The Purpose
A program aimed at ensuring that children who are exposed to crime, violence or abuse receive appropriate interventions - mainly passive awareness amongst educators and school administrators - so they can succeed in school to the best of their ability.
Sometimes a child walks into school carrying something that happened long before they entered the classroom. Handle with Care helps schools know when extra care may need to be taken into consideration when interacting with that child - without requiring them to know the details.
Guess What? The Handle with Care - West Virginia Program's Data Inspired Action Here in Kitsap!
Here's How It Works
What is the Goal?
Effective communication and kindness that helps our community's youth to succeed in school and minimize the excessive use of punitive measures within our education system.
Handle with Care in Kitsap County
-
In 2020, Handle with Care comes to Kitsap County
-
In 2021, Bremerton School District begins to pilot the Handle with Care program (February 2021). Followed by Bainbridge Island School District and South Kitsap School District (April/May 2021), Central Kitsap School District (June 2021), and North Kitsap School District and Suquamish Tribal School District (December 2021).
-
In 2022, Law Enforcement and Fire & Rescue Agencies implemented the notification process
-
In 2024, Kitsap Strong (as the incubator) joined the effort along with Catalyst Public Schools and North Mason School District.
The Data So Far
Over five years of Handle with Care notification reports, patterns have begun to emerge across the region. These trends offer a broader look at when and how notifications are occurring, helping us better understand the reach of the program and where opportunities for growth may exist.
​
It’s important to remember that Handle with Care looks different across our partner communities. Each agency, school district, and community has its own processes, needs, and pathways for implementing the program. The patterns shared here represent averages across the data we have collected and are not intended to describe or characterize any individual partner. Instead, they provide a regional snapshot of what we are learning together - and where there may be opportunities to continue strengthening the work.
More notifications signal growing trust and stronger compliance between agencies and schools.
Rising volume, not rising crisis
Clear high-need windows
The summer question
Spring and fall carry the heaviest volume. Ideal timing for extra support, wellness programming, and HWC refreshers for our community.
Notifications fall in July. The signal is school-based. The need for support is not.
Our Handle with Care Partners
