Pasco School District: Building community and new schools are Pasco’s focus

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King

This is a transformative time to serve the students and parents of the Pasco School District.

Thanks to the incredible support of our community, we are moving forward to build new schools, create innovative partnerships from pre-school to college, and open the doors to long-term success for our children. These initiatives will ensure that all Pasco students have a place to grow, learn, and become our community and global leaders.

Our successful November 2017 bond was only possible with the ongoing support and commitment of the entire Pasco community. We are especially grateful to the volunteers of the Community Builders group, who are now focusing on future growth by working on a Long-Term Facilities Master Plan. Thanks to their vision and the support of Pasco voters, we will open two new elementary schools by August 2020, and two middle schools by August 2021.

I am particularly grateful for the dedication of our community members who have advocated for the students of Stevens Middle School. In 2021, a new school will replace the current Stevens building on the same site in central Pasco, providing Stevens students access to updated technology, equipment and facilities.

“The community is so excited about what the future holds for us,” says Stevens Middle School Principal Raquel Martinez. “I’ve talked with lots of people who have told me they went to school here ‘back in the day,’ and they’re so excited for our students to be able to experience the opportunities that are possible with a new, modern building.”

Our community partnerships are also vital to the success of our students. This January, thanks to ongoing collaboration with the City of Pasco, we opened the former Senior Center as a new Early Learning Center.

This facility allows staff and parents to collaborate in one place around the needs of our smallest learners, while at the same time opening space at other schools to manage our continued enrollment growth. We look forward to holding a dedication celebration for the community this fall.

For our district, building community goes deeper. As we grow, we are creating strong ties to our businesses who team up with our schools through programs like PEAK! and Enterprise, supporting career readiness.

We are also grateful to our educational partners like Columbia Basin College and WSU Tri-Cities. With the help of a $500,000 federal grant, WSU Tri-Cities is helping the district expand the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, providing before- and after-school programming at four Pasco elementary schools.

CBC’s growing partnership with New Horizons High School is also primed to change the lives of students. New Horizons students just moved into their new building on the CBC campus last fall, and soon they will be able to earn college credits while simultaneously working toward their high school diploma.

“We have so many students here who are already making grown-up decisions,” says New Horizons High School Principal Seth Johnson. “This partnership will help them break the cycle of poverty. They’ll be able to leave here with a certification that allows them to go make a livable wage and compete for jobs that students with just a high school diploma wouldn’t be able to get. This is going to change lives and change communities.”

Building community creates the best foundations for our children, who are our next generation of leaders. With gratitude, I am proud to say, “We are Pasco.”

This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Pasco School District: Building community and new schools are Pasco’s focus."