One-stop shop for everything: NKSD covers bases at session

POULSBO — Next Tuesday, Olympic College-Poulsbo will be bursting at its seams as the North Kitsap School District secondary education force fills the building to expound on its programs through a mega information night.

Got Kids? presented by the NKSD plans to answer questions about what the future holds for childhood education in North Kitsap. Since its inception in 2001, the event has grown annually and this year’s large format — including 13 educational workshops and 22 information booths — required moving it to OC-Poulsbo’s campus.

“The response I heard most often was, ‘Gee, I didn’t know that’, or ‘This is very helpful’,” NKSD community relations director Chris Case said of the feedback she gathered from last year’s event. “A lot of this is very informal, just to give people a chance to talk and ask questions in a real neutral setting.”

Representatives from each secondary school in North Kitsap will assemble at 5:30 p.m. March 21 at the campus, offering informative workshops and a conversational setting about NKSD’s educational efforts for parents of kids in grades 4-12.

Workshops will be 30 minutes long and offer an overview and brief question-and-answer sessions. While 13 workshops will be offered, attendees will only have time to visit three from 6-8 p.m.

For the first and only time this year, parents of high school students can visit a workshop where NKHS counselors will explain the application process for both two-year and four-year colleges and universities as well as internships and apprenticeships.

Middle school parents will be able to attend a workshop that will touch on the changes for today’s fourth-sixth graders and how elementary and junior high counselors and principals are coping with changes.

Addition real world workshops will cover topics from “It’s ten o’clock, do you know where your kids are? Internet safety” to “Today’s children — Tomorrow’s teenager’s, reality of parenting adolescents.”

“The Internet safety one is a mind blower with really helpful, specific tips for parents,” Case said.

Another workshop option will focus on the district’s progress toward improving its educational system through Small Learning Communities. There will be a workshop focused on NKHS’ first and current SLC Polaris as well as the additional district-wide SLCs, which are currently being planned.

Questions not covered in the list of workshops will be tackled during high school and middle school “chat rooms,” in which administrators from each school level will be available to answer questions.

NKHS activity group information booths will also be dispersed throughout the OC building along with community booths representing three local colleges, military recruiters and the Puget Sound Naval Station. Parents and students will be allowed to visit any of the booths as reps will be on hand for the duration of the program. Childcare will also be provided for the duration of the event by NKHS’ family consumer science teachers with a staff from Kingston Junior High School. Refreshments will be provided by Central Market.

“It’s like a one-stop shopping place to get information on a variety of topics,” Case said.

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