Complete at last

Wahluke celebrates completion of $20.4 million new high school

MATTAWA — The doors are at last open at the long awaited 118,246-square-foot brand new high school building in Mattawa.

Bleachers with seating for more than 200 people were full as others found standing room in a celebration ceremony held last week.

Boy Scouts presented the flag salute, raising the first flag at the pole in front of the school while the national anthem was sung.

"This is where kids are going to want to be as the setting of the building is so inviting," said Cece Mahre, interim superintendent of the district in a phone interview.

With a room for life skills classes open to adults and a commons area that includes a community stage, administrators want people to use the building for both academic needs and community events.

Windows on several sides decorate the rounded wall of the commons area, the very center of which is referred to as the cosmic center, underneath which lies a time capsule and above a brass bell hangs for students to ring for such important events as graduation.

Names of constellations mark the outside of classroom and staff doors, and a seven-point star on the floor of the gym, a symbol incorporated to commemorate part of the history of the local Wanapum Tribe, are unique characteristics of the new building which replaces the former high school built in 1986.

The new facility also includes a 400-seat auditorium, 4,000-square-foot physical fitness area available for use by students as well as the community, a music room with separate rehearsal rooms, three science labs, a new gym with three full size basketball courts and seating for 2,000, a performing arts center and small outdoor horticulture building.

"It's nice to know that this really impressive school, they're definitely worthy of that kind of building," said Mattawa Elementary teacher Linda Le.

Le, who teaches kindergarten, came to the open house with some of her students who sang for the event.

"It demonstrates how quickly our district is growing," she said of the size of the new facility.

The $20.4 million project which began in January 2005, and was initially estimated to cost $18.8 million, has been the center of concerns regarding overspending in the district's budget.

The addition of four classrooms to accommodate future student growth and a 4,000-square-foot physical fitness center added to the cost.

Current superintendent of the Davenport School District Gary Greene, who has been hired to replace Mahre as superintendent next school year, said in a previous interview with the Herald that he is committed to being frugal with the district's budget and is excited about the new high school completion.

"That high school will be the community center," Greene said. "We really want to show it off and use it as often as possible. We want to get people in there."