All About Goodman Middle School

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Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students

School Stats

Neighborhoods Within School Boundary

Welcome back to my series as we take a look at all 17 schools in the Peninsula School District. Today’s post is about Goodman Middle School, located in the Artondale area of Gig Harbor. Learn what teachers, students, and parents have to say about the community and culture here, and why they love their school. 

Welcome To Goodman Middle School

Ty Robuck, Principal

I’m the principal at Goodman Middle School, home of the Roadrunners. Our school feeds from Discovery Elementary, Pioneer Elementary, and Harbor Heights Elementary, and our students will go to Gig Harbor High School and some of our students will feed into Henderson Bay Alternative High School. Goodman is centrally located in the Gig Harbor area. Our fields get used all the time because of its central location. Goodman is 30 years old; it opened in 1991. I was a student here and my daughter now goes here as a sixth grader. We use MTSS with common expectations around the building and we use PRIDE Awards for Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, and Empathy.

Maria Harris, Parent

My husband and I have three kids. One of our children, our eldest, Isabelle, has come through Goodman and is now a sophomore at Gig Harbor High School. There is a VPO parent group here and all are invited. It’s a really welcoming group. They’re super communicative. You can hear their updates in newsletters that go out, and they’re always welcoming people and parents and volunteers.

Maddie G., Student

I’m in seventh grade here at Goodman. I love Spirit Weeks. We do Spirit Weeks a lot here, and that’s one of my favorite things ever. I love going all out. I love seeing people dress up.

Ethan B., Student

I’m an eighth grader and I’ve been going to Goodman for three years now. Goodman’s honestly awesome. There are a lot of very nice people here. The teachers are amazing. It’s the perfect place, honestly.

Teachers Investing In Students

Suzi Mach, Teacher

The culture here is absolutely positive. I walk around and I know my colleagues have the same mindset. They want what’s best for the kids–the kids know that. So they’re really invested in their education. They’re invested in coming into class. We’re not a school that has a blanket statement. Everybody has their own purpose and their own meaning, and the kids know that.

Debra Kaiser, Teacher

I think what’s really important to understand about Goodman is that we really understand the social-emotional connection in our lessons and we’re able to grasp that and teach that and embrace it. And so I’ve taught a lot of different classes, a lot of different grade levels, but just the fact that we address and are supported with social-emotional learning across all academics is very meaningful to me and that’s why I stay.

People often say to me, “What do you do?” And I say, “I teach middle school.” And they go, “Oh, I’m so sorry.” And I say, “Oh no, it’s the very best ever.” Middle school students are amazing. And I chose this grade level because it’s the next step to high school and the next step after elementary school. Of course, the students are amazing. I wouldn’t be teaching if that weren’t the case.

Maddie G., Student

I love art. I love our art teacher here. She’s amazing. I also like this class that we do here called Elementary Tutoring, where you get to go walk over to the elementary school and help with the teachers there. That’s a really fun class that I get to do.

Maria Harris, Parent

We love Goodman Middle School. The staff and the administrators here are so personable. I know that Ty Robuck, the principal, wants to know every kid’s name and I see him in passing period stand right in the middle of the commons as the kids stream forward and back, and he’s calling out their names and checking in on them. He’s very connected with the kids and as the leader of the school, it’s top down.

A Supportive Community

Maddie G., Student

I think the teachers and everybody here is so welcoming and everybody makes it such a warm place to be. And when I come here, it’s happy and preppy and everything like that. And that’s really fun.

Ethan B., Student

The teachers are amazing. They’re very, very helpful when you have questions and they’re just super supportive and they truly understand when you’re going through hard times and they help you get back to the place that you need to be.

Ty Robuck, Principal

What makes me proud to be principal at Goodman Middle School? The kids, because the thing that makes you the most proud is seeing kids engage and grow and learn and be excited. The hard part is when they fumble and fall and you have to pick them up and help them. And you know, sometimes you can be disappointed, but you’re also trying to support them in that process. We try to find ways to really support them as they look, not just at middle school, which is very introspective, but looking beyond that. And that’s hard for middle school. So that’s our process, to really give them the opportunities they see beyond what’s here. There are ups and downs, but, you know, at the end of the day you’re just excited to see them. It’s what brings me back day after day.

Additional Thoughts From Parents & Students

What Parents Love About Goodman

“Very open-minded and accepting. Great teachers.”

What They Wish Could Be Better

“Parent involvement and communication to parents.”

What Their Children Love About Goodman

“Hanging out at the lockers. Goodman tutors - going next door to Harbor Heights to help.”

What Would They Tell A New Family At Goodman?

“Counselors are a great resource, but they are overworked! Appreciate them. There are really fun teachers there.” 

Neighborhoods Within School Boundary

Some neighborhoods include:

  • Downtown Gig Harbor

    • Millville

  • Midway

    • Briarwood Hollow

    • Brittany Place

    • Edgewood Manor

    • Fairwood

    • Harbor Park

    • Huckleberry Hill

    • Midway Estates

    • Norwood

    • Pennridge Estates

    • Plum Tree

    • Quail Run Estates

    • Ravens Roost

    • The Trace at Fox Run

    • Village Grove

    • Woodlane

  • Point Evans

    • Point Evans Estates

    • Point Evans on the Narrows

    • Point Evans Ridge

  • Point Fosdick

    • Bridgewood Estates

    • Discovery Point

    • Fairway Estates

    • Quail Park

    • Quail Run

  • Reid Road

    • Bridge West Estates

    • Colvos View Estates

    • Hidden Glen

    • Long Acres

    • Matthew Court

    • Melanie Ridge

    • Reid Drive

    • Rushmore

    • Sandy Court

    • Southport

  • Rosedale

    • Park Dale

    • Rosewood

    • Rosewood Glen

    • The Heights at Gig Harbor

  • Soundview

    • Anton’s

    • Autumn Crest

    • Crest View

    • Holly Bluff

    • Islandview East

    • Islandview Terrace

    • Seaview Place

    • Shore Acres

    • Soundview Court

    • Spinnaker Ridge

  • Wollochet

    • Dunbar Cove

    • East Bay Estates

    • Highridge View Estates

    • Magnolia Heights

    • One Point Fosdick

    • Wollochet Heights Estates

    • Wollochet Shores

Thanks for joining me in this look at Goodman Middle 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