The North Kitsap School District had a communication problem last year. Parents were notified long after the fact that sexual activity between students had taken place on a bus, and that a classroom had been evacuated and students and teachers reported headaches because of a failed HVAC system.

The effort at timely communication this school year is apparent — and greatly appreciated. Timely communication is one step toward repairing the parent trust that was fractured last year.

“For transparency purposes,” a notice was sent from Superintendent Patty Page’s office to Poulsbo Elementary School staff and families on Sept. 16 regarding an odor investigation that revealed there is mold in an HVAC unit in a portable building used by preschoolers.

The investigation took place before the school year started, and children started the year in a classroom in the main building. The portable “will not open … for any use until the situation is mitigated,” Page reported.

Notices were sent to parents on Sept. 14 alerting them to a fire alarm that sounded at Gordon Elementary that day; and the results of testing for lead in drinking water at several schools and the district’s course of action.

Transparency and timely communication are critical. They help parents make decisions they feel are best for their children; prevent the spread of rumors and inaccurate information that undermine public confidence; and ensure credibility and public trust.

For several years, and under at least two superintendents, the standard operating procedure was to control the message, i.e. fix it first and then let the public know what’s going on. That practice failed. It also violated the parent’s right to know about occurrences that could potentially affect their child’s well-being. It undermined public confidence in the district.

We appreciate the district’s new efforts to disseminate important information in a timely manner. We hope this is part of the standard operating procedure; the district and parents will benefit.