All About Pioneer Elementary School

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Multi-Age Program
Student-Centered Community
Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students
Pioneer Elementary School Stats

Today we are in the heart of Gig Harbor, taking a look at one of the Peninsula School District’s newest schools, Pioneer Elementary School. Pioneer is a science, technology, engineering, arts, and math school, and it is also a magnet school, so students from all different areas of Gig Harbor can attend here. Come inside with me to learn more.

STEAM Magnet School

Stephanie Strader, Principal

I’m the proud principal at Pioneer Elementary School. Pioneer Elementary is located in, I would say, Gig Harbor proper. We’re pretty close to the downtown Harborview area. We are located on a shared campus with Henderson Bay High School, Discovery Elementary, and Gig Harbor High School. Pioneer Elementary serves all of Peninsula School District. We are a K-5 program. We are Peninsula School District’s first STEAM Magnet School, which means we center our education around STEAM activities. STEAM means science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, and we use those as a lens to design our curriculum. Magnet school means that we don’t have a boundaried area and so we open our enrollment to any family that’s interested in joining our program, from Fox Island all the way out to the Key Peninsula. 

Justin Towner, Innovation Specialist

I am the innovation specialist here at Pioneer, and I’ve taught here since we opened three years ago. I love moments where I get to be proud of students as they learn a new 21st-century tool, whether it be WeVideo and podcasting and editing or Minecraft Education. When they’re using a tool that they’re engaged with but they’re applying specific academics and they’re having fun and they don’t even realize that they’re learning it and applying it—whether it’s place value, using blocks and Minecraft Education, or creating a movie about the plants and healthy foods that they’ve learned about—when they’re excited and engaged, it’s really powerful and it’s just fun to see kids happy when they’re learning.

Parker H., Student

I’m in fifth grade. My favorite’s technology because we have a lot of fun subjects we get to do inside of technology and a lot of fun prompts and ideas. Like we get to do Minecraft Education edition, we have Tinkercad, which is like a 3D designing software, we have WeVideo, which is like a filming and editing software—just cool stuff like that. We get to play with robots. It’s fun.

Alison Paoli, Parent

I am a parent of two children currently here at Pioneer Elementary. STEAM is the path forward in my opinion, and my kids are already interested in it, so what better way to introduce them to so many of the tech and math and science concepts than to put them in a school that is built and designed around it.

Multi-Age Program

Stephanie Strader, Principal

One unique factor about Pioneer is we’re a multi-age program, which means that our classrooms have students from various grade levels. So we are a K/1, a 2/3, and a 4/5. And the reason we chose to be a multi-age program is because learning is not linear. We wanted to create a program that really could meet the students where they were and help them to grow along a progression. And so we’re really excited—it’s the only program in Peninsula School District that’s a multi-age program, and so it is a little bit more unique than a typical split model. We have a rotating curriculum.

Briella T., Student

For math, the fifth graders go to our classroom and the fourth graders go to Miss Bosselmann’s classroom, and I love that I get to be with two different teachers.

Student-Centered Community

Stephanie Strader, Principal

When we first designed Pioneer Elementary, we were really making sure that we had a school community focused on learner agency and empowerment, and so we designed five core principles that help to guide our work. Those are Engaged Citizen, Empowered Learner, Authentic Learning, Equity, and this idea of Expanding Success, which means that we want our students to come to Pioneer and be empowered to tackle challenges put in front of them. 

One of the things I love most is my staff. Everybody that is here chose to be here. We have really big goals for what we want to accomplish and they are working really hard to challenge themselves and think outside the box and dream big for what education can be for kids.

Alison Paoli, Parent

One of the things I love the most about this curriculum here is that they do everything project based. My kids could be learning about a rollercoaster, which is great, but they also do the writing around the rollercoaster, the math, the science—you name it. They infuse all the different subjects into one core project and that really helps my kids grasp the concept better when they’re learning it in multiple ways. 

Jen Kendall, Teacher

I teach kindergarten and first grade here at Pioneer. Pioneer is like no place I’ve ever taught before. I would say the number one value I really joined in on when we first started is how student-centered we are. Every decision that’s made, from admin to teachers to support staff, is made with kids first. And I think that is what really inspired me about Pioneer, is the student focus that we have here.

Justin Towner, Innovation Specialist

Being able to work with kids and have an impact on their lives academically, but also socially, and just be a part of their day-to-day learning is impactful and it’s important, and it feels great.

Briella T., Student

All the teachers are so welcoming, and it’s a fun environment to be around.

Stephanie Strader, Principal

We came in as a brand new school in the middle of a pandemic, so we are very much still growing that community feel. We’ve had our first events within the last six to eight months—we had our first fifth grade moving on, we had our first movie night, our first book fair. So all of these firsts are feeling really amazing as we’re able to bring people into our community. They’re getting to know each other, building those relationships together, and I just can’t wait to see what we continue to do.

Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students

What Parents Love About Pioneer

“Everything! From top to bottom, Pioneer encourages curious minds to find their own path to a unique solution. The students are given several opportunities to create with ‘Design Challenge Wednesdays.’” 

“Pioneer is amazing! Every single teacher we’ve had has been so caring, so involved with the kiddos, and treat you like family. The project-based learning is so engaging for the kids! There is art/maker space (building) and Innovation class (where they do all kinds of technology and STEM-based activities). The whole environment here from music playing at the front doors in the morning and recess to flex spaces where students can do work outside the classroom is so conducive to children’s engagement and ownership of their learning. Couldn’t say better things about Pioneer!”

“Excellent staff. Love the unique approach to learning and collaboration. Student-led conferences. Beautiful school.”

“It is new; all the projects the kids do that get them out of sitting in a chair all day!”

What They Wish Could Be Better

“I wish the district would come up with a better parking lot solution. (The building was retrofit to become a school and the parking lot is grossly undersized.)”

“Community building for parents/families. Private schools do a much better job of this. I wish there was a follow-on program in middle and high school that focuses on STEAM like Pioneer.”

“I don’t love the split grade level classes.”

What Their Children Love About Pioneer

“My student most of all loved her friendships. The teachers and staff do a fantastic job cultivating relationships and inclusion.”

“The project-based learning, art and innovation classes, and mostly the teachers!! He has loved every single teacher there. They are so involved and so invested in their work.”

“Innovation! My child can’t wait to go to school on days that he has innovation.”

“His friends!”

What Would They Tell A New Family At Pioneer?

“Jump in! There are several opportunities to get involved in any school. The PTA/VPOs all care deeply about the success of our students and community.”

“If you can get into Pioneer, do it! It’s fantastic.”

“Reach out to your child’s teacher if you have problems.” 

Pioneer Elementary Stats

Peninsula School District Profile 

Feeds Into:

School Boundaries:

  • None (magnet 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