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This year, three dedicated teachers - Camille Bothe, Mary Salazar, and Alissa Drowns turned their classrooms into living laboratories with a North Kitsap Schools Foundation grant that funded the Lettuce Grow Farmstand Project. These self-watering, self-fertilizing hydroponic towers transformed everyday lessons into hands-on experiments in science, sustainability, and gratitude.

Having served the longest tenure for any Board Trustee with the North Kitsap Schools Foundation, Dennis Peters has decided to step away from the board. Out of NKSF’s 23-year existence, Dennis served on the board for nearly half of it. As of the end of 2025, he’ll have completed 10 years of service in various roles, most notably as Treasurer and President.

This year, thanks to a North Kitsap Schools Foundation grant, Preschool Teacher Pat Muñiz brought a world of sensory discovery to her classroom. The grant funded a collection of tools designed to meet her students’ diverse sensory needs, including alternative seating, noise-canceling headphones, chew necklaces, fine-motor learning materials, and the star of the show—a brand-new funnel stand for the sensory table.

This fall, the North Kitsap Schools Foundation has awarded $103,776 in classroom grants to teachers across the district. That total represents more than just funding — it’s a reflection of what can happen when teachers, families, and community members work together to support learning.

Like any other business, we understand that challenges may arise from year to year. Just like any other local small business, we remain committed to showing up and working to build a stronger community. Given the dozens of local businesses we reach out to, we’re grateful for every one that takes the time to consider how they may be able to help our schools each year and deeply respect the difficult decisions necessary to not only keep the lights on but help out however they c

Through a simple payroll deduction program called SPARK, NKSD staff are lighting the way for classrooms across the district. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t make headlines. But it’s the kind of steady, meaningful generosity that builds brighter schools and stronger communities — one spark at a time.

This spring, learning at Vinland Elementary wasn’t confined to pages in a textbook; it came rolling right into the classroom. Thanks to a North Kitsap Schools Foundation grant, the Burkemobile and Burke Boxes transformed fourth and fifth-grade lessons into hands-on adventures filled with discovery, laughter, and plenty of wide-eyed wonder.

The North Kitsap Schools Foundation is excited to share that we’re rolling out a new messaging platform that connects directly with our website — making it easier for you to stay informed and manage how often you hear from us. Our new system gives you more choice and flexibility over what kinds of updates you receive and how often. To make this transition smooth, we’ll be starting fresh with a new contact list — so you’ll need to resubscribe to continue receiving updates.

Every great idea starts with a moment of inspiration. In classrooms across North Kitsap, teachers see possibilities: a lesson that could reach a little deeper, a project that could connect students more meaningfully to their world, or an experience that could light up a lifelong love of learning. Each fall, those ideas take shape through the North Kitsap Schools Foundation’s Classroom Grants Program, a community-powered effort that helps teachers turn imagination into action.

Imagine this: you’re in Bellingham, WA, surrounded by new faces. The catch? Every single conversation is happening in French. No English allowed. You need to introduce yourself, order your lunch, collaborate on a project, and maybe even sing a song or two — all en français. That was the challenge — and the joy — for six advanced French students from North Kitsap High School, who attended French Immersion Camp 2025 thanks to a grant from the North Kitsap Schools Foundation.

Misty Hernandez’s Suquamish Elementary 3rd grade class and art club showed us that there are a lot of fishes in our great, big sea, on this great, big world. From Pre-K to 5th grade, and beyond to include middle schoolers, high school students, and community members, Suquamish Elementary's Rock River received a beautiful refresh through NKSF grant funding to Misty Hernandez’s art club.

SPARK is simple, but powerful. It’s teachers helping teachers—a way for staff to join together and invest in one another’s classrooms. Every monthly contribution, regardless of its size, is reinvested in funding innovative projects and essential resources for students. It’s proof that when we pool our efforts, we can do extraordinary things.

Every school year starts with fresh energy and new ideas. Walking through North Kitsap schools in September, you can feel it: bulletin boards being decorated, supplies being unpacked, and staff talking about the projects and lessons that will make learning come alive. That’s exactly what the North Kitsap Schools Foundation’s grant program is here for — to turn those ideas into reality.

Sometimes, the most significant impact in a school doesn’t come from a new building or a massive curriculum overhaul. Sometimes, it starts with something smaller. Quieter. But just as powerful. It starts with a spark. Through automatic payroll deduction, often just $5, $10, or $20. NKSD staff are quietly fueling the future. These small, consistent contributions go to the North Kitsap Schools Foundation, helping fund classroom grants and enrichment opportunities that go beyond

Every year, just before the start of the school year, North Kitsap teachers gather together for a day of professional development to set them up for success. This year has arranged to host a luncheon for the teachers  in partnership with the North Kitsap School District, the Poulsbo Lions Club, and Port Madison Enterprises Construction.

We enjoyed a simply magical evening at Vinland Elementary this last spring walking through the Many Hands, Many Lands diversity fair with members of Poulsbo Rotary’s Youth Services Committee. The second annual multicultural diversity fair at Vinland Elementary took place in May, bringing students and the community together around a wonderful educational opportunity and community support program. 

When first-grade teacher Heather Blue opened her classroom’s astronomy unit this year, she never imagined it would launch her students straight into the stars - literally. Thanks to a grant from the North Kitsap Schools Foundation, Blue brought the Bremerton Mobile Planetarium Outreach Program to Poulsbo Elementary. The inflatable dome transformed the school’s multipurpose room into a fully immersive space theater, where 65 first graders explored the solar system in vivid, br

We’ve redesigned our special recognition window clings for local businesses so that when you’re out and about in the community you can see and share our appreciation for the extra support they provide our schools. To kick it off, our first sticky hugs go out to two amazing local restaurant supporters.

At the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, Rosanna Lampano, Kingston Middle School band teacher, inventoried over 100 music instruments in a state of disrepair, and unusable. NKSF stepped up with a grant award of $5,000 to begin the repair process. With the help of our local community partner foundations, the renewed instruments enhanced the band program experience all around.

Town & Country Markets and Walmart offer us the sustenance we need to feed our families bodies, and the support we need to feed our children’s minds. The lasting partnerships between NKSF and our neighborhood stores have provided countless opportunities for students to learn from the amazing and innovative programs NK educators implement every year.