School district needs a few good names for ‘School No. 9’

It’s hard to get excited about attending “School No. 9”

So the Peninsula School District is inviting kids, parents and others to suggest names for the district’s newest elementary school, which is set to open in the Fall.

School No. 9 is under construction at 10811 Harbor Hill Drive, across from the current YMCA building. It will serve Gig Harbor North, drawing its students mostly from the existing Discovery and Purdy elementary schools. The exact boundaries are yet to be decided, the district said in an email to parents Thursday.

According to district policy, recommended names must be:

▪ A person who has attained national or local prominence in the fields of education, arts and sciences, politics, military achievements, and statesmanship. (Names of living persons will be avoided unless circumstances warrant an exception.)

▪ A past U.S. president or Washington national senators or representatives.

▪ A geographic characteristic of the area in which the facility is located

The new school will add 30 classrooms to a district that has been overflowing into portables at the eight existing elementary schools.

School No. 9 is part a construction spurt authorized by a $198 million bond passed in February of 2019. It’s a companion to Pioneer Elementary, once known as School No. 10, which was opened last month on the site of the former Gig Harbor Boys and Girls Club.

Between them, the schools will hold over 550 students each.

In addition, two more schools, Artondale Elementary and Evergreen Elementary, are being replaced by new schools on the existing sites.

People who want to suggest a name can find an online form by going to the district website, psd410.net and searching for “ES9 - School Naming Form.” The survey closes Monday, Feb. 8.

This story was originally published February 4, 2021 at 4:50 PM.