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By Drew Lawson
The Times 

71 Eastern Washington school leaders sign letter asking for return of extra-curricular activities

 

Last updated 1/20/2021 at 2:16pm

UPDATE: The list of signatures is expanding west and has reached triple digits at 103 as of Dec. 22, with many coming from Central Washington, in addition to a growing Eastern Washington list. The signatures below are divided into WIAA leagues.

REARDAN--71 school superintendents, principals and athletic directors across Eastern Washington, including 20 from Lincoln County, have signed onto a letter to Gov. Jay Inslee, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Legislature requesting the return of extra and co-curricular activities for all students, including sports.

The letter was written as part an effort headed by Reardan superintendent Eric Sobotta and Davenport superintendent Jim Kowalkowski and argues that students need sports and extra-curricular activities to succeed academically, mentally and emotionally.


"Many of us are engaged in onsite learning and have been since the beginning of the school year. The data is showing very limited transmission of the virus within schools leading to the conclusion that the school campus is one of the safest places a student can be during this pandemic," the letter states. "There is an immediate need for our school districts, in partnership with local health districts, to have the ability to slowly and safely engage students in small group extra and co-curricular activities with a return to limited, local/regional competition."

The letter also says that not having extra-curricular activities is an issue of equity, noting that many students are finding ways to play sports, but not all students have the means to do so.


"ALL students deserve an opportunity and an outlet. We agree with WIAA Executive Director, Mick Hoffman, when he wrote on November 11, 'Not to mention schools offer the most equitable opportunities for students of all skill levels and financial means. Restricting the ability of schools forces students and families to pursue avenues that are cost prohibitive and have fewer safety measures,'" the letter states.

The signers all come from school districts in Eastern Washington that compete at either the 1A, 2B or 1B level, with the exception of some independents.

The following school leaders in Lincoln County all signed the letter, in addition to Sobotta and Kowalkowski:

Davenport principal Chad Prewitt

Davenport athletic director Tim Zeiler

Reardan principal Deborah Newsum

Reardan co-athletic directors Eric Nikkola and Brian Graham

Reardan special education director JoLynn Ray

Odessa superintendent Daniel Read

Odessa principal Jamie Nelson

Odessa athletic director Bruce Todd

Harrington principals Tiffany Clouse and Chad Prewitt

Harrington athletic director Michael Cronrath

Coulee-Hartline superintendent James Evans

Almira-Coulee-Hartline athletic director Brandon Walsh

Almira superintendent Shauna Schmerer

Almira-Coulee-Hartline principal Kelley Boyd

Wlibur-Creston principal Glenn Arland

Wilbur-Creston athletic director Darin Reppe

Bill Ressel, Superintendent, Sprague School District

The letter is also signed by WIAA District 7 Director Joe Richer and District 9 Director Don Wilkens.

Here is a complete list of all 103 signers to date, aside from Richer and Wilkens. They are divided by WIAA league.

Bi-County 2B

Eric Sobotta, Superintendent, Reardan-Edwall School District

Jim Kowalkowski, Superintendent, Davenport School District

Jerry Pugh, Superintendent, Colfax School District

Deborah Newsum, Principal, Reardan-Edwall School District

Kevin Terris, HS Principal, Lind-Ritzville School District

Tim Zeiler, Athletic Director, Davenport School District

Shirley Baker, Athletic Director, Chewelah School District

Michael Olsen, Superintendent, Kettle Falls School District

Eric Nikkola, Athletic Director, Reardan-Edwall School District

Dale Bonfield, Superintendent, Asotin-Anatone School District

Brian Graham, Athletic Director, Reardan-Edwall School District

Brett Baum, Superintendent, Liberty School District

Tiffany Clouse, Principal, Harrington School District (note: Harrington is independent)

David Gibb, Principal, Colfax Jr/Sr High School

Chad Prewitt, Principal, Davenport School District

Gina Hopkins, Athletic Director, Colfax School District

Michael Cronrath, Athletic Director, Harrington School District

Brendan A. Johnson, Principal, Asotine-Anatone School District

Curtis Corvino, Principal, Kettle Falls School District

Loren Finley, Athletic Director, Kettle Falls School District

Greg Whitmore, Athletic Director, Lind-Ritzville School District

Todd Spear, Superintendent, Lamont and Washtucna

Ryan Peplinski, Athletic Director, St. George’s School

Roger Gerstenberger, Head of Schools, Northwest Christian Schools

Richard McFarland, Superintendent, Chewelah School District

Shawn Anderson, Principal, Jenkins Jr/Sr High School

Bill Ressel, Superintendent, Sprague School District

Kyle Dodge, Athletic Director, Liberty School District

Don Vanderholm, Superintendent, Lind-Ritzville

JoLynn Ray, Special Education Director, Reardan-Edwall School District

Aaron Spuler, Athletic Director, Northwest Christian Schools

Northeast 1B

Jamie Nelson, Principal, Odessa School District

Daniel Read, Superintendent, Odessa School District

Jason Stewart, Athletic Director, Republic School District

Steven Carson, MS/HS Athletic Director, Inchelium School District

Greg Price, Superintendent, Columbia School District

Curt Nelson, Athletic Director, Columbia School District

Brandon Walsh, Athletic Director, Almira Coulee Hartline

Darin Reppe, Athletic Director, Wilbur-Creston

James Evans, Superintendent, Coulee Hartline School District

Bruce Todd, Athletic Director, Odessa School District

Glenn Arland, Principal, Wilbur-Creston

Kelley Boyd, Principal, Almira Coulee Hartline

Shauna Schmerer, Superintendent, Almira School District

Kevin Young, Superintendent, Republic School District

Don Baribault, Superintendent, Northport School District

Northeast 1A

Brian Talbott, Superintendent, Nine Mile Falls School District

Kris Herda, Athletic Director, Freeman School District

Jeff Pietz, Athletic Director, Lakeside High School

Southeast 1B East

Toddette McGreevy, Athletic Director, Pomeroy School District

Fred Knebel, Athletic Director, Pomeroy School District

Nettie Severs, Athletic Director, Pomeroy School District

Rachel Gwinn, Superintendent, Pomeroy School District

Amy Miller, Principal, Pomeroy School District

Doug Curtis, Superintendent, LaCrosse Schools

Jeff Gates, Athletic Director, LaCrosse School District

Suzanne Schmick, Superintendent, St. John-Endicott Cooperative

Jim Moehrle, Athletic Director, Colton School District

Billy Ray, Athletic Director, St. John-Endicott Cooperative

Rosie McLain, Athletic Director, Tekoa-Rosalia

Matt McLain, Principal, Rosalia School District

Mark Heid, Superintendent, Tekoa School District

Jordan Jennings, Principal, LaCrosse School District

Paul Clark, Superintendent/HS Principal, Colton School District

Ken Lindgren, Athletic Director, Oakesdale School District

Mike Jones, Principal, Garfield-Palouse

Ken Gering, Athletic Director, St. John – Endicott

Zane Wells, Superintendent/Principal, Garfield School District

Nathan Holbrook, Athletic Director, Garfield-Palouse

Scott Thompson, Athletic Director, Garfield-Palouse

Southeast 1B West

Zachery Janis, Athletic Director, Yakama Nation Tribal School

Nick Hazeltine, Athletic Director, DeSales High School

Central Washington 1B

Miles Caples, Superintendent, Entiat School District

Marcus Stennes, Athletic Director, Pateros School District

Mike Hull, Principal, Pateros School District

Greg Goodnight, Superintendent, Pateros School District

Central Washington 2B

Tim Rasmussen, Athletic Director, Grand Coulee Dam

Kevin Daling, Athletic Director, Okanogan School District

Scott Sattler, Superintendent, Bridgeport School District

Bob Shacklett, High School Principal, Okanogan School District

Tamra Jackson, High School Principal, Bridgeport School District

Scott A. Darwood, Athletic Director, Bridgeport School District

Eric Thomas Sivertson, Director of Operations, Manson School District

Ashley Goetz, Superintendent, Okanogan School District

Caribou Trail 1A

Dominique Coffin, Athletic Director, Cascade School District

Brett Fancher, Athletic Director, Quincy School District

Rudy Joya, Assistant Principal, Cascade School District

Elia Alailima-Daley, Principal, Cascade School District

Columbia Basin Big-9 4A

Loren Sandhop, Athletic Director, Moses Lake School District

Dr. Joshua Meek, Superintendent, Moses Lake School District

Dave Balcom, Ex. Dir. of Student Support Ser., Moses Lake School District

Triscia Hochstatter, High School Principal, Moses Lake School District

CWAC 2A

Bryan Johnson, Athletic Director, Ephrata School District

Aaron Cummings, High School Principal, Ephrata School District

Tim Payne, Superintendent, Ephrata School District

Cole Kanyer, Athletic Director, Ellensburg School District

Beau Snow, High School Principal, Ellensburg School District

Jinger Haberer, Superintendent, Ellensburg School District

Jake Davis, Athletic Director, Selah School District

Colton Monti, Principal, Selah School District

Shane Backlund, Superintendent, Selah School District

More information on this letter and comment from local superintendents is in the Dec. 17 issue of The Davenport Times.

Author Bio

Drew Lawson, Editor

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Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.

 

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