Moses Lake forum focused on education

MOSES LAKE - School board members and community members

discussed redistricting, staff, overcrowding and the budget at the

last community forum.

School board members Lew Mason and Kevin Donovan as well as

Superintendent Michelle Price answered questions from about 30

parents, teachers and community members at Knolls Vista Elementary

School.

MOSES LAKE - School board members and community members discussed redistricting, staff, overcrowding and the budget at the last community forum.

School board members Lew Mason and Kevin Donovan as well as Superintendent Michelle Price answered questions from about 30 parents, teachers and community members at Knolls Vista Elementary School.

Parents first asked about redistricting and wanted to know how the school board would decide what students will change schools and where boundary lines for districts will be when Park Orchard Elementary School opens in the fall.

"Where kids are and how it fits for busing will go into consideration," Mason said. "The next community meetings will discuss where the kids are going to go."

Mason referred to the first of three community meetings, that will help determine school service areas, is Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the choir room at Moses Lake High School, 803 East Sharon Ave.

Mason informed visitors that the district is undergoing some major budget cuts due to state cuts and would know more about potential cutbacks within the district in the coming months.

"Don't expect the state to start working on the budget for the next year until March," said Mason. "We are not reducing staff mid-year but we do have to cut back spending."

Once redistricting begins, Mason said it will reduce class sizes at schools and help with overcrowding.

"But the lines are not drawn," said Mason. "That's part of what the three community meetings are going to decide."

Several visitors asked about what was being done to reduce the large number of students in Moses Lake's only high school.

"With Washington state you have to be overcrowded to get state matching funds," said Donovan.

Donovan explained that the school district is not overcrowded enough by state standards to build a new high school or expand the existing high school at this time.

"One of our guidelines in the past has been to leverage our money with state money to get more bang for our buck," Mason said.

Price said expanding Columbia Basin Secondary School by using portable buildings does not count against the school's allotted square footage in accordance with state rules.

The secondary school was originally designed for 260 students and currently has 280 students.

Price told forum visitors that the district is trying to get the final financial information and finish community sessions before the school year is out so parents and staff can be informed of decisions for next year.

For more information, call the Moses Lake School District office at 509-766-2650.