Our community’s recent support of the bond, with more than 70% of voters supporting it, marks a meaningful moment for both Port Townsend High School and OCEAN School. It is an exciting step forward and one that will have a lasting impact on students in Port Townsend for many years to come. Over the coming months and years, this work will lead to important upgrades for students, staff, and our broader community.

As we prepare for that work to begin, there will also be some temporary changes to how our campus is organized next school year. At the end of this school year, all classrooms and offices currently located in the main building will move to either the Gael Stuart Building or the Annex. In order to make space for this transition and allow construction to move forward efficiently, the district office, IT and maintenance departments, and the Office of the Director of Special Services will relocate off campus.

This will allow for focused construction on the main building, which is scheduled to take approximately a year and a half. Our goal is to return to a fully updated and rejuvenated main building by the middle of the school year after next.

We are still working through some of the details of what day-to-day life on campus will look like during construction, and we are being thoughtful about the areas that will matter most to students. During construction, the mini gym will serve as our cafeteria space, and we will be intentional about making sure students can enjoy outdoor spaces during lunch. We are also planning to have offices in both buildings so that support remains accessible and students continue to feel connected.

We have already heard some understandable questions from students, particularly about transition time between classes and student parking. We are actively planning for both. At the same time, we also know that some of our best adjustments will come from paying close attention once school is underway next year and being willing to make changes where needed.

Over the past few years, we have made real headway in building PTHS into a place where students want to be. We know that one of the biggest drivers of student attendance and engagement is having time and space to connect, to feel known, and to be part of something bigger than themselves. A major part of that work has been our continued focus on building community, including through the House Model. While our campus will look different during construction, that work will not stop. In many ways, it will become even more important. Advisory, House activities, and opportunities for connection will remain a priority throughout this process.

We will also be inviting students to participate this summer in our Design Advisory Committee (DAC). Student voice matters deeply in this process, and we want those perspectives to help guide the future of PTHS. We will share more information soon about how students can get involved.

Thank you for your flexibility, your patience, and the many ways you continue to support our school. I am excited about what lies ahead and proud to be part of this work alongside our students, staff, and community.

GO REDHAWKS!!!

Mr. Moss

Administrative Professionals Day is tomorrow, and it is a meaningful opportunity to celebrate three people who are absolutely integral to Port Townsend High School: Lisa Anderson, Katie Quimby, and Samantha Massie. While students and staff interact with them in different ways throughout the day, what is true for all three is that they are central to the daily life of our school. Much of what makes PTHS function as it should, from the steady rhythm of an ordinary school day to the success of some of our biggest events, depends on their work behind the scenes.

Schools do not run well by accident. They run well because there are people paying attention to a thousand details at once, solving problems before they grow, helping students and staff feel supported, and making sure important things happen when and how they should. Lisa, Katie, and Samantha each do that every day. They are often the quiet force behind what keeps the school moving forward, and their impact reaches far beyond the titles they hold.

In the main office, Lisa Anderson is a constant presence and an enormous part of what makes the school feel welcoming and grounded. She is always joking, deeply dedicated, and someone who seems to know every student. That matters. Students know they can come to Lisa with questions, concerns, or simply for help getting pointed in the right direction. Freshman Ella Welte shared that Lisa is an easy person to talk to and makes students feel comfortable asking questions. She also described how, even during the busy first week of school, Lisa answered every question she had without making any of them seem silly. What stands out even more is that Lisa does this while juggling an incredible range of responsibilities, many of which students may never fully see. Ella noted that even when there is a line of people and the phone is ringing, Lisa still makes everyone feel heard. That ability to be both highly capable and deeply human is a big part of what makes Lisa so important to PTHS.

In the counseling office, Katie Quimby has stepped into the role of Registrar with real expertise. Student records, schedules, and the many details that come with helping a school function smoothly require precision, consistency, and care, and Katie brings all of that. At the same time, she has created a space where students feel welcomed and supported. Senior Sox Sierra described Katie as someone who has built an environment where students do not feel afraid to ask questions, and someone who always seems ready with support, encouragement, or direction. Sox shared that Katie is someone students can rely on, not just because she is organized and informed, but because she genuinely cares. That combination is powerful. Katie is doing highly technical and essential work behind the scenes while also making time for students who need a safe space, a listening ear, or help navigating something stressful. Sox wrote that talking with Katie can feel like having tea with a friend, which says a great deal about the warmth she brings to such an important role.

Samantha Massie also plays an essential role in the life of our school. As Attendance Secretary and Co-ASB advisor, her work touches everything from the daily systems that help students stay connected to school to the events and activities that help make high school memorable. Samantha is constantly working to make school a place where students want to be. Junior Isabella Ferland shared that Samantha is always there in the morning, always kind, and always willing to answer questions or make small talk. Isabella also highlighted how helpful Samantha is in making sure students know where they need to be and when. That kind of day-to-day support may seem simple on the surface, but it makes a real difference for students. At the same time, Samantha is also one of the people behind the scenes helping make dances and other major student events happen. So much of that work is unseen, but it is critical. Her dedication to improving attendance and helping create positive student experiences reflects how deeply invested she is in this school and in the students who walk through our doors each day.

What Lisa, Katie, and Samantha all share is a remarkable ability to keep things running while also making people feel seen. They manage the daily work that a school depends on, and they help ensure that the moments students remember most also come together the way they should. They are problem-solvers, relationship-builders, and steady presences in the life of Port Townsend High School. Administrative Professionals Day is a chance to recognize that the work they do is not peripheral to our school. It is essential. We are deeply fortunate to have Lisa, Katie, and Samantha at PTHS.

Scholarships that are accepting applications from seniors:

April due dates:

• American Legion Department of Washington
• Bev and Wes Stock Scholarship
• East Jefferson Professional Firefighters Local 2032
• Elks Lodge Port Townsend Scholarship
• Jefferson County Home Builders Association
• Key City Chapter #71 Order of the Eastern Star
• Olympic Peninsula Art Association
• Rakers Car Club Scholarship
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative Washington
• WSOS -Career/Technical Scholarship

May due dates:

• Barb Marseille Arts Scholarship
• Deb Johnson Memorial Scholarship
• Dylan Rondeau Sail Away Scholarship Fund
• Olympic Driftwood Sculptors
• Port Townsend Alumni Association
• Port Townsend High School Scholarship Foundation Consolidated Application
• Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Service Above Self Scholarship
• Port Townsend Technical Trades Scholarship
• Puget Sound Engineering & Science Scholarship Fund
• Rotary Club of Port Townsend - General Scholarship and Neil Potthoff Education Scholarship
• Thea Foss #45 Daughters of Norway Scholarship

June due dates:

• Chris Kimball Voc/Tech Scholarship

Find details on the PT Schools Scholarship Bulletin. If you have not bookmarked it yet, you can find it on the senior information webpage and in SchooLinks.

• Tuesday, 4.21 at 3:00pm: Girls & Boys Golf @ the Port Townsend Golf Club
• Wednesday 4.22 during Advisory: Model UN & Courtyard Celebration
• Wednesday, 4.22 from 1:30 - 3:15pm: Staff Vertical Alignment at Blue Heron
• Wednesday, 4.22 at 4:00pm: Varsity Baseball @ Chimacum
• Wednesday, 4.22 at 4:00pm: Varsity Softball @ Chimacum
• Thursday, 4.23 at 3:00pm: Girls & Boys Golf at the Port Townsend Golf Club
• Thursday, 4.23 at 3:30pm: Varsity Girls Tennis @ PTHS
• 🚩Saturday, 4.25 at 11:30am & 1:00pm: Boys JV & Varsity Soccer Senior Night🚩
• Monday, 4.27 at 4:00pm: Varsity Softball @ Chimacum
• Monday, 4.27 at 4:00pm: Varsity Boys Baseball @ Chimacum
• Monday, 4.27 at 4:00pm: JV Baseball @ PTHS
• Tuesday, 4.28: Field Trip to Evergreen State College with College Success Foundation
• Tuesday, 4.28 at 4:00pm: JV Baseball @ PTHS
• Tuesday, 4.28 at 4:00pm: Varsity Softball @ Chimacum
• Tuesday, 4.28 at 4:00pm & 5:30pm: Varsity Baseball @ Chimacum
• Wednesday, 4.29 during Advisory: Course Registration
• Wednesday, 4.29 from 1:30 - 3:15pm: Staff Appreciation in the Courtyard
• Wednesday, 4.29 at 3:30pm: Varsity Girls Tennis @ PTHS
• Thursday, 4.30 at 4:00pm: Varsity Baseball @ Chimacum
• 🚩Friday, 5.1 at 2:00pm: Varsity Girls Golf @ the Port Townsend Golf Club Senior Night🚩
• 🚩Friday, 5.1 at 4:00 & 5:45pm: Varsity & JV Baseball @ Chimacum Senior Night🚩

Website: https://highschool.ptschools.org/
Location: 1500 Van Ness Street, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360.379.4520

Port Townsend School District No. 50 does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, immigration status, national origin, age, honorably-discharged veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. The district provides equal access to the Boy Scouts of America and all other designated youth groups listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination:

Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator
Carrie Ehrhardt

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 680-5756

cehrhardt@ptschools.org

Title IX Officer:
Carrie Ehrhardt

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 680-5756

cehrhardt@ptschools.org

Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Shelby Macmeekin

1610 Blaine Street

(360) 379-4501

smacmeekin@ptschools.org

Title IX inquiries may also be directed toward the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR):https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

Discrimination Procedure