Community Newsletter - October 18, 2024

It is hard to believe we are already in the middle of October! I definitely feel the long stretch from the beginning of the school year until now, and on top of that, I feel the weight of so many consequential events happening in the world around us.

When I feel overwhelmed by politics, senseless tragedies, and natural disasters, I try to focus on bits of good in our little corner of the world. One area of joy for me this week was the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration held this past Monday at Woodward Middle School. It was a time spent honoring our Indigenous friends and neighbors, learning about decades of advocacy from Indigenous, Indipino and Japanese families of Bainbridge Island on behalf of BISD students, and celebrating the diversity, compassion and connection that exists within our community. I was especially moved by our student speakers, hearing from S'klallam Elder Darlene Peters and Suquamish Tribal Council Member Denita Holmes, and participating in the drum circle/singing of the Woman’s Warrior Song! The time spent in community left me with a full and grateful heart. 

Wishing you a weekend of finding joy and peace in your corner of the world too!

Take care,

Amii Thompson

BISD Superintendent

At last week's School Board Meeting, Vice President Kelly Cancialosi shared a message about the hiring process for the permanent BISD superintendent.

The Board wants your feedback! You can provide input through this Parents/Guardians/Community Survey. In addition, a community meeting open to all will be held on November 7 at 5:45 p.m. in the BHS Library.

Looking for a way to stay informed about what happens at School Board Meetings? Board Brief provides a general overview of what occurred at the meetings with links for you to learn more.

The state’s school funding model provides a one-size-fits-all model for staff salaries — as a result, school district finances across Washington state are crumbling.

Do you remember hearing about the McCleary Decision? This was in response to a lawsuit brought by two Washington families who sued the state for not meeting its constitutional duty to fund public education. 

As a result, in 2018, the Legislature drastically changed how schools are funded by assigning resource allocations via a formula based on averages. This funding change is known as the “McCleary Solution,” and this one-size-fits-some solution doesn’t recognize individual school districts' unique needs and costs in varying circumstances. For example, as part of the McCleary funding overhaul, the state moved away from a state staff salary schedule in favor of allocating an "average" salary for each Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff in the protoypical model. Unfortunately, the average salaries have not kept pace with inflation and the funding model does not consider the experience and education of BISD’s extraordinary instructional staff. What does this mean? It means that BISD’s General Fund makes up the difference in staff salaries between what the state “thinks” staff should be paid and the actual salaries for seasoned staff. 

This video helps explain the core funding challenges. 

Thank you for taking the time learn more about the BISD budget. If you have suggestions for future topics, please submit them using this form.

Catch the BHS school spirit! Tonight the Spartans will face the Vikings (North Kitsap High School) at the homecoming football game. The game starts at 7 p.m. and doors open at 6 p.m. A couple of reminders: Tickets are only available online and not sold at the gate; Middle school and elementary school students will not be admitted without an adult. LET'S GO SPARTANS!

It might be safely waiting to be claimed at BISD’s Adult Living Program Lost & Found program.

Scan the QR code or visit the Lost & Found website to see a photo gallery of found items and call 206-780-1485 for retrieval.

The City of Bainbridge Island wants you to be informed on the Madison Avenue Construction Project.

Click the links below to learn more:

If you are registered to vote in Ktisap County, you should have (or will very soon!) received your ballot.

Completed ballots can be returned to official Kitsap County drop boxes or sent in the US mail — no postage required!

Did you know that registered voters can track the status of their ballot by visiting the VoteWA website?

18: BHS Homecoming

31: K-6 Conferences (No School)

1: K-6 Conferences (No School)

3: Daylight Saving Time Ends (Fall Back)

7: Community Feedback Session with School Board @ 5:45 p.m. in BHS Library

11: Veterans Day (No School)

14: School Board Meeting @ 5:45 p.m.

27-29: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

For additional district-wide* events and meetings, please refer to these calendars:

*School-specific calendars are also available.

Wonder what is going on in the community? Check out our Local Community Events webpage.

Is your non-profit or government agency interested in sharing event information with our community? Click here to learn how to submit information.

Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on what is happening within our school district like the recent post showcasing Odyssey's Harvest Fair.