District Level Administrative Structure and Staffing

MANAGEMENT and
OPERATIONAL REVIEW

SOUTH KITSAP SCHOOL DISTRICT
District Level Administrative Structure

and Staffing

Spring 2017

Conducted by
Wayne T. Robertson, Ed. D.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY/RECOMMENDATIONS

The summary below is intended to provide a very brief indication of major points covered in the main
report. People are urged to read the report in its entirety to gain a perspective on the work done in the
Management Review process.

This review was requested in order to have an outside consultant assess the district’s district
level administrative structure and staffing. There were specific issues that the district identified
as areas to be covered and questions to be answered in this review. Some of these areas have
been addressed by the district over the past several years, but the district believed they needed
further attention. It is these areas that the consultant was asked to emphasize.

The district is to be commended for the thoughtful approach taken in moving forward with these
management reviews, and for taking the opportunity to reflect and make adjustments. The district has
been strategic in bringing back staffing in critical areas, and is doing a commendable job of managing
underfunded capital projects and maintenance issues. The administrative staff is very appreciative of
the support and direction they receive from the Board of Directors and the Interim Superintendent.

Impacts from the budget reduction years are still apparent throughout the district. In some cases,
departments are understaffed. Several departments are impacted by facilities needs. The district
should take a thoughtful, comprehensive approach in considering all the needs of the district as it
moves forward.

Key Recommendations:

 The district should carefully consider the proposed re-configuration of the Student
Success Department to become the Learning and Instructional Support Department. The
proposed re-configuration involves additional instructional support staffing, one
additional administrator, minor reporting alignment changes and a new identity. The
recommendation is grounded in maximizing the support to schools and programs,
developing a cadre of teacher leaders and moving the district forward with several high-
stakes initiatives.

 The district has been made aware of the Director of Facilities & Operations concerns
and ideas for improving structure, staffing and services in the Facilities & Operations
Department. Each of these recommendations should be carefully considered, and where
possible supported. It is evident that, to some extent, the recommendations are an
integrated package to be brought forward as such. That would be the best possible
scenario.

 The recommendation to elevate the Director of Facilities & Operations to the role of
Executive Director is significant. It seems that the most intense conversations in the
district always come back to facilities. Having the individual responsible for facilities
reporting to the superintendent places the work in the proper organizational context,
where facilities and operational issues can be addressed.

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THE REVIEW

In the spring of 2017, the Interim Superintendent of the South Kitsap School District approached
WASA about the possibility of using WASA’s Management Review process to examine the
effectiveness of several areas of the district’s operations. Discussions were held between the
superintendent and a WASA consultant who was familiar with the district and several areas of
administrative effectiveness. The intent of the potential reviews was to improve administrative
services and overall effectiveness. It was determined that the WASA Management Review
process would be used to examine the district’s special education and related services and that a
variation of the process would be used to review administrative organization, staffing and
services. A consultant was selected and plans were made to conduct the review in the spring of
2017 with a report to be submitted in June.

It was also decided that the two reviews could be coordinated to be conducted simultaneously to
minimize the impact upon district staff and expedite the interviews and collection of materials.
This report is a summary of activities, findings and conclusions relative to the South Kitsap
School District’s Administrative Structure and Services. A separate report will be submitted
relative to the WASA Special Education Management Review.

On site interviews were scheduled and conducted on April 12 and 13, 2017. Meetings and
interviews were scheduled to include the Board of Directors, district and building level
administrators, instructional staff and support staff. The consultant met with the Board of
Directors to gather their perspective on administrative services and organization. Over the course
of the two days, the consultant conducted 18 separate interviews with district administrators and
support staff. These interviews were held at the district administrative office. Most of the
sessions were individual conversations with each staff member and lasted approximately 30
minutes. At each of the interviews the consultant asked questions as to the strengths of the
district, challenges and recommendations for improving administrative structure and services.
Some of the district leaders had prepared summary materials characterizing the structure, staffing
and services of their respective departments. These materials and the reflection provided by these
leaders and their department staff members were quite helpful. Every person interviewed and
involved in the process demonstrated a strong commitment to the South Kitsap School District
and to the process of making a good system even better.

A number of documents were reviewed. Some were provided by department administrators as
background material and some were provided as requested by the consultant. These materials
included the following:

District Organizational Charts
District Feeder Schools Chart
Proposed Draft District Organizational Chart
Administrator Salary schedules
District policies and procedures
District, department and school web sites and Facebook pages

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Learning and Instructional Support Department Responsibilities Chart
Communication Calendar / Plan
Monthly Communications and Engagement Calendar
Strategy 360 Survey Summary Messaging
Human Resources Responsibility Chart
Learning and Instructional Support Department Responsibilities Chart (Proposed)
Job Summary – Beginning Educator Support Specialist
Job Summary – Learning Specialist- k-4 Reading, ELL, Early Childhood, Accountability
2015-2016 Facilities & Operations Department Organizational Chart
Facilities & Operations Department Organizational Chart (Proposed)
Budget and staffing documentation, Facilities & Operations Department
Memorandum, Justification: Facilities & Operations Department Reorganization
Databases currently maintained by the Facilities & Operations Department
A No-Fault Effectiveness Assessment of the South Kitsap School District Custodial

Operations

At the conclusion of each of the two days of interviews, the consultant met briefly with the
superintendent to keep him appraised of the process.

COMMENDATIONS

1. The district is to be commended for the thoughtful approach taken in moving forward
with these management reviews. The leadership change over the past two years and the
continuation of the Interim Superintendent’s tenure in the district for a second year are
being viewed as an opportunity to reflect and make some adjustments in key areas of the
district’s operations and effectiveness. This speaks highly of the district’s growth mindset
for continuous improvement.

2. The administrative staff is very appreciative of the support and direction they receive
from the Board of Directors and the Interim Superintendent.

3. The district has been strategic in bringing back staffing in critical areas where staffing
was reduced or eliminated during the budget reduction years associated with revenue
reductions at the state level.

4. The district is doing a commendable job of managing the impact of aging and
underfunded capital projects and maintenance issues.

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT

This two-person department is attached to the superintendent’s office. The Communications and
Community Relations Specialist reports directly to the superintendent. The mission of the
department is to effectively communicate the district’s accomplishments; build trust in the
community and widen the community support base; engage community members to help achieve

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district goals; listen to and respond to community and staff members and to foster positive
relations with parents, staff and the community. The primary responsibilities of the department
include the following:

 Website
 Mobile App
 Social Media
 District Calendar
 Other publications, including an annual report, print media inserts and such

The department has established an annual communications calendar / plan which lists major
activities, key messages and operational strategies by quarter and by month. The district is well-
represented on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, and YouTube. The website,
updated in 2014, is a very positive representation of the district. It is well-organized and easy to
navigate. The mobile app was initiated in 2015 to provide staff, students and patrons easy access
to district information and services. The recent addition of a second fulltime employee, with
graphic design expertise, has added capacity and will enable the department to upgrade and
increase the number of publications. The communications specialist indicates that internal
communications and publications could be strengthened, including the “News You Can Use”
document which features events, district recommendations and attempts to provide timely
information to staff so that the rumor mill is somewhat mitigated. The department would also
like to work more closely with the human resources department, particularly at the start of the
year and at key points along the human resources calendar to help employees be as informed as
possible.

Recommendations:

1. The department should formalize efforts to strengthen internal communications. A survey
of employees as to desired content, format and frequency might be beneficial.

2. The communication strategies between this department and other areas of the district
should be reviewed and strengthened.

3. A salary placement review of staff working in the Communications Office is advised to
compare compensation with other districts of similar size and complexity.

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STUDENT SUCCESS DEPARTMENT

The Student Success Department is led by the Assistant Superintendent for Student Success who
is responsible for Teaching & Learning, Arts, Special Services, Categorical Programs and Career
& Technical Education. The district is currently organized so that virtually all of the instructional
and instructional support programs and services fall under the direction of the Assistant
Superintendent for Student Success. This makes of a very large and complex department. The
assistant superintendent is also a key cabinet member in other leadership and administrative
conversations and decisions. Two Executive Directors, one for Teaching and Learning and one
for Categorical Programs, Assessment and Innovation report directly to the assistant
superintendent. The Executive Director for Teaching and Learning provides support and
supervision of the Special Services Department and the Arts Department. The Executive Director
of Categorical Programs, Assessment and Innovation has oversight responsibility for Career and
Technical Education. These three administrators also have responsibility for principal
evaluations.

The department plays a key role by providing instructional materials, on-going staff training, and
support for the assessment process. The department is committed to district and school
improvement.

The district website states: It is our mission to support teachers and administrators in their roles
to ensure high levels of learning for ALL students by:

 Providing leadership in the selection of standards-based, aligned K-12 instructional
resources grounded in effective instruction practice.

 Coordinating, designing, and delivering professional learning.
 Supervising state and district assessments.
 Coordinating the district's efforts to increase student achievement.

The assistant superintendent states that in past years the staffing of this department has been
greatly impacted by budget reductions while expectations for services have increased due to
additional assessment requirements and increased demands for professional development. The
overall impact of years of budget reductions amounted to a reduction of 3 to 4 staff members at
the district office. He also notes that the mentor program for new teachers has been reduced.

The assistant superintendent and other leaders in the department believe that reinstatement of
TOSA positions in key areas would be the most cost-effective approach to revitalizing the
department and strategically addressing the most urgent service needs of the schools, programs
and the district. Based on this approach, the department and others have developed a revised
draft organizational chart which establishes a layer of specialist positions: five full-time
positions and three half-time positions. Two half-time Instructional Specialist positions would be
instituted under Special Services. Four full-time positions: a Learning Specialist-ELA/Literacy,
a Learning Specialist-Math/Science, a Beginning Educator Support Specialist-Elementary and a
Beginning Educator Support-Secondary, would report to the Executive Director of Teaching and
Learning. One full-time Learning Specialist-K-4 Reading/ELL/Accountability and one half-time
HiCAP Coordinator position would be added reporting to the Executive Director of Categorical

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Programs, Innovation & Assessment. Job summary descriptions for the new positions have been
developed with input from key stakeholders. In addition to the above-mentioned staffing, the
new configuration also calls for an additional director level position for Learning and
Instructional Support. This model also proposes moving the reporting responsibilities for the
Athletic Director to fall under the Executive Director for School and Staff Support. Lastly, the
proposed re-configuration also carries a name change of this department to become the Learning
and Instructional Support Department.

Formal recommendations as to moving forward or not with the recommendation of the draft
reorganization configuration are still in the development stages due to the obvious budget impact
and the uncertainty of state and federal funding. It is understood by all involved to date that these
recommendations represent a considerable investment of the district’s future resources, and that
other variations of this model will have to be considered.

Recommendations:

1. The district should carefully consider the proposed re-configuration of the Student
Success Department to become the Learning and Instructional Support Department. The
proposed re-configuration involves additional instructional support staffing, one
additional administrator, minor reporting alignment changes and a new identity. The
recommendation is grounded in maximizing the support to schools and programs,
developing a cadre of teacher leaders and moving the district forward with several high-
stakes initiatives.

2. The recommendations to reinstate support for beginning teachers and new staff should be
strongly considered.

3. Consideration for additional personnel to more fully implement the goals of the
department and the work of the schools should strongly be considered.

4. The Department should increase articulation, coordination and alignment of all
instructional programs in the district with strong district oversight.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Teaching & Learning Department is a key component of the Student Success Department.
The district is characterized by a very active Teaching & Learning Department led by an
Executive Director, who reports directly to the Assistant Superintendent for School Success. This
structure shows the importance the district places on teaching and learning for all students. The
department is heavily invested in professional development for new staff, a major summer
professional development institute, support for professional learning communities, curriculum
review, adoption and support and instructional materials for all schools and programs. The
district’s website provides links for teachers and other staff members with ready access to
services, resources, forms, external sites, calendar information and such so that staff members
are informed and have the tools they need to provide the best instruction to their students. The
district makes extensive use of teacher leaders in supporting colleagues, presenting professional
development and guiding the instructional improvement and support processes.

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The director is most concerned about the on-boarding of new staff, particularly beginning
teachers. She states the last year the district employed 165 new teachers. That trend is continuing
through the current year. She notes that past year’s budget reductions have reduced the number
of helping teachers/coaches from 2.5 FTE to .5 FTE Instructional Specialist. There are also some
issues with many new teachers not attending professional development activities which are
designed to help them as they enter the profession or the district.

Recommendations:

1. The director is very supportive of the Student Success Department transitioning to the
Learning and Instructional Support Department, in that the additional staffing will or
may reinstate the former capacity of the department and increase the potential
development of teacher leaders in key areas.

2. The district should explore strategies to support beginning teachers and teachers new to
the district.

3. The department may be well served by asking new teachers about the reasons or barriers
to their participation in professional development activities.

ARTS

The Arts Department is staffed by a part time Director level administrator. Art instruction and
quality art education experiences for students at all grades are a very important part of the South
Kitsap School District curriculum. The mission of the Arts Department is to provide every
student in the South Kitsap School district an opportunity to Create, Perform, and Respond
through Dance, Music, Theatre, and the Visual Arts. Programs offered under the direction of this
department include the following:

 Elementary Vocal/Classroom Music
 Elementary 5th and 6th Grade Beginning and Advanced Bands
 Junior High Choral and Instrumental Music
 Junior High Theatre
 Junior High Visual Arts
 High School Choral and Instrumental Music
 High School Commercial Music Technology
 High School Guitar
 High School Theatre
 High School Visual Arts/Applied Arts
 Elementary Beginning Strings at Sidney Glen and Burley Glenwood

Arts4Learning Project is provided in conjunction with the Washington State Arts Commission.

The director is very proud of the leadership role that the district has played at the State and
National level. He notes that the current teacher shortage makes it very difficult to hire and retain
the highest quality certificated staff. He is concerned that the grade configuration shift to middle

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schools will require additional staffing. He is also concerned that anticipated increases in the
high school enrollment will require additional staffing.

Recommendations:

1. The district will need to examine future staffing needs associated with the grade
configuration change and increases in enrollment.

2. The district’s emphasis on providing the highest quality art education instruction for all
students is commendable and should be encouraged and supported.

3. Administrative support provided by the District is commendable and higher than most
districts of similar size. Due to the importance of the program, administrative support at
the current level should continue.

4.

SPECIAL SERVICES

The Office of Special Services is led by a Director with the support of an Assistant Director. The
Director reports to the Executive Director of Teaching & Learning. The district website features
key information about the department, designed to inform and welcome parents and provide
access to the information needed by parents and staff members. Key compliance documents and
information are also made available via the website. The work of the department is based on the
following set of beliefs:

 Well-trained staff have the expertise and ability to develop quality instructional programs
based on individual student strengths and needs.

 Quality instructional programs are based upon best practices research.
 Families are valuable partners in the educational process.
 Inclusive educational practices better prepare students to be valued in society as adults.
 A variety of resources are necessary to assist staff in developing programs to meet

student needs.
 Quality instructional programs meet local, state and federal compliance standards.

The Office of Special Services in any district is one of the most complex systems in the district,
providing a wide range of special education and related services to the district’s students with the
greatest need. The department is constantly balancing the needs of students and staff with
budget, logistical and regulatory constraints. In South Kitsap, the following programs are offered
and supported by this department:

 Birth through Two Years Services
 Preschool
 Inclusion Kindergarten
 Early Childhood Autism Program
 Resource Support

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 Life Skills
 Skills Classroom
 Medically Fragile
 Triple A or Achieving Academic Abilities
 KIT or Kids in Transition
 Special Education Related Services
 Community Transition Program
 Options

These programs are provided at varying sites across the district. Transportation is provided,
which involves considerable coordination with parents, school personnel, department staff and
the district transportation department.

The challenges facing this department are essentially the same as any large, progressive district
trying to meet the needs of children and families: provide support to staff and manage the legal
and compliance standards of the varying programs. Facilities issues challenge this department to
the same extent that they do the general education program. The department has a very close
working relationship with the schools and all of the district office departments.

In terms of organization, the department appears to be well-supported by the director and
assistant director. There may be some ambiguity as to how the administrative responsibilities are
shared by the two administrators, but to some extent, these two administrators are still
developing their working relationship and systems. The reporting relationship as part of
Teaching & Learning is intended to minimize the separation between special education and
general education and is definitely in the best interests of the students and staff.

Recommendations:

1. The district is to be commended for its strong support of this department, the staff and
students.

2. The department will need to continue to refine administrative roles and responsibilities,
although given the dynamic nature of special education, some fluidity and flexibility is to
be expected.

3. Program placement may need to be examined at some point, particularly with respect to
the grade configuration changes.

4. Facilities issues are always a challenge in special education, and such is the case in
South Kitsap. As options become available, special services programs will need to be
considered as the district moves forward with capital projects planning and
implementation.

5. Please refer to the separate WASA Special Services Management and Operational
Review for a more thorough list of recommendations.

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CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS, ASSESSMENT AND INNOVATION

The Executive Director of this department reports to the Assistant Superintendent for Student
Success.

This department serves students in South Kitsap through the management of the following state
and federally funded programs:

 Learning Assistance Program (LAP)
 Title I and Title II
 English as a Second Language (ESL) and English Language Learners (ELL)
 Indian Education
 Highly Capable

The department is responsible for managing the state and federal grants, meeting reporting
requirements, assuring compliance and integrating these programs and services to the extent
possible into the general education program for eligible students. Each of the programs has its
own unique requirements and financial and program expectations. This department works very
closely with the schools, and other district level departments and services.

In addition to the categorical programs, this department manages assessment services and
reporting and innovation initiatives for the district. The linkage between CTE and this
department is related to the innovation mission of the department, although much of CTE
funding is categorical.

The director cites the biggest issue with the department is the challenge of providing adequate
and timely support to schools and staff members. There are also some challenges associated with
the ever-changing state and federal assessment requirements which are time and labor intensive.
Budget reductions impacted this department in that there were more staff who could provide
services to schools beyond the required compliance driven efforts. The uncertainty of state and
federal categorical funding is a major challenge facing this department.

Recommendations:

1. The Executive Director will have to continue to closely monitor state and federal funding
conversations and be alert to reductions that could impact continuity of support for
staffing and services.

2. Building administrators may have some ideas as to how they can best be supported both
in terms of categorical programs and assessment practices. Perhaps a survey or informal
focus group might provide some insight.

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CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

The district’s Career & Technical Education Department is led by a Director and an Assistant
Director. The CTE Department is most closely linked to the larger department, Categorical
Programs, Assessment & Innovation. As would be expected, the linkage to Teaching & Learning
is strong. The CTE offerings at the secondary schools in the South Kitsap School District are
extensive. Students have ample opportunities for career choice exploration and the development
of their skills and interests. The Assistant Director is highly involved in the district’s STEM
initiative which is in its third year of development and implementation.

The director states that facilities are the biggest challenge facing the CTE Department. This
would be consistent with concerns of other departments in the district, but to some extent, high
quality, up to date facilities with state of the art technology are critical to the provision of the
constantly and rapidly changing landscape in career and technology education. The district is
well aware of the need to upgrade all district facilities, and certainly CTE programs and
classrooms are to be considered as resources become available.

Recommendations:

1. The relationship between Teaching & Learning and the CTE Department is critical to the
integration of CTE and STEM programs, services and activities for all students.

2. The current initiative to drive CTE and STEM activities into the lower grades should be
encouraged and supported.

HUMAN RESOURCES

The Human Resources Department is led by the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
and an administrator who serves as a part time Assistant Director of Human Resource and part
time Human Resources Specialist. The department consists of the two administrators and six
specialists. The major responsibilities and services of the department include the following:

 Hiring of administrators, certificated and classified staff
 Labor and employee relations
 Classification and compensation
 State and federal compliance
 Records management
 Credentials monitoring

The district website provides a clear delineation of responsibilities, which should provide
employees and applicants with ready access to the person they need without unnecessary time
and effort. The assistant superintendent indicates that responsibilities at the leadership level are
distributed somewhat by the school feeder system, although the assistant superintendent takes the
lead role in bargaining. The department is commended for the fact that the district started school
this past year with all teaching positions filled. The department believes that they make good use
of the Skyward System and the Talent Ed application system.

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The teacher shortage in key areas and the substitute shortage in all areas is a concern. Although,
the district recently increased substitute compensation for classified employees. The department
takes pride in their innovative recruiting practices, a scholarship program for para educators and
their recruitment of student teachers. There is a bit of an issue with the placement of the
Executive Director of School and Staff Support within the Human Resources Department. The
interaction between the work of the Executive Director of School and Staff Support has not been
fully integrated, and may not be a fit for this department. To some extent, the Executive Director
of School and Staff Support was attached to the Human Resources Department to add capacity to
the department. This has not proven to be the case, primarily to the lack of alignment between
the School and Staff Support Department and Human Resources. The Human Resources
Department leadership believes that a better option would be to increase the Assistant Director’s
FTE to 1.0 Assistant Director and add some human resource specialist time. This option warrants
consideration, in light of other district needs and priorities.

Recommendations:

1. The department should continue the strong and innovative efforts in the area of employee
recruitment, perhaps with an eye on diversifying the district’s workforce, recognizing
that this is a challenge everywhere.

2. The School & Staff Support Department should re-located, most likely to Teaching &
Learning.

3. Options for adding capacity to the Human Resources Department should be considered
including administrative support.

SCHOOL AND STAFF SUPPORT

The School and Staff Support Department is led by an administrator at the Executive Director
level who reports to the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. There is some ambiguity
as to the placement of this department and personnel within Human Resources. It appears that
when the placement was made within Human Resources there was some expectation that some
human resources responsibilities would be part of the assignment. This has not been the case to
any significant extent. The executive director does evaluate two principals currently, and does
provide some general support to human resources functions, primarily in the area of recruitment
and some signatory functions.

The department’s mission is to develop trusting relationships through providing caring support
for all students, families, staff and the community. Community and staff concerns about student
issues are directed to School and Staff Support for resolution.

A wide range of services and programs fall under this department, including

 District Safety and School Safety, School Resource Officers
 Rights & Responsibilities: Policies and Procedures
 Conflict Resolution for parents and students, School Hearings

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 Homeless Liaison
 Student Transfers and Enrollment
 Testing for Early Kindergarten Entrance
 Center for Educational Effectiveness Surveys
 Boys and Girls Club
 N.I.B. recognition program
 Back to School Celebration
 3rd Grade Dictionary program
 Masonic Teacher & Student Award program

The executive director believes that the mission of the department could be made clearer and
suggests that “School and Family Support” might be more descriptive of the actual services
provided by the department. The executive director also wonders if the assignment or role might
be expanded to include the supervision of school counselors.

Recommendations:

1. The placement of this department in Human Resources should be reviewed. There
currently does not appear to be great alignment between the work and mission of this
department and human resources. It would seem that the best placement would be in the
Student Success Department, given that the executive director supervises school
personnel.

2. There appears to be capacity for the executive director to take on additional supervisory
responsibilities. This should be done strategically with input from employees and other
members of the administrative team.

3. Re-naming the department as suggested by the executive director seems to make sense,
unless future responsibilities would point this conversation in other directions.

ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES

The Athletics and Activities Department is led by the Director of Athletics who currently reports
directly to the Superintendent. This reporting relationship is a bit unique and appears to be, at
least in part, based on the superintendent’s background with athletics and an attempt to share and
balance reporting and supervising responsibilities. The department receives additional support
from part time athletic directors at each middle school. The Athletic Director is housed at the
high school, which makes sense, even though the role is technically a district level position. The
most significant portion of the work load for the department is centered on senior high school
athletics and activities. It is noted that South Kitsap students have the benefit of virtually all the
potential sports and activities. The district currently provides more different sports than
surrounding districts. Student participation is very high. South Kitsap High School is currently
the only 4A school in Kitsap County. The Athletic Director notes that virtually all of his time and
effort is focused on senior high level athletics, but that he would like to be more involved in
middle level sports and other activities. He would also like to see more coordination across

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 14

schools. There are some facilities challenges, which is not at all surprising given the district’s
current situation with facilities and capital projects.

It is understandable that the major emphasis and workload of the department is focused on the
high school athletics, and to a lesser degree other student activities. But the development of a
more clearly articulated “district identity” might be something to consider. For example, the
district website has a link under departments identified as athletics. This link goes directly to the
high school website. The information is very well presented, but the idea of a district level
emphasis is not present. This identity could be strengthened and made clearer if a brief district
athletics page was developed, which could include a mission statement and general information
of interest to all schools and the community. From this page a link to athletics at each of the
secondary schools could be easily established.

Recommendations:

1. The reporting relationship should be reviewed. It seems that most likely the Athletic
Director should report to the administrator who supervises and supports secondary
schools. Under the current configuration, that would be the Assistant Superintendent,
Student Success. Another possibility would be the Executive Director for School & Staff
Support. In that the district organizational chart is under review, it makes sense to bring
the reporting relationship for the Athletic Director into alignment.

2. Efforts to increase support for middle level athletics and activities should be encouraged
and supported.

3. Efforts to increase coordination and opportunities for students across schools and grade
levels should be encouraged and supported.

4. As the district is able to generate funding for facilities upgrades, athletic facilities and
fields should be included in the district’s long-range facilities planning.

BUSINESS SERVICES

The Business Services Department is led by the Assistant Superintendent of Business and
Operations and the Director of Business Services. The Assistant Superintendent of Business and
Operations also supervises and supports Transportation, Food & Nutrition Services, Technology
and Facilities & Operations. The department’s mission states, “We are dedicated to the education
of children by providing a high level of customer service and fiscal integrity.” The objective of
the Business Services Department is to be customer-oriented and responsive to the needs of staff
and community. The department oversees payroll, purchasing, accounting and budgeting. The
department consists of the two administrators and nine staff members. The district has a sound
record of fiscal management, although there have been a few audit issues associated with ASB
and Impact Aid accounting. These have been addressed and are within a range typical of districts
in Washington State. The Director of Business Services states that there is a need to examine
salary levels for some positions within the department, and there may be a need for an additional
accounting position in the future. This would need to be reviewed in light of other district needs

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 15

and priorities. She also recommends cross training for department staff and more emphasis on
internal auditing.

Recommendations:

1. The suggestions of cross-training and internal auditing should be quickly implemented.
2. The addition of an additional accounting position should be considered in light of other

district needs and priorities.
3. The district has procedures to examine salary/workload/responsibility levels to ensure

that employees are fairly and consistently compensated. These procedures should be
initiated for the positions in question.

TRANSPORTATION

The Transportation Department is led by a Director level administrator who reports to the
Assistant Superintendent for Business Services. The department is also supported at the
leadership level by an Assistant Director. The transportation department is highly regarded in the
district for the services provided to schools and families, efficiency and safety. The director
states that hiring and retaining highly qualified mechanics is a challenge. His suggestion to deal
with this challenge is to try to hire an apprentice mechanic and develop a future mechanic. The
director is also concerned about paying extra time for one of the dispatchers who is currently on
a reduced contract. At some point, the district might considerer increasing that dispatcher’s
contract to be commensurate with the other dispatchers. The Transportation Department works
very closely with the schools and the special education department to ensure that safe, efficient
transporting of students is provided at all times. The department is in a new location, which is a
great improvement. The district website provides comprehensive information for staff and
families and is very well presented and current. The department uses Twitter to provide instant
communication regarding changes or emergencies. The director has some concerns about
program placement and the grade configuration changes and their potential impact upon
transportation services and possible cost increases. The director is interested in exploring the
feasibility of a multi-district transportation cooperative, which could allow the participating
districts to access state funds dedicated to matching local resources at a very high rate for
cooperative transportation facilities.

Recommendations:

1. The district should consider the possibility of developing an apprentice mechanic
pipeline to train and nurture a future mechanic to deal with the hiring challenge. This
seems to be a creative, cost effective and future oriented measure which could have
potential in addressing other hiring challenges.

2. The suggestion to add time to the contract of the dispatcher who is not full time should be
considered in light of other district needs and priorities. This may be revenue neutral if
indeed current extra time pay is comparable to the anticipated cost of increasing the
employee’s contract. If the adjustment is neutral and no other factors override the

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decision to increase the employee’s contract, standard human resources practices would
suggest setting the contract at or close to the anticipated workload.
3. The department should continue the positive, customer service oriented approach to
working with schools and other departments, particularly special education.
4. The informal approach to discussing a possible transportation cooperative should be
processed internally and externally prior to the initiation of any more formal steps to
make sure that all levels of the organization are on board.

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES

This department is led by a director and an assistant director who oversee the daily work of over
70 employees at fifteen sites. The director reports to the Assistant Superintendent of Business
Services. The mission of the department is clearly stated and directly guides the work of the
department: Our mission is to contribute to our students’ success by serving nutritious, quality
meals with a friendly smile every day.

The department believes that good nutrition and learning go hand in hand. The leadership and
staff are an integral part of the district’s wellness campaign and strive to promote healthy habits
for lifelong nutrition and fitness. The Food and Nutrition Services Program has a strong record of
compliance with all applicable USDA and other regulations. The district has been commended
for the menu options made available to students. The director currently serves on the OSPI
Advisory Council providing input into issues of food distribution. The district administration
recognizes the sound fiscal management of the department. This past year the district benefitted
from $265,000 of federal commodities. The director takes great pride in the fact that the program
consistently operates within budgeted revenues. Apparently, this includes budgeting on a multi-
year basis to cover large equipment purchases. This is quite an accomplishment for any district
food services program.

The director notes that the department’s biggest challenges include aging facilities and some
disruptions of power. She states that there are a few challenges associated with coordinating
breakfast serving times and student transportation. This would not be unique to the South Kitsap
School District. The department tries to utilize local vendors but there is not much available
within Kitsap County. The director states that the possibility of budgeting a reserve to cover
possible reductions of federal funding may be a challenge. She also indicates that the grade level
changes may necessitate additional staffing in the near future. She is exploring the possibility of
re-opening a full bakery.

Recommendations:

1. As the district is able to upgrade facilities, attention should be paid to the needs of this
department, particularly related to adequate power supply and perhaps to a backup
generator system.

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 17

2. Staffing needs associated with grade level changes and a future secondary school should
be anticipated.

3. The possibility of re-opening a full bakery should be examined in light of other district
priorities, although it is most likely that the director expects to manage this project within
the department’s anticipated operating budget.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The Information Technology Department is led by the Director of Information Technology who
serves on the superintendent’s cabinet, provides strategic direction on technology initiatives and
oversight of the 13 person department. One additional district employee, the Fiscal Data
Coordinator, work very closely with the department, but is officially part of Human Resources.
The Student Data Coordinator is a member of the Information Technology Department, but
works very closely with the Teaching & Learning Department and provides direct student
information support to schools. The schools receive support from designated technology liaisons
in each building. Services provided and supported throughout the district include the following:

 Network Support Services
 Desktop Support Services
 Training Lab
 Video Conferencing
 Purchasing Standards
 Telecommunications/Telephone Services

The district’s information technology services and infrastructure are considerably limited by a
lack of financial support. Currently, the district does not have the benefit of a technology Levy or
a capital projects levy or bond. The same facilities issues that impact other departments and
services also impact the services provided by this department. Aging buildings, inadequate
wiring and electrical power are cited as ongoing concerns.

It appears as if the major focus of the department is to ensure that staff and students have access
to reliable technology infrastructure, devices and software. There is a need to accelerate the
efforts in the area of instructional technology. The director would like to see teacher teams
involved in planning, developing standards and an increased access to professional development.
There is some concern over the potential impact of the grade configuration shift upon the
services and staffing support provided by this department.

The district operates its own District Data Center. This is viewed as a financial success and
administrative team members support the independence of operation the district can provide. The
Information Technology Director wonders if there might be some advantage of housing the DDC
within the Information Technology Department. It is unclear as to whether this has been
discussed or what the pros and cons of such an adjustment might be.

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 18

Recommendations:

1. Keep technology linked to conversations of future funding initiatives.
2. Continue and support the recent efforts to strengthen instructional technology planning,

curriculum development and professional development.
3. The Superintendent should review the placement of DDC employees.

FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS

This department is led by the Facilities & Operations Director who reports to the Assistant
Superintendent for Business and Operations. The department is supported by an Assistant
Facilities & Operations Director. The position of Environmental Health & Safety/Emergency
Preparedness Manager was vacant at the time of the on-site portion of the review. The
department’s leadership team also includes a Facilities Coordinator. The Facilities and
Operations Department is comprised of the following divisions: Building Maintenance, Grounds
Maintenance, Laundry Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Warehouse Services, and
Administrative Support Services.

This department provides service to 21 unique facilities district-wide. The team provides the
maintenance for 1,216,944 sq. ft. of building space, including 85 portable buildings and grounds
and athletic fields totaling 287 acres. In addition, the team is responsible for all building and
infrastructure contract management, project management, capital program design and
development and management of annual improvements in areas such as roofing, boiler
replacement and floor coverings as well as interior and exterior painting.

The department has a clearly articulated vision and mission statement:

Our Vision Safe, Warm, Dry Kids

Our Mission To continuously improve the physical learning environment for students
and staff within the SKSD by using inspiration, innovation and effectiveness while
delivery high quality customer service.

The director notes that in past years, prior to several rounds of budget reductions, the department
was led by four managers, where now there are two lead administrators. This department, more
than any other service entity in the district has been impacted by years of budget reductions. The
director has developed a comprehensive recommendation with detailed rationale to reinstate
some of the lost staff and leadership support. His recommendations include the following:

 Reorganize the department
 Add one FTE for the proposed (vacant) position of Environmental Health & Safety,

Security Services and Emergency Management Supervisor
 Consider eliminating the Assistant Director position with a Director of Custodial Services

or at least move the position to custodial oversight, which would allow for a more
centralized approach to providing custodial services

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 19

 Create a new job class of “Foreman” and assign the three lead journeymen into these
roles

 Elevate the Director of Facilities & Operations position to Executive Director with a
reporting relationship to the superintendent. The increased responsibilities associated
with the reorganization may also necessitate the addition of an additional administrative
coordinator position. This should be reviewed by the superintendent.

The set of recommendations as presented are intended to reinstate staffing and capacity, address
personnel issues associated with journeymen level employees working above their assignment
and enable the improvement of the service delivery model in the area of custodial services. The
director notes that in many areas, current practices could be made more efficient and could shift
duties and responsibilities from building administrators to the department, thus creating capacity
for instructional leaders to focus on instruction and support of their students, staff and parents.

Recommendations:

1. The district has been made aware of the director’s concerns and ideas for improving
structure, staffing and services in the department. Each of these recommendations should
be carefully considered, and where possible supported. It is evident that, to some extent,
the recommendations are an integrated package to be brought forward as such. That
would be the best possible scenario.

2. The recommendation to elevate the director to the role of Executive Director is
significant. It seems that the most intense conversations in the district always come back
to facilities. Having the individual responsible for facilities reporting to the
superintendent places the work in the proper organizational context, where facilities and
operational issues can be addressed.

South Kitsap Administrative Review Spring 2017 Page 20