BISD believes in fostering an educational environment that is safe and free of discrimination for all students, regardless of sex, gender identity, or gender expression.

To that end, the BISD School Board adopted Gender-Inclusive Schools Board Policy 3212 in October 2015. BISD recognizes the importance of an inclusive approach toward transgender and gender-expansive students with regard to key terms, communication and the use of names and pronouns, student records, confidential health and education information, communication, restroom and locker room use and accessibility, sports and physical education, dress codes and other school activities, in order to provide these students with an equal opportunity for learning and achievement.

In May 2021, the BISD School Board adopted Race, Equity, and Identity Board Policy 3111. BISD aspires for historically underserved students to thrive in an environment that notices, acknowledges, and values who they are and contributes to their academic achievement. We strive to provide respectful and culturally relevant learning environments that honor diversity and create schools where students, families, community members and employees feel welcomed and supported. Race, as well as socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and ability must cease to be a predictor of student success. The entire community benefits when every child succeeds; therefore, we have a collective responsibility and require accountability to ensure that children of every race, national origin, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic status, and ability reach their full potential.

BISD’s current District Improvement Plan also speaks to the district’s commitment to ensuring all feel honored, welcomed, respected and connected.

America’s Best High Schools 

• In its 2024 review of nearly 25.000 public high schools, U.S. News & World Report ranked Bainbridge High School as the sixth-best public high school in Washington state and No. 418 nationwide (which puts BHS in the Top 2% of schools in the country).  
• In 2015, Newsweek again designated Bainbridge High School as one of "America's Top High Schools." The publication’s rankings assess schools based on a broad range of data to determine which institutions do the best job of preparing students for college.  

2018 National Blue Ribbon Award For Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary

• U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today recognized 349 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018, including Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary School in the Bainbridge Island School District. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance.

2017-18 State Recognized Schools

• Announced in 2019, three BISD schools were honored to receive the State Recognized School distinction: Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary, Captain Charles Wilkes Elementary and Odyssey Multiage. 

2016 Washington Achievement Awards 

• In 2016, four BISD schools made the state’s highest grade by winning the Washington Achievement Award for student progress. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) named the Odyssey Multiage Program and Ordway, Captain Charles Wilkes and Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary schools among the 401 top-performing schools statewide. The OSPI cited all four schools for Overall Excellence. Blakely and Ordway stood out for Math and English Language Arts Growth.
  
  Washington Achievement Awards celebrate the state's top performing schools in specific categories: overall excellence, and special recognition in language arts, math, science, graduation rate, improvement, and closing achievement gaps.
  
  “These schools help Washington lead the way in innovative education and access to high-quality learning opportunities. To all of those honored, thank you for your dedication to Washington students, families, and the future," said Superintendent Chris Reykdal.

From classroom teachers to bus drivers to people working behind the scenes, BISD is fortunate to have employees who share one very important trait in common —  they keep the best interest of students at the forefront of their work. This intentionality has a tremendous impact on our students and school communities. 

Training And Experience

• Certificated staff members (teachers) have an average of  15.4 years of experience; the current span is 0.2-40 years of experience.
• Among 263 certificated staff members (nonadministrative), 211 hold master's degrees. Five hold doctorate degrees.
• As of Winter 2023, 39 BISD teachers are National Board Certified and many more teachers are currently enrolled in the certification program. The program requires a year-long process of study and the development of a comprehensive professional portfolio that demonstrates a high level of skill in a wide variety of teaching competencies.

By The Numbers:

• For the 2021-2022 school year, more than 3,600 students were enrolled in BISD.
• BISD students enjoy learning and achieve high scores on state assessments.

In The Community:

•  Students are involved in the local community, both in learning activities and in service:
• The Edu-Culture Project brings food, farming, culture, and education together. Students work at local farms, learning as they plant and harvest food.
• Community projects such as food drives for Helpline House also enrich students' experiences.

In The World:

• For more than 25 years students from Bainbridge Island have worked with people on Ometepe, a sister island in Nicaragua. They have constructed schools and water systems, learned each others' languages and customs, and been welcomed into each others' homes.
• For more than ten years, students from Bainbridge have competed for counselor positions at Camp Siberia, a non-profit residential summer camp for orphans in Novosibirsk, Russia. Envisioned by an island resident, students work to enrich the lives of Russian orphans. When chosen, students also are tasked with raising their own funds to make the trip to Russia.

The Bainbridge Island community is exceptionally supportive of schools, both financially and through volunteer participation:

• Bainbridge Schools Foundation - History of $500,000 donated each of the past three years, with a remarkable contribution in 2011 of $1M for staff retention, professional development, and teacher grants.
• Parent/Teacher/Student Organizations - Parents demonstrate research regarding the positive impact of their support to schools and students. They support classroom and district-wide enrichment programs, as well as district-wide PT(S)O contributions equaling over $175,000 annually for supplies and equipment.
   
• Parents & Community Volunteers - Over the last five years, an average of 71,803 volunteer hours have been given to the district per year in a wide variety of categories.  Community members serve in ongoing classroom activities, as guest speakers, and on school and district committees.
   
• Election History - The Bainbridge Island Community has a long history of supporting our school district through the passage of Enrichment & Operations Levies, Technology Levies, Capital Levies (construction & facility improvements) and Bond Measures (new buildings and major renovations)