North Mason looks back on school year

North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach summed up the 2022-23 school year by declaring the district had ended the year "strategically,

financially and systemically sound," while "keeping true to our mission, to educate, empower, inspire and prepare all our students to graduate, confident in their abilities to meet life's challenges and opportunities."

Rosenbach deemed it "a tremendous year of growth" for North Mason, with high enrollment, which appears on track to continue, as ninth-grade enrollment is already up more than 50 students over this past school year, and "opportunities for our students continue to expand."

Jackie Young, executive assistant for the school district, said district enrollment showed 2,305 students in 2018-19, then 2,371 in 2019-20. Numbers tumbled to 2,245 in 2020-21 in the wake of COVID, but recovered to 2,306 in 2021-22, and held steady at 2,310 in 2022-23.

"These numbers include the Running Start students," Young said.

Alexia Hadfield is principal of James A. Taylor High School and director of HomeLink, both of which fall under the umbrella of the North Mason School District's Alternative Learning Experience programs. She reported that those North Mason ALE programs graduated 57 students this year, giving the district's ALE programs a graduation rate of more than 90%.

"And at least 15 of those students will graduate with their 21st Century Skills Industry-Related Credentials," Hadfield said.

Hadfield's data also supported Rosenbach's assessment of the district's Career and Technical Education programs.

"Our robust CTE programs deliver tremendous experiences for our students, and this will only continue to evolve, to include more career pathways," Rosenbach said. "More than ever before, what we're seeing now is that students are graduating with an amazing array of tools, thanks to the education and support they have received through the North Mason School District."

Hadfield, who's also director of CTE programs, concurred with Rosenbach that not only are those CTE programs expanding, but so are the number of students completing the district's CTE pathways, which include agriculture, health science, business and marketing, culinary, manufacturing and the newest program, Core Plus Maritime.

Through Core Plus Maritime, North Mason CTE students can earn two industry-related credentials, then continue their studies at the West Sound Technical Skills Center in Bremerton, making them employable with entry-level certifications in the maritime industries.

"We're also adding a health science pathway next year, which will likewise feed into the West Sound Tech and Olympic College programs," Hadfield said. "The culinary program at North Mason has exploded, and we currently have a waitlist of students wanting to enroll in those courses. Our CTE courses allow students to discover new passions, careers and skills."

Most recently, the district has had positions open for a health science teacher and athletic trainer, and an agriculture and natural resource teacher.

"Hiring the right teacher will allow these programs to grow and expand, in areas where industry needs are greatest," said Hadfield, who's also looking for industry partners and community members to serve on the district's CTE advisory board. "We meet a minimum of three times per year, and would love more community and industry input, to ensure our programs are current with industry needs and skills."

Those interested can contact Hadfield at 360-277-2393 or ahadfield@northmasonschools.org.

"The district is also financially strong, having weathered much of the uncertainty other school districts are currently facing," Rosenbach said.

Rosenbach credited "the teamwork that exists," among district families, staff and community partners with yielding "a shared celebration of our students' success," as evidenced by the support received by elementary school concerts, middle school sporting events and high school awards nights, and this year's graduation ceremonies.

Looking ahead, Rosenbach noted the district is also gearing up for its second PICNIC (Purposefully Integrating Culture Nurturing Inclusive Community) on Aug. 23, "where we will come together, as a cohesive community, for the launch of the new school year, and to celebrate the heart of our district."

Amanda Marley-Clarke, district communications specialist, explained that the PICNIC was designed as an outreach tool, "to promote the diversity of our student culture." It drew 300 people last year, but "we expect that number to easily double" this year.

Last year's music, food and giveaways are set to be supplemented by more community resource booths, with the transportation roundup event staged on the upper campus.

To highlight what's happening in each school, each building will have its own booth.

"The CTE programs will be highlighted, and the high school band will be opening the show, again using the PICNIC as an opportunity to showcase our students," Marley-Clarke said.

The Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center has used a grant it received to donate $2,500 to the North Mason School District to purchase car seats for families in need. Fire Chief Beau Bakken agreed that the North Mason Regional Fire Authority would be handling their installations at the PICNIC.

Rosenbach concluded her review of the outgoing school year by declaring, "I am extremely proud of all our students and staff, and thankful to our board of directors, other volunteers and community supporters, for helping make 2022-23 such a successful school year."

June 15 meeting

The North Mason School Board meeting June 15 saw Rosenbach explain Parent Square, a new communication tool the district is looking into, before she and the board celebrated James A. Taylor High School and HomeLink for achieving a 91% graduation rate.

The high school also has been approved for accreditation for a six-year period, Rosenbach said.

"We are always looking for ways to simplify but improve our communication with families, and to make it easier for our staff to communicate with the families of the students they serve," said Rosenbach, who added that state legislation requires all communications between the schools and the students' families be available in those families' home languages by this fall. "That was looking like a really huge lift, but we did find a tool that could replace many of the tools we currently use."

Rosenbach told the board members that the purchase would probably appear on their July meeting agenda as a subscription. She stressed that Parent Square allows teachers, principals and the rest of the district to communicate with students and their families.

"Teachers will be able to write (texts, documents or forms that parents need to complete) within the tool in English, and the parents will have told the app what language they need to read it in," Ronsenbach said of Parent Square, which she noted is already used in several neighboring school districts, and which she anticipates will replace Blackboard. "It may also replace the tools our coaches are using to communicate with kids."

Parents would be able to hear written communiques as spoken words, "in cases when reading the text might be problematic," she said, adding that she expects "it will also make it easier for our parents to pay for lunches, or if they get a message from the school about an absence, they'll be able to text back and say, 'Yes, my kid had a doctor's appointment today, please excuse them.' "

Because Parent Square would replace multiple existing communication methods, Rosenbach expressed confidence it would save money, and she hopes it'll be available for school staff to familiarize themselves with by August, "when we're preparing to get back to the school year."

Turning to graduation rates, Rosenbach described herself as "very proud" of all the school district's students, teachers and other staff for the "innovation and dedication" they've demonstrated "throughout the year," noting that "a lot of hard work was done" to help more students to graduate on time.

"The introduction of our night-school program made so many things possible" for students who also double as parents, Rosenbach said, in addition to helping students "who have to work during school days, so attending school during the day became a problem" for them.

"We also added a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) option for project-based learning, to help students who were behind in credits to catch up" in order to graduate alongside their classmates, she said.

The average graduation rate of 91% through James A. Taylor High School and HomeLink is "unusual throughout the state, and a great testament to the work" of all involved, Rosenbach said.

Author Bio

Kirk Boxleitner, Reporter

Shelton-Mason County Journal & Belfair Herald
kboxleitner@masoncounty.com