Port Townsend School District starts work on $99.25M bond

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 14, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend School District has taken initial steps on a project that will reshape Port Townsend High School and locate OCEAN K-12 Alternative School in a permanent home.

The moves come after voters approved a $99.25 million bond in February.

“The passage represents a major investment in local education,” the school district said in a news release. “It will address critical needs at the historic Port Townsend High School, including safety and seismic upgrades, and modernize classrooms and learning environments.”

The project will see OCEAN K-12 relocated to a new home in the Gael Stuart building on the high school campus.

The bond, which passed with 70 percent support, will be repaid over the next 20 years. Construction is expected to be complete in 2030.

“Initial work is now underway which has established a community-led bond oversight committee and selected the team that will support the work moving forward,” the release said.

The school’s Facility Advisory Committee (FAC), a volunteer group composed of community members, will oversee the district’s progress and provide accountability, ensuring the money goes toward the intended purposes.

“At PT Schools we are dedicated to keeping the public informed so you know we are being responsible with your tax dollars,” Superintendent Linda Rosenbury said in the release. “Thank you for trusting us to modernize our historic high school and create a permanent home for OCEAN School. Our schools are the heart of our community. These improvements will support students and families for generations to come. We hope people will stay engaged and provide feedback at every phase of the project.”

Near-term opportunities for engagement include a May 18 presentation at the Port Townsend City Council’s regular meeting, which will start at 6 p.m. at 250 Madison St. The meeting also can be viewed online at https://cityofpt.us/citycouncil/page/agendasminutesvideos.

The school district will have a table on Aug. 15 at the Port Townsend Farmers Market, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public will be invited to discuss the project with school district representatives. The market takes place in Uptown at 650 Tyler St.

The school district has built a webpage dedicated to progress updates at www.ptschools.org/page/bondprogress.

The FAC participated in the selection of the progressive design-build team: Abbott Construction will act as the project’s design-builder and Rice Fergus Miller will contribute as the designer.

Abbott Construction recently worked on Jefferson Healthcare’s Castle View wing, a $105 million expansion completed last year. Rice Fergus Miller designed the Quileute Tribal School, the release said.

Selected to represent the district to the progressive design-build team is Barker Creek Consultants. Barker Creek will support the district in planning and managing levy and bond-funded capital projects, to keep work progressing in a timely manner, according to the bond progress webpage.

Underway at this stage are workshops to define educational specifications. The team has been gathering feedback from students and staff. Phased milestones, from pre-design through permitting and construction, have been established, the release said.

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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.