The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport accepted an invitation from the North Kitsap School District (NKSD) to partner in developing the district’s long-range “All in for All Students” strategic plan during a series of working groups from February to June this year.

School districts regularly create strategic plans for the upcoming school year, and sometimes beyond. This year was the first time NKSD reached out to invite NUWC Division, Keyport to participate in developing that plan.

“I believe it is important to engage our larger North Kitsap community in our strategic planning efforts because we want to ensure that what we do in the schools is meeting the needs of both students and our local community,” said Dr. Laurynn Evans, superintendent of the North Kitsap School District. “Many of our students will ultimately live and work here in North Kitsap, and our hope is that their experience in our schools has prepared them to be competitive in the local work force and to be contributing adults in our governance structures and local communities. We learn a lot by listening to local leaders and employers, and that learning directly informs our plan and our ensuring work in implementing the plan.”

To best of Evans’ knowledge, this is the first year that NUWC Division, Keyport was specifically invited to partner in helping craft NKSD’s upcoming strategic plan.

“I believe it's important to include the Navy, and specifically Keyport, in strategic planning because we obtain valuable insight about the opportunities for graduates, as well as to learn about what kinds of skills/dispositions graduates need to be competitive in the local workforce. Also, we have many parents working in the Navy and/or Keyport, and understanding their unique experiences from a family experience helps us as we focus on serving the needs of all students, including those who are in military families,” said Evans.

Bill Carlson, NUWC Division, Keyport’s Deputy Business Director, sat on one of the panels during the formulation of “All in for All Students” plan.

“Clearly we can help the school district understand the kinds of skills and education necessary for tomorrow’s workforce,” Carlson said.  “We are going to recruit for the Navy, and for Keyport, from tomorrow’s workforce, so the chance to be able to help the district shape their education is important.”

Many students and parents throughout the North Kitsap area are familiar with NUWC Division, Keyport’s support of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) efforts.  However, Carlson said there is a more basic reason for NUWC Division, Keyport’s participation than merely championing a well-managed STEM effort for tomorrow’s workforce.

“We’re members of the local community,” Carlson said, echoing Evans’ statement.  “Our kids grow up here and go to these schools, we live here.  It’s important for us to be part of the community’s efforts in education simply because we want to be good neighbors.”

Dr. Aaron Darnton, NUWC Division, Keyport’s Deputy Technology Officer, said there are places where NUWC Division, Keyport can help beyond the traditional robotics and STEM mentorship.

“This is a multi-year strategic plan, so the first year will be a lot of determining what the implementation strategy and how to measure effectiveness in meeting the strategy's goals,” Darnton said. “I think there are places where NUWC Division, Keyport engages well through the robotics efforts, but there are also potentially some opportunities we're not yet realizing. In particular, we can be more engaged helping students understand what a full career in STEM might look like, and what the path might look like between high school graduation and their chosen career.”

As preparations for the new school year get underway, Evans said she is excited by the new ideas and perspectives brought to the NKSD effort by NUWC Division, Keyport.

“I believe that having more understanding and partnership always leads to better results for all, and having this partnership will only serve to help our students and local community in the long run,” said Evans.

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