Our Voice: Thumbs up, Thumbs down
New home for Delta High
During his remarks at the dedication ceremony of the new 45,000 square-foot home for Delta High School, Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn referred to the school’s opening as the fulfillment of a dream. It’s also a testament those the visionary and innovative community leaders and who made it possible.
In 2006 representatives from Battelle, who operates Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Washington State University Tri-Cities and the school districts of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland met discuss the possibility of creating a high school in the Tri-Cities focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). They were in search of way to better prepare our children to be productive members of an increasingly technology-driven society.
In 2008 Battelle and the Paul. G. Allen Family Foundation provided grants for hiring a planning principal and Columbia Basin College joined the project, offering it’s former Richland campus virtually rent free as a site for the first school site. A Battelle pledge of up to $1.2 million, $700,000 in donations from local companies, organizations and individuals and a pledge of $800,000 from the state to help cover the first four years of operating expenses allowed the school to open in the fall of 2009. Last year the Washington State STEM Education Foundation, with a $5.4 million dollar grant from the Legislature and local contributions funded construction of the facility which will should serve as a prototype for future such schools across the state.
Thumbs up and eternal gratitude to all those involved. Through your efforts the dreams of many young citizens will be realized.
Poor planning, communication
If good intentions were all that mattered we would be giving the U.S. Department of Justice and the Pasco Police Department two thumbs up for the public workshop held Wednesday. The controversial police shooting death of Antonio Zambranos-Montes this spring further damaged already strained relations between the Pasco Police Department and a large portion of the Hispanic community. The DOJ offered to help improve those relations through training and public engagement and that help was welcomed by the Pasco PD. We applaud their efforts. No so much their planning. Only 10 citizens attended Wednesday’s meeting. A stunningly small number until you take into account Wednesday’s public meeting was announced late Tuesday and held from 1 to 5 p.m.. on Wednesday. If the DOJ is going to be effective in helping build bridges with the community they need to hold meetings at a time when working citizens can attend and give adequate notice.
This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 6:05 PM with the headline "Our Voice: Thumbs up, Thumbs down."