Supt. Gene Medina says KHS should open with grades 9-12

Published 7:00 pm Saturday, April 29, 2006

POULSBO — A full capacity audience at Thursday’s North Kitsap school board meeting waited through two hours of business items and math curriculum discussion to hear Supt. Gene Medina’s recommendation to the board for the location of the 2008 senior class.

“We understand why we need to pass the (Washington State Assessment of Student Learning) and meet the other graduation requirements, all we are asking is that we be allowed to do it together,” North Kitsap High School sophomore Tyler Seth said as he and a group of about 10 other students addressed the board with their position on the issue.

In June 2005, after drawing the attendance lines for Kingston and North Kitsap High Schools, the NKSD Attendance Boundary Task Force recommended that the class of 2008 be allowed to finish its high school career at NKHS. Later, the NKSD board approved the boundary line recommendation, but, in light of a massive NKHS modernization project planned for 2007-08, asked the NKSD administration to further review the best option for the location of the class of 2008.

When the agenda item finally came around at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Medina wanted to move along in the interest of time, but the board asked him to hit the high points of the myriad of reasons for his recommendation that Kingston High School open for the 2007-2008 school year with a full 9-12 program.

“The issue is to open a full complement program at Kingston High School, that was the intent for the school,” Medina said, noting the unusual situation the district faced with the NKHS modernization project falling in the same timeline as the opening of KHS. “We understand the challenges this presents for the seniors, but I believe they can deal with this. It can be a very positive thing if you want it to be.”

The reaction from the near standing room only crowd was less than enthusiastic as many sighs could be heard and head shaking could be seen, but board director Melanie Mohler offered assurance to the concerned.

“I see a lot of parents out there shaking their heads at the things we’re saying,” she said. “Whatever the decision is, we’re gonna make those seniors feel at home at whichever school they want to be a part of.”

Students who addressed the board earlier in the evening noted their main concern was staying together in a time of change. But Medina pointed out that the class had just recently fused after attending two different junior high schools.

“A big part of high school is having friends,” Seth said. “It is an undeniable fact that the motivation to go to school will drop significantly if our class is split.”

Despite that possibility, Medina’s recommendation, based on months of student, parent, staff and community input, noted 10 reasons for opening KHS with seniors and four for keeping all 2008 seniors at NKHS.

Reasons for keeping seniors together included educational program continuity at the school, maintaining student friendships and regional trends of moving seniors in their senior year.

“Early in our review, we contacted six high school representatives in Washington and asked how they have opened their new high schools,” the recommendation stated. “All six high schools did not open with seniors for a wide range of reasons.”

However, one of the paramount reasons Kingston High School will be opening with seniors is the modernization project that will take place at NKHS in 2007-2008. A total 78,275 square feet, representing nearly 50 percent of the school, will be modernized.

If all seniors were to stay at NKHS in addition to incoming freshman who will be attending the school for the first year, overcrowding at the school would likely reach a pinnacle while Kingston High School would be less than 70 percent occupied.

In addition to those space concerns, delays or increased project costs for the modernization project would cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on specifics.

“I understand that it’s really important for the (2008) senior class, but we have got to look beyond that senior class for the best for all students,” Mohler said.

The board seemed in support of the recommendation, but it will not take action on the issue until its next regular meeting May 11.