South Kitsap School District superintendent Tim White announced at the April 24 school board meeting the upcoming retirement of SK High School principal Dave Goodwin and said interviews for his replacement would begin this week.
The board also approved a $2 million general fund budget extension prompted by increased spending in transportation and special education. Assistant superintendent Monica Hunsaker cited higher-than-expected special education costs, transportation project expenses, and the receipt of an unbudgeted $2 million grant from the Gates Foundation.
“We cannot legally spend above our appropriated or approved budget,” Hunsaker said. “This extension gives us the room we need to ensure we remain compliant and financially flexible.”
White also outlined progress on a new GPS-based bus tracking software. The system allows real-time bus tracking for parents and staff and offers turn-by-turn directions for drivers. It will eventually allow the district to monitor student boarding and drop-offs.
“We had a situation recently where there was an issue on the bus, and we were able to see the live camera feed, provide directions, and support the driver in real-time,” White said. “The investment is huge, and we’ve only scratched the surface.”
White closed his report by urging the community to rally behind facility improvements, referencing his recent visit to Bremerton’s Mountain View Middle School.
“They have all these turf fields—it speaks to the support that community provides that district,” he said. “We have got to do something in this community. I want more for our kids.”
During public comment, resident Holly Cruz praised the district’s American Sign Language program and encouraged broader community involvement. She recently served as a guest judge at the district’s ASL night.
“I didn’t know ASL was offered in the district, which I personally think should be a graduation requirement,” Cruz said.
She added that local leaders such as Shawn O’Dell, special projects and community relations manager at Washington Water Services, should be invited to speak to students about career opportunities, particularly for those not pursuing traditional college paths.
Also speaking during public comment, Jeff Perkins emphasized the importance of addressing student food insecurity. Quoting from Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Perkins highlighted how children perceive hunger and inequality in ways adults may overlook.
“Kids’ minds are constantly hungry—the problem is they can be hungry for knowledge or hungry for food, but they cannot be hungry for both at the same time,” Perkins said. “We cannot afford as a community to teach our children that food is a reward or a privilege.”
