Redhawk Families,

There's so much happening on campus right now that it’s difficult to capture all of it in one place. Each day seems to bring another reminder of the creativity, care, and energy of our students, staff, and community.

Last Thursday, we had an absolutely incredible Senior Symposium at Fort Worden. I was so proud of our seniors as they presented, in a public forum, about senior projects that were each completely different from the next. One thought I kept coming back to was how far students can surpass expectations when they are talking about work they chose, connected to something deeply meaningful to them personally. It was a powerful reminder of what student agency can look like at its best.

A huge thank you goes to Lisa Anderson, who did so much behind the scenes to make the symposium happen, and to Mr. Dow for his work organizing community volunteers and helping ensure students were prepared and ready.

On Friday, we held our first-ever House Olympics, and it also exceeded expectations. Led by Mr. Stegner, students were incredibly engaged as they competed in a wide range of events throughout the afternoon. The afternoon started out with a campus-wide BBQ thanks to the work of Shannon Gray, Christee Ballard, and Kendra Barkle. While Spruce House ultimately earned the first-place trophy for the year, it was clear that all students were winners.

When we first talked about creating Houses, it was never really about who won or lost. It was about building community. It was about positive relationships between staff and students, creating opportunities for upperclassmen to mentor younger students, and making room for laughter, encouragement, friendly competition, and shared school identity. Friday felt like a real step forward in that work.

On Saturday, Prom was a huge success thanks in large part to Mr. Stegner and Samantha Massie, who serve as Co-ASB Advisors. It could not have been held in a more ideal location, right on the water at the Northwest Maritime Center. True to their nature, our students were incredibly well behaved, polite, and appreciative. I can’t tell you how many students thanked us on their way out. They had a blast, and it was a truly inclusive and positive event.

This week, our sophomores are bearing down and completing their math state assessment on Monday and Tuesday. We are proud of their focus and effort as they finish this important work.

Our next big event is Market Day, which highlights projects our freshmen have been developing throughout the year with support from Skillmation volunteers. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., students from different grades, families, and members of the general public are encouraged to stop by the gym. Students will have items for sale that they have designed and developed throughout the year.

Next week is the biggest week of the year for our seniors. Scholarship Night takes place on Monday evening followed by the Senior Awards Assembly and the Walk of Fame on Tuesday.

Graduation will take place Thursday, June 18, at 7:00 p.m. We'll also be live-streaming the event for thse unable to attend in person.

I encourage everyone to attend the events they are able to. These moments matter, and you won’t regret being there to celebrate with our students.

Thank you and GO REDHAWKS!!!

Mr. Moss

We're incredibly excited to welcome several new teachers to our staff next year. One of the most important parts of each hiring process was having students serve on the interview teams. Their questions, reflections, and honest feedback were a crucial part of the process, and every student who stepped up to serve on a panel did an amazing job representing PTHS. In addition to our incoming teachers, we’re also incredibly excited to welcome back Mrs. Cornell, who will be joining us next year as a continuing teacher. Mrs. Cornell served as a leave replacement teacher during this school year.

Ms. Anderson will be joining PTHS in Special Education. She was drawn to teaching because she has always loved connecting with people and supporting others in their growth. She is continually inspired by the resilience and accomplishments of students, and she sees relationships as the heart of education.

Mrs. Anderson is excited to join a welcoming community and a passionate team of educators. She is looking forward to learning from and partnering with students, families, and colleagues, and to becoming part of Port Townsend. When students walk into her classroom, she wants them to feel welcomed, safe, valued, and able to be themselves. She also wants students to know that mistakes matter because they are part of learning, and that their voices matter in the classroom.

Outside of school, Shayna can often be found trail running, hiking, camping, skiing, kayaking, or exploring new places. She also loves being at home with her partner, Dave, and their three Lebanese cats, Lula, Noodle, and Batty. Lately, she has been knitting, painting, baking, and experimenting with sourdough and fermentation. Her teaching has been shaped by experiences in Beirut, Lebanon; Recife, Brazil; Minneapolis; and Colorado, and by the students, families, and colleagues she has learned from along the way.

Mr. Jolley will be joining PTHS to teach US History, AP US History, and Civics/Current World Problems. His own teachers and coaches inspired him to become an educator. They saw his potential, supported him, and helped him become the first person in his family to graduate from college. For Mr. Jolley, teaching is both an honor and a public service, rooted in helping young people feel connected, discover their passions, and pursue their dreams.

Mr. Jolley is excited by what he has already learned about Port Townsend, including the community, the landscape, and PTHS programs such as Model UN and Senior Symposium. He is especially interested in connecting with students, colleagues, and community partners so that learning is not confined to the four walls of a classroom. He wants students to feel welcomed, respected, and celebrated for exactly who they are, while also experiencing learning that is fun, rigorous, connected to identity and place, and rooted in global citizenship.

Outside of school, Mr. Jolley describes himself as an amateur naturalist, singer/songwriter, and artist. He loves traveling, backpacking, open mic nights, organic agriculture, archaeology, vinyl records, art, literature, and adventures with his dog, Jack. He is currently reading The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creek and The Cascadia Field Guide as he prepares for life on the Olympic Peninsula. He has traveled to more than 30 countries and 48 states, and says some of his best professional development has come from time in nature, including thru-hiking and backpacking long trails like the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

Ms. Quimby is already a familiar face at PTHS as our current Registrar. Next year she will be moving into the classroom as a World History teacher. Her path into teaching began in her early twenties when she discovered how rewarding it was to watch students learn something new. She says young people are still her favorite people to be around, and that no other work feels as interesting.

Ms. Quimby is excited to keep working with the students, staff, and families she already knows while also learning and growing in a new role. In her classroom, she wants students to feel welcomed, safe, supported, and excited to broaden their understanding of the world’s history and cultures. She also welcomes feedback from students and families about how she can help students learn and grow.

Outside of school, Katie loves walking the beach, paddle boarding, riding her bike, dancing, singing, making art with friends and family, gardening, cooking, reading, and watching anime, most recently Gintama. Many years ago, she grew flowers and made bouquets to sell at the Olympia Farmers Market. Her broad experience working with students of different ages and teaching multiple subjects will shape the way she helps students connect new learning to what they already know.

Mr. Sheridan will be joining PTHS to teach Algebra I and Geometry. He was first drawn to teaching through his love of math and science, including early inspiration from MythBusters and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Math challenged him at times, but that challenge is part of what made it meaningful. He came to love the process of working through difficult problems, finding patterns, and helping others experience that same kind of discovery.

As a new teacher, Mr. Sheridan is excited to begin his career at PTHS and become part of both the school and the Port Townsend community. He is looking forward to learning from experienced educators while bringing his own energy and ideas into the classroom. He wants students to feel welcomed, respected, and comfortable taking academic risks, especially in a subject that can sometimes feel intimidating.

Outside of school, he enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping, video games, and spending time with animals. He is a twin and a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults). He is currently re-reading The Theory That Would Not Die, a book about the history of Bayesian statistics, and he also loves The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His classroom will be a place where students are encouraged, challenged, and reminded that mistakes are part of learning.

Ms. Stofleth will also be joining PTHS in Special Education. She has wanted to be a teacher since she was a small child and has always loved working with children. That lifelong pull toward teaching is still at the center of how she thinks about her work with students.

Ms. Stofleth is excited to become part of the Port Townsend community and build a home here. When students walk into her classroom, she hopes they feel welcomed, loved, and supported. She also brings the perspective of being a parent of three grown boys, which has shaped how she thinks about education, growth, and the different ways students can be supported.

Outside of school, Ms. Stofleth loves hiking in the Cascades with her son, swimming, playing soccer, reading, spending time with her dog, and trying new foods. She is excited to find her place in the PTHS community and become part of the life of the school.

Ms. Wasser is already doing important work with students as the instructor for the Port Townsend Maritime Academy, a joint venture with West Sound Tech, PTHS, and the Northwest Maritime Program. She will continue in that role next year, and will also spend her afternoons teaching on campus. Ms. Wasser brings a deep background in maritime education and a clear belief that some of the best learning happens when students are doing real work together. She describes the ocean itself as a teacher, with her role being to help students learn from the problems, teamwork, leadership, and confidence-building that happen in a marine environment.

Her path into teaching began early, including time as a Girl Scout camp counselor, and later took shape on the water. After studying aboard a tall ship in the Great Lakes, she fell in love with the pace, skill, and community of life under sail. Since then, she has worked as a deckhand and educator on vessels across the East Coast, West Coast, and Great Lakes, eventually earning her captain’s license.

At PTHS, Ms. Wasser is excited to build on the school’s strong maritime culture and commitment to place-based learning. She wants students in her classroom to feel welcome, to feel like they belong, and to understand that they are part of a crew. Outside of school, she spends time with her two active dogs, runs, hikes, gardens, plays board games, makes art, works with wood, and plays disc golf, which she says she is terrible at. Her favorite food is mashed potatoes.

Students in the Port Townsend Maritime Academy recently got a rare look at what it takes to keep Washington State Ferries moving.

PTMA, a satellite West Sound Technical Skills Center program that PTHS & OCEAN Juniors and Seniors are able to enroll in, already gives students a hands-on entry into the maritime world. This new Washington State Ferries experience brought that learning onto the vessels themselves. Over two weeks, students rotated through real operational spaces, including the pilot house, engine room, and other working departments. They also participated in safety drills alongside ferry crew.

For PTHS senior Garret Warren, one of the biggest surprises was how different ferry work looked from the outside. He had assumed crew members worked a more traditional schedule, but learned about the week-on, week-off structure and 12-hour shifts. He also noticed that people build their careers by starting in similar entry points and working their way up into the roles they want.

Garret said the pilot house stood out because of “all the different controls,” though the engine room also made a strong impression. The moment that felt most like real maritime work came when he was below deck, seeing “how everything was working together to power such a big machine.”

The experience also gave students a clearer sense of how much safety work happens behind the scenes. Garret was surprised by how many safety mechanisms are built into one vessel and how quickly crews completed their drills. It takes speed. It takes coordination. It takes everyone knowing their role.

At this week’s public presentation, students shared what they learned from their two-week experience, including what surprised them, what different areas of the ferries were like, and what they learned about maritime careers. Garret said he especially wanted people to understand how safe the ferry system is and how efficiently crews respond during drills.

Even though Garret’s current plans after high school aren’t directly connected to maritime work, he said PTMA has still given him skills that will help him in the future. His advice to younger students was direct, “The West Sound Tech maritime class is 100% worth taking, even if you don’t plan on going into maritime.”

We’re excited to see this opportunity launch as part of our maritime pathway work at PTHS. It’s real learning, in a real place, connected to real possibilities.

This year, our district has transitioned to SchooLinks as our state-provided platform to support students' high school and beyond planning.

SchooLinks is a modern career and college readiness platform that helps students discover their interests and strengths and prepare for life after graduation. It is accessible to students in grades 7-12, their parents and guardians, and school staff.

Students can:

• Complete surveys and quizzes to learn more about your interests and potential careers
• Research careers and watch mentor videos to help you navigate the college and career planning process
• Explore college profiles to learn information about campus life, the student communities, and more
• Plan your courses throughout your 4 high school years
• Search for internships, volunteer opportunities, and scholarships offered in your area (this feature will be expanded next year)

Parents and Guardians can:

• View the results of your student's career interest, strength, and mindset assessments to learn more about their interests and potential career paths.
• Check your personalized dashboard for upcoming events, important reminders, and to-dos for your student.
• Complete your own research on colleges, careers, and more to help you have informed conversations with your student.
• Compare college costs and explore expected financial aid, scholarships, and out-of-pocket expenses

Parents and Guardians are invited to access SchooLinks to view your student’s high school and beyond planning activities:

• Log in at app.schoolinks.com
• Depending on your email on file with the district (synced in Skyward):
  • If you have a Google or Linked-In email on file with the district, select “Log in with Google” or “Log in with Linked-In” using that email
  • If you have a different email on file with the district, click “Forgot Password” below the login button. Then enter your email on file and reset (create) your password.
  • Click here for visual instructions - be sure to look at Synced Guardian Emails

Scholarships that are accepting applications from seniors:

June due dates:

• Anne Murphy Ocean Stewards Scholarship via PTMSC
• Chris Kimball Voc/Tech Scholarship
• Larry Jensen Memorial Scholarship
• Port Townsend Education Association Scholarship
• Port Townsend Women's Golf Club 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.

Jefferson Healthcare is partnering with Chimacum and Port Townsend high schools to provide complimentary baseline testing for all student athletes using the Sports Concussion Assessment Tool prior to the start of 2026 Fall sports.

Baseline testing is a crucial assessment tool used to ensure the highest quality care can be provided if a student athlete experiences a sport-related concussion.

Students can receive their complimentary baseline test this August at Jefferson Healthcare. Testing will be administered by a team of highly trained physical therapists that specialize in concussion rehabilitation. Students should select an available time and allot 15-20 minutes for their appointment.

Jefferson Healthcare is excited to be partnering with the East Jefferson Rival Athletics department to provide this valuable healthcare assessment. If you have any additional questions about our concussion services, we encourage you to reach out to our outpatient rehabilitation department.

• Tuesday, 6.9: Math SBAC for Sophomores
• Wednesday, 6.10 during Advisory: Study Hall & Cap & Gown Disbursement
• Wednesday, 6.3 from 1:30 - 3:15pm: The Great Shuffle & 26/27 Behavior Priorities
• Friday, 6.12: Last day of classes for Seniors
• Friday, 6.12 from 10:00am - 2:00pm: Freshman Market Day
• Monday, 6.15 at 6:00pm : Senior Scholarship Awards Night @ BHMS
• Tuesday, 6.16 from 9:00 - 10:00am: Senior Awards Assembly in the Auditoreum
• Tuesday, 6.16 at 10:30am: Senior Photo in front of the Gym
• Tuesday, 6.16: Senior Celebration Events- See schedule
• Wednesday, 6.17 from 8:15am - 1:00pm: - Mandatory Graduation Practice @ McCurdy Pavilion
• Thursday, 6.18 from 8:15am - 1:00pm: Mandatory Graduation Practice @ McCurdy Pavilion
• Thursday, 6.18 at 6:00pm: Doors Open at McCurdy Pavilion for Graduation (tickets required)
• Thursday, 6.18 at 6:15pm: Seniors Arrive at the Chapel for Preparation and Photos
• Thursday, 6.18 at 7:00pm: Class of 2026 Commencement Ceremonies at McCurdy Pavilion
• Friday, 6.19: Juneteenth - No School
• Tuesday, 6.23 at 8:30am: Underclassmen Awards Ceremony

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