Walla Walla Public Schools
Week in Review - July 20, 2007

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District purchases property for future Support Services facility
Walla Walla Public Schools Board of Directors Tuesday night took the first step in replacing the district’s aging Support Services facility by unanimously approving the purchase of two pieces of property for a future location. The newly acquired 9.2 acre site is located in a light industrial zoned area west of 13th Ave. near Koncrete Industries in Walla Walla.

“This has been a high priority of the school district for years,” said School Board President Anne Golden. “Although this is just the first step of a long-range plan to replace our Support Services facility, we are excited to get the process started by purchasing this land.”

Property specifics:
• Scully property – (North 4.7 acres of Scully Property)
• Basta property - (4.5 acres — 1207 Entley)

Total cost of the property was $864,425. The purchase of the property will be paid for out of the district’s Capital Projects Fund and the future sale of the existing Support Services property located at 325 S. Park Street across from the YMCA.

District Plant Facilities (carpentry, HVAC, painting, plumbing, electrical), Facilities Support (warehouse, grounds and custodial), Transportation (school buses and vans), Food Service and Print Shop operations are housed in the Support Services facility. The current site has scored extremely low in several areas on local and national facilities studies.

In April, the district’s community led Facilities Task Force was reconvened to study this specific land purchase proposal. Dan Reid of Opp and Seibold General Construction chairs the Facilities Task Force and said during Tuesday’s public work session on this property acquisition issue that the group he represents unanimously recommended the school district purchase the 9.2 acre land parcel.

“The Facilities Task Force still views the Support Services project as a high priority for the district” Reid said. “Our task force fully supports this action.”

Golden reinforced the location was ideal for this operation. She said the school board’s listening campaign last fall revealed community members preferred this facility be located in a commercial area. The current location is in a residential neighborhood spurring traffic and sidewalk safety concerns and problematic noise she said. She also noted the current site of just over two acres is too small for the Support Services complex.

“We have been researching a viable solution for improving this facility for years,” Golden said. “This property was reasonably priced and located in an area which won’t have a negative impact on a residential neighborhood. We heard from the community that they did not want this operation located at Walla Walla High School. This site provides these highly skilled professionals an excellent location to meet their needs.”

Walla Walla Public Schools does not have a timeline for developing the property. For more information, contact Communications Director Mark Higgins at (509) 526-6716 or mhiggins@wwps.org.


District changes Paine Campus name
Changes continue for the district’s alternative programs under the leadership of new Principal Jim Sporleder as Tuesday night school board members unanimously approved changing the name of Paine Campus to Lincoln Alternative High School. According to Sporleder, the name change will help create a new culture and climate at the school which headquarters the district’s alternative programs.

“One of the main challenges is to remove the label and perception that our students are the throw away kids,” Sporleder said. “However, with a structured environment wrapped around care, I think we can change the image and negative perception of our school.”

The school has a history of being Lincoln High School as it carried the name in the early 1900s for a quarter of a century prior to the construction of the current facility at the 4th Ave. location.

“Lincoln High School stood on our present site for 25 years,” Sporleder said. “When the building was torn down, Paine was built as an elementary school.”

Sporleder said staff and community agencies involved fully support the name change and are excited about the future of the district’s alternative programs. The school’s new mascot is the Phoenix.


District wall calendars now available
The 2007-2008 district wall calendars are now available at the district office (364 S. Park St.). This calendar features a district directory, school hours, holidays, WASL test dates and more.
PERSONNEL REPORT (School Board Meeting July 17, 2007)

I. EMPLOYMENT
Administrative: Steve Olson, Director of Transportation, Transportation Department

Certificated: John Carter, Alternative Middle School, Creekside Alternative
Lucas Hamada, Science, Garrison Middle School
Berta Herrera Trejo, Bilingual Kindergarten, Green Park Elementary
Peggy Payne, Science, Walla Walla High School
Tami Plucker, Preschool Special Education, Blue Ridge Elementary
Erica Wauchek, English, Paine Alternative

Classified: Kathryn Austin, Health Clinician, Blue Ridge Elementary
Kristine Nowak, Para-Educator, Pioneer Middle School
Shelly Phipps, ISS Supervisor, Paine Alternative

II. RESIGNATIONS/RETIREMENTS
Certificated: James Hill, Math, Walla Walla High School, 4 years
· James was on a leave of absence for the 2006-2007 school year.

Classified: Carolyn LeSieur, Para-Educator, Special Programs, 2 years

III. LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Certificated: Teri Voth, Science, Pioneer Middle School, 29 years


District Office Summer Hours
Monday-Friday
8 a.m. to Noon
1 to 5 p.m.
364 S. Park St.
527-3000