All About Purdy Elementary School
JUMP TO:
Thoughts from Teachers
Thoughts From Parents & Students
School Stats
Neighborhoods Within School Boundary
As a real estate agent and your local neighborhood expert, I want to help you learn all there is to know about life in Gig Harbor, Washington. I am also a mom of three, and one of the things that was really important to me when looking for a house was what the schools were like. I know this is a big factor for other families as well, so I will personally be going to all 17 (yes, 17!) schools in the Peninsula School District to interview teachers, students, and parents, giving you a feel for the community, culture, and academics at each school.
First off we’re taking a peek inside of Purdy Elementary School, located up in Gig Harbor North.
Purdy’s Mission
Kristi Brooks, Principal
I am the proud principal of Purdy Elementary, home of the Panthers. Located in Gig Harbor North, we have about 560 students, preschool through fifth grade, and our school feeds into Harbor Ridge Middle School and Peninsula High School.
Our mission is to grow, learn, and inspire our students. So everything we do encompasses how we can continue to grow and learn as educators, but also with our kids and really working together with our community as well.
The Kindness Chain
Gwendalin, Student
What this school has inspired me to be is kind, safe, respectful, and responsible.
Atherton, Student
I’m in fifth grade. Every time you do something kind to someone else, they would most likely go to the kindness chain. Usually they write down the kind thing that someone did for them. If you had something kind happen to you, you’d go and add a chain link.
Addie, Student
I’m in fourth grade. For the kindness chain, you can draw an act of kindness on a piece of paper. And once you have at least two of those, you can link them together.
Arts Grant
Kristi Brooks, Principal
Our school recently received two arts grants. It’s very exciting for us because we are one of the only schools in the Peninsula School District that actually have an art specialist as well.
Hannah Jay, Art Specialist
The kids call me Mrs. Art, and I am known as an art specialist here at Purdy Elementary School. I’ve been here for 21 years. The arts grant that we received was from Arts Impact in Tacoma, Washington. From what I understand, it is a grant that will cover the entire year to help us train teachers in dance, theater, music, and arts. And those teachers will then disseminate the information and share what they’ve learned with all of us. So all the teachers at our school are going to have an infusion of dance, theater, music, and arts. I think all of us look back on our lives as children, and I think we all remember the times of creativity when we were building things, when we were painting and drawing, and all of those things I see here every day in our students. And they need this time to foodle around and be creative—that’s what this zone is for. And we’re lucky to have it, and we’re lucky to have the Arts Impact Grant to help us facilitate more of this creativity.
Arts are one of the favorite parts of student success, and that is something I get to witness every day here at Purdy Elementary.
Alex Kocsis, Music Teacher
I know that this is something that the school has been working towards for a long time, and this grant has been a huge success in that path. I know everyone’s excited to delve into it, and for music specifically, what we’re looking for is multicultural songs and dances that we can teach in the classroom. I know we’re tentatively planning an event later this year where we can put that all together and show off what the students are doing in art and in music and in their general classrooms as well. And so it’s my goal that I’ll have each grade learn a song or two to represent the cultures that they’re studying and that’s gonna come through in the art that they do as well, and what they’re learning about those cultures in their classroom too.
Why Teachers Love Purdy
Kristi Brooks, Principal
The teachers love our school. Teachers come here and they stay here and retire here, they love it so much. That really does help develop that synergy where teachers work well together, and when they think of our kids they’re all of our kids. It’s not just one teacher’s kids. And we really work together as a team.
I am proud to be principal here every day. I walk in this school and I see our teachers smiling, and I’m greeted by our kids, and I get hugs every day. It’s just an incredible community here. And I always see students helping one another, caring for one another, and I hear often from students that they feel like this is a safe place where they have good friends. And, you know, every day I see kids doing great things, helping one another, as well as our teachers and our community. And our students are really committed to helping our community as well, whether it be food drives or clothes drives or other community events.
I’ve been the principal here for 10 years–I’ve actually been here at this school for 13–so I’ve had a lot of time to spend here and see great families coming through our school and staff staying here and committed to doing what’s best for kids.
Alex Kocsis, Music Teacher
This is my second year at Purdy Elementary School, and I’m very excited to be continuing my work here. I’m the music teacher here, and it’s been fantastic so far. Some students come in here and they’re great at the boomwhackers. Some students come in here and they’re great at the ukulele. Some students come in and they’re good at maracas. And so it’s just about finding their voice in whatever that takes, and that’s just so fun to witness—them, find their own thing and own it.
Every day I come to school I wear a pair of funky socks, and for some people it’s not a big deal, but it’s important to me and some kids really love it. Now I have a couple students who come to school and they wear funky socks, so we can show them off together. It’s a lot of fun.
This has been a return to normalcy this year and I’m really excited to get back into singing with the kids.
Why Students & Parents Love Purdy
Sara Patinkin, Parent
I have a daughter, Anna, who is 10, who’s in fifth grade at Purdy, and we also have a son who has moved on from Purdy to middle school at Harbor Ridge. Our family has really loved Purdy, primarily because of the teachers and staff. They are absolutely incredible at creating a sense of family and community and ensure that everyone feels welcome at our school.
The PTA at Purdy provides funding for programming such as art, PE, music, drama, STEM, field trips, grants to teachers and staff. The presence of a strong PTA at Purdy bridges the funding gap, providing vital programming and enhancing the education of all the students at Purdy.
Atherton, Student
I love how I have three different teachers who are all teaching a different subject, and it’s not very overwhelming.
Gwendalin, Student
All the teachers are so kind and loving and caring. It’s amazing here.
Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students
What Parents Love About Purdy
“Building leadership and staff are phenomenal - such warm, welcoming, genuinely caring people who love serving kids and their families! They have such a positive, strengths-based approach with frequent reinforcement for exemplifying what being a Panther means: Kind, Safe, Responsible & Respectful. Our girls are so excited to go to school each day!”
“Genuine enthusiasm for learning and fostering an environment full of kindness; desire to connect with each student and family.”
What They Wish Could Be Better
“Just the facility. PSD has so many aging buildings and the Purdy campus needs some love!”
“Sometimes, communication would be more effective with greater notice.”
What Their Children Love About Purdy
“Our kids LOVE their specialist time - Art, PE, STEM and Music. We are so thankful these critical areas are still part of every school day (on rotation) at Purdy!”
“[Our son’s] teacher is fantastic! He loves riding the bus and buying lunch!”
What Would They Tell A New Family At Purdy?
“Beth Ruffner, Purdy’s Counselor, is an incredible asset to the school! Reach out if you have any concerns about your kiddo being new - she will do a fabulous job reassuring you of all the love that awaits for your family at Purdy!”
“We are thrilled with [our son’s] educational environment and family. Our experience is exceeding our expectations! We are so happy and thankful that our child is here!”
Neighborhoods Within School Boundary
Some neighborhoods include:
Gig Harbor North
Bayview at Gig Harbor
Cabalo Ridge
Henderson Bay Condos
Holly Tides
Lagoona Beach
McCormick Ridge Condos
Morning Point Estates
Olympic Sunset West
Purdy
Salal Ridge
Southcreek
Spring Hill Estates
Spring Tree Estates
Trillium Park
Wellington Ridge
Wilderness Creek
Woodshore Terrace Condos
Canterwood
Crescent Valley
Colvos Heights
Crescent Lake Estates
Crescent Lake Heights Estates
Crescent Valley Ridge
North Crescent Lake Estates
Point Richmond
Daybreak Park
Deer Trace
Point Richmond Ridge
Richmond Beach Estates
Peacock Hill
Brierwood North
Evergreen Heights
Forest Ridge
Maple Creek Estates
Peacock Hill Lane
Peacock Meadows
Sehmel
Henderson Bay Estates
Henderson Bay Heights
Horizon West
Morning Point Estates
Olympic Sunset Vista
I hope you enjoyed this peek behind the walls of Purdy Elementary 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.