The South Kitsap School Board recognized Cedar Heights Middle School’s AVID program while also honoring longtime AVID teacher Hillary Larson, who will retire at the end of the school year, at its meeting April 2.

Cedar Heights principal Andrew Kane introduced the showcase, highlighting the impact of the Advancement Via Individual Determination program on student development and college preparation. “Our mission is to inspire and shape futures,” Kane said. “AVID helps us do that by closing opportunity gaps and ensuring every student leaves us ready for high school, and eventually, college or career.”

Kane praised Larson for her influence. “I meet monthly with thirteen students to ask which teacher inspires them,” he said. “In the five years I’ve done this, Mrs. Hillary Larson has been mentioned every time.”

Assistant superintendent Tom Edwards called Larson’s work a “bright spot” in the district and announced a regional AVID workshop she will host April 28 at Cedar Heights. The event will allow other school districts to learn from Larson’s success in training student peer tutors, a model developed in response to challenges finding college-age AVID tutors.

“We struggle here in Port Orchard and in South Kitsap getting traditional college tutors in the AVID elective classes,” Edwards said. “Olympic College is the geographically nearest option, and even that’s not very close. There are a lot of complications that come with the traditional model of bringing college students into classrooms.”

He added: “We’re going to be doing a lot of videotaping and Q&A with Hillary to capture her process. Her sixth-grade peer tutors are some of the best I’ve ever seen — even compared to high school programs.”

Larson said retiring feels “a little strange. I love AVID — the kids, the community and the support from administration.”

She explained that sixth-grade AVID students begin learning college terminology, while seventh-graders create vision boards to map their futures. In eighth grade, students complete a “dream life” project that includes running expense sheets and budgeting for real-world costs like housing and taxes.

Students Reese Rodriquez and Allison Binz gave a presentation on colleges they researched. Rodriquez showcased Olympic College, noting its affordability and military-connected student body. Binz presented on Texas A&M, discussing its history, tuition and research.

The meeting also included a study session on district instructional goals, led by executive director of Teaching and Learning Lisa Fundane’t, math instructional specialist Kelsey Patterson and instructional specialist Dana Richardson.

Fundane’t praised South Kitsap’s progress in academic support systems, particularly in math and literacy. “We’re further ahead than most districts in Washington when it comes to multi-tiered systems of support,” she said. “One bright spot is our work in academic intervention.”

Patterson introduced the Delta Math intervention program, which provides eight-day cycles targeting readiness skills across grades K-8 and Algebra I. The program includes screeners and over 60 intervention cycles covering 48 standards. “Our formative assessments are helpful, but Delta Math screeners get more detailed,” Patterson said. “Each cycle is designed for thirty-minute sessions over eight days.”

The district’s five core academic goals also were discussed: increasing math proficiency, early literacy, graduation rates, attendance and a sense of belonging among students, staff and families.