BSD Staff Updates
2020-21 Issue #12: Tuesday, April 20
News, Information and Updates for Bremerton School District staff.
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Honoring District Volunteers
It is National Volunteer Week - also known as Volunteer Appreciation Week. The Bremerton School Board approved a board resolution honoring our volunteers at last week's meeting, and we are sharing some volunteer profiles on social media this week. We invite you to view a few more volunteer profiles here or on the District Facebook page.
Kathy Cates
Kathy Cates has volunteered at Crownhill Elementary for six years. Her reason for volunteering is to help the community and indeed she does.
Prior to the pandemic she was at the school every day from before the students arrived until after they went home. Now that volunteers are currently not allowed into the school she has switched her efforts toward The Kindness Project. It is not surprising to anybody that nobody that knows her, that this kind lady is willing to do whatever it takes towards the success of this wonderful project.
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Month of the Military Child
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Help us honor our retirees
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Board Highlights - April 15, 2021
Policy News
The State Board of Education adopted emergency rules that allow school districts to waive certain graduation requirements for individual students due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These emergency rules apply immediately to the graduating class of 2021.
The Board approved Resolution 2020/2021-13, Emergency Waiver of High School Graduation Credits. This allows a school district that has tried all appropriate options to help a student meet credit and pathway graduation requirements and determined that the student has shown preparation for success after high school, to grant an individual student a waiver of some of these requirements.
The following procedures have been revised and put in place as follows:
· 1733P, Board Member Compensation
· 1820P, Board Self-Assessment
· 3207P, Prohibition of Harassment, Intimidation, or Bullying
While 1733P and 1820P may not be of importance to most staff, Policy 3207 and the accompanying procedure are, so please be sure to review this revised procedure.
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District Recognition
Congratulations are in order for our music department. For the 2nd year in a row, BSD has qualified for the “Best Community for Music Education” designation. For this honor, Max Karler, K-12 Music Coordinator, attended the Board meeting along with other music instructors from around the district, including Wendy McPhetres, BHS, Julie Ross, Kitsap Lake, Allan Anderson, MVMS, Kailey Reimer, MVMS and Amy Hutchinson, Crownhill. They shared some heartfelt stories of their own and student experiences over this past year and how music has been a source of community for them. Read more here.
The Board passed a resolution proclaiming April 2021 as Volunteer Appreciation Week. Volunteers have a very powerful impact on students and schools. Dr. Leavell shared many ways that volunteers work in our school community, particularly ways they’ve helped this year in working to keep staff and student spirits up!
Another resolution was passed proclaiming April as the Month of the Military Child in the Bremerton School District. Dr. Leavell shared data about military impact in our schools and buildings as well as his appreciation (and board members wore purple for "Purple-Up" day (see photo above).
The Board has joined other administrative staff in reading Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators, by Elena Aguilar. This includes watching podcasts and venturing on a journey together of their own self-awareness.
To view any of these documents, you may also visit https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/wabrsd/Board.nsf/Public#.
Compiled by Ioanna Cossack, Board Secretary
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Congratulations to Pablo Flores: 20 under 40 Honoree
Leadership Kitsap’s 20 Under 40 Awards Program seeks to identify and celebrate exceptional business leaders under the age of 40 who are dynamic trailblazers in the Kitsap community. We want to share their stories and celebrate their successes, bringing these individuals together to grow into a powerful network of young leaders who can then leverage that network to make even more great contributions to our region’s economy and civic dialog.
Pablo is always quick to provide help and support for families and staff members. His ability to assess a situation and then identify the resources needed to resolve the problem have been influential in supporting non English speaking families, as well as the wider school community.
From the first day Pablo began working with students in Bremerton, he has developed positive relationships with staff, students, families, and has continued to go above and beyond to help students succeed. Pablo has collaborated with teachers and staff to understand students’ needs and to provide appropriate learning opportunities. However, Pablo has exceeded expectations- staying after school to provide extended learning activities for students, working at parent nights to build the family-school connection, as well as bringing in his musical abilities to help students learn through the power of music. Pablo works with teachers to integrate music and song into their lessons. Once school moved to Connected Learning online, Pablo continued this work by creating videos for teachers to use to enhance their lessons and help students continue to feel a part of the classroom community. (This is a video from a recent virtual sing-along Dolphin Club at Naval Avenue Early Learning Center. Pablo is in the plaid shirt.)
In addition, Pablo used his tech skills to help the greater school district community by providing translations in Spanish to help parents and families navigate the changes in schooling and learn how to use their new at-home tech devices, and producing how-to videos for Spanish families as well as people who speak a native Myan language (video).
Before coming to Bremerton Pablo was a film composer & music producer. He has a Bachelor in Arts in film scoring and music performance from the Berklee College of Music and is working on earning a Master of Arts in Music Technology from Southern Utah University. He is a skilled multi-instrumentalist gifted in both teaching and performing his own original work as well as the work of others. In his down time he enjoys going to the movies, and going on trips with his family, including his two daughters.
Pablo was also instrumental (no pun intended) in establishing the Kitsap Musicians Project that produced two successful BKAT music television shows, showcasing local musicians, to raise money for the United Way and local families impacted by COVID. He both performed in and produced the events.
Pablo’s “why” for working in education: “I work on education to make a difference in the kid's lives, especially in the lives of immigrant's kids. I myself am an immigrant from Ecuador.”
Pablo is described by his colleagues as a tireless Bremerton School District community servant who exudes positivity, empathy, kindness, joy and grace in all that he does.
Pablo will be honored at an event at the Kitsap Conference Center, Bremerton Harborside May 27, 2021, 5:30-8:30pm. Both in-person and virtual ticket options are available. https://2021LK20under40.bpt.me (we will share photos from the event in a future newsletter).
Congratulations, Pablo.
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COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for BSD Students
Peninsula Community Health Services (PCHS) is hosting two COVID-19 vaccine clinics to provide FREE COVID-19 vaccines to all Bremerton School District students age 16 and older.
Dates:
- April 26 from 4-6 pm
- April 29th from 4-6 pm
Information is posted on our website and we will be communicating with RHS, BHS and Open Doors students and families this week.
SECONDARY STAFF: Feel free to share the information with students (over age 16). If you'd like to post the graphic (above) on your Google Site (right click to save), please link it to: https://www.bremertonschools.org/Page/8561 (Please note: Links will not be live until tonight.)
ALL STAFF: If you are interested in volunteering at these clinics, please click here.
IMPORTANT: This clinic is for Bremerton School District students, ages 16 and older. Family members wanting to get vaccinated should visit the PCHS website or https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov.
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Spring Parent-Community Panorama Survey extended to this Sunday, April 25
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BSD recognized as National Best Community for Music Education
The Best Communities for Music Education survey acknowledges schools and districts across the United States for their commitment to and support of music education.
Congratulations to all of the District's music teachers!
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MVMS Band virtual performance
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Drive-Thru Dia de los Niños event at Armin Jahr
We are excited to once again be celebrating Dia de los Niños with our families in BSD! If you are unfamiliar, Dia de los Niños is a day to celebrate children- but we also use it to celebrate and promote literacy! (You can find more information here: https://nlci.org/initiatives/el-dia-de-los-ninos/)
In the past in Bremerton, we have hosted a family night to welcome our multilingual families and engage them in Spanish literacy activities (and a whole lot of FUN). However, since we are unable to host a normal family night this year, we will be doing a drive-thru event.
We will have the Drive-Thru Dia de los Niños event Friday, April 30th 5-7pm at Armin Jahr Elementary.
Everyone is welcome, but this event is targeting our Spanish, Mam, and multilingual families. All of the books and resources provided will be in Spanish.
Questions? Please contact:
Julie Fairall
District ELL Coordinator
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National Honor Society selling tshirts
National Honor Society (NHS) is ordering shirts for the remainder of the year. If you are interested, take a look -- there are a lot of varieties (t-shirts, long sleeve, v-neck, and sweatshirts) in both navy and blue (and some in black).
This is not a fundraiser, just an opportunity to support NHS through wearing their club merch!
Here is the cart link: https://www.imagemarket.com/7e2dd2db
The cart will be open until April 28th. The more purchases, the cheaper the cost (it will be reimbursed on your card) so feel free to order as many as you want!
Thank you!
Briana Faxon
Bremerton High School
Science Department
AVID Coordinator
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Bremerton Schools & Alumni Foundation Grants
It's that time of the year for Bremerton School and Alumni Foundation to grant staff funds for classroom and school projects!
We will be granting $100 - $500 grants. All Bremerton school employees are eligible to submit a project for consideration.
Grant Deadline: Friday, May 14, 2021
Click here to download the application in Microsoft Word.
Email grants to Julie Wasserburger: wasser3@comcast.net (please put 2021.2022 Bremerton Foundation Grant in the subject line)
or
Send grant to Bremerton School and Alumni Foundation mailbox at the District Office
Questions: Call Julie Wasserburger at 360-620-8411
NOTE: The District's Grant Pre-Application form is NOT required for BS&A Foundation grants - FYI.
Grant guidelines and a link to the form for all other grants can be found at www.BremertonSchools.org/Grants or under "Grants" in the Staff Directory (click "more" on the staff tab on the website)
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There is a new face at the District Office reception desk!
Welcome Stephenie Nagle!
If you have visited the District office recently, you may have seen a new face welcoming visitors at the reception desk in HR.
Stephenie Nagle was hired this spring after Nicole Ziz moved to BHS as the new Activities Secretary.
Stephenie moved to Bremerton just over 7 years ago after 20 years in Madison WI. This is the 5th state Stephenie has lived in, and she's inclined to say Washington is her favorite, though all of them have their good points.
Stephenie enjoys being outside – walking, doing some very basic gardening or basking in the sun reading in her Adirondack rocker. Her current favorite genre is mysteries – especially period ones, though she's been known to read just about anything including cereal boxes and crochet pattern instructions. She enjoys doing crossword puzzles with Tim, her husband of 35 years. And, she has a hard time passing up a good swing set.
Here is an extra bit of trivia – She's named after her dad so her first name is all Es and an I (Stephenie). She says you are welcome to call her Steph if you’d like – she says it’s shorter and easier to spell.
Steph has a BS in Business Administration with an emphasis is Human Resources, and a MS in Industrial Relations. She's worked in the Human Resources for the better part of 20 years managing all aspects of the field.
Stephenie is also the District Benefits Specialist. Steph says benefits are her favorite part of HR and wants to encourage you to drop her a note, call or stop by with any benefits questions you may have.
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Graduate Strong's Wellbeing Series recordings available online
Graduate Strong collaborated with a few local school districts and other partners to offer a regional wellbeing series. Each session was one hour and designed with useful information and practical on the spot strategies!
- 1/20/21 Got Covid Fatigue?
- 2/24/21 Got Self-Care?
- 3/24/21 Got Mindfulness?
Kitsap Strong Virtual Community Center
Click here to view the Virtual Community Center. Please help spread the word!
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Kitsap Audubon opportunity for 3rd and 4th grade teachers
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FREE US Census educational materials
U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Partnership Program is offering materials 2020 Census to schools for classroom use.
They have two versions of the 'Statistics in School: Understanding the U.S. Population' wall map, one ranges from Elementary/Middle School and the other for High School. They are 3 ft. x 4ft. and 50 of one range per box. The other item is a two-pocket folder that arrives either 100 or 200 per box.
If you are interested, please contact Rudy Jiménez directly. Quantities are limited so if you are interested, you should act quickly!
Rudy E. Jiménez | Partnership Clerk
Los Angeles Regional Census Center
U.S. Census Bureau
M: 213.314.6230 | D: 213.314.6474
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"Cool Cat" videos
Northwest Public Broadcasting has produced a series of short videos for kid audiences about hand washing, social distancing, and masks. They are 30-second friendly reminders for kids about ways to stay safe and healthy. For more Dr. Universe videos, visit: https://askdruniverse.wsu.edu/type/video/
Photo: 6th grade orientation at Mountain View Middle School on Tuesday, March 30.
Follow BSD on Social Media!
- Staff Updates newsletter archives
- Submit ideas or content for the Staff Updates newsletter to: Karen.Bevers@BremertonSchools.org
Website: www.bremertonschools.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BremertonSchools/
Twitter: @BremertonSD