Expansion At Medical Lake Progressing

Thu., Aug. 12, 1999

By Carlos Acevedo carlosa@spokesman.com

Medical Lake High School, currently under extensive construction, will be ready for classes this fall, district Superintendent Neal Powell said.

“It really is looking pretty good,” he said. “I think that when people drive by, they get a little concerned.”

But Powell says they needn’t be.

Areas essential for classes will be completed before the beginning of the school year, and the entire project is scheduled to be finished by the end of December.

The expansion and remodeling project, started last August, is funded by the $6.25 million bond issue approved in 1997. With state matching funds, total funding for the project is approximately $14 million.

New construction includes a 14-classroom wing, an auditorium, a Junior Air Force ROTC room, a multimedia room and a bus loop on campus that allows students to disembark a safe distance from the street.

Improvements to the existing facility include modernization and expansion of the gymnasium and cafeteria, modernization of all classrooms and the addition of elevators and ramps for wheelchair access.

The last phase of construction will be the remodeling of the vocational and technical education classrooms, scheduled to be completed Dec. 15.

Because of expected growth in the community, the school is being sized to accommodate 900 students. The high school currently has 650 students enrolled, Powell said.

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.