PATRIOT BREMERTON
KITSAP WEEK: Island Invasion: ‘Spacecraft’ bring otherworldly concert
FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 | Vol. 18, No. 14 | WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | 50¢
IN THIS EDITION
FROM THE BOTTOM
Two CK men arrested for severe assault
NEWS Motorcyclist killed by driver in wrong lane
Police say man beaten, robbed and imprisoned
A10
OPINION KRCC should change its voting structure
A4
BUSINESS Kitsap County housing market is hot
A2
BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
A8
SEE HIGH SCHOOL, A9
SEE ASSAULT, A9
Peter O’Cain / staff photo
Lisa Gordon-Ramstad teaches senior AVID students at Bremerton High School. AVID is a program that helps students with academic potential but come from families that aren’t college educated get into college. Michael Hillman, center-left, plans to attend Olympic College next year. Delon Stone, right, will attend the Academy of Art Institute in San Francisco.
How Bremerton High School turned itself into a success story BY PETER O’CAIN POCAIN@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
SPORTS U.S. Open trophy in town
would graduate on time The combination of poor grades and behavior created a breaking point within the district. Something had to be done, but how? And where to start? The culture was bad and so were grades but does one beget the other? According to the district, yes. Leavell compares the choice to dieting. “You can go on a diet and look good for a little while or you can make a lifestyle change and it’ll last forever,”
CENTRAL KITSAP – Two suspects are now in custody as a result of a late night investigation June 4-5 into allegations of severe physical abuse, unlawful imprisonment and robbery. Kitsap County Sheriff ’s detectives developed probable cause to make the arrests after they learned of two victims who were apparently not able to easily break-free from their captors. According to a felony complaint filed in the Kitsap County District Court, Julian Franco Jr., 43, of Central Kitsap, was arrested by Kitsap County Sheriff ’s Deputies June 5 and charged with three counts of first-degree assault. The charges include special allegations of deliberate cruelty and because the victim was particularly vulnerable due to having Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is a genetic disorder that causes brain cells to degrade over time, impairing motor function and decision making ability. Franco had been booked on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and unlawful imprisonment. Bail was set at $1 million. The second suspect, Zachri
BREMERTON—Not long ago, Bremerton High School was a dangerous place. Gang activity, drugs, bullying and lewd behavior were more common than kickball. Academically, the school was a failure. In 2003, only 57 percent of seniors graduated on time—an F by any standard. But something extraordinary happened at Bremerton High School. Between 2003 and 2010 the graduation rate rose from 57 to 83 percent, where it’s more
Superintendent Aaron Leavell
or less stayed. During that same period, the statewide average rose from 66 to 76 percent. Bremerton improved at
more than twice the state’s rate. People have been made saints over less impressive feats. Fixing a broken culture The academic culture at Bremerton was low and they had the results to match: WASL scores in reading, math and science were all below state averages. Aaron Leavell, now the district superintendent, took over as Bremerton’s principal in 2005, the school’s fifth in seven years. He remembers being afraid for his safety at the school and knowing that, statistically, for every 10 students he passed in the hallways six
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