It’s nearly the first day of school in Sequim for students — and teachers, too. The Sequim School District hosted orientation events for new staffers last week as they prepare for the opening of classrooms on Aug. 31.

New staffers on hand for orientation included (back row, from left) Jesse Klinger (fourth grade teacher, Helen Haller Elementary School), Taylor Thorson (language arts, Sequim Middle School), Jason Chadick (language arts, Sequim Middle School) and Larry Brown (special education, Sequim High School), with (third row, from left) Amanda Westman (language arts, Sequim High School), Holly Hornbacher (language arts, Sequim Middle School), Heidi Hough (language arts, Sequim Middle School), Jack Webber (social studies, Sequim High School) and Julie Fischer (special education, Sequim High School), with (second row, from left) Carmen Merring (fourth grade, Greywolf Elementary School), Carma Feland (speech/language pathologist, district), Michael Krogman (social studies, Sequim High School), Marcus Hollan (social studies, Sequim Middle School), and (front row, from left) Jennifer Saul (first grade, Helen Haller Elementary School), Meredith Vincent (fifth grade, Helen Haller Elementary School), Sara Benjamin (mathematics, Sequim Middle School), district Professional Development Coordinator Pam Landoni and Maria Germano (science, Sequim Middle School). Not pictured are Norma Gorham (math/science, Olympic Peninsula Academy) and Sonja Stalnaker (special education, Helen Haller Elementary School). Photos by Patsene Dashiell