Jonathan Appleton

for Peninsula School District
Board of Directors – Position 5

Committed to Every Student’s Success

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Accountability for Discrimination and Harassment

A recent district investigation has concluded that significant changes are needed to address bullying, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination, and I will advocate for the immediate adoption of these changes.

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New Voices

As the District’s five-year strategic plan nears renewal, I believe new voices from our neighborhoods are needed to develop the new plan, with improved transparency and communication.

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Fiscal Responsibility

I will utilize my 25 years of financial experience to ensure “improved education outcomes” are the sole driver behind all financial initiatives.

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Peninsula Promise

I would like to partner with Gig Harbor and other local governments to guarantee two years free at Tacoma Community College for every graduate of Peninsula School District, starting with the class of 2027!

About Jonathan Appleton

Welcome and thank you for your support of my campaign to bring a fresh, engaged parent’s voice to the Peninsula School Board.

I grew up in Redmond, and have spent most of my life here in Washington. After moving around the country with my job, my wife Julie and I chose to settle in Gig Harbor in 2013 to raise our family. We adopted our beautiful twins soon after and have been blessed to raise our children in this wonderful community. Our kids are enrolled in the Peninsula School District, and I love being an involved Dad!

You will often find me cheering on our kids during all their activities through Harbor Soccer, Pen-Met Parks, the YMCA, NASA Gymnastics, Snapology, and Miracle Ranch.

In our expanded community, I have enjoyed helping lead fundraisers for foster families at The Wishing Well, food drives for Northwest Harvest, and volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House. Within our community, I helped support my wife run the Family Network at Curious by Nature School (while our kids were enrolled there), and I am a VPO Member at Pioneer Elementary. One of my passions is leading praise teams in church, and I volunteered as Worship Leader on guitar and vocals at Harbor Life Church for several years.

My career in Consumer Finance began at 20 years old, and I have been in the finance industry for 25 years. While simultaneously working and attending night classes, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management at Northwest University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. I am currently a District Manager, where I hire, train, and coach teams throughout the South Sound. I completed the AFSA Leadership Development Program through the University of North Carolina, and have earned many leadership awards throughout my career.

For fun, I love to travel with my family, play with my kids, play music, read, and go hiking, fishing, and crabbing!

Why am I running for Peninsula School District Board of Directors?

As a parent with both of my kids in our District, I am personally invested in ensuring that Peninsula School District provides a GREAT public school education to all students.

A key reason I am running for office is because of my concern about how children in our community are being impacted by bullying, intimidation, harassment, and discrimination. A recent District investigation and task force shows significant improvements are needed, and I will advocate for the immediate adoption of these changes, including increasing support for student (and educator) mental health.

As the District’s five-year strategic plan nears renewal, I believe new voices from our neighborhoods are needed to help develop the new plan, with improved transparency and communication.

I am committed to every student’s success. Like many school districts throughout our state, PSD faces both current and upcoming financial challenges. Drawing on my 25 years of financial experience, I will work to ensure fiscal responsibility in our district and that “improved education outcomes” are the sole driver behind financial initiatives.

Additionally, thanks to the passage of HB 1587, I would like to partner with Gig Harbor and other local governments to establish the Peninsula Promise, guaranteeing two years free at Tacoma Community College for every graduate of the Peninsula School District starting with the class of 2027!

We have an increasingly diverse community, and I believe that our Board members need to be in the schools to hear both what is going well, and what we need to work on. I am committed to LISTENING to the needs of our students, faculty, parents, and community members, and I will advocate for the improved education experience of all students.

I need your support as a volunteer and your kind donations to bring new leadership to the PSD Board. Thank you for your donations and your time.

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