Tacoma Public Schools

09/23/2026

First day of fall, but we can't stop talking about Summer Late Nights! Once again, our community locked arms and supported kids by giving them safe, fun spaces to be over the summer. Kids turned out in record numbers, with 12,000+ visits to a late nights site this summer. Thanks to all of the community partners that made it possible. See you next summer! 😎

Parks Tacoma Pierce Transit Greentrike Tacoma Police Department City of Tacoma Government Tacoma Creates YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Pierce County Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound

09/22/2026

YOU'RE INVITED: Join us as we celebrate the grand opening of the new Lowell Elementary School on Tuesday, October 13, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Come tour the new school, connect with the community, and celebrate this exciting new chapter for Lowell students, staff, families, and alumni!

Korsmo Construction BCRA

09/21/2026

Visions, plans, and permits are in the works for the new industrial design, engineering, and the arts (iDEA) high school. With a groundbreaking planned for spring 2027, the design-build team is working to develop schematic designs, cost estimates, and submitting for permits. Together with teachers, students, and internal departments, the team is understanding how the spaces will function, flow together, feel and interact with each other, as they work towards final design.

https://ow.ly/c6OJ50ZPWaz

To get construction updates in your inbox, sign up for e-alerts by clicking the orange bell symbol at the top right of School Construction News on the website.

09/20/2026

Welcome to the newest generation of Tacoma Public Schools students! Our kindergarteners are the Class of 2039, and our TTK students are the Class of 2040.
Hard to believe these little learners will one day be walking across a graduation stage. But for now, we’re just enjoying those tiny backpacks, big smiles and new school adventures. 💙

09/18/2026

ALL-STAR EDUCATOR: Congratulations to Malia Fakatoufifita, a 4th/5th grade teacher at Fawcett Elementary School, for being selected as an All-Star Educator!

As part of the Premera All-Starts program, Premera Blue Cross and Seattle Storm asked members of the public to nominate school employees who consistently make a meaningful difference in students' lives.

Nominators celebrated Malia's deep commitment to every student's success and said that she "demonstrates exceptional empathy by prioritizing her students' emotional well-being alongside their academic growth."

Along with tickets to the game, she also received Seattle Storm swag and a $1,000 donation to support Fawcett Elementary.

Congratulations, Malia! ⭐

All-Star Educator Malia Fakatoufifita makes her classroom at Fawcett Elementary in Tacoma feel like a second home to her fourth and fifth grade students.

Recognizing that some of her students face challenging environments at home, Fakatoufifita’s nominators point to the Tacoma Public Schools teacher’s history of working intentionally and deliberately to make sure school is a safe and stable environment for the students she works with.

They also say that Fakatoufifita “demonstrates exceptional empathy by prioritizing her students' emotional well-being alongside their academic growth” and shows “deep commitment to every student's success.”

09/17/2026

Why do we sometimes move students and teachers to different classrooms?

Like many school districts across our region, Tacoma Public Schools is seeing a reduction in enrollment for the 2026–2027 school year. At the same time, enrollment continues to shift during the first few weeks of school. When enrollment numbers stabilize, we make final classroom adjustments. Families with students in classrooms impacted by enrollment changes will be notified by their principal by September 18.

Some years, we don’t have to change much. Other years, the changes are more extensive. We know classroom changes can be difficult for students, families and staff, and we work carefully to minimize disruption while making sure we are using our resources responsibly and staying within our budget.

Watch this short, animated video to learn more about why these changes happen and how enrollment affects classroom staffing.

09/16/2026

Tacoma, let's Move & Groove!

Join us Saturday, September 26th, for an open streets festival filled with a day of movement, music, and community fun! Walk, bike or roll between Birney Elementary School, Ryan’s Park, and Charlotte’s Blueberry Park.

Go at your own pace or join a group bike ride. Stop at the parks for fun, games, & live music!

Learn more at the link in our bio! Tacoma.gov/mobility

09/15/2026

It's the first day of Hispanic and Latine/x Heritage Month! 🎉 We're happy to honor and celebrate the vibrant cultures, unique histories and vast contributions of people with ancestral and/or cultural ties to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico and Spain. We're proud to be a part of Tacoma's culturally rich community and value the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students, families and staff.

Students and families are invited to join us in celebrating and learning about Hispanic and Latine/x heritages. Throughout the month, we'll be resharing free, local opportunities to get involved with your student on our social media pages. Stay tuned!

¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

09/15/2026

All families are asked complete the Child Nutrition Eligibility and Education Benefits (CNEEB) form by Oct. 1. Only one per household is needed.

The CNEEB helps schools get additional resources for their students. It can also help families directly by reducing or eliminating fees for athletics, ASB, after-school programs, college applications and more. https://www.tacomaschools.org/departments/enrollment/annual-forms

09/14/2026

Thank you, Tacoma Mall, for helping Mann Elementary kick off the school year in style with 65 completely filled backpacks for students! 🎒✏️✂️