Education

Gig Harbor Now staff are proud to provide coverage of Peninsula School District, Tacoma Community College, private schools and home schools, emphasizing the value and experiences of learning here and beyond.

Prosecutors charge elementary school teacher with three new counts of molestation

Jun 26, 2024 | By:

Pierce County prosecutors charged Gig Harbor resident Jordan Roy Henderson with three additional counts of first-degree child molestation, according to Superior Court documents.  Prosecutors entered the new charges against the Evergreen Elementary School teacher on Wednesday, June 26. Documents indicate that a new victim came forward after Henderson was initially charged in April.  Henderson remains free

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Summer Lunch in the Park returns July 9

Jun 24, 2024 | By:

Food Backpacks 4 Kids’ Summer Lunch in the Park program returns July 9 at four sites in the Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula areas. The program fills a critical gap for many families who rely on free or reduced lunch programs during the school year. But it’s open to any kid who needs a meal

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Gig Harbor Kiwanis Club a finalist for Signature Project award

Jun 21, 2024 | By:

The Gig Harbor Kiwanis Club is among 10 finalists out of 525 submissions from around the world for Kiwanis International’s eighth annual Signature Project Recognition Program. The winner will be announced at the Kiwanis International Convention in Denver next month. The local Kiwanis Club’s Signature Project is Kiwanis Cares for Kids, which provides new clothes

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Tutors with Tails having a paws-itive impact on literacy

Jun 12, 2024 | By:

Special guests have made weekly visits to Harbor Heights Elementary School in Gig Harbor, along with Evergreen and Minter Creek Elementary on the Key Peninsula. These visitors specialize in lying on the floor, eliciting smiles and accepting a snuggle — all while listening to students read. In 2019, Communities in Schools of Peninsula and the

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Pioneer Elementary students launch near-space balloon, and the marigolds survived … barely

Jun 11, 2024 | By:

Exciting news from the world of space exploration last week. No, not the Boeing Starliner carrying astronauts to the International Space Station, although that was cool. We’re talking about Pioneer Elementary School’s near-space balloon launch Friday. It was quite the adventure. The marigolds survived … barely. Recovering the balloon took an act of heroism —

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Incoming district athletic director has plenty to say about sportsmanship

Jun 06, 2024 | By:

Meet Peninsula School District’s new director of athletics and activities. Wendy Malich, current athletic director for Franklin Pierce School District, starts July 1 in a newly created, “centralized” AD position for the district. Athletic directors at Peninsula and Gig Harbor high schools will remain in their roles. Malich has been at Franklin Pierce for 37

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EPA grant helps school district buy more propane buses

Jun 03, 2024 | By:

Peninsula School District is one of 16 districts in Washington state to receive money for clean school buses in the most recent round of federal funding from the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Peninsula’s $250,000 in rebate funding will help offset the purchase 10 new propane buses to replace

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Evergreen teacher charged with child molestation jailed briefly for violating parole

Jun 03, 2024 | By:

Jordan Roy Henderson, the Evergreen Elementary teacher accused of child molestation, was back in jail briefly on Friday after a report he violated parole by holding gatherings at his home with minors present. The court released Henderson following a hearing Friday and he returned to home detention on $750,000 bail as of Saturday morning. On leave

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Internet outages at some schools linked to attempted copper thefts

May 30, 2024 | By:

The attempted copper thefts occurred near the district’s main office in Purdy; the wires involved actually had no copper.

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Collar of Hope aims to leave no dog behind

May 29, 2024 | By:

Collar of Hope, a nonprofit based in Olalla, finds homes for dogs (and other animals) in need of them for any reason.

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