Schools

It is summed up in one word: “Remember.”

That simple verbiage was inscribed onto purple wristbands, reminiscent of the commonly worn “Livestrong” bands made popular by cyclist Lance Armstrong. The boosters sold the bands at sporting events and at lunches at the high school.

Spectrum sends

students to Mexico

For Spectrum Community School, one popular Mexican adage should be altered to declare: “Mi escuela es su escuela.”

Spectrum’s eighth annual exchange with the Tlaxcala School in Mexico sent seven North End students to our country’s southern neighbor March 24 through April 3.

Teacher Phil Davis, who has been orchestrating the exchange each year, again led the expedition of local students — some of whom have never even left Washington before — to Mexico City and to Calpulalpan where they stayed with host families.

District aims at SLCs

The development of Small Learning Communities (SLCs) in North Kitsap has enjoyed at times a nearly clandestine reputation, with vague definitions and thick educational jargon thrown about without the benefit of tangible results in the area.

However, North Kitsap School District administrators, staff and teachers have been working behind the scenes, constructing plans for their own 200-400 student SLCs. And on May 6, the public got a first look at the preliminary — and indeed very real — results of what SLCs here could be.

Kitsap PFD plans

for events center

The Kitsap Public Facilities District in conjunction with the North Kitsap School District, the City of Poulsbo and Kitsap County fused together in the fall of 2005 and began work on the master planning process of building a regional events center to be hosted at NKSD’s Poulsbo learning campus.

Upgrades to sports facilities and construction of a multi-use field house and performing arts venue additions were all drawn into the master plan after public comment forums produced what the community wants and needs. Though it met with different challenges among implementation and prioritization, the process has moved forward with two design sketches in mind and will continue with the first additions hopefully becoming reality in the early part of 2006.

McDonald, Endresen depart NKSD board

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The North Kitsap School District came together to offer gratitude, appreciation and memories to departing school board directors Dick Endresen and Bethany McDonald Dec. 8 at the high school commons. Smiles filled the room, and a standing ovation relieved the pair from their previous seats at the school board meeting that followed.

McDonald served the NKSD from 1997-2005 and Endresen served for 20 years starting in 1985.

Veteran district volunteer Melanie Mohler and retired Naval officer and former school teacher Tom Anderson stepped up to fill their seats Dec. 8.

Spectrum school newspaper hits stands

Students at Spectrum, North Kitsap School District’s alternative high school, have always taken on unique academic projects, including the school’s unique human rights focus and an award-winning music program.

It should come as no surprise then, that the school’s newspaper, in its inaugural year in 2005, was equally as distinctive.

The student-driven paper, created in teacher Bob Geballe’s journalism class, is not one to beat around the bush, tackling tough issues. Recent headlines included “The Life of a Teen Parent,” and “Human Rights: Practice What We Preach?” that discussed relations at the school between native and non-native students.

NK girl loses battle with cerebral palsy

Throughout 2005, 15-year-old Kara Charlot ‚Äî an NKHS sophomore born with severe cerebral palsy ‚Äwas fighting through hospital visits that never seemed to end. Though she pulled through life-changing spinal fusion surgery in February, the effects of a curved spine had already taken their toll on her internal organs.

Kara died with her family at her side Nov. 25 at the Children’s hospital in Seattle.

NKSD curriculum director changes roles

North Kitsap School District Director of Curriculum and Assessment Wally Lis journeyed down “the hill” — the common moniker used to describe NKSD’s administrative offices — to take up the principalship at Poulsbo Junior High School this fall.

The rather sudden announcement of then-PJH Principal Tony Bainbridge’s year-long medical leave of absence left the school district with a vacant position just weeks before school’s start. But Lis, a veteran principal, said he was happy to fill a role he’s filled at several Washington high schools.

KHS progress endures rollercoaster

No matter how many site investigations, schematic designs, lawsuits, discussions and arguments have surrounded the process of building a high school in Kingston, all subsided June 7 with the shoveling of a few spadefuls of dirt.

No matter how daunting the development was, construction of the $38.5 million, 800-student school began July 1 and should be completed in time for the opening of the 2007-2008 school year.

Seattle’s Bassetti Architects designed the school and Wick Constructors, also of Seattle, inked a $23.4 million contract with the district to build the school.

The construction process has, thus far, seen i’s fair share of accomplishments as well as complications. Despite troubles taking the form of an abundance of unsuitable materials to timeline disagreements between the district and Wick, foundations have been laid, the school has been named and Kingston High School is on its way to becoming the newest addition to the NKSD.

School board

nixes block schedule

Amongst hubbub that began at the beginning of the year, North Kitsap High School was forced to rearrange its class schedule. Despite the efforts of NKHS Principal Roy Herrera, the North Kitsap School Board voted 4-1 not to pass a waiver to allow for less instructional time under the current four-period block schedule at the high school. In its place, a six-period day of 55-minute, year-long classes was established.

Four of the five school board directors refused to pass a long-standing waiver that allowed the high school use the schedule despite the fact it didn’t meet the state mandated 150 credit hours per class.

The new schedule created a difficult position for some seniors this year, who had left more than six credits for their senior year. But NKHS Principal Roy Herrera said each situation was accounted for.

The six-period day also created a need for more teaching space, seven classrooms to be exact. Two were placed in the renovated vocational building and the other five came in the form of portables placed at the existing staff parking lot — therefore creating yet another problem of parking space.

On top of all else, NKHS’s student population surged by about 75 students in 2005.

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