Dear Curtis Senior High School parents, families, and supporters,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2026-27 school year.  I proudly enter my 11th year of service as principal of Curtis High School.  Curtis continues to be one of the highest performing high schools in the state and nation, and we are proud of the work we do and the students we serve.  Our mission is to ensure all students learn at high levels in a safe, caring, equitable environment.  Our committed team of teachers and support staff live that mission each day in service to our students and community.

CHS offers a plethora of academic, athletic, performing arts and after-school opportunities at which our students excel:

• We maintain high academic standards while teaching and emphasizing life-long values through the Viking P.R.I.D.E. (Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Determination, and Excellence) and Character Strong programs.  We offer a top-flight curriculum taught by excellent teachers who are supported by an amazing team.  Besides core offerings in English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies and Physical Education, we provide numerous engaging and challenging elective courses.  Our academic program includes 16 Advanced Placement courses, 22 College in the High School courses, STEM courses, three World Language choices, many dual credit options and several CTE elective options and pathways.

• We support students’ social / emotional health with a caring and dedicated team, including four Guidance Counselors, our Career Counseling team, our Psychologist and several other specialists.  Please visit our Guidance page and reach out if we can support your student.    

• We believe in racial equity and engendering an anti-racist school.  We continue to implement a robust, inclusive, representative, comprehensive and accurate curriculum.  Please click here for more information on our school and district’s equity efforts.

• We compete in over 20 girls and boys varsity sports in the 4A South Puget Sound League.  Our teams regularly compete for and win league, district, regional, and state championships.  Please find more information on CHS athletics by clicking this link.

• Our award-winning Performing Arts programs annually perform several shows including a musical, a play, a talent show, the "One-Acts" student-directed performances, Danceblast, and numerous seasonal band, orchestra, and choir concerts.  Our music department earned 1’s and high honors across the board in state competitions last year, repeating previous years’ performances.  Please view the school's calendar for upcoming performances by clicking here.

• We offer over 25 after-school clubs and activities to enhance students' overall experiences and enable all students the opportunity to thrive.  To read more about our after-school clubs, please click this link.

• Our students selflessly spend time helping and supporting our neighbors, friends and families in our community, performing thousands of service hours each year. 

• Please register to vote.  We encourage all students and parents to engage in the civic process and vote in every election.  The Pierce County Voter Registration Guide can be found here. 

In recognition of our achievements and commitment to excellence, we continue to be recognized by the US News & World Report seen here, as the top comprehensive public high school in Pierce County and in Washington State.  Please click this link to learn more about our outstanding academic achievement.

Please accept my invitation to visit our school and see the amazing people and programs that make CHS a fantastic place to learn and teach.  Parents, alumni, and members of the University Place community are integral to our successes, and we thank our community for recently passing our school construction bond.  I will provide regular school construction updates this year.

I encourage your involvement in CHS by volunteering for a parent group, attending a game or performance, donating to the Viking Scholarship Fund or our ASB, or finding other avenues to support our students and programs.  Please click here to join our PTSA and to contact CHS Student Accounts and our ASB Bookkeeper, email Ms. Bibby for information on other donations. 

If I or any member of our team can answer questions about our school or programs, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at 253-566-5710, ext. 2155, or email me at tadams@upsd83.org.  Parents can connect with us through the ParentSquare App, and everyone can follow the CCRC Instagram handle @curtis_ccrc and Athletic Director Suzanne Vick's popular social media accounts @ourvikingnation.   

On behalf of our entire Viking team, thank you for visiting our website and learning more about our school.  We are proud of our amazing students, teachers, support team, and programs and the marvelous work they do for every student each day.

Warmly,

Dr. Tom Adams

Go Viks!