Bond important to school’s future

In 1957 middle school students in Ritzville School District entered a new building, Hawthorn Middle School. This school housed 5th through 8th grade students for 26 years. In the summer of 1982, with declining enrollment and an aging high school building, the school district upgraded Hawthorn Middle School to Ritzville High School. Since that time there have been minor upgrades to the building in 1994 and 2004 to replace worn flooring and meet ADA compliance.

Ritzville School District is currently asking voters to approve a bond issue that would encompass projects to modernize the high school building. In a recent facilities survey, the high school received a poor rating, meaning that it is time to upgrade the building in the areas of safety and security, heating and cooling and technology.

Sadly, in today’s world, school districts have to worry about the safety of all students. To do so, all buildings need upgrades to locks, windows, and doors to ensure a secure environment. Improved exterior lighting and potential fences would also provide additional protection from the unknown. Much of the furniture in the building is original to Hawthorn and poses hazards when legs fall off tables and chairs collapse.

When the high school building was originally built, underground steam pipes were run from the boiler system in the grade school to heat the high school. These same pipes are in use today and are in poor condition and inefficient. There are areas of the school that face extreme hot or cold temperatures and drafts depending on the outside temperature and wind conditions. With changing climates, it can be hard for students to concentrate on learning when they are shivering or sweating.

A new, more efficient HVAC system and roof upgrades could improve the learning environment.

When the high school was built in 1957, no one could have imagined the changes in technology that would become part of our students’ daily existence. The skills that are required for our graduates to compete in the global job market also require a certain level of technology in our schools. Hardware and software upgrades and facility modifications to meet the needs of continually changing technology are a necessary item for today’s schools.

Ritzville High School had 108 graduating classes and 2016 will see the 4th graduating class from Lind Ritzville High School. In our long educational history, our school has been traditionally blessed with sound facilities courtesy of our supportive tax payers. Two years ago the Lind community committed to our students by supporting a bond to update the Lind Grade School and Lind-Ritzville Middle School. Now is the time for the community of Ritzville to do their part and help improve our facilities. Both communities have always been encouraging and generous of our students and we can only hope that this tradition will continue with the 2016 bond measure.

Please cast a vote in favor of Ritzville School District!

Donna Koch, Ritzville