25/04/2025, 2:45 μ.μ.
Dear PSD Community,
Please take a few minutes to listen to the speech we gave to the school board last night. We believe it will be eye-opening for many of you. We know we've continued to bring up PSD's plan to move principals to different schools, but our schools are hurting. Our staff and students are sad and deeply concerned, so we don’t feel like we can let this go. We believe our staff and students deserve parents who will stand beside them and fight for them.
We attended the school board meeting on April 22nd and waited three and a half hours to speak, finally taking the mic at 9:30 p.m. The entire Minter Creek staff came to the meeting. Those who couldn’t attend due to child care watched from home. They sat in a hot, overcrowded room for hours just to lend their presence and voices to this moment.
The room was filled with PSD community members - parents, staff, and others who care deeply and are very very concerned. Some of us didn’t have child care, so we took turns watching each other’s kids and trying to keep them quiet. It was exhausting. And it was worth it.
At the end of the night, there were tears. There were hugs. There was heartbreak. Teachers expressed deep disappointment and sadness over what is happening in our district. They are tired of being silenced. They are tired of not being heard.
If you are a PSD parent, we urge you - go check in on your teachers. In person. Don’t rely on email or social media. Many are afraid to speak there. The district’s staff expression policy makes it risky for them to share openly. But if you ask them face-to-face, we hope they will tell you how they feel.
If you are a PSD staff member, and you’re concerned, please talk to your parents. We are listening. We care. We are here. Change doesn’t always come from following the “proper channels.” Sometimes it comes when people lock arms and speak with one voice.
Our schools are not okay. And we can’t keep pretending they are. There are serious issues facing our district including bullying, declining enrollment, and a growing sense of mistrust between families, staff, and leadership. We have to talk about it. There is a path forward, but it begins with honesty, community collaboration, informed support, and rebuilding trust through strong relationships. The district cannot effectively support our schools if they don’t truly understand what’s happening inside them.
"Here’s a video of our speeches from the board meeting. I also encourage you to listen to the two men who spoke after us on the same topic, their insights are worth hearing. This post is public, so please feel free to share it to help keep the conversation going in our community."
www.facebook.com/share/v/1EFU9mbwkM/
If that link doesn’t work, try this one instead. Our portion begins around 3 hours and 26 minutes into the video.
www.youtube.com/live/dvmFZbZAeGM?si=5oBLiL5XMz3EOjHj&fbclid=IwY2xjawJ4s_ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF6bWttTVZSNWJXcHlCdnk3AR5apUf_Fc9EjDKdX_FhBGbMLArVhGctHmObdQM--M4lO5B7fEP8XSJeGMob5g_aem_igwG_xhj90IeYtEJJxjjLg
Below, I have included some links you are welcome to share or look through to learn more about what’s happening. Feel free to reach out to us at mintercreekghpta@gmail.com with questions, thoughts, or concerns.
Thank you for signing the petition and helping us stand up for our community,
Jessica Gamble
Minter Creek PTA President
Links
News Articles
(Latest Article) www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/article304916131.html
www.fox13seattle.com/video/1627624
mynorthwest.com/local/peninsula-school-district/4076661
www.gigharbornow.org/news/education/peninsula-school-district-principal-changes/
www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/gateway/article304225506.html
Staff Expression Policy
drive.google.com/file/d/1dIa_S-JDQuVUgVJsz6cWL2vH17muazXz/view
RAND Study Link - with downloadable data (study used by district with no data to support the PSD strategy)
wallacefoundation.org/report/principal-pipelines-feasible-affordable-and-effective-way-districts-improve-schools-feasible
