The Port Townsend School District will start the new school year with its budget priorities, programs, and other financial issues set in place.

The school board adopted its new school budget for the 2022-2023 academic year following a public hearing last month.

“We are prioritizing competitive salaries for all employee groups so that we honor and retain staff who work so hard to support students,” said Superintendent Linda Rosenbury. “The district is invested in maintaining the programs that our students and families love such as the arts, athletics, local food, and field trips.”

The budget was based on an estimate of 1,186 students — with 1,014 students in K-12 education and 122 in other programs, including Running Start.

The budget also anticipates 94.4 certified employees and 63.9 non-teaching employees working for the district in the coming school year. The total number of school district staff will grow from what was budgeted in the previous school year.

In the prior budget, the district’s spending plan was based on a total enrollment of 1,095 full-time students and 83.6 full-time, certified staff members during the 2021-2022 academic year.

According to the school district, new enrollment estimates indicate the grade levels with highest number of students will be at the high school level, with
95 incoming freshmen, 93 sophomores, 90 juniors, and 92 seniors at Port Townsend High.

One of the school district’s biggest budget priorities will be to improve the mental well-being of kids in the school system.

“We are increasing staff dedicated to students’ social and emotional learning including counselors, deans, and our district’s new Director of Wellness,” Rosenbury said.

Darrell Thomas, the new director of wellness, was hired in May with the strategy of bringing a listen-first approach to student- or staff-related conflicts.

The district’s general fund in the 2022-2023 budget is estimated to be $23.4 million in anticipated revenue, with expenditures estimated to be
$24.8 million.

The district will bring in $3.3 million in local property taxes, an increase from $3.1 million in the previous budget.

Additional revenue sources for the upcoming school year will come from state general purpose funds ($11.6 million), along with $3.2 million in special purpose funds from the state for special education and other programs.

In the 2021-22 school year, the district received $10.4 million in state general purpose funds and $3 million in special purpose funds.