Two weeks ago during an early fall heat wave, Wenatchee High School had to go to half days for two days because the aging HVAC system could’t keep up with the high temperatures.
So I reached out to Wenatchee School District Director of Communications Diana Haglund and asked her if Superintendent Kory Kalahar could show me the systems and explain the needs to the community.
In the video above we climb up to the roof and take a look at two of the four 53-year-old HVAC units that have been working to keep the 285,000-square-foot cool in the warmer months and warm during the winter.
So give it a watch and if you weren’t aware of the need to replace the building, you can learn more about it at wenatcheeschools.org.
And full disclosure I currently have two kids at WHS, have been on past citizen bond committees to improve the high school and have participated as a member of the current facilities committee (although my attendance has been spotty).
So I am not an unbiased third party on this one. I do agree with the committee’s recommendation to replace WHS, and to seek voter support to do so.
However it’s up to each person to make up their own mind and if you are an eligible voter in Wenatchee I encourage you to take upcoming opportunities to look at the current facility and decide for yourself whether its a safe, quality space for our community’s children to finish their K-12 education.
Updates On Other Recent Stories
Kyle Kniveton, the Wenatchee teacher who allegedly expressed a desire to run over and shoot his boss at John Newbery Elementary, did not return to work this fall.
Neil Oyston, the director of coaching for Wenatchee FC (Football Club) was terminated by the club’s board of directors last week. It comes on the heels of parents, athletes former board members coming forward about a culture of bullying and financial irregularities in the organization.
The trial of Michael E. Wilson, the former Bible study leader accused of “grooming” and then sexually assaulting young men in his Bible study, is still pending. The last readiness hearing was on Sept. 8. I will continue to keep an eye on the case.
