• PSD Honored with Prestigious 2024 Purple Star Award

• Two New Green Leader Elementary Schools

• Eagle Quest Outdoor Learning Enrollment Lottery Opens May 1

• CTP Students Forge Partnership with a Local Farm

• Norway Visitors Toured Voyager Outdoor TK

• A Melodious Celebration of Young Talent

• Safety and Security Officer Update

Dear Peninsula School District Families and Staff, 

As we move into the final two months of the 2023-24 school year, I'm excited to share some recent highlights and updates from across the Peninsula School District. Our students, staff, and school communities continue to make us proud through their achievements, partnerships, and dedication to excellence.

PSD Honored with Prestigious 2024 Purple Star Award
Our school district is proud to be a 2024 Purple Star Award recipient! Only 12 districts in our state received this award, which is given to military-friendly school districts that show a commitment to support and provide resources for military students and their families. 

An example of this commitment in action was at Swift Water Elementary’s Purple Up Day on April 12. More than 50 families at Swift Water have active duty military members, and our Seals embraced the spirit of the day by dressing in purple, symbolizing support and appreciation for their peers who are part of military families. I had the honor of joining local service members and students for a special lunch celebration, as we commemorated the Month of the Military Child.

Two New Green Leader Elementary Schools
We take immense pride in officially announcing that Artondale Elementary and Evergreen Elementary have been recognized as Green Leader Schools for 2024 by the U.S. Department of Education and the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Our schools are honored to receive this recognition for their hard work and achievements, as part of the Green Ribbon Program. Students led OSPI staff and local leaders on a tour last week, showing off their environmentally friendly schools.

Eagle Quest Outdoor Learning Enrollment Lottery Opens May 1
We are looking forward to launching the Eagle Quest Outdoor Learning Program at Evergreen Elementary this coming fall, starting with the lottery process which opens tomorrow! The lottery interest form will be open from May 1 to 15, for incoming 2nd to 5th graders for the 2024-2025 school year. Please go to our website to learn more about Eagle Quest, the lottery process and how to submit an enrollment interest form. We are thrilled to take advantage of the beautiful environment for our families, because that is why they choose to live here!

CTP Students Forge Partnership with a Local Farm
Have you heard about our district’s recent partnership with Creviston Valley Farm on the Key Peninsula? Students and staff from our Community Transition Program (CTP) have started working on this new farm, as part of the Food Backpacks for Kids Food 4 All program. CTP students get hands-on experience on the farm, as they visit every Tuesday to help clean, plant, and grow food.

Norway Visitors Toured Voyager Outdoor TK
Our colleagues from Bødo, Norway visited our beautiful city, and we took them on a tour of outdoor Transitional Kindergarten at Voyager Elementary. They said the TK reminded them of the Barnehage in Norway, and our students made gifts for our visitors and showed off their beautiful outdoor play areas. The Norway visitors also toured Pacific Lutheran University, to discuss a potential partnership for higher education partners. Thank you Voyager students and staff for making our guests feel welcome.

April was a month of harmonious revelry as our schools' musical ensembles took center stage. The event commenced with our elementary school choirs, whose voices united in a captivating choral performance that spanned two evenings. Next, our middle and high school bands converged for an awe-inspiring districtwide band concert, followed a week later by an epic districtwide choral performance by our secondary schools. To our remarkable students, keep honing your extraordinary talents and gracing us with the gift of your enchanting melodies!

Safety and Security Officer Update
Providing a safe and secure learning environment for our students and staff is one of our district’s top priorities. Our two school safety officers are both now finally armed, after the district worked through certifications that took longer than expected. Both Brent Campbell and Michael “Moose” Janke have many years of experience as law enforcement officers and have been vitally important in keeping our schools safe this year, so we are grateful for this next step. They are now similar to a commissioned police officer carrying their duty weapon. This additional safety measure highlights our dedication to keeping our schools safe and secure. We appreciate the cooperation of our school leaders, staff, and students. 

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to provide an excellent education and supportive atmosphere for every student in our district. I'm grateful for the commitment of our staff, families and community in championing and supporting our schools.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Krestin Bahr