC?
Find out what's happening at the Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center (PAC) at www.BremertonSchools.org/PAC!
Join our team!
The Bremerton School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee(s) has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Garth Steedman at 360.473.1031 or the Section 504 Coordinator, Mark Mayfield at 360.473.4702. Mailing address: 134 Marion Avenue North, Bremerton, WA 98312.
Bremerton School District
Email: communications@bremertonschools.org
Website: www.BremertonSchools.org
Location: 134 Marion Avenue North, Bremerton, WA, USA
Phone: 360-473-1000
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