School district hosts ‘Welcome back’ assembly

Hugh McMillan

Special to the Gateway

The Milt Boyd Auditorium at Peninsula High School hosted teachers and staff last week for the annual “Welcome Back” celebration.

Groups representing individual schools gathered, wearing logo-detailed T-shirts and cheering after each presentation. Principals from all 15 Peninsula School District schools gave a brief talk during which new staff members were introduced.

School officially begins today.

At the assembly, Superintendent Terry Bouck received an oversized check for $4,500 from Warren Zimmerman of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce to cover the costs of transportation to the Junior Achievement programs in Auburn.

“Do you have any idea what transportation costs are like?” Bouck asked. “It’s staggering. And the price of gas ... ”

Peninsula High School principal Tim Winter and Gig Harbor High School principal Greg Schellenberg exchanged school T-shirts, but they were both jokingly shot down by Henderson Bay High School principal Dan Gregory, who comically reminded them that there are three high schools in the district.

“Don’t forget it,” Gregory joked.

A high but sad point found Andrea Stork and her daughter, Rachel Stork Crane, receiving the district’s Bill Simpson Award, which was posthumously dedicated to husband and father Mike Stork for his outstanding performance as a teacher and contributor to the best interests of the district’s students.

The day culminated with reception in the PHS commons with the school district, the Gig Harbor branch of Tacoma Community College and the Gig Harbor Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce.