PORT TOWNSEND — School District leaders are working with Port Townsend Paper Corp. to start a manufacturing technology class at Port Townsend High School that could help train future paper mill employees.

This prospect is but one of many options Tom Opstad, Port Townsend School District superintendent, is examining in an effort to keep more students in the work force at home.

“We have lots of areas in the (kindergarten to 12th grade) arena that we want to address and think of,” Opstad told about 50 people attending Monday’s Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Fort Worden State Park. The meeting was part of the chamber’s monthlong focus on education.

“The question is how do we prepare students?” Opstad asked.

Such vocational training would be coming at a good time with Port Townsend Paper mill representatives reporting more than 37 percent of their 321-employee work force will be eligible for retirement in five years.

“We have jobs,” Jennifer Johnson, mill human resources manager, said last week.