Dear Port Townsend High School Families,
As we move deeper into the school year and the days get shorter, it’s more important than ever to keep our students engaged both inside and outside of the classroom. Extracurricular activities—whether sports, clubs, or other school events—play a key role in maintaining that engagement, helping students build connections and stay motivated.
As Fall sports near their conclusion, I encourage you to continue to show your support for the Rivals. Last week we had the honor of celebrating our sole senior on participating in girls soccer, who was recognized by an excited crowd after the game during Senior Night. This week, we have several more opportunities to cheer on our seniors as their seasons wrap up. On Wednesday, both the boys tennis team and girls swimming will host their Senior Nights with this being the only home match for the swim team. Then, on Friday, both football and cheer will celebrate their seniors at Memorial Field. It would be wonderful to see the stands filled for these events as we recognize the hard work of these athletes and their commitment to our school.
Looking ahead, we’re planning all-school send-offs for athletes who qualify to compete at the state level once their regular seasons conclude. We’ll be sending out more details as those send-offs approach, so stay tuned!
One area of focus this year is giving our students a stronger voice and more opportunities for agency in their school experience. A recent example of this was when several freshman and sophomore ASB officers met with me to advocate for freshman students to have off-campus privileges during lunch. After our discussion, they followed up with a detailed email outlining their request. I’m pleased to announce that, thanks to their thoughtful advocacy, freshmen will now have off-campus lunch privileges on a trial basis, effective immediately. Over the coming months, I’ll be meeting regularly with this group to ensure this change doesn’t have any unintended consequences. We’ll be closely monitoring attendance to make sure it remains steady, and we’ll make any necessary adjustments, if needed.
Our staff is also working hard to support students academically, and I’m proud to share some of the additional resources we’ve put in place since the beginning of the year to help all students succeed. After-school tutoring is now available every Tuesday and Thursday, and we’ve added credit recovery periods during the school day for students who may have fallen behind and need support to get back on track for graduation. We’re committed to providing every student with the help they need to thrive.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and staff as we work together to make this year a success. I look forward to seeing many of you at this week’s Senior Night events and throughout the rest of the season.
Go Redhawks!!!
- Mr. Moss
Port Townsend High School sophomore Lewis Clanton has made a name for himself not just through his involvement in cheerleading but also for his unshakeable kindness and dedication to helping others. For the past two years, Lewis has been a member of the cheer squad, and this Friday, during the football game, he’ll make his first appearance of the season as the Redhawks mascot—a role he’s embraced with pride.
Lewis is always ready to lend a hand, whether it’s taking on extra cheerleading duties or assisting staff at Salish Coast Elementary on early release Wednesdays. His commitment to helping others doesn’t stop there. During Homecoming, Lewis was spotted tirelessly running back and forth, bringing pizza slices from the oven to hungry students in the gym—another example of his eagerness to support his peers.
More than just a dedicated cheerleader and mascot, Lewis embodies the values we encourage in all of our students: kindness, responsibility, inclusiveness, and persistence. He’s the type of person who waits outside school for his friends so they don’t have to walk in alone, rain or shine. At lunchtime, Lewis is always scanning the room to find anyone sitting by themselves, eager to make sure no one eats alone.
Lewis Clanton truly exemplifies what it means to be a Redhawk—supportive, considerate, and always looking out for others. We’re excited to cheer him on this Friday, both on the field and in the mascot suit, and we look forward to seeing all the ways he’ll continue to contribute to our school community.
We are excited to announce an upcoming community event hosted by our PTHS Spanish Program, led by Reed Aubin. On Wednesday, October 30, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m., the PTHS Library will come alive with vibrant and heartfelt displays as we celebrate El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead). This event is open to the public and is an opportunity to honor loved ones, connect with cultural traditions of Latin America, and appreciate the artistry, compassion and ingenuity of our students.
Our Spanish 3 & 4 students will present beautifully crafted ofrendas (altars), honoring individuals and groups important to them. One of these is dedicated to the memory of Darlene Marmol, a beloved special education teacher at PTHS who touched the lives of many students and staff, who passed away last year after a courageous battle with cancer. Students in Spanish 1 contribute their own personal ofrendas dedicated to family members and loved ones, and Spanish 2 chips in with decorations and food.
Adding to the festivities, Caitlin Malarkey's high school chamber orchestra will perform pieces by Mexican composers, and students will serve food prepared in our new food truck, under the guidance of former PT schools food director Stacey Larsen. There will be a craft table for children and adults to create their own mementos, along with a station for printing photos of loved ones to add to the installation.
Mr. Aubin, PTHS graduate (class of 1998) and current PTHS Spanish teacher, has spearheaded this event as part of his commitment to bringing the richness of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world into our school community. His hands-on, communicative approach to teaching Spanish helps students connect deeply with the cultures they study.
The event features art inspired by a project initiated by PTHS art teacher Michelle Soderstrom, with contributions from Media Studies teacher David Egeler and his wife Luz Rosario, an accomplished artist from Oaxaca, Mexico, who helped to bring this tradition to PTHS. Their influence and hard work have been instrumental in making Día de los Muertos a cherished annual event.
This year’s Día de los Muertos celebration is supported by Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates (JCIRA), an organization committed to supporting the rights of immigrants and their families in our community. Together, we hope to celebrate cultural traditions while strengthening our collective commitment to building an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.
We encourage you to visit the library to view the ofrendas throughout the week and join us next Wednesday evening for what promises to be a meaningful and enriching experience. And look up as you pass the school on Benton street after dark the following nights to see the ofrendas illuminated from within. See you there!
- Tuesday, 10.22 @ 5:30 pm: Home Girls Varsity Soccer at Memorial Field
- Wednesday, 10.23 @ 1:30 pm: General Education & Special Education Collaboration in the Library
- Wednesday, 10:23 @ 3:30 pm: Home Boys Tennis Match- Senior Night
- Wednesday, 10.23 @ 3:30 pm: Home Girls Swimming at Mt View Pool- Senior Night
- Thursday, 10.24 @ 4:00 pm: Home JV Girls Soccer at Chimacum
- Friday, 10.25 @ 7:00 pm: Home Football at Memorial Field- Senior Night (Wear Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness)
- Monday, 10.26 @ 3:30 pm: Staff Collaboration in Ms. Olson's Room
- Monday, 10.26 @ 5:00 & 6:30 pm: Home JV & Varsity Volleyball
- Wednesday, 10.30 from 1:30 - 3:15 pm: Staff Inclusionary Practices Workshop in the Library
- Wednesday, 10.30 from 12:05 - 1:10 pm: Financial Aid Advising Day in the Auditorium
- Friday, 11.1 @ 7:00 pm: Home Football at Memorial Field
- Wednesday, 11.6 from 5:30 - 6:30 pm: Parent Financial Aid Advising Night in the PTHS Library and via Zoom
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
