Come September, a new neighbor moves next door as Kingston High School ushers in 800 students and about 80 staff members. What the impact will be on the community’s businesses and traffic flow is unknown, but North Kitsap School District Superintendent Gene Medina encourages business owners and residents to consider the huge transition that’s about to take place in town.

“Change is a personal process and decision. It’s all about the transition,” Medina said at a Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce Luncheon May 2.

He anticipates that the locus of services offered in Kingston will change as it absorbs and adjusts to the flow dynamic of an additional estimated 250 cars that will be traveling in and out of the school parking lot.

“Will there be a shift of services?” he asked. “Absolutely. It might not sound like much, but you’ll have to ask what services do you have? The impact will be pretty profound, but really beneficial. It’s time for folks to get together and have that conversation.

“If you don’t talk about them, it creates all sorts of other problems … What’s the vision for Kingston? Let kids know what it is … We want to capitalize on the talents of the whole community.”

Jana Kramberger, chamber of commerce president, co-owner of a downtown business, and parent of two kids who will be attending the new school, welcomes the transition.

“Our school is once again back in our community,” she said. “Now our kids don’t have to drive to Poulsbo … the community will keep their eyes on our kids.”

The chamber has already had much discussion about the impact of the school opening, and she said so far there hasn’t been anything negative mentioned.

“There will be 800 kids looking for jobs, places to eat, businesses will be asked to contribute, other people will be coming to events,” Kramberger said. “People are excited. Everyone I know is talking about it.”

She anticipates that there will be some growing pains, but isn’t worried: “These aren’t strangers from another planet, these are our kids.”

One impact she foresees is people looking at what other businesses need to move into town to serve the students and staff, such as stationery, music and office supply stores. Medina sees the shift including more of the community working with students and being involved in the schools, more youth employment, additional parking created downtown, and more families coming into town – though the traffic patterns will be interesting to watch as they hit the intermittent ferry flow.

Francis Danielek, owner of Kingston’s Pizza Factory, is familiar with having a high school nearby. He also has Pizza Factory restaurants in Port Townsend and Bainbridge Island.

“I’m excited for the community, kids, parents and long-term feasibility of this area,” Danielek said. “We have the opportunity to make an impact in a kid’s life, building solid character. There’s got to be more than pizza.”

At the Kingston restaurant, Danielek employs eight part-time high school students, four college students and three adults. He will add lunch specials for hungry students on a low budget, “super-duper reasonably priced.”

Kingston High School will have a closed campus, according to KHS Principal Christy Cole, but juniors and seniors, with parent permission, can get off-campus permits that allow them to go off campus at lunch.

School start and end times are changing district-wide for the 2007-2008 school year. The elementary school day runs 9:10 a.m.-3:40 p.m.; both high schools, Spectrum Community School and Poulsbo Middle School start at 8 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.; and Kingston Middle School will begin at 8:10 a.m. and end at 2:40 p.m.

The influx of parents picking up their kids, and students and staff drivers will be a “whole different ballgame,” Medina said, after school sports teams finish up practice between 5 and 6 p.m.

Pat O’Morchoe, who is on the founding committee of the KHS PTSA, sees community support fostered through that organization as well as the band and athletic booster clubs.

“It’s in the best interest of businesses to support the schools so that kids get a good education and can come back to be employed by those businesses. We’re anxious to have a lot of partnerships with businesses and community groups in the area.”

Now is the time for the community to take inventory of its resources, Medina said. “This is a huge community development opportunity.”