PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School District board of directors learned it has a healthy cash fund balance of $3.8 million and enrollment is holding fairly steady.
“It hasn’t been that high in four years,” Karen Casey, the district’s director of business and operations, said of the cash position on Thursday.
Cuts, particularly to material supplies and operating costs (MSOC), were particularly unpopular with staff. However, district leaders maintained they were necessary to keeping it on solid financial footing.
“This board knows how rough this year has been, we understand how rough it’s been,” board president Sarah Methner said. “We have all worked really hard to get here. We thought we were going to have to borrow money.”
The district’s full-time enrollment this year has not yet met the 3,300 students budgeted for 2024-2025. However, it has never dropped below its lowest point — 3,258 students — in September.
The largest enrollment jump is happening at Seaview Academy, the district’s K-12 online education program, which grew from 269 students in September to 392 in May, Casey said.
Port Angeles High School Principal Jeff Lunt reported to the board that, during the past five years, its graduation rate has stayed above 90 percent. A new freshman success program launched last fall focused on keeping ninth-graders on track academically already has seen success that could contribute to boosting the school’s graduation rate.
The school is currently monitoring the progress of 186 seniors, 161 of whom are on track to graduate, Lunt said.
On scholarship night May 21, 102 students received a total of $825,031 in scholarships — $488,631 of which came from local donors.
CTE program
Career and Technical Education director and assistant principal Shanna Coleman and CTE coordinator Jennifer Rogers introduced representatives from student organizations who provided updates to the board on Core Plus Maritime and Core Plus Aerospace, DECA, Future Business Leaders of America, Health Occupations Students of America, Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, SkillsUSA and Technology Students Association.
Students in the CTE program represented the district at regional, state, national and international competitions.
Meanwhile, the high school music program is getting back on track after suffering a severe drop in participation during the COVID-19 pandemic, choral director John Lorentzen said.
About one-third of students are involved in music, which has benefits for learning and engagement.
“We know that students who are in involved in music tend to do better academically,” Lorentzen said.
Lunt said activities like music and athletics and hands-on programs like CTE are critical to keeping students motivated, engaged and successful.
“The more we can get kids involved, the better off we’ll be,” he said.
Lunt said Port Angeles will continue to compete at the Class 2A level in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. And, next winter, the high school will field a girls flag football team for the first time.
Individually, high school seniors Shaylin Lowe and Finn Thompson were recognized as students of the month.
The district announced that Aaron West will be the new director of transportation. The former lead mechanic has been with the district for 15 years. Also, Shanna Coleman has been named principal at Jefferson Elementary School.
Bond sales
On May 20, D.A. Davidson held the first of two bond sales that will fund the construction of a new high school and Franklin Elementary School.
Of the 59 orders in the $30 million sale, nine came from local investors, Superintendent Marty Brewer said.
The plan is to dedicate the first round of funding to the design process, and when that phase is completed, a second issue of the remaining $110 million to fund construction will take place.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.
