New Moses Lake school to be placed on Paxson

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake’s next new elementary school will sit on Paxson Drive.

The Moses Lake School District Board of Directors voted to place a second new elementary school on the district-owned property. The parcel, nearly 10 acres in size, is adjacent to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church.

Voter-approved bonds and state matching funds are being used to build the school.

Special Assistant to the Superintendent P.J. De Benedetti said the district owns two properties that would be the right size for an elementary school.

The other option, in Cascade Valley, lacks utility hookups. In addition, few students would be able to walk to school, De Benedetti said.

Many students could walk or ride their bikes to a school on Paxson Drive, De Benedetti said.

Next door is a five-acre site the City of Moses Lake owns and plans to build a park on, De Benedetti said.

NAC Architecture confirmed the school would fit on the property, but it would fit even better with a blend of the district and city properties, De Benedetti said.

“We’ve had preliminary discussions with the mayor and one of the councilmen, and the reception’s been real positive, so I think we can do that,” De Benedetti said. “We might even be able to develop our property and their property at the same time.”

De Benedetti said the district has three schools located next to parks.