The South Kitsap School Board met June 18 to hear updates from superintendent Tim Winter and district staff on topics ranging from virtual learning during snow days to long-term enrollment trends and an upcoming city improvement project impacting a local elementary school.

Winter addressed a recent written public comment that raised the question of whether the district could move to virtual learning on days impacted by snow or power outages. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction requires a minimum of five hours of direct instruction for an official virtual learning day, and equity remains a concern as not all families have reliable internet access.

Winter also announced a new leadership hire. Tara Ranzy will take over as principal of Marcus Whitman Middle School beginning July 1, as current principal Brian Carlson transitions to the district office to serve as assistant director of teaching & learning.

Assistant superintendent Monica Hunsaker presented an update on the district’s budget and enrollment projections, pointing to regional birth rate trends as a key driver.

“If you look at the birth rates in 2019, which drive this current year, they declined from the prior year,” Hunsaker said. “Then in 2020, it declined even more, which is impacting our projections for next year.”

She explained that the dip in birth rates will likely result in smaller kindergarten classes for the next two years, which will affect total enrollment over time as those smaller cohorts move through the district.

“I keep hoping with all the building and housing that’s going on in our area that we’re going to see students from there, we just aren’t,” she added.

However, Hunsaker said there’s reason for optimism. Birth rates rose again in 2022, and those children will enter kindergarten starting in 2027, potentially boosting enrollment.

The board also approved a notification from the city of Port Orchard regarding the Sidney Road non-motorized improvements project, which will directly impact Sidney Glen Elementary School.

The project, aimed at improving safety and accessibility for pedestrians and bicyclists along the road, includes the installation of new sidewalks, Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at key crossings, designated bike lanes, and enhanced stormwater drainage systems.