All About Gig Harbor High School
JUMP TO:
Thoughts from Teachers
Academics
Thoughts From Parents & Students
School Stats
Neighborhoods Within School Boundary
Besides being a neighborhood expert when it comes to buying and selling in Gig Harbor, I’m also a mom of three, and when my family and I were moving to the area, learning about the local schools was a top priority. That’s why I’m taking you on a tour of all 17 schools in the Peninsula School District so that you can get a feel for what each has to offer, as well as why students, parents, and teachers all love their school.
Today we are at Gig Harbor High School, right outside of downtown Gig Harbor. Read on to learn more!
In the Heart of Gig Harbor
Michele Suiter, Principal
The high school is located super close to the actual harbor and Gig Harbor proper. So when you cross the bridge and you come into town, we’re pretty much the closest you will see when you come across the bridge.
We have amazing feeder schools. Our elementary feeder schools are Artondale, Harbor Heights, Pioneer, Discovery, and Voyager. For our middle schools, it’s Kopachuck and Goodman.
The Tide Way
Michele Suiter, Principal
We talk a lot about “The Tide Way.” When you walk around our school, when we talk about school values, you’re going to see them around every corner and every classroom. To exemplify “The Tide Way” is to live with integrity, to be kind, to be engaged, and to be responsible. And those are lived out in signage and we do community agreements around those kinds of things. So what does it look like to be kind in the classroom? What does it look like to be engaged in the classroom? What’s it like to be responsible in our common spaces? So we live those out in the classroom, in our common spaces, and in everything we do.
Jasmine L., Student
“The Tide Way” is to live with integrity. Be kind, be engaged, and be responsible.
Teachers Make the Difference
Michele Suiter, Principal
I’ve been in education a long time, and I can tell you that Gig Harbor High School has some of the best programs and the most excellent faculty.
Leon Likens, Teacher
This is my 24th year as a teacher and 24th year here at Gig Harbor High School, so my entire career has been here. Currently I teach U.S. History, Civics, and Military History, but I’ve also done World History in the past as well. Colleagues and friends that I have that teach elsewhere, I tell them I feel like I teach in Disneyland. It’s a happy place, but also it’s a place where I get to teach. I don’t have to worry about managing a classroom so much because the kids are good kids. And so I just get to teach and there’s a lot of joy in having to do that rather than some of the other grinds that come with teaching in some other ways.
Heidi Allen, Teacher
I teach Glass Art, I teach Jewelry, and then I also teach yearbook and newspaper classes. When I had young children, I chose to move into this district so that my kids could go to school in the Peninsula School District because of the quality of the schools. As a teacher here, what I see is high standards for all students and we really do take the kids where they are and move them forward, and I think that’s hugely important.
Jasmine L., Student
The best thing here is the teachers and how they contribute to really helping the students. And the other best thing is our community, how we work together to make this school a better place.
Academics
Michele Suiter, Principal
In terms of this academic side, the range of opportunities that exist here is just astronomical. And you see that when you go on our website or you go into our course catalog, in terms of the courses that students can choose. They can choose UW in high school so they can get dual credit while they’re here. They can do CTE [Career & Technical Education] classes that take them on a pathway that maybe will lead them into something more in the technical field. We have food classes, art classes, engineering classes, architecture, AP physics, and then there’s the athletic side and the clubs. We have over 60 clubs that students can attend. They can do gardening club, they can do “Dungeons and Dragons.” You name it, we offer it at Gig Harbor High School.
Ryland H., Student
I’m a junior at Gig Harbor High School. We have a grading system called standards-based grading where it’s 8.5 for doing everything correctly, but in class they’ll explain how to push yourself farther to get a 9.5 or a 10 to get you that “A” that you want. They’ll sit down with you to help you to make you go the extra mile to adapt your brain to what it needs to be at for college.
My freshman year I took a Manufacturing Technology class and it’s like an advanced wood shop. You don’t just make a birdhouse, you create boxes, you create large chairs, rocking chairs, mechanical things that will work inside of wood. We have a lot of cool clubs at the high school too that involve everyone and give everyone a chance to show their true colors and how they want to interact within the building.
Why Gig Harbor High School?
Mel Heckman, Parent
I have a daughter who graduated two years ago and a son who’s a junior here. So we’ve kind of been within this district for about 14, 15 years. And I’m just a volunteer. I’m somebody that loves Gig Harbor High School. I love the community. I would say if you’re looking for a community, a school that you know has strong leadership and you can get involved, this is a place for you. It’s very inclusive. You can find a place to live as a parent, but your children can find a place to be. That’s not always the case in every school, in every town, in every part of the country.
Jasmine L., Student
I feel like the Peninsula School District is a nice place to be. There’s a lot of friendly people. Everybody’s nice.
Ryland H., Student
Mainly just because of how the teachers challenge you and how your classmates challenge you. It’s like one big community trying to make you the best version of yourself.
Heidi Allen, Teacher
We have opportunities for all levels of students here and opportunities for everyone to improve. And we really do try to meet the kids where they are and move them forward regardless of where they started.
Michele Suiter, Principal
I became the principal of Gig Harbor High School in the middle of Covid. I walked in to a really tough time. To watch this school, these teachers, these students go through that time and come out the other side—resilient, strong, academically on point, excited for their next steps—makes me proud every single day. It really is a place for all students and that’s what I love about Gig Harbor High School.
Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students
What Parents Love About Gig Harbor High School
“I love that the staff connects with the students.”
“Amazing staff.”
“Principal is very positive and creates a welcoming atmosphere where she wants every child to find their niche and passion.”
What They Wish Could Be Better
“For my child with dyslexia, I wish the school would be able to help and I didn’t have to pay an outside service.”
“More opportunities for non college-bound students.”
“Longer lunch times.”
What Their Children Love About Gig Harbor High School
“Seeing their friends.”
“Band, sports, school spirit, and friends.”
“How many friends they’ve made at this school, and how passionate their teachers are about teaching.”
What Would They Tell A New Family At Gig Harbor High School?
“Interact with the school, be on the school board, be a class parent, get involved so you know what is going on daily.”
“Try everything.”
“I would encourage new families to have their child get involved in a sport, club, or activity to find ‘their people.’”
“Try out new extracurriculars. Get to know your students’ teachers.”
Gig Harbor High School Stats
Peninsula School District Profile
Feeder Schools:
Elementary: Artondale, Discovery, Harbor Heights, Pioneer, Voyager
Neighborhoods Within School Boundary
Some neighborhoods include:
Artondale
Artondale Country Estates
Artondale Woods
Black Bear
Brentwood Manor
Canta Rana Estates
Ford Hill
Hidden Ridge
Madrona
Madrona Vale
Meadow Park
Pine Crest
Swanson
West Bay Ridge
West Park Estates
Cromwell
Bridlewood
Countryside
Cromwell Pointe Estates
Eagle Crest
Fox Crest
Inwood
Point Ryan Estates
Sea-Fox Estates
Shawnee Hills
The Hill at Sunny Bay
Downtown Gig Harbor
Millville
Horsehead Bay
Forest Beach
Moorelands
Kopachuck
Hai Yatch
Kopachuck Heights Estates
Kopachuck Place
Kopachuck Ridge Estates
Midway
Briarwood Hollow
Brittany Place
Edgewood Manor
Fairwood
Harbor Park
Huckleberry Hill
Midway Estates
Norwood
Pennridge Estates
Plum Tree
Quail Run Estates
Ravens Roost
The Trace at Fox Run
Woodlane
Village Grove
Point Evans
Point Evans Estates
Point Evans on the Narrows
Point Evans Ridge
Point Fosdick
Bridgewood Estates
Discovery Point
Fairway Estates
Quail Park
Quail Run
Reid Road
Bridge West Estates
Colvos View Estates
Hidden Glen
Long Acres
Matthew Court
Melanie Ridge
Reid Drive
Rushmore
Sandy Court
Southport
Rosedale
Braewood
Louise Park
Olympic View
Park Dale
Ray Nash Country Estates
Rosedale Estates
Rosedale Sunset
Shorecrest
Steeplechase
The Dawn
The Heights at Gig Harbor
Sehmel
Cherry Point
Soundview
Anton’s
Autumn Crest
Crest View
Holly Bluff
Islandview East
Islandview Terrace
Seaview Place
Shore Acres
Soundview Court
Spinnaker Ridge
Wollochet
Bay-view Terrace
Cedar Haven Homes
Dunbar Cove
East Bay Estates
Galbraith Waterfront Tracts
Highridge View Estates
Magnolia Heights
Tall Timber
Wollochet Bay Estates
Wollochet Creek Estates
Wollochet Heights
Wollochet Shores
Wollochet Yacht Harbor
Fox Island
Raft Island
And there you have it! Thanks for joining me in this look at Gig Harbor High School. If you want to learn more about our wonderful community here be sure to check out my blog, or for more information on buying and selling in Gig Harbor and the surrounding area go to askpaigeschulte.com.