Our beloved principal, Mrs. Michele Suiter, has recently announced that she will be leaving Gig Harbor High School to pursue an opportunity that allows her to live near her children and be the principal of Lefler Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska, beginning at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Her announcement came exactly five years to the month of her application to Gig Harbor High School. Her decision to move came after she and her husband took a trip to visit their son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. “We just fell in love with it. Having lived in midwestern college towns before, it felt really good, and the people were kind. It’s a wonderful community, and we get to be close to my grandchildren.”
Suiter came to Gig Harbor High School right before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, after an individual whom she highly respected suggested she apply for the position. She expressed that she had initial reservations due to her contentment in her prior position at Cascade Christian High School in Puyallup, but after going through the process of applying to Gig Harbor, she felt that she was meant to be our principal. “For me, it’s always been about kids. I fell in love with working with students. I love watching them grow, I love giving them wings to fly, and doing their next best thing,” she said. “I think it stretched me in a lot of ways. I think being the principal of a comprehensive high school is a lot of hats, and a lot of things people don’t even know happen or exist behind the scenes… So I have grown in ways that help me learn better and care better.”
Mrs. Suiter is not the only person who has grown through her presence at the school. She has created an environment in which it is possible for all students to grow and succeed. Senior Taylor Hulbrock (12) has been underneath Mrs. Suiter for her entire high school experience. “She has made it a better year by just being the principal, and she really tries to make it a school year for everyone else. I know a lot of principals are stricter than she is,” she stated. Mrs. Karen Kennedy added, “Mrs. Suiter is a compassionate and effective leader. She not only ensures that things get done but also takes the time to genuinely know those around her. She understands the nuances of leadership, creating an environment where everyone fulfills their role while feeling valued. Personally, she has supported me by listening to my struggles, offering kind advice, and providing a reassuring presence. Her warmth, joy, and compassion bring a positive energy to the school, making it a better place for everyone.”
As she moves on to this new chapter in her life, her goals remain the same as they always have. “My goal is to serve in a way where people feel cared for and loved and heard and seen,” Suiter explained. Despite the new adventure ahead being exciting to her, she will have a hard time leaving Gig Harbor behind. “I never pictured leaving, so I think to myself, ‘I’m never going to see those kids cross the stage at graduation,’ and that’s always what I look forward to. They come in as freshmen, and they’re a little crazy as freshmen. And then by the time they’re juniors and seniors, they’re full-on adulting and having their best life, and it’s just kind of a sweet thing to be able to watch. So knowing that I won’t be able to see that for the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors I have right now, it makes me sad. [I will]definitely miss the students, definitely miss the Tide guys, and football games, and basketball games, and all the fun that is Gig Harbor. I’ll miss all of that. It has been a tremendous privilege.”