By Pepper Fisher

PORT ANGELES – Port Angeles school officials have proudly announced that for the seventh year in a row, graduation rates have increased at Port Angeles High School. Better yet, in 2020, the District broke the 90% barrier by graduating 93.5% of its seniors, despite an entire second semester of at-home learning due to pandemic restrictions.

Port Angeles High School Principal Jeff Clark says they put a lot of time into focusing on grading practices that were progressive, fair, and promoted learning. Another strategy was the implementation of Professional Learning Communities, which is a way of organizing teams of teachers to work together more instead of in isolation.

Principal Clark is understandably proud of their accomplishment, and credits not only the hard work of students and his high school staff, but the entire district.

“You know, getting a student across the finish line in terms of graduating and finishing requirements for diploma is a long-term project, and it starts in kindergarten, goes all the way through the district and everybody really contributes to that success.”

That 93.5% rate is no small feat. Statewide the graduation rate last year was under 83%, and that’s an all-time high.

But rather than comparing PAHS to the rest of the state, Principal Clark’s focus is on maintaining their position among the best of the best.

“Well, to put it in context our graduation rate last year is up in the stratosphere statewide. I mean, the others, Newport High School in Bellevue, 97.2%, Mercer Island High School 94.9. In fact, there’s only one high school in our Olympic League that had a higher graduation rate. That was Kingston at 94.1. So we’re the second highest of all of the high schools in the Olympic League.”

Also moving way up last year were the graduation rates for students from low-income households, now at nearly 91%, and students with disabilities, who’s rate jumped in one year from 62.5% success rate to a remarkable 84.2%.

(PASD photo)