Letters to the Editor

PSD Board Accomplishments

Posted

It has been an honor to serve on the Peninsula School Board these past eight years. I have served as vice president for four years, and I am currently board president.

We often learn the most during our most difficult challenges and come out stronger. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, during my time on the school board we accomplished some great things.

Families on the Key Peninsula faced unique challenges during the beginning of the global pandemic — most notably, the lack of internet bandwidth. With parents working remotely, and many homes with only one computer, the school board and district quickly mobilized to ensure each child needing access received a mobile hotspot and a Chromebook to help them attend their remote classrooms.

We built four new elementary schools — Evergreen, Pioneer, Artondale and Swift Water — a year-and-a-half ahead of schedule and on budget. Our aggressive construction schedule and attention to costs let us begin two major modernizations at Key Peninsula and Kopachuck Middle schools without any additional taxpayer funding.

The board hired Peninsula School District’s first female superintendent. I am excited to work with nationally recognized Superintendent Krestin Bahr.

We added more school counselors per capita than any school district in the state. I am very proud of that.

We recently added nine additional Career and Technical Education courses, bringing our total offerings to over 50. I am a strong advocate for the skilled trades.

We added the Navy JRTOC/NNDCC program. This is an especially proud achievement for me as a veteran, and the school board.

We dedicated the old Evergreen Elementary School Gymnasium after long-time PSD volunteers Hugh and Janice McMillan.

Key Peninsula citizens have a lot to be proud of in their school district. Yet there is still work to be done. I will be honored to continue serving as your board member.

David Olson, Gig Harbor

Candidate, PSD School Board


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