Welcome to Kitsap County on the Beautiful Kitsap Peninsula between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges in Washington State. The Kitsap Peninsula area belongs to Navy Region Northwest with Naval Base Kitsapwhich includes Bremerton, Bangor and Keyport, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS & IMF), and Naval Hospital Bremerton.
If this is the first time you have been stationed in the Puget Sound area, you are in for a treat. The Kitsap Peninsula area offers some of the best views of mountains and water as well as some of the best boating and recreational opportunities in the Greater Puget Sound Area. Within a mile radius you have several attractions and facilities to visit and explore. I always say I can be to the beach or the mountains in under an hour!
Where you choose to live while stationed with one of the Navy Region Northwest commands may very well depend on the school district you choose for your school age children. There are four school districts in the local area. The Bremerton School District, The South Kitsap School District, The North Kitsap School District and The Central Kitsap School District. The chart located below gives you a very broad look at the four districts side by side.
This is not an article about what people might think is the best district or the worst district. This article is to give you some information and some links so that you may start your search and find the district that best suits your family. There is more to a school district than its numbers, its test scores and its size. Factors such as location to employment for parents, local childcare and over all feel of community should be considered. After all the experience you and your family have in a certain school district is a direct reflection of your involvement.
You will want to make sure you do some research on the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction website along with the OSPI Washington State Report Card. The Washington State PTA website can also give you the information about the program at each district which you can use to contact the parent organization and request newsletter and program information. Deciding on a school district can be very important so make sure you take your time and talk to as many other parents as possible.