Kennewick School District: Building and technology help shape the future
Kennewick School District continues its trend of growth and advancement – in our facilities, in technology, in student success and in planning for the future.
Our district – the largest in Southeastern Washington with nearly 19,000 students and more than 2,600 employees – started the 2019-20 school year by completing a capital project that helps position us for that future.
A Season of Building
We opened the first phase of a new Amistad Elementary in August 2019, with a state grant to reduce elementary class sizes covering the cost.
The second phase of the new Amistad will open this August, completing the replacement and expansion of the school. When it’s done, Amistad’s total classroom count will be 42, making it our largest elementary.
That second phase of the Amistad overhaul is funded through a $125 million bond approved by district voters in February 2019 – kicking off a slate of bond projects designed to ensure our facilities keep pace with growth and demand.
The signature bond project is construction of a new Kennewick High School, replacing the Lions’ former home, which dated to the early 1950s.
The new two-story school is taking shape. Track its progress at http://bit.ly/2N7fPoj.
Meanwhile, Kennewick High students continue taking classes while their new building is constructed. They’re using the school’s math and science wing and annex building, plus the nearby Fruitland building, portables and other space.
The new Kennewick High will open in August 2021.
Kamiakin and Southridge high schools also are being expanded and updated through the bond, including 12-classroom additions at each school, plus athletic facility upgrades. Those projects will finish in summer 2021.
Ridge View Elementary also will be remodeled or replaced as part of the bond, and we’ll build our 18th elementary school in a high-growth area of the district.
Apart from the bond, we’re adding 16,000 square feet at Tri-Tech Skills Center, providing new program space and a well-defined entrance with a focus on security. That project is funded from the state’s 2017-19 capital budget, and it’s scheduled to finish this summer.
Preparing Students for the Future
Along with those brick-and-mortar additions, our district is making strides in digital learning through our one-to-one digital device initiative.
All Kennewick students are expected to have one-to-one access to a computer device by 2021-22 through this initiative, which is paid for by a 2018 voter-approved technology levy. The rollout began in fall 2018, and so far thousands of our students are using Chromebooks and similar devices to enhance and support learning, to innovate and create and to prepare for their futures.
Ensuring our students are ready for post-secondary education, work and life is our mission, and we’re proud of our robust Career and Technical Education offerings, as well as our college credit opportunities, including the College in the High School and Running Start programs. Both those programs allow students to earn college credit while still in high school.
Our district also is home to Tri-Tech Skills Center, which gives high schoolers hands-on training in a variety of fields, from law enforcement to health sciences.
Shaping our Future
Finally, we’re focusing on our own future by updating our strategic plan. The public process kicked off with staff and parent/community meetings in March.
The plan will guide the academic and operational priorities of our district, setting benchmarks that we’ll use to measure our performance and progress toward goals.
Thank You, Community
In Kennewick, we’re committed to using taxpayer dollars wisely to build and maintain safe schools, and we strive to prepare our students for bright futures. We’re grateful for our community’s support and look forward to continued growth and success.
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Kennewick School District: Building and technology help shape the future."