Several changes in Central Valley, West Valley districts’ administrations

Central Spokane Valley schools will have several new principals greeting students when classes begin in a few weeks.

Although East Valley schools starting Aug. 31 will retain the same principals, Central Valley and West Valley districts had to do some administrative shuffling at many sites. The changes were the result of retirements or job transfers.

First day of school in West Valley is Sept. 8. Students in Central Valley start Sept. 9.

In the West Valley district, Tim Ames has moved from Pasadena Park Elementary to take over at Centennial Middle School. He replaces Gene Sementi, who went to head up West Valley High School after former principal Cleve Penberthy took a district position.

WVHS also will have two new assistant principals, John Custer and Gary Neal. They replace Amy Bragdon who retired, and Patricia Schmidt who relocated to the Seattle area.

Custer was already based at WVHS where he taught English. Neal was hired from School District 81, where he was an assistant principal at Chase Middle School and a science teacher at North Central High School.

Principal Gayle Van Matre has moved from Ness Elementary to Pasadena Park. Meanwhile, former Centennial Assistant Principal Mike Lollar takes over at Ness. Karen Bromps, who was a principal’s assistant at Salk Middle School, was hired as Centennial’s assistant principal to replace Lollar.

In the Central Valley district, Daryl Hart is the new principal at University High School. He was previously principal of a Monroe, Wash., high school. The U-Hi job came open last fall after Erik Ohlund resigned in a dispute with district administrators over the school’s daily schedule. Ohlund was hired as principal at Ferris High School in District 81.

Other new hires include John Parker as an assistant principal at Evergreen Middle School and Kelly Shea as principal at McDonald Elementary. Parker was a K-8 principal for the Ritzville School District. Shea replaced Jan Lenhart, who retired, and he previously worked as an elementary principal in the Mead School District.

Bowdish Middle School Assistant Principal Gordon Grassi moves to North Pines Middle School in the same position, and Sandra Allen trades places moving from North Pines to Bowdish as assistant principal.

Laurie Sheffler returns to the helm of Horizon Middle School where she was principal for six years. She spent last year working in the central office and now replaces Val Anderson, who retired.

Adams Elementary will have Principal Phyllis Betts, who was at University Elementary. Stepping in at University Elementary will be Sue Lennick, previously coordinator of elementary education for the district.

A new face at Chester Elementary will be Terri Weishaar as principal. She formerly was an assistant principal at Evergreen. Meanwhile, Linda Uphus has transferred from Chester to head Liberty Lake Elementary following the retirement of Dennis Olson.

Ponderosa Elementary has a new principal in Jerrol Olson, previously at Adams. He replaces Jean Marczynski, who took a district position as an executive director for teaching and learning.

Enrollment figures for both West Valley and Central Valley are expected to rise slightly for the 2004-05 school year. WVSD projected an enrollment of 3,498 students, up a notch from 3,418 last year. Central Valley’s projection is at 10,840 full-time equivalents, compared to 10,725 average enrollment for 2003-04.

The East Valley School District expects a slight decrease in enrollment, according to district spokesman Judi Christianson. Enrollment figures were not available this week.

Central Valley’s elementary and middle schools are scheduled to open for registration and business hours on Aug. 24. The district’s high schools are already open for limited hours.

West Valley secretaries also are scheduled to return Aug. 24, but people are encouraged to check with their neighborhood schools.

Most East Valley school offices are expected to open for business Monday, although availability that day may be limited because of staff meetings. EVSDs one year-round school, Continuous Curriculum School that shares space at Skyview Elementary, starts on Monday. Christianson said motorists should be aware of slowing down near the school and at bus stops.