Facilities topic at CVSD forum

Central Valley School District is starting to plan for its long-term future by holding a series of community forums to discuss its facilities needs.

The district held the first of three of these forums Jan. 14 at North Pines Middle School.

“Our facilities are aging,” Superintendent Ben Small said. Mike Bissell, a member of the district’s Capital Facilities Planning Committee, led the meeting and told the audience the committee has visited every one of the district’s 24 facilities – two high schools, an alternative high school, five middle schools, 13 elementary schools, a kindergarten center, an early learning center and the administration building. The average age of the buildings is 31 years old and the last bond that passed was in 1998, when voters approved construction of new high school facilities at Central Valley and University.

Bissell said the main issues the committee noticed in the schools were safety and security of the buildings, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and issues with schools built with an open concept design.

There are no plans to float a bond to the voters, but the district wants to be prepared for when the time comes.

“We want to represent you folks and every other voter in the district as much as we can,” Bissell told the forum.

Audience members had the chance to ask questions of both staff and Bissell. They then filled out a survey and met in groups to discuss the major issues with the district’s facilities.

One issue expressed by some was the extravagance of the two new high schools. Many groups felt that it wasn’t necessary to spend so much money on some aspects of the buildings – such as the auditoriums. They said tthe new high schools are the last thing done with taxpayers’ money and think it will be hard to achieve a supermajority of voters during the next bond initiative.

Another issue was to improve the way the district promotes school activities to increase attendance and by doing so, raise more money for the district. A suggestion was to improve the school reader boards for those parents who may be too busy to keep track of school activities.

One group suggested revising the district’s boundaries to help alleviate overcrowding.

The district will hold its next forum in March. For more information, call the district office at (509) 228-5400.

Spirit week fundraiser

The students at Centennial Middle School in the West Valley School District have held two-weeks of activities and dress-up days to raise money for the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.

Many students paid $1 for the privilege of wearing hats to school one day. There was also a pajama day, a sports day, school colors day, nerd day and crazy hair day.

The students also collected money in jars during breaks and those who donated $1 or more had their names entered into a drawing for gift cards.

The two weeks of fundraising culminated in a school dance Friday with the proceeds benefitting the charity.

“My goal is $800,” said Shelly Davis, a school counselor and adviser to the Associated Student Body, the group that organized the events and picked the charity.

Davis said the ASB picks a cause to raise funds for every year.

“We like to do things that are close to home,” she said. In past years, the students have held this fundraiser for families of students or staff at the school in need. “There are just too many needs in the world.”

Strategic Planning Summit

The Central Valley School District will host a Strategic Planning Summit Feb. 5 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Feb. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon at CenterPlace at Mirabeau Point Park, 2426 N. Discovery Place.

The district is looking for parents’ perspective as it develops its mission and action strategies. The summit will also discuss draft commitments and goals.

Those interested are asked to attend both days of the summit.

For more information, call (509) 228-5404 or e-mail cmcroberts@cvsd.org.