All About Peninsula High School

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Supporting Student Growth
The Peninsula Community
Peninsula High School Stats
Neighborhoods Within School Boundary

Located near Purdy in Gig Harbor North, Peninsula High School is the last high school that we’ll be looking at in our tour of the Peninsula School District. Join me as we hear from students, teachers, and parents on why they all love their school.

Welcome To Peninsula High School

Mike Benoit, Principal

I am the proud principal at Peninsula High School. We are one of two comprehensive high schools in Peninsula School District, and we are located on the north side of the district. Harbor Ridge Middle School and Key Peninsula Middle School feed into Peninsula High School and we serve students and families from the Gig Harbor North area and Key Peninsula. 

We have a variety of academic programs across all ranges of learners to support their growth while they’re here, and also help them develop character and leadership and habits that will support their success when they leave Peninsula High School. If you’re interested in the military perhaps, and you’re curious about that, we have a JROTC program. If you’re a college-bound student that wants to develop skills that’ll help lead to success in college, we have an AVID program. We want students to position themselves for life beyond high school, and we want them to have as many opportunities as possible when they leave Peninsula High School.

Kara Beloate, Teacher

I’ve been teaching for 32 years. While I’ve been here these 10 years, I’ve taught theater, English, and dance. We have kids from all walks of life here, and that’s what I love—you walk in my classroom and it’s a slice of life. The other thing I love is how much Peninsula offers for those diverse students. We have tons of clubs—we have LGBTQ Club, we have Inclusion Club, we have Show Choir, we have Board Game Club, we have Chess Club. We have so many clubs that tap into the diversity of our population here.

Supporting Student Growth

Brooke, Student

I’m a senior at Peninsula High School. I have been at the school for four years. At Peninsula the teachers really have pushed me hard, even through Covid. They definitely care about you and your future. My favorite subject is physics right now because I really enjoy the teacher, Mr. Newton. He makes learning really fun.

Ty Newton, Teacher

I am a science teacher here at Peninsula High School, mostly physics and chemistry. A great day is when the kids come in and there’s just this excitement that they accomplished something that was really difficult. I just like all that—I like the difficulty, the challenge, the learning how to deal with failure, and the learning how to be better and overcoming that and the success. Every day that I have those is the greatest day. So I just look forward to every new opportunity for that.

Avery, Student

I am a senior; I’m in 12th grade and I’ve gone to Peninsula High School all four years. I’ve actually been at the Peninsula School District since third grade—I went to Purdy. I’ve taken AP exams and also college in the high school courses, like dual enrollment, and that has really helped prepare me for the next step. The level of homework and critical thinking that you have to apply has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and really pushed me in my learning, and I think I’m ready for college.

Mike Benoit, Principal

We have a saying around here, “Be Awesome.” And we just want our students to bring their best every day. And sometimes their best varies from day to day. Same with us as staff, but we want to create an atmosphere that is rich and safe and healthy and welcoming for our students based on high expectations around respect, responsibility, and resiliency.

Isabella, Student

I’m a senior and I’ve gone here all four years. With the high school experience I truly believe that it’s all about growth. And when I'm here, I feel like I can truly grow as who I want to be.

Everybody cares about you; everybody just wants you to be you. And I really feel that every day.

The Peninsula Community

Evante, Student

I’m a 12th grader at Peninsula High School. I’ve been here for four years. I enjoy making music—it is my life and it’s something I hope to do as a career when I graduate. The teachers here are very supportive. I will pass a few in the halls occasionally, either talking to a student, just checking in and asking how they’re doing or planning something for students—usually it’s something fun. They bond really fast; they’re like family outside of your family that you can go to and talk to about things that you need help with or are struggling with and they’re willing to help you, and I love it.

Avery, Student

I think the teachers are very supportive here. There’s a real genuine connection between the staff and students. If I have a soccer game really late at night and I wasn’t able to turn in that math assignment, I feel very at ease to talk to the teachers and explain that. The counselors are amazing too. Applying to colleges has been really stressful, but Mrs. Bates, my counselor, has been with me every step of the way, always making time to meet with me.

Mike Benoit, Principal

These students are very supportive of each other and very welcoming and they’re supportive of their community. Peninsula always had a reputation of being a healthy, welcoming, inclusive place for kids where everybody’s welcome, and I found that to be very true as I came in as a new person this fall.

There are so many service opportunities for kids, and a highlight was the Food Bowl. Our students brought in over 20,000 items for the local food bank, for our local community, for Food Backpacks 4 Kids, and supporting families that go to school here and families out in our community that are in need.

Michelle Lea, Parent

I am a mother of two that have graduated from Peninsula High School and I have a sophomore still here, and I do currently work as a para educator. 

I definitely feel like I can come in to the school at any time and ask questions—the staff’s always super helpful and friendly. As far as coming in and volunteering, you have to check in with the office, but there’s lots of ways for parents to be involved at Peninsula High School. 

Ty Newton, Teacher

The administration here is so supportive. Whatever your talents and whatever your gifts are, they help to make those more. I just feel like I can have freedom to do my thing as well as I possibly can, and they’ll always support me in that. And there’s no micromanaging–it’s just fantastic.

Kara Beloate, Teacher

I love Peninsula—I just do. There’s something about the people, the kids. There’s such a heart here and I feel valued, I feel important, I feel respected.

Peninsula High School Stats

Peninsula School District Profile 

Feeder Schools: 

Boundary Map

Neighborhoods Within School Boundary

Some neighborhoods include: 

  • Crescent Valley

    • Colvos Heights

    • Crescent Lake Estates

    • Crescent Lake Heights Estates

    • Crescent Valley Ridge

    • North Crescent Lake Estates

  • Gig Harbor - Downtown

    • Ancich Court

    • Artena Addition

    • Fullers

  • Gig Harbor - East

    • Discovery Ridge

    • Eagle Quest

    • East Harbor Estates

    • Harbor View West

    • Loma Vista Estates

    • Montrachet

    • West Passage Ridge

  • Gig Harbor - North

    • Bayview at Gig Harbor

    • Cabalo Ridge

    • Canterwood

    • Henderson Bay Condos

    • Holly Tides

    • Lagoona Beach

    • McCormick Ridge Condos

    • Morning Point Estates

    • Olympic Sunset West

    • Purdy

    • Salal Ridge

    • Southcreek

    • Spring Hill Estates

    • Spring Tree Estates

    • Trillium Park

    • Wellington Ridge

    • Wilderness Creek

    • Woodshore Terrace Condos

  • Key Peninsula - North

    • Crescent Beach

    • Lake Holiday

    • Lake Minterwood

    • Lake of the Woods

    • Rocky Bay

  • Key Peninsula - South

    • Filucy Bay

    • Long Branch Estates

    • Longbranch

    • Longbranch Shores

    • Palmer Lake

    • Peninsula Meadows

    • Taylor Bay Estates

    • Whiteman’s Cove

    • Herron Island

  • Peacock Hill

    • Brierwood North

    • Evergreen Heights

    • Forest Ridge

    • Harborcrest

    • Harbor Estates

    • Harbor Glen

    • Harbor View

    • Hawley

    • Maple Creek Estates

    • Northridge

    • North Shore Hills

    • Peacock Hill Lane

    • Peacock Meadows

    • Scandia Heights

    • The Ridge at Gig Harbor

    • The Village at Avalon Woods

    • Tuscany Park Estates

    • Valley View

    • Wedlunds

    • Westbrook Glen

    • Woodridge

    • Woodworths

  • Point Richmond

    • Daybreak Park

    • Deer Trace

    • Point Richmond Ridge

    • Richmond Beach Estates

  • Sehmel

    • Henderson Bay Estates

    • Henderson Bay Heights

    • Horizon West

    • Morning Point Estates

    • Olympic Sunset Vista

  • Sunrise Beach

    • Morningside

    • Morningside West

    • Sea Cliff Estates

    • Sunrise Trace

    • West Pass Terrace

  • Wauna & Minter

    • Creviston Ridge

    • Danforth Heights

    • Fir Acres

    • Lake Minterwood Estates

    • Minter

    • Minter Beach Estates

    • Minter Run

    • Wauna

    • Wauna Shores

Thanks for joining me on this tour of Peninsula High School. If you want to learn more about our wonderful community here be sure to check out my blog, or for more information on buying and selling in Gig Harbor and the surrounding area go to askpaigeschulte.com.

Gig Harbor SchoolsBecca Fitzpatrick