Othello School Board hires 3 new principals recently

OTHELLO — Othello School Board members approved the hiring of three new principals for the 2017-18 school year at the regular meeting Monday.

The board only had a quorum for part of the meeting, but that part included hiring Brooke French as the principal of McFarland Middle School for the next school year, Jennifer Perez at Lutacaga Elementary and Amy Kohn at Wahitis Elementary.

All three women thanked the board for the opportunity. “I am honored and very, very, excited,” French said. “I’ve been on cloud nine for a bit,” Perez said. Kohn said she was looking forward to being part of the process of educating students in Othello.

While the board couldn’t take action, board members Rob Simmons and Stewart Hilmes discussed the ongoing project for new tennis courts at Othello High School.

The tennis courts originally were scheduled to be built last summer. Assistant superintendent Gina Bullis said the district’s architectural contractor is working a new bid with a revised project scope.

The revised bid will include four courts with an option for two additional courts, and another option for a concession stand. In answer to a question from Simmons, Bullis said there’s an option for lights.

Simmons said he’s been looking at tennis courts at other schools, and asking administrators in those districts about their projects. The layout at one school led him to think Othello may not need lights. Administrators at another school said they got volunteer help from the community, which helped them cut costs, he said.

Simmons said he was asking because he wasn’t sure the board was being clear about the scope of the project. Clarity from the board seemed to help when district officials were soliciting bids to repair the football field, he said.