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Hello, NKSD teachers! This issue—the third in our series—will focus on our website, the pre-PD survey, and the West Sound Summer Institute. If you missed the last newsletter, make sure to get your hands on it as it detailed NGSS resources, upcoming deadlines, and information regarding our coaching program. The first issue included the exciting offerings for our summer Professional Development.
May 18 Survey: PLCs
We have a survey coming up that is very important for all teachers who are opting in to take! As you know, NKSD received a second grant award from the United States Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to provide science professional development and coaching to secondary-level teachers. The grant requires that data be collected to demonstrate the project is making a positive impact on teachers’ content knowledge and instruction.
NKSD is working with WestEd to independently collect this data through pre- and post-surveys. WestEd will administer the pre-survey on May 18 before the revised professional development is delivered. We would like to get 100% participation from teachers to demonstrate that these opportunities deserve to be funded and are important to our district. Additionally, having everyone’s input will help us to accurately identify areas where we can provide additional support.
WestEd will send you an email link to the survey on May 18. You will have time during your PLC session to complete the survey. If you need more time, you have until June 1 to complete the survey. WestEd will be glad to answer your questions about the survey and will provide contact information in the email with the survey link.
Teachers who complete the survey will receive 30 minutes of additional pay through the DoDEA Science Grant. The survey should be completed by May 18th. As an option, it can be taken during PLC time, in which case the PLC time will be extended by 30 minutes.
West Sound Summer Institute
The Bremerton School District, OESD 114 and Central Kitsap School District is hosting the West Sound Summer Institute on August 17th and 18th at Bremerton High School. Teachers and administrators have over 150 sessions to choose from related to standards, curriculum, instruction, assessment, differentiation, and technology, and much more.
We are curating a list of sessions that best meet the outcomes of the grant, such as:
· Next Generation Science Standards: Three Key Steps for Identifying Puzzling Phenomena to Engage Students in Science Learning
· Next Generation Science Standards: Using the NGSS Evidence Statements in instruction and assessment,
· Next Generation Science Standards- Using Science Phenomena to Anchor Units of Instruction
Registration opens in about a week, and at that time, you’ll be able to see the full range of sessions offered.
The Institute organizers are putting the finishing touches on our Summer Institute schedule and registration form, and would like to know if NKSD would like to be a participating district. Last year, we had teachers from many of the districts in the OESD 114 region attend, including 7 from North Kitsap.
If you're interested, I’ll make sure NKSD is on the list of participating districts. We’d love to have 10 or more teachers participate as it is more cost-effective and we’ll have more than half of our opted-in teachers that way!
Kelli Leavell is the Professional Development Coordinator in the Bremerton School District. If you have additional questions, you can contact her at 360-473-1062.
Summer Calendar: Important Dates
NGSS 201: June 20-22, NKSD
Educurious Summer Institute (for Bio Curriculum or Project Building) July 11-15, Truman High School, Federal Way, WA
West Sound Summer Institute, August 17-18, Bremerton High School
PASTL (Partnership for Ambitious Science Teacher Leaders): August 23-25, Bremerton, WA (more about this here).
Collaboration Week: TBD, depending on the schedules of those interested
If you’d like to sign up for any of these, just send Amy Baeder an email () and we’ll make sure you’re registered!
NKSD Science Grant Webpage
We now have a webpage for your reference! Check out the page here or navigate by going to nkschools.org, then Learning>Science>Secondary Science Grant (DoDEA). Let us know if there’s something there you’d like to see!
That’s all for this week! Please do stay in touch with me at or call 800.861.1755.
Best to you,
Amy Baeder