Redhawks News
September 16, 2025
Redhawk Students and Families,
It has been a really positive start to the school year, and I want to share how grateful I feel every single day as I interact with our students. Their energy, kindness, and curiosity remind me constantly how fortunate I am to be here at Port Townsend High School.
One of the highlights so far was last week's House Day, which was a tremendous success. I'm incredibly thankful to Mr. Freeman, whose vision and deep knowledge of house systems inspired us to bring this model to PTHS and helped educate our staff and students on what it can mean for a school community. I am equally thankful for Mr. Stegner’s immense leadership and for our leadership students, who were the true leaders of the day.
While houses give us the opportunity for friendly competition and plenty of fun, the bigger picture is that they create the foundation for lasting relationships. Our goal is for every student to find belonging and build connections that will help them thrive in and out of the classroom. Over the years, house leaders will not only guide their peers during competitions but also support them in celebrating successes and navigating challenges.
We’re looking forward to another round of House meetings and competitions this Wednesday, where we’ll be introducing challenges that extend beyond the classroom. For example, students will have the opportunity to design an artistic crest representing all four houses - Cedar, Madrona, Manzanita, and Spruce.
Another exciting fall tradition is now underway—the beginning of theater season! Casting was recently completed for The Sound of Music, and the number of students involved has continued to grow. Spaces like this provide another powerful avenue for belonging and support. A heartfelt thank you goes to Mr. Pierson for his continued dedication to our drama program and the countless opportunities it gives our students.
In addition to the arts, I’m excited to share that tutoring starts back up this Thursday after school, led by Mr. Taylor with the immense support of the volunteer team from Skillmation. This is a welcoming space for students to get extra help in any class, with a particular emphasis on math support. Another valuable resource available to our Algebra students is Algebra Extensions, offered third period. Some students are enrolled full-time, but it is also open on a short-term basis for those who need extra support with difficult concepts. Since most 9th graders have electives during that period, students can step into Algebra Extensions when they need extra help and return to their elective without worrying about falling behind.
Outside the classroom, it’s been inspiring to see so many in our community supporting our teams. The Rivals football team had an exciting win over Friday Harbor last weekend, and girls soccer has already had some thrilling matches. Our volleyball team is showing incredible promise, and I’m especially excited to attend this Friday’s home volleyball game in Chimacum and for the behind the scenes grassroot effort to get as many staff as possible to at least one boys tennis match and to both of the home swim and cross country meets.
Thank you all for continuing to support our students. As always, if you ever have questions or suggestions, please don't hesitate to talk to any of our staff or me directly.
Thank you and GO REDHAWKS!
Mr. Moss
Last Wednesday, PTHS held its first-ever House Day, a full schedule of activities designed to launch our new House Model and build a greater sense of belonging across all grade levels. The day began in advisory classes, where students got an overview of the schedule and then joined their houses in designated spaces before the big rollout assembly.
The assembly, led by our ASB leadership students, was filled with energy and anticipation. Mr. Stegner reflected, “The first House Day went really well! It went better than I imagined it would. We were all really happy with the first day.” That enthusiasm was felt across the student body too. Sarah Fisher described the overall vibe as “really energetic” and said, “students are really excited for the whole year and like the activities that are to come. I think it builds a lot of community.”
A key strength of House Day was the variety of competitions, everything from math and social studies challenges to athletic contests and house cheering. “The variety of competitions on House Day was intentional,” Mr. Stegner explained. “We wanted to make sure every student had an opportunity to feel seen, valued, and celebrated.” Sarah echoed that perspective, noting how the range of events “brought in lots of different kinds of kids, it really made you cheer for people that you wouldn’t usually talk to. It really connected people.”
The first house meetings were another highlight. Sarah recalled that “when we were in our first house meeting, it really connected my house. When we went to the assembly afterwards there was a way different vibe and I think we were a lot more spirited and we were all together.” That sense of unity was central to the day’s purpose. Mr. Stegner noted that “when students were placed into a House, they were immediately connected to a team, a support system, and a shared identity.”
Ultimately, the big-picture goal of House Day, and the House Model itself, is belonging. Both staff and students saw that come to life. Sarah summed it up simply: “Yes I did!” when asked if she felt that sense of belonging. And as Mr. Stegner observed, “It was cool to witness students who usually do not engage with upperclassmen or students outside their social circle, engaging with new people. I saw some students branch out of their comfort zone, which was inspiring.”
As we look ahead, the excitement from this first House Day is just the beginning. The Houses will continue to provide opportunities for mentorship, school spirit, and connection across grade levels. In the words of Mr. Stegner, “I think in the years to come, the current leadership/ASB students will have something to be really proud of: They helped create something meaningful and exciting for future students.”
Earlier this month, students from the Culinary Arts CTE Program brought their skills and energy to the Wooden Boat Festival, serving wild salmon burgers and pulled pork sandwiches out of the program’s food truck, The Culinary Cruiser. It was an opportunity to showcase their learning in a real-world setting while promoting our school’s commitment to fresh, local, and healthy food.
Mrs. Kruse, who leads the Culinary Arts program, explained, “We wanted to showcase our Food Truck Program to our community and be able to offer a hands-on intensive cooking experience for 2nd and 3rd year students who were looking for a challenge and a bigger audience to serve.” She noted that the food truck integrates the program’s career readiness goals: “Our CTE program offers career readiness and commercial cooking and small business experience. The Food Truck program brings all of these skills and goals together.”
Students embraced the experience. Ella Rust shared, “It was really fun. Mrs. Kruse is one of my favorite teachers.” Beyond the fun, she also saw the learning in action: “That there’s a lot of sanitation that goes into it. You have to wash your hands like every other minute!”
One highlight of the weekend was the opportunity to represent PTHS in such a public setting. Ella said, “It was really nice. It was cool to actually be a part of the show and not just visit. It was really cool seeing everyone my dad works with.” She even recalled her favorite moment: “Probably listening to U2 and and serving people. Mrs. Kruse was really fun to be around”
The menu was a success as well. Mrs. Kruse reflected, “Successes included a ton of compliments on our menu (especially the Sockeye Salmon Sandwich) as well as a great fast-paced experience for students.” For Ella, the feedback was especially motivating: “It was really nice when people would come back to the food truck and say that the food was really great, it felt good to help people and to feed people good food.”
At its core, the Culinary Cruiser is about more than just good food, it’s about preparing students for the future while sharing an important message with the community. As Mrs. Kruse explained, “Students get the chance to experience a fast-paced commercial kitchen experience. They get to plan for a large audience, work step through step to create a menu and put out a product. We want to share our message that fresh, healthy, local foods can be used to make amazing food.”
Ella summed it up well: “We have really good food and it’s all locally sourced and healthy for you unlike a lot of food and that everybody that’s in the program is super nice and friendly.”
Last Friday, our art students visited The Wall That Heals at the Jefferson County International Airport. The traveling 3/4-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. brought history, memory, and reflection into sharp focus for both students and community members.
For many, the visit was a deeply moving experience. Parker Fettig described it as “a solemn experience filled with memorials for people who fought in a very dangerous war. It was a great opportunity to be there and I love that they brought it to Port Townsend and so kids who don’t know much about it could learn.” Jack Pryor shared that standing at the wall “really shows how much we respect the people that gave their lives to fight for us and fight for our freedom and it really helps people that have lost loved ones, friends, family members, and really shows that they aren’t alone.”
The wall also sparked artistic reflection. Parker noted, “I feel like the wall and everything that was there showed that not everything has to be flashy, that simple ideas and designs can be implemented in a very meaningful way.” Jack was struck by the personal mementos left behind: “Some of the items for the people that are lost, like families had things that were left by the people that went to war, like a baseball glove, and they were super special to the person that died.”
For art teacher Ms. Soderstrom, the visit was about more than history, it was about how art helps people connect. “The opportunity to learn about and visit The Wall That Heals was unique and rare in that it offered meaning through art, history, community, and family. My goal was to share this timely event with students as an opportunity to explore how artwork can facilitate connections,” she said. She added that the memorial “is just that, a space to facilitate human interaction in a way that words may not have the same impact.”
The students’ respectful engagement did not go unnoticed. Ms. Soderstrom observed, “I noticed at least two students who appeared emotional. And I noticed that the people around them, other students and a para, offered support. Students were inquisitive and respectful. Some students shared with me that they would have enjoyed more time to ponder and explore.”
She hopes that the visit will leave a lasting impression, both personally and artistically. “What I hope that students were able to take away is a sense of place and a sense of appreciation for learning about a world event in a unique way,” she explained. “Learning inside and outside of the classroom setting provides a balance for students. Just the second week into school, I appreciated how well students engaged in the experience and conducted themselves with respect and maturity.”
The experience at The Wall That Heals reminded our students that art, history, and remembrance are deeply intertwined. As Parker reflected, “the way the wall is is a beautiful sentiment to the people who were lost and it showed that art and history can have a really deep and meaningful connection.”
All families are encouraged to complete a Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application for the 2025–26 school year. Applications must be filled out annually, and even if you don’t think your family will qualify, submitting one still helps PTHS secure vital funding for our school community.
About Port Townsend High School
Website: https://highschool.ptschools.org/
Location: 1500 Van Ness Street, Port Townsend, WA, USA
Phone: 360.379.4520
Non-discrimination statement
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
Title IX Officer:
Carrie Ehrhardt
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 680-5756
Section 504/ADA Coordinator
Shelby Macmeekin
1610 Blaine Street
(360) 379-4501
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
