Dyslexia Parent Group - Gig Harbor Peninsula Area

06/18/2025

Last week, the US Supreme Court unanimously sided with students with disabilities who take legal action against school districts that fail to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Chief Justice Roberts wrote for the court, “We hold today that ADA and Rehabilitation Act claims based on educational services should be subject to the same standards that apply in other disability discrimination contexts,” and not a “distinct, more demanding analysis.”

The now old higher standard allowed the district to cut corners and deprive students of their rights with little risk of being held accountable, but moving forward, it is going to be a lot harder. This is a big win for children and their families!

The justices ruled unanimously that students with disabilities need not meet a more stringent standard when suing under two federal laws.

04/08/2025

Peninsula School District is adopting new ELA curriculums based on the —a big win! But this isn’t the finish line. Implementation matters. Let’s keep pushing.

Letter to the editor by Michael Perrow of Gig Harbor.

03/12/2025

✨ Exciting News! Join Us Tonight! 📚🎉 ✨

Tonight come see the Peninsula School District's new Science of Reading ELA curriculum! 🎊 This milestone is the result of incredible advocacy, collaboration, and dedication to ensuring every student receives the structured literacy support they need.

In early 2023, the Dyslexia Parent Group - Gig Harbor Peninsula Area presented a proposal to the Peninsula School Board, urging the district to adopt new ELA programs from Kindergarten through 12th grade and across tiers 1-3. The curriculum being introduced tonight is a major part of that vision—and even more exciting, the K-5 program selected was one of the recommendations from that very proposal! 🙌

The Dyslexia Parent Group’s proposal focused on four key areas:
✅ Curriculum
✅ Professional Development
✅ Implementation & Fidelity
✅ Communication

Key progress is being made on the first three, and with full implementation in the coming year, students will soon benefit from evidence-based, structured literacy—delivered by trained teachers with fidelity. We can't wait to see the impact! 🚀

This is a powerful example of a community, in this case parents of students with , coming together to create real change. With over 3,000 PSD students struggling to read at grade level, families and advocates spoke up, and the Peninsula School District Board of Directors, including Jennifer Butler Peninsula School Board Director, Natalie Wimberley PSD School Board President, along with Superintendent Krestin Bahr, took action! 💙 Thank you for prioritizing our students and committing to .

📍 Join us tonight from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the PSD Main Office (next to Purdy Elementary) to see the future of ELA in PSD! 🎉📖

Amplify Education #

08/20/2024

This fall, Peninsula School District will pilot the , an Orton-Gillingham-based program designed to support students with and others needing structured literacy instruction. This initiative responds to concerns raised by the Dyslexia Parent Group - Gig Harbor Peninsula Area about the need for more effective and appropriate reading programs. The Wilson Reading System by Wilson Language Training is one of the programs the parent group recommended in its Spring 2023 proposal to the school board.

Join us at the Peninsula School District Special Education Meet & Greet on Monday, August 26th, from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM at the Purdy Elementary Playground. This is a great opportunity to ask questions about the Wilson Reading System pilot and learn what it could mean for your child. PSD administrative staff will be available to answer questions, and you can connect with other parents as well.

06/19/2024

Looking back at the progress made in the Peninsula School District over the past school year toward the goal of evidence-based grounded in the for all students, including those with , there is much to celebrate. The momentum moving into the next year is encouraging.

Some of the highlights within the Peninsula School District include:

• Training of 80 elementary teachers in Structured Literacy (LETRS program).
• Implementing the Wilson Reading System Wilson Language Training as a Tier 3 reading intervention program.
• A commitment to adopting long-proven effective, evidence-based, structured literacy reading curricula and programs grounded in the Science of Reading for all grade levels and tiers district-wide.
• Recognition by the Superintendent and School Board of the historical shortcomings in literacy education for thousands of Peninsula School District students. There is now a commitment to implementing long-proven, evidence-based structured literacy programs across all grade levels and tiers.
• Settling a multi-year lawsuit with parents, resulting in commitments to systemic change in literacy education for all students, especially those with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.

Credit for these changes goes to Superintendent Krestin Bahr and the School Board, especially Board President Natalie Wimberley PSD School Board President and Board Member Jennifer Butler Peninsula School Board Director, for their leadership in challenging the status quo. They have acknowledged the critical issue of one-third of Peninsula School District students—over 3,000—not meeting even the most basic grade-level literacy standards, as unacceptable. Further, they also recognized that improvements in literacy rates would positively impact outcomes in math, science, and other subjects. Their commitment to change has transformed the district’s approach to literacy from defending past practices and dismissing parental concerns to making it a genuine top priority.

However, the most credit goes to the parents of students affected by the district's ineffective reading instruction, especially those of the Dyslexia Parent Group - Gig Harbor Peninsula Area. Their tireless advocacy has been crucial in pushing for change not only for their own children but for all students. Without their steadfast determination, the district would not be purging ineffective and debunked reading programs and implementing evidence-based structured literacy grounded in the Science of Reading.

Looking ahead to next year and beyond, parents must remain engaged with the district. They should acknowledge the district’s progress, question its literacy approach when necessary, and hold it accountable for any shortcomings.

Have a great summer!

Narrows Tutoring Discovery Elementary Pioneer Elementary School Voyager Elementary Swift Water Elementary School Vaughn Elementary School Harbor Heights Elementary Goodman Middle School Kopachuck Middle School Gig Harbor High School Peninsula High School

04/17/2024

Progress is underway towards reading instruction, rooted in the . While change may take time, the Peninsula School District is moving in the right with reading instruction.

Your feedback on the district’s survey is crucial in this journey! Please take a moment to complete our survey and encourage others to do the same. Together, we're paving the way for a brighter future in literacy education.

The ELA survey — for English Language Arts — comes as the district continues a comprehensive update on how it teaches reading and writing.

04/03/2024

The Peninsula School District is actively seeking your input regarding the potential adoption of new district-wide reading curriculums and programs for English Language Arts (ELA) across all grade levels, from kindergarten to 12th grade. This marks a significant shift for PSD, which has long asserted the effectiveness and appropriateness of its existing ELA programs, while year in and year out thousands of students couldn’t at even the most basic grade level standards.

We commend Superintendent Krestin Bahr, Natalie Wimberley PSD School Board President Jennifer Butler Peninsula School Board Director, other board members and teachers for their leadership in rejecting the district's long-failed approach to reading in favor of prioritizing evidence-based, grounded in the , to ensure all students learn to read, including those with .

We urge you not only to participate in the survey but also to share it with your family, friends, and anyone impacted by the district's previous approaches to . Let's work together to shape a better educational experience for everyone.

& too, PLEASE teach us to read!
Discovery Elementary Voyager Elementary Swift Water Elementary School Evergreen Eagles Vaughn Elementary School Harbor Heights Elementary Minter Creek Elementary Purdy Elementary School Artondale Elementary Hands on Learning Solutions Narrows Tutoring Dyslexia Parent Group - Gig Harbor Peninsula Area

PSD families, we need your input! Our district is undertaking a significant initiative: adopting a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum across all grade levels, from kindergarten through 12th grade. This process is being rolled out with varying timelines for different grade levels. We want to equip our students with a rigorous ELA curriculum that aligns with standards and utilizes evidence-based methodologies.

Please take a short survey, to share your thoughts on ELA materials and any considerations you believe should guide our decision-making. The survey is anonymous, and your input will be instrumental in creating an enriching educational journey for our students.

Access the survey here: https://forms.gle/YxAyUdnypr9kREXd7

For more information about the curriculum adoption process and timelines, visit psd401.net/academics/ela-curriculum-adoption. There will be more opportunities for families to share feedback as we pilot materials. Thank you for being a crucial part of this journey toward excellence in education! 📚📖📕

03/01/2024

Exciting news! The legislature has just greenlit a groundbreaking bill (SB-5883) that shifts the responsibility of proving a student's entitlement to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) from parents to school districts. Inadequate access to due process and accountability for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) by school districts has left thousands of students each year without the education they are legally entitled to.

This progressive step marks a significant move towards balancing the power dynamics between schools and parents, especially for those who struggle to afford legal representation – a reality for the vast majority of parents.

A big thank you goes out to Emily Randall, Michelle Caldier, and Spencer Hutchins for State Rep for prioritizing the interests of students over bureaucratic hurdles. Your vote speaks volumes for equitable education access.

SB-5883 - Bill Summary...
https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5883&Year=2023&Initiative=false

01/25/2024

Are you a parent or guardian of young children? Join preschool and district staff for Kindergarten Readiness Parent Night, on February 1, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Swift Water Elementary School. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, learn about Kindergarten Readiness and the Peninsula School District Kindergarten registration process. Note this is a parent event, and no childcare is provided.

If you’re planning ahead, kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens February 28, 2024. In order to enroll your child for kindergarten, they must be 5 years old by August 31, 2024. Watch our website for more details!