Mel Gallup: the real science guy

Gordon Elementary teacher Mel Gallup had a very simple, direct and effective approach to teaching 10- and 11-year-olds science.

He knows the elementary science grade level expectations (GLE) better than a presidential hopeful knows their opponent’s Senate voting record. Gallup taught to those standards, as half the fifth-grade science GLE’s is inquiry and the scientific method.

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) is how the state determines how well a student, and school for that matter, knows the GLEs. The WASL also gives teachers and students across the state fits, and many question the efficacy of the test. But Gallup said, it’s only logical the WASL would follow the standards.

Gallup – who was Gordon’s sole fifth grade science teacher last year, but has since moved to fourth grade due to staffing shifts — applied this fool-proof line of reasoning.

“By the time the WASL came around, they knew the scientific method inside out,” he said.

It produced jaw-dropping results.

Gordon’s 2007-08 fifth-grade class cumulatively scored an 80 percent on the WASL. They outscored the North Kitsap School District’s other elementary schools by at least 24 percentage points, scored higher than all of Kitsap’s school districts’ fifth grade WASL efforts, including Bainbridge Island’s Odyssey Multiage Program and Sakai Intermediate at 78.6 and 77.7, respectively.

When asked why his fifth-graders were so successful, in addition to teaching to GLEs, Gallup emphasizes three factors: hands-on, do experiments first to hook them and then feed their curiosity with facts, emphasize scientific inquiry and have a dedicated science teacher.

Gallup taught some 80 kids science, five days a week, an hour each day.

Turfing it with NKSD

A collective question on the minds of athletes, coaches and fans was, will the North Kitsap Stadium field, which was torn up June 16 to be replaced with artificial turf, be ready in time for the football season’s first game, Sept. 6? The answer was yes and the NK Stadium turf field, a project made possible by a four-way partnership between NKSD, Kitsap County, the city of Poulsbo and the Public Facilities District, was completed at the beginning of September. The artificial turf for Strawberry Field was finished in October.

Unfortunately, this project also brought out the ugly side in several adults. Currently the stadium is painted in vibrant purple and gold NK Viking colors and emblems. Cardinal-and-gold clad Kingston plays its home football and soccer games at stadium. NKSD would like to neutralize the stadium and one suggestion was to paint over the Viking colors. The paint-over rumor mill blew up in October and a throng of angry Viking parents and alum showed up at a school board meeting in “I am-A-Viking” T-shirt force to say, in summary: “What’s the message you are sending these (NKHS) children? You’re sending the message that they don’t count and that their (NKHS) school spirit does not count,” said Heather Holmen, a parent of a Viking freshman and two NKHS graduates.

To date nothing has been done to neutralize the stadium.

Separate but not equal

The turf field installations magnified the complete lack of equality in facilities between the district’s two high schools’ athletic programs.

The Kingston community’s Cujo-sized bone of contention is Kingston fans want lights installed at the school’s artificial turf field for practice purposes and equal access, and equal playing time at the stadium.

They don’t have either.

The Poulsbo area has seven lit practice fields and Kingston has none.

Athletic practices at KHS become a giant game of Twister. Track and boys soccer can’t practice at the same time, nor can soccer games be played while track is practicing and vice versa. One team must move to the grass fields at Kingston Middle. In the fall girls soccer, football and band have to share the turf field for practices. There have been times when soccer and football are practicing at opposite ends and band is in the middle. It also becomes an issue of visibility, and the band’s had to practice with flashlights and head lamps in the evening.

Kingston still awaits lights on its artificial turf field.

Kingston also awaits equal access to the NK Stadium.

The calendar in the inter-local facilities use agreement, which dictates access to the stadium, clearly shows a lack of equal access for Kingston’s teams.

From August through July Kingston co-curricular activities are scheduled at the NK Stadium eight times, of which two days conflict with NK High’s needs. Kingston is only scheduled for the stadium between August and November, which completely neglects boys soccer in the spring. North is scheduled to use the stadium 213 times through out the year, which accounts for practice time, however the Vikings have two more practice fields than the Buccaneers.

In summary: “It isn’t about a stadium. It isn’t about football. It’s about all the kids,” said KHS head boys and girls soccer coach Craig Smith. “You have about three times the space to do what we do in Kingston.”

NKSD grieves the death of two students

Discussing and accepting death at any age is incredibly difficult, let alone trying to come to terms with the death of a classmate and friend. When death happens to a student it impacts the entire school district, and very meticulous and careful steps are taken to help staff and students through the grieving process.

The North Kitsap School District was struck with the death of two students: one unexpected, Ethan, 7, died in a tragic accident Oct. 7; and the other expected, as Arielle Hellwig, 17, a senior at Spectrum Community School, lost a battle with cancer Oct. 3.

NKSD has an emergency response system in place. The detailed steps are in a binder about five inches thick, with check lists and back up plans, which Director of Communications Chris Case has on hand in her desk.

The response steps all happen simultaneously, Case said — obtaining factual information, determining the level of support and long-term needs, communicating with pertinent individuals and organizing the staff for an emergency meeting.

On scene at the affected schools, NKSD calls in backup support from other districts, counselors and substitute teachers, to relieve staff who need a break.

Hospice bereavement groups are available to come and speak with staff and students, as is a volunteer crisis team.

However, each school deals in a manner that’s best for their niche community. Both Poulsbo Elementary and Spectrum still feel the void of loss and are learning to cope, accept and continue on.

Budget woes, round two

NKSD’s 2009-10 budget development process bears a striking resemblance to an apple orchard. One in which the low-hanging fruit is nearly gone, and a throng of helpers are sorting through the fruit, trying as best they can to preserve the most delectable apples and cause as little damage as possible to the becoming-barren orchard.

The district must shave $1.3 million to balance the 2009-10 budget, said NKSD Director of Finance Nancy Moffatt.

Any way it’s approached, the process won’t be easy.

NKSD’s garnished the help of community members and all areas of district staff to make suggestions and recommend possible cuts. It’s an exhaustive process that started at the beginning of November, will see a round of public meetings in February and March and culminate with presenting a budget to the school board in April or May.

Those who volunteered for the process were divided into 13 groups. Each group met four to six times throughout November and December, reviewed their specific area of the budget, and developed a list of budget cuts and/or revenue generating recommendations.

The work group suggestions will be given to the school board and the Citizen’s Review Committee (CRC), a larger group of community members not involved in the work groups, for review. All of the district’s associations, unions, teachers, classified staff and administrative staff will complete the same pot prioritization and then all the conclusions will be given to the school board.