Peninsula School District Needs New Leadership

I moved to the Key Peninsula from Seattle 15 years ago after a 30-year career as a family doctor and medical educator. My kids attended public schools, and I was an active volunteer.

For 10 years, I spent most of my volunteer time with The Mustard Seed Project, serving as board president while we built senior housing on the KP, and as a reporter and board member for the Key Peninsula News. After leaving those organizations, I explored other ways to engage and focused on our schools. A vibrant school system that welcomes and supports all students and staff is important to every community. I have spent the last few months speaking with parents, students, retired staff, and people who have worked with organizations interacting with our schools to better understand the challenges our kids, families, and teachers face and how the district is dealing with those challenges.

What I have found has left me deeply concerned.

The climate affecting students’ social-emotional health has been problematic for years. Bullying, racism, homophobia, and now the highest suicide rate of any district in the state (four this last year) are all critical issues. The district’s response has ranged from inadequate to obstructive. If parents and students are loud enough, the district typically forms a task force that provides a photo op, meets a few times, and then disbands without action.

Students have tried to bring issues to the administration and have been stonewalled.

Superintendent Krestin Bahr has created a fortress, making herself unavailable to emails, phone calls, or meetings.

Staff and families do not trust or feel supported by her administration. The disruption from multiple principals’ displacement last year continues to reverberate. At least two talented and valued principals have quit.

District staff fear retribution, and their input regarding building leadership changes is often ignored.

Our students and staff deserve better. I will continue to meet with key informants. I aim to form a coalition of individuals and organizations to clearly define problems and identify solutions.

The coalition will also recruit and support school board candidates for the 2027 election who will listen to our families and staff and challenge the administration to make this district one that welcomes every student and creates an environment that respects and values diversity.

Sara Thompson, Lakebay