LaCrosse School District gains 12 students

While many area schools are seeing declining enrollment, the LaCrosse school has seen a slight jump in enrollment and staffing, Superintendent Doug Curtis reported at the LaCrosse Community Pride community discussion Sept. 30.

Curtis, serving in his first year as full-time superintendent after filling the superintendent’s and principal’s seat last year, shared the news of the school’s growth with optimism.

“This whole area has just been tough,” said Curtis, referring to the declining enrollment numbers at many of the county’s schools. “We picked up 12 new students, though, so that has been exciting.”

Principal Jeff Pietila, who is new to the school this year, said some of new students are new to the area, some have come back to the school and two are foreign exchange students from Germany and Mexico.

“We budgeted for 58 students, and we have 70 students,” said Pietila. “It is a big jump. To budget for 58 and end up with 70 is a pleasant change.”

Curtis said one thing that is attractive for high school students at LaCrosse is the running start classes which have been offered for five years now.

“College in the high school is growing everywhere,” he said. “Our teachers here teach the classes. We are fortunate enough to have teachers qualified to teach the classes.”

Curtis said he sees the running start offerings as a way for the LaCrosse students to “level out the playing field” with students from more urban schools. He said the running start is offered through Eastern Washington University, Central Washington University and Washington State University-Tri-Cities.

“We have running start classes for six periods a day. This is the most classes we have ever offered,” said Curtis. “So far we have been able to pay for everything for the students.”

Curtis said more students may be coming to LaCrosse soon.

“We will find out this week on another student or two,” he said.

In addition to the new students has come new staff members. In total, seven new staff appointments changed from the 2014-15 school year to now.

Joining Pietila as new staff members are secretary Liz Gradwhol, social studies and technology coordinator Jeff Gates (who was a long-term substitute last year), kindergarten teacher April Guske (who worked in the preschool last year), preschool teacher Brenda Camp, special education paraprofessional Kynsey Roberts and long-term substitute Pam Meserve, who is filling in for special education paraprofessional Tricia Bennett while she is on maternity leave. Additionally, the school has an opening for a part-time paraprofessional and may also be seeking a full-time paraprofessional in the near future.

“Some of them were already here (last year),” Pietila said of the staffing changes. “But the transition is going real smoothly.”

Of Pietila’s — or “Mr. P’s”, as the students call him — appointment to principal, Curtis said he feels fortunate to have been able to bring in the former principal from Wahluke High School in Mattawa.

“We are really lucky to get him,” said Curtis. “Jeff has been highly successful everywhere he has been.”

Curtis cited Wahluke’s growing student population as one of Pietila’s accomplishment during his tenure there. Curtis previously told the Gazette that Pietila helped the school rise from the bottom in academic achievement to a school that was named in the 2013 U.S. World News and Report as one of the best high schools in the United States.

Curtis said LaCrosse will be a different challenge for Pietila, but Curtis said Pietila is up for the challenge and expects him to be able to contribute greatly to the school.

“He is a high energy get ‘er done kind of person,” said Curtis. “He really wants to be here, and he’s been successful wherever he has been.”

Curtis also touched on school sports at the meeting. The school does not currently have enough students to field its own football team at the middle school or high school level, so it has partnered with St. John/Endicott.

“When we cannot form a team, we team up,” said Curtis. “We did not have enough boys for a football team, but we are working really hard to provide opportunities for the kids.”

The football players commute to Endicott and St. John on district vehicles.

“It is a big time commitment, but we want our kids to have a traditional high school experience,” Pietila said.

He added that the boys’ basketball teams will commute to Endicott and St. John to join the team there when their season starts.

LaCrosse is currently in their traditional partnership with Washtucna and Kahlotus for girls’ volleyball and will also be with them for girls’ basketball.

Pietila said some school staffers will be working over the coming weeks to improve the school’s website as well.

“We will be trying to upgrade that on a now-time basis,” he said. “It will be much more useful.”

He said the website will be enhanced and updated more regularly to stay on “now-time” and provide parents and the community with a better idea of what is going on at the school.

“If our parents know what is going on, they will be more involved,” Pietila predicted.

Curtis said he plans to continue to work with LaCrosse Community Pride and businesses within the community to help provide expanded opportunities for the students.

“We are trying hard this year to form partnerships with people in the community and outside of the community to create educational opportunities for the kids,” said Curtis. “It exposes them more to the outside world. That is part of our job to try to create those opportunities for kids.”