Parents raised concerns about student safety, leadership and the academic calendar at the South Kitsap School Board meeting March 19.

During public comment, multiple parents specifically expressed concerns about safety and leadership at Burley Glenwood Elementary.

Carissa College, a parent of a second-grader at Burley, shared that her son has been bullied multiple times in the school’s bathroom, where broken stall locks have remained unfixed despite repeated complaints. “My son is terrified to go to the bathroom,” College said. “When we have brought this up with (the principal), our concerns have been brushed off for the last three years.”

She described the school environment as unsafe, particularly during recess, where she said there are only two staff members monitoring the playground. She said there have been incidents of children being pushed, hit and having rocks thrown at them, with little intervention from staff.

Her husband, Trevor College, who volunteers as a crosswalk monitor, expressed frustration over dangerous traffic conditions near the school. He said that despite repeatedly bringing concerns to the administration, his suggestions have been dismissed.

“I’ve got multiple accounts of very close encounters,” he said. “Most of the parents trying to leave school have to make a left turn, but there’s a long line that backs up down the street and toward Sidney (Avenue). Someone is guaranteed to get T-boned one of these days.”

Tor Johnson echoed frustrations about Burley’s leadership, saying many parents who have spoken with the principal leave feeling dismissed. He also criticized the way a school policy enforcing “silent applause” during student performances was implemented without parent input.

Jeffrey Perkins, a parent of a South Colby Elementary student, raised concerns about the district’s academic calendar, particularly mid-winter break and half-days before spring break, which he said create childcare and financial challenges for working families. “We feel that the model is outdated,” Perkins said. “A lot of us are dual-income households and don’t have the flexibility that families had 20 or 30 years ago.”

He also pointed out that many children in the district rely on school-provided meals, and mid-winter break creates an additional burden for families struggling to provide food during that time. Additionally, he criticized the district’s extension of the school year to June 23, arguing that built-in buffer days should prevent last-minute calendar changes.

Superintendent Tim Winter acknowledged frustrations and emphasized the importance of parent-school collaboration. “We do need to know when things are happening that are not being resolved,” Winter said. “The partnership with our parents is vital to the success of our students and the success of our schools.”

Regarding the academic calendar, Winter explained that the district had applied for a waiver to avoid making up days lost to snow and power outages, but the request was denied by the state. State regulations require districts to make up at least three days per incident before a waiver will be considered. Because South Kitsap had separate incidents—three snow days and two power outage days—the state determined the district did not meet the threshold for any waivers.

“We went back again and explained that while it wasn’t a declared state emergency, it was a community emergency,” Winter said, noting that government offices, schools and much of the local infrastructure were shut down due to the power outages. “Unfortunately, they still said no.”

As a result, the district must extend the academic year. Winter acknowledged the frustration among families and said the situation has prompted discussions about whether to build additional snow days into future academic calendars. However, he noted the challenge of balancing that approach, as adding buffer days could unnecessarily extend the school year if they aren’t needed.

“The problem is, if we were to build in three snow days, and we don’t use them, we’re still going until June 18 anyway,” Winter said. “It’s a trade-off, and we can’t predict the weather.”

The board also discussed efforts to address student behavior and discipline policies. Board member Jay Villars emphasized that the district is focused on accountability and behavioral change. “Many of us grew up in a more- punitive type of behavior system where you would constantly get in trouble for things,” Villars said. “We have to understand how that’s changing and how we can still hold people accountable while also trying to change behavior.”

Board member Megan Higgins highlighted a new approach at Orchard Heights Elementary, where a designated room allows students to take a short break when overwhelmed. She said the space has helped students regulate themselves before returning to class.

In other business, the board adopted a resolution recognizing April 2025 as the Month of the Military Child. South Kitsap serves a significant number of military families, who often experience frequent relocations due to service commitments. The resolution acknowledges the challenges these students face, including disruptions to their academic routines and friendships, as well as their unique perspectives on learning and global awareness.

“As we know, our district has military families,” Winter said. “With that, there is some coming and going and some hardships that military families face that those who are not in the military don’t experience.”