JBLM sends appreciation to NTPS

Skye D. Duncan, Commanding Colonel, US Army, recently gave a Certificate of Appreciation to NTPS honoring the district's exceptional service during COVID-19 to "ensure students remained ready and able to learn throughout this unprecedented school year...and for the physical, social, and emotional support of your students...thank you for caring for our children!" Read more >>

Empowered Learner: Chandler Ketelsen earns national scholarship despite years of housing instability

When Chandler Ketelsen started his junior year of high school, he was living alone in a parked motor home. Today, however, Chandler is a proud graduate of River Ridge High School. He also earned his Associate of Science degree and is one of ten scholars selected to receive the national SchoolHouse Connection Scholarship. The prestigious $2,000 leadership scholarship will help him begin studies in Physics and Mathematics at Washington State University this fall. Read more >>

CTE team wins Key Communicator Award

Congratulations to our amazingly talented Career and Technology team of Brad Hooper (Director), Chris Groen (Instructional Coach), and Amy Rye (Office Professional), the recipients of the district’s Key Communicator Award. Read more about the CTE team >>

Student Voice: Aspire's GSA club celebrates Pride year-round

June is Pride month! Hear from student leaders of the Aspire Middle School Gay Straight Alliance club about what Pride means to them. Read more >>

NTPS Community Relations honored by awards from State School PR Organization

NTPS Community Relations was recently honored with several awards from the Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA), including Best in Video, Award of Merit, and an Award of Excellence Read more >>

Staff Spotlight: Custodial work at River Ridge is far more than a job for Lois Tolbert-Wollo

Lois Tolbert-Wollo loves two things more than anything else in the world: her children and a clean, tidy space. As a custodian at River Ridge High School, she spends her days creating a neat and clean environment for the community in which her two oldest children and all their peers can learn and grow. Read more >>

Empowered Learner: Tyser Hicks and his online fashion start-up might take over the world

Tyser Hicks will turn 18 next February, just a few months after the one-year birthday of his online fashion start-up, Vylo. Vylo is grounded in strong values and guided by Tyser’s desire to elevate personal style through minimalism while being environmentally sustainable and breaking gender boundaries. Read more >>

OSPI Art Contest Winner: Timberline's Haley McCarthy

The State Superintendent's High School Art Show is an annual event co-hosted by OSPI and the Washington Art Education Association (WAEA). Timberline senior Haley McCarthy was selected as one of the winners. Read more >>

New art brings pop of color to North Thurston High School

You may see a large, colorful structure as you pass through the courtyard at North Thurston High School. This is the school’s new art piece funded by the State Art Commission. The piece is called “We Are…” and was created by Gregg Schlanger, Art Professor at Central Washington College. Read more >>

Seven Oaks celebrates empowerment with One School, One Book project

Student Spotlight: Elana Russell, 8th grade, Chinook

When Elana Russell was asked to write a praise poem for a Black Lives Matter writing contest at Chinook Middle School, she chose something close to her heart and soul – her culture. The powerful poem – which she wrote in an incredibly short 45 minutes -- caught the attention of Chinook staff who chose Elana as the grand prize winner. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: 8th grader, Grace H.

Meet Grace H., an NTPS 8th grader, with a preference for graphite pencils as her medium, and loves the contrast that comes with dark pencil on white paper. She thinks visual art allows kids to be creative and express themselves. Read more >>

CTE students raise funds for Food Bank through recycling

Career & Technical Education (CTE) students at North Thurston High School recently completed a global project to recycle some of their no longer needed project materials, donating the proceeds to the Thurston County Food Bank. Read more >>

Seven Oaks staff gets creative in communications

Congratulations to the staff at Seven Oaks Elementary who won the district’s Key Communicator Award for April. Seven Oaks staff got kudos for reaching out creatively and frequently to their school community on social media, website, and teacher communications. Read more >>

Staff Spotlight: Patrick Egrubay - from Guam to River Ridge

When Patrick Egrubay applied for an assistant principal position at River Ridge High School last spring, he knew it would mean a cultural adjustment for his entire family and a move overseas if he got the job. Read more >>

Thomas Larson: Musician, entrepreneur, engineer, and new dad

Thomas Larson took an unexpected path after he graduated from North Thurston High School in 2009. An avid musician throughout his time as a student, he played trombone in multiple classes but always enjoyed his math and science courses. He credits his teachers for his motivation to earn a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Washington, which he completed in 2013. Read more >>

Empowered Learner: Joel Galarza Jr., sneakerhead and contest winner

Meet Joel Galarza Jr., currently a freshman at River Ridge High School and a self-professed sneakerhead. He didn’t think he was going to win when he entered a fan contest hosted by one of his favorite online programs, Sneaker Shopping. Even though he thought it was a long shot, he knew he had to enter. Read more >>

The NTPS community is grateful for the North Thurston Education Foundation

The North Thurston Education Foundation (NTEF) makes it possible for NTPS to better serve the 6,314 low-income students who learn in our classrooms. The NTEF has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of essential support for the students and families who need it most, as well as scholarships and learning grants. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: Hope, 5th Grade, Olympic View Elementary

Meet our latest featured artist, Hope, a 5th grader from Olympic View Elementary, who is inspired by their favorite Youtuber creators and thinks visual art in schools can inspire people and that's why it's important. Read more >>

Doing Math for Charity - NTPS Students donate to the Red Cross

NTPS 3rd through 5th graders earn what are called Think Points as they progress through their Imagine Math assignments. They can use these points for anything from decorating their avatars to donating to charity. 210 NTPS students donated collectively 2,215,000 Think Points, which came out to a $1,000 donation to the Red Cross Wildfire Relief Fund. Read more >>

Staff Spotlight: Debbie Cannon, NTPS Purchasing & Compliance Manager

Furniture is a big part of Debbie Cannon’s life, both on the job and at home. As the district’s Purchasing and Compliance Manager, she spends her days making sure staff have the supplies and materials they need to successfully serve students. In the evenings and on weekends, you can find her browsing flea markets, antique stores, or estate sales, searching for the unique “find” to refinish and flip. Read more >>

New NTPS Board Member: Dr. Jennifer S. Thomas

The NTPS Board of Directors have chosen Jennifer S. Thomas, PhD, to join them to represent Director District 3. Thomas replaces Director Melissa “Mel” Hartley, who served on the Board since January 2017 and resigned on March 9 after accepting a new job out-of-state. Read more >>

NTPS says farewell to School Board Member

NTPS is saying farewell to School Board member, Mel Hartley as she officially resigned from her elected position at the School Board Meeting on March 9, 2021. Hartley has served on the Board since January 2017 and is resigning after accepting a new job on the east coast. “I will urge the Board to utilize the opportunity to seek candidates who reflect the demographics of the students we serve,” stated Hartley. Read more >>

Empowered Learners: High school swimmers used COVID downtime to write an album

Last spring, North Thurston High School swimmers Brian Walton and Cash Brown had both qualified for state in their respective strokes and relays. The team co-captains and friends were excited for the big meet. They wanted to swim well in honor of their coach who had recently passed away. Then came COVID-19. Read more >>

School Board Director Vacancy

The North Thurston Public Schools’ No. 3 Board of Directors is seeking a replacement member for Director District 3. Board Director Melissa “Mel” Hartley has served on the Board since January 2017 and is resigning after accepting a new job on the east coast. In accordance with District policy 1114, the Board of Directors is accepting nominees for the opportunity to serve the District. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: Haydn, 5th Grade, Pleasant Glade Elementary

Meet photographer, Haydn, who is in 5th grade at Pleasant Glade Elementary, who inspired by "learning something new" and hopes that his photographs inspire others to learn more about art. Read more >>

Career & Technical Education (CTE) to the Rescue

There are certain things that can be easily adapted for a Zoom session. Demonstrating chest compressions and taking blood pressure are not those things. Stephanie O’Dell, CTE Sports Medicine, Anatomy, & Health teacher at River Ridge, has worked to provide a realistic and meaningful experience for both students and staff in this world of remote learning. Read more >>

Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council: Building Our Future, Hybrid Learning and Bell Study Update

Superintendent Debra Clemens, along with other district leaders, met recently with the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council to seek their input and ideas on several of our schools conceptual designs, hybrid learning and the recent bell study. Read more >>

Wendy Cooper breaks down language barriers and self doubt in young ELL students

Meet NTPS staff member, Wendy Cooper, English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at Lacey Elementary and Mountain View Elementary, brings compassion, structure, and fun to her unique learning environments. Read more >>

Staff prepares buildings for safe return to school

As students and staff begin to transition back to the classroom for in-person learning, our Maintenance and Operations team have been hard at work getting buildings cleaned and ready for their safe return. Read more >>

Empowered Learner: Hermit Crab expert Lucy Johnson

When Lucy Johnson, 9, decided to get some hermit crabs from a pet store, she learned the hard way that they take a lot of special care. Lucy’s love of research and her crab family (she now has four) led her to make a YouTube video to teach other kids how to care for hermit crabs. Read more and see the video >>

Food & Nutrition honored for their family outreach

Food & Nutrition Director Alicia Neal and her team won the rotating Key Communicator award from Community Relations for their amazing work on a daily basis as well as public information on meals during the pandemic and remote learning. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: Aleema, Timberline 9th grader

Our latest artist spotlight is the talented Timberline 9th grader Aleema. She finds inspiration in just simple media like the pencil and knows the importance of art in schools as an outlet for student expression and growth. Check out their spotlight artist piece >>

Staff Spotlight: Seven Oaks Paraeducator Amanda Harris

Seven Oaks Elementary paraeducator Amanda Harris loves to play! “My life motto is never, ever lose your childlike enthusiasm,” she said recently in an interview. Even over the phone, you can hear her smile. Read more >>

Tribute to Hank Adams (1943-2020)

Henry “Hank” Lyle Adams was a Native American rights activist. He was very successful in his work and was known for his negotiating skills, strategies and tactics. After 1960, he worked in settling crucial conflicts between Native Americans and State and Federal Governments. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: Lydia Hawk 1st Grader Azaria

Our latest artist spotlight is talented Azaria - 1st grader at Lydia Hawk. Her art teacher John Pirie says, “Azaria is a very creative 1st grader. Her paintings really show her love of creating and painting.” Check out her spotlight artist piece >>

Compassion Spotlight: Seven Oaks PTA grant promotes student mental wellness, family fun

The pandemic has been hard on everyone, especially where mental and emotional health is concerned. When the school year began remotely, parents, students and teachers needed reminders that it was going to be okay. At Seven Oaks Elementary, those reminders came in the form of little treats, positive messages, and fun activities provided by the Seven Oaks PTA through a national COVID relief grant. Read more >>

Compassion Spotlight: K-Kids at Horizons Elementary

When it comes to service, the K-Kids at Horizons Elementary don’t let anything stand in their way of service — even a pandemic! 4th & 5th graders in the chartered Kiwainis International service club at Horizons help their community, school, and friends. Read more >>

NTPS celebrates all-time high grad rate of 92%

Advisories. Relationships. Interventions. These combined key factors, along with a dedicated teaching and counseling staff, helped North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS) reach its highest on-time graduation rate of 92 percent for the Class of 2020! That’s a full 12 points higher than the graduation rate from 2014. Read more >>

Artist Spotlight: December 2020

Meet the artist of our featured art spotlight, and 8th grader from Salish Middle School. See their art piece and read more about what inspires them. Read more >>

Parent advisors share feedback on remote learning, resource officers

Superintendent Debra Clemens, along with other district leaders, met recently with the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council to seek their input and ideas on Remote Continuous Learning and our School Resource Officer program. Read more >>

Envision Career Academy promotes innovation

The new choice high school opened this fall, amidst COVID-19 and the district’s necessary move to remote learning. Described as an “innovate, choice high school utilizing a project-based approach to career-connected learning,” Envision has mostly freshmen and sophomores enrolled, with plans to grow. Read more >>

Student leaders share feedback on remote learning

As part of the district’s Student Voice initiative, Superintendent Debra Clemens met recently with student leaders from all 22 schools to gain their perspectives on a variety of topics. Read more >>

Key Communicators help bridge gap for Spanish speaking families

Community Relations honored paraeducator liaisons Nancy Cutlip and Carmen Lopez with the Key Communicator award for their joint work on the district’s Spanish call center. This message line for our Spanish-speaking community helps families get answers to their questions about our services, resources, technology, or school information. Read more >>

Bus drivers brush up on safety skills at first transportation “Road-E-O”

Our transportation staff recently participated in North Thurston Public Schools’ first mini-skills bus Road-E-O! training staff set up a five-station course in the bus barn parking lot. Following the social distancing guidelines, bus drivers went through the Road-E-O course in small groups. Over 100 of the specialists participated. Read more >>

NTPS Community Relations receives several awards

Congratulations to the district’s Community Relations Department for taking home several awards from the Washington School Public Relations Association that included materials from the 2020 Bond/Levy Campaign, the district’s Mental Health Campaign and more! Read more >>

Back to School from Home (Community Connections)

There were no bus rides, backpacks, or hugs on the first day of school this year due to COVID-19, but that did not stop students, staff and families from actively engaging in remote learning for the start of 2020-2021 with improved attendance and technology. Read more >>

Alumni Spotlight: Winehouse

Made of several NTPS alumni, meet the band Winehouse and learn more about their inspiration, their motivation, and their drive to share their music with everyone. Read more >>

NTPS mechanics honored for outstanding school bus safety

For the sixteenth year in a row, North Thurston Public Schools achieved “outstanding” results in the Washington State Patrol annual inspections of school buses. “This is just another example of the ongoing commitment our mechanics and staff have towards student safety. We could not ask for a better team of mechanics than the team we have,” said Deanna Maddux, Transportation Director. Read more >>

NTPS Celebrates International Week of the Deaf

Did you know NTPS provides PK-12 Deaf Education services and teaches American Sign Language? During International Week of the Deaf help us celebrate inclusion of Signed Languages and our deaf population around the world! Read more >>

Lacey, Mountain View, and Evergreen Forest named America's Healthiest Schools

Lacey, Mountain View and Evergreen Forest are among the 518 schools nationwide to earn a spot on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s (Healthier Generation) 2020 list of America’s Healthiest Schools” for their commitment to promoting quality nutrition, regular physical activity and strong wellness policies. Read more >>

Pilot program helps give students a head start towards their electrician apprenticeship

On Friday, August 25, 2020 North Thurston Public Schools recognized three North Thurston High School students who have recently received their certification for advanced placement as electrician apprentices. Read more >>