Thank you, Education Support Professionals!

March 1-7 is National School Social Work Week, and we are proud to celebrate the outstanding school social workers across Tacoma Public Schools. Each day, your dedication, advocacy and compassion make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and families. Whether you are providing emotional and social support, fostering resilience, or empowering students to find their voice, you consistently create strong, supportive connections throughout our school community.

Thank you for the vital work you do and for the lasting impact you make in supporting TPS students, staff and families every single day.

Join us in celebrating our awesome school social worker team:

• Katie Bouchard at McKinney-Vento team member
• Mertriss Chapel at Willie Stewart Academy
• Jodi Dumont at SAMI
• Kyle Moor at Baker Middle School
• Christiane Paget, McKinney-Vento team member
• Angela Phillips at Mount Tahoma High School
• Steve Primas at SOTA
• Linda Seferian at IDEA

February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, a time to celebrate the incredible impact of CTE in Tacoma Public Schools!

Across our district hundreds of CTE courses are offered; from culinary and wood shop to finance, JROTC, agriculture, healthcare, design and more. These classes give students opportunities to connect learning to their passions and discover more about who they are and who they want to become. CTE classrooms are places of hands-on exploration, real-world skill building and meaningful collaboration.

To mark CTE Month, we asked our teachers and students one simple question: What makes CTE special?

Thank you, school counselors! 

February 2-6 is National School Counseling Week, and we're celebrating our counseling teams across Tacoma Public Schools. 

Every day, we see the dedication, compassion and support our school counselors pour into our students. Whether they're offering a listening ear, guiding students through academic and personal challenges, or helping them plan for the future, our counselors play a vital role in supporting students. Thank you, school counselors! We appreciate all that you do and recognize the tremendous impact you have on TPS students, staff and families every day. 

Hear from counseling teams across TPS about how they amplify student success for every student, every day. 

January is Whole Child Month. We are thrilled to celebrate educators who do an extraordinary job of helping every student feel safe, healthy, engaged, challenged and supported. That’s our Whole Child mission. 

This month, we will feature Whole Child Champions who are recognized for the extra steps they take to provide social, emotional, and academic support in ways that benefit students, staff, families and the community. They create a positive school culture that we can all feel, and they make an incredible impact in the lives of students. 

Our 2026 Champions were nominated for this honor by their students, parents of their students and school staff for one of the following:  

1. Always uses warm greetings. 
2. Regularly asks students how they are feeling. 
3. Creates a predictable and safe environment. 
4. Focuses on student wellness. 
5. Emphasizes and encourages community circles. 
6. Helps students to have positive relationships. 
7. Makes sure that students feel like they belong. 
8. Provides a space for students to express themselves. 
9. Listens and responds to student ideas and experiences. 
10. Advocates for antiracist practices. 

Congratulations, Champions! 

It’s National School Psychologists Week, and we are thrilled to recognize our outstanding school psychologists for their incredible contributions to our school community! These dedicated professionals go above and beyond to support students’ academic, social and emotional growth.

Through expert assessments, compassionate counseling and collaborative problem-solving, they ensure every student has the tools to succeed. Their commitment to fostering safe, supportive learning environments and guiding families and educators makes a lasting impact on our schools and community.

Recently, four of our school psychologists were recognized by the Washington State Association of School Psychologists. They are:

• Esther Zhang, SAMI and Truman Middle School: Best Practices in Education and Supervision
• ShaVanety Jones, IDEA and Stadium High School: Best Practices in Research and Evidenced Based Practice
• Kristin Schuster, Silas High School: Best Practices in Mental Health Services
• Michael Kirlin, Lowell Elementary, Tacoma Online High School, The School at Pearl Youth Residence: Louisa Thompson Award

Congratulations to all!

October is National Principals Month, and we are thrilled to showcase the great work our principals are doing.

But what does that really look like? We asked a handful of principals to document a day in their life at school and show people what they love to do, what they dreamed of doing once they were the boss, and what are the weird “other duties as assigned”?

While the days look like everything from riding blowup dinosaurs to turning the hallway into an office to playing the violin for kids – these principals all love and support their students.

Thank you, principals! We value what you do and the impact it makes on every student, every day.