Alternative School On West Side Closing

Sun., April 27, 1997

From Staff And Wire Reports

Kent West, a 27-year-old alternative high school in the Kent School District, is closing at the end of the school year for educational and financial reasons.

Administrators say the student turnover rate is close to 100 percent at the school, partly because some students have family and personal struggles ranging from teen pregnancy to learning problems. Of the school’s 187 current students, 125 arrived sometime after the start of the school year, and about an equal number left.

“We honestly believe that Kent West is not meeting the needs of students in the same way it was years ago,” said Superintendent Jim Hager. “Kids have changed.”

The district estimates the closure could save $500,000 annually.

Kent West students will move to the district’s other high schools next year. They include three existing schools and a new high school, Kentlake, which opens in the fall.

Hager said Kent West’s 19 teachers and 11 other staff members will be reassigned to district schools.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.