August 30, 2010
WELCOME BACK!
“Education is not preparation for life;
education is life itself.
~John Dewey
If you would like to include something in the next Staff Memo, please email your information to Pattye Heuer.The next Memo will be published on or around Monday, September 13, 2010.
Do you have a photo you would like to see above? Send it to me!
IMPORTANT: Major Changes for Requesting Substitutes
Some teachers, paraeducators, and clerical staff have been relying on the building’s Office Coordinator to enter absence(s) and schedule substitutes. This process became problematic for district-wide dispatching. It also created problems in cases of potential unemployment claims. So…we’ve made some changes.
First and foremost, with the exception of bus drivers, maintenance/custodians, and child nutrition employees, it is the expectation that employees enter their own absences into Substitute Online.
The District’s Substitute Dispatcher, Diane Morrill, will be working directly out of the Personnel Office this year. If you have a question or a last-minute substitute request, please call her at 473-1026. Here’s the schedule:
- Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Diane will be available directly via phone at 473-1026.
- From 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., please continue to call 473-1026. If you have an immediate need, one of the other members of the Personnel Team will assist you; if not, you will be forwarded to Diane’s message machine, and she’ll respond to you the next work day.
- After 4:30 p.m., leave a message for Diane at 473-1026. She will pick messages up at 6:00 a.m. the following work day.
Early requests for subs are a must! There are times when buildings go without substitutes. We understand how difficult this makes your lives. It is generally those requests that come in after 6:30 a.m. that go uncovered, so be sure to get your requests in early. Thank you.
Welcome New Staff!
Armin Jahr
Christine Lauerman, 1st Grade
Victoria Aherns, Special Ed
Kevin Wise, PE
Shannon Leonard, 4th Grade
Crownhill
Lynn Heimsoth, Interventionist
BremertonHigh School, Leann Bryan, Science
Kathryn Yanuszeski, Voc Sports Med
Azariah Robinson, NJRTOC
Eric Boyer, Social Studies
Denise Eggleston, English
Kyle Moore, Math
MVMS
Anne Gardner, Science
Michele Edem, Special Ed
Naval Avenue
Ivelis Botti, Spanish Immersion
Liza Piper, Montessori Pre-school
Kalie Enlow, 2nd Grade
Rhiannon Lawson (Ennen), Multi Media/Title 1 / Special Services
Andrea Iversen, Sp Ed /Pre-School
Christina Desmond, SLP
Shanna Gividen, Sp Ed Pre-School
Amanda Fothergil, Psychologist Intern
Christen Harlow -SLPA
View Ridge
Kathryn Sprague, Highly Capable
West Hills
Sarah Presley, 4th Grade
C.J.Young, 5th Grade
Angela Tidwell, 5th Grade
Amy Musselwhite, Clerical Asst
West Sound Tech
Christopher Gallagher, Precision Mach
Administrators
John Polm, Principal, High School
Kristen Morga, Principal, Renaissance
Patty Grenquist, Principal, Kitsap Lake
Stacey Krumsick, Asst. Principal, MVMS
Professional Development Opportunities
The District Planning Calendar for 2010-11 is now online. This calendar includes all Professional Development opportunities which are shaded in blue.
Communication Survey
The Community Relations Department is interested in gaining a better understanding of community perceptions in order to improve our district communications. The survey takes about 5 - 7 minutes to complete and covers topics like communications, parental involvement, district performance, and demographics. The survey will be available until September 30, 2010. Take the Survey Today! Hard copies are also available in school offices.
Travel Procedures
As we move toward our goal of a paperless district, we are eliminating any NCR forms. The Travel Request Form is now available the District website under Employee Forms, and can be filled in online. Complete instructions for travel are on the second page of the online form, but to get you started:
- Complete only the entire LEFT side of form in detail.
- Meal per diem information can be found at
- PRINT 3 COPIES obtaining original signatures on all copies.
- Forward to Superintendent’s Office with a copy of the conference agenda or announcement.
- Authorization from your principal/supervisor is required.
- Once travel has been approved, a substitute can be requested using Substitute Online, if necessary. Employees are responsible to request their substitute.
- A copy of the Travel Request Form with original signatures will be sent to you shortly after the date of travel for you to request reimbursement of expenses.
The Notebook
The latest edition of “The Notebook” is being delivered to homes in Bremerton this week. You can also read it on the District website.
2010-11 HOPE Goals
The District HOPE Goals are now available on the District website.
School Closure/Delay
Staff members are reminded that the latest emergency school closure/delay information is available on the District website through PSECS, or through the News and Information Line at 360.473.1002.
Print Shop Update
Printing Services has been relocated to BremertonHigh School. At this time the printing options will remain the same:
- All printing will be done on 8 ½ x 11 white paper
- You must provide the color paper for any jobs other than white
- Stapling and hole punching (up to 50 pages)
Kitsap CountyCommission on Children & Youth Newsletter
"In the Works" autumn newsletter has been posted on the Kitsap County Commission on Children and Youth web page.
Last Chance to Sign Up for Section 125
Where: District Office Business Conference Room
Date: September 17, 2010
Time: 8:00am – 3:00pm
If you missed meeting with Paul Loweecey to sign up for Section 125 plans here is your chance. The Section 125 plan gives you an opportunity to pay for dependent care expenses, out of pocket, un-reimbursed medical expenses, including some over-the-counter medical expenses, Prescriptions, and certain insurance premiums TAX FREE! This is particularly relevant in this age of increasing premium and out of pocket costs. Remember, all past participants who want to continue must sign a new election form as the plan does not renew automatically.Remember, you must meet with the American Fidelity Representative “on your own time”e.g..: before or after your scheduled work hours or during your break or lunch.If you would like to meet with Paul his telephone number is (425) 894-2211 you can also e-mail him at .
Benefits Fair
This year’s Benefits Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, September 8, 2010, from 2:30 – 5:30 pm at Mountain ViewMiddle School.
Willbooks.com Reading Stimulus Deadline Extended
The deadline for this program has been extended to September 30, 2010.Need relief from those budget cuts? Now you can double your book purchasing power with the Reading Stimulus Program.For each book you buy at our normal price of $2.00, we will donate another one free of charge. That's two for the price of one. This includes our popular reading collections. This is a limited time offer that requires no application.Orders must be received by September 30, 2010.
For more information on this program, please go to
403(b) Plan Universal Availability Notice
Review this important notice.
Naval Ave Teacher Honored
Naval Ave teacher, Helen Lyman-Selgren, was recognized as a “powerhouse in first grade”in the summer edition of Language Development Opportunities. Congratulations Helen! Read More
Lisa Johnson – New Prez!
We’re proud to announce that Lisa Johnson, Child Nutrition Supervisor, is the new president of the Washington School Nutrition Association - – Congratulations Lisa!
Last of the Summer Fun!
September 4, 5, & 6, 2010
“On the Boardwalk” in Downtown Bremerton
Free Live-Animal Education Program In Your Classroom
This fall, the West Sound Wildlife Shelter is offering a special opportunity. Your classroom can earn a free live-animal program featuring a visit from an owl, hawk, or pair of crows. You, some of the kids, or the classroom as a whole simply need to sell 40 Wildlife Shelter calendars ($10.00 each). The kids can choose whether they’d like a visit from Orion, the great horned owl; Athena, the barred owl; Yukon, the red-tailed hawk; or Ed and Ebeneezer, the American crows. This is an easy way to get a high-impact education program for free, a program that usually costs $100 - $250. To learn more, please visit or contact Elsa at 206.855.9057 x5 or .
Gots Good Grammar? (or Punctuation)
WORD UP!
A recent email I received: read all the way until the end.....you'll laugh....
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the
dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but . . . .
- Awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
- At a meeting, why does a topic come UP?
- Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?
- We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house, and fix UP the old car.
- At other times this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
- To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
- And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
- We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
- To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
- If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
- When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes outwe say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now ...... my time is UP!
What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night? Did that one crack you UP? Don't screw UP. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book… or not...it's UP to you.
Now ,I'll shut UP !
Thanks to Ioanna Cossack for sharing!
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Welcome Back. Have a Great Year!
Pattye Heuer