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.
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