Sara Leaming

A grant that would pour millions of dollars into three Spokane-area high schools to boost participation in Advanced Placement courses may not be awarded because of opposition from local teachers unions. The unions for Spokane and Central Valley school district educators say the privately funded grants violate collective bargaining agreements by paying teachers stipends for students' passing grades on the College Board's AP exams.

The Spokane Public Schools board of directors selected two finalists Monday for the superintendent position. In a special meeting the board chose current Spokane schools Interim Superintendent Nancy Stowell, and Darlene Schottle, the superintendent for Kalispell (Mont.) Public Schools for final interviews to be conducted next week.

Despite being granted a state waiver for four days missed because of snow, Spokane Public Schools officials are still debating whether to lengthen the school day for the rest of the year or shorten summer vacation. "We asked for the waiver because we thought it would give us flexibility," Superintendent Nancy Stowell said.

Spokane and North Idaho school districts will incinerate thousands of pounds of beef as part of the nation's largest-ever recall of meat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has ordered schools to burn anything in excess of 50 cases of frozen meat coming from the California-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Packing Co., officials said.

Katie Reichard isn't old enough to vote, but the 17-year-old Lewis and Clark High School senior has skipped a few classes this week to volunteer for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Today, with the blessing of her parents and teachers, she'll be excused from school to attend the rally with Michelle Obama at the Fox theater.

For the first time in 11 years, the 28,000 students in Spokane Public schools will get a day off courtesy of old man winter. The district joined dozens of other public and private schools as well as colleges and universities in the region that cancelled classes today because of Sunday's snowstorm. Others will decide this morning.

Early budget forecasts show Spokane Public Schools may be looking to fill a gap of more than $2 million next school year. But the district is hoping to stave off any drastic changes to staff or programs.

Spokane kids just can't catch a break. Even the biggest winter storm in four years – a storm that closed many schools in North Idaho and some in Eastern Washington – failed to produce a snow day.

Spokane Public Schools will host two community forums Monday to gather input to assist in the selection of the district's next superintendent. Members of the consulting firm hired by the school board to perform a national search for a new leader will meet with both staff and the public.

Architect and lifelong Spokane resident Donald Neraas, who left his mark on the design of many local buildings, including St. John's Cathedral, died Saturday. He was 76. Neraas, a graduate of Lewis and Clark High School, began his career at the age of 16, working for Whitehouse and Price, the architecture firm that helped with the design of the landmark South Hill church.

In the next five years, Central Valley School District needs a third high school capable of holding 1,800 students, plus new elementary and middle schools, a draft capital facilities plan says. The plan, unveiled Monday, prioritizes construction projects needed to address the growing population of Spokane County's second-largest school system, and also provides a glimpse of how full some of the district's schools are already. "It's not complete; it's still just a draft," said Melanie Rose, district spokeswoman. "I expect there are going to be changes."