New Moses Lake school is named

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake school board members approved naming the new elementary school Park Orchard Elementary School at the latest board meeting.

The elementary school is being built on Paxson Drive. The design is modeled after Sage Point Elementary School, built last year.

All board members were in favor of the name, generated by a naming committee formed several months ago. The committee consists of staff members, the area’s residents and district superintendent Michelle Price.

“This has been several months in the making,” said Monte Redal, deputy superintendent. “The committee generated a list of names to be considered, held discussions and presented the top two to the school board.”

The other name considered for the school was Edward D. Hull Elementary School.

“The board didn’t want to use someone’s name because as soon as you use a name you leave someone out,” Redal explained. “Most of our schools are named based on their surrounding area rather than a person, so we decided to stick to tradition.”

The board members believe the new name Park Orchard will become an identity for the new school’s neighborhood, similar to effect Knolls Vista Elementary and Lakeview Elementary School had on its neighborhoods.

“Park Orchard Tracts is the legal name of the area so we figured it fit perfectly,” Redal said. “This new name took awhile to grow on all of us, but we all like it now and believe it has a nice ring to it.”

School board members are still working on the design phase for Park Orchard Elementary School.

“We are going to the planning commission next week for site plan and approval,” Redal said. “If things go well the school board may approve the site plan that night. We hope to go out to bid four to six weeks after that.”