Opening week of school goes smoothly in Medical Lake

Even on a day when there have been little changes over the summer, glitches seem to find their way into things when school doors swing open for the new year.

But in Medical Lake, where significant changes were made to security measures at all schools, most everything went quite well last Wednesday, Aug. 29, for the first day of classes according to district officials.

District Superintendent Tim Ames and Kim Headrick, director of teaching and learning, both made the rounds of all the buildings.

"We spent some time and talked to kids and staff and by the end of the day we felt it was an excellent start," Ames said.

"Very much so," Headrick confirmed.

Medical Lake High School made a specific impression on Ames with their convocation that welcomed all students, but particularly the incoming freshmen.

Patterned after some of the raucous introduction ceremonies for professional or college athletics, the staff created a tunnel for the freshmen to pass through into the gym.

"All the sophomores, juniors and seniors stand up and just cheer them on," Ames said. "(There are) high-fives, the bands are playing, the lights are low," all welcoming the class of 2022.

The event includes staff introductions, performances by cheerleaders, addresses by the ASB officers and a slide show.

There was a cheer contest where the loudest class wins. "Usually seniors win the first one, but it looks like the freshmen took it on the last one," Ames said. "You walk out of there, your ears are ringing, what a great start."

The event is a nice start for the relatively small size of the high school which allows activities like this to take place, Ames said. "Some high schools - the big ones - can't fit all the students into the gym."

Over the summer, all district schools were retrofitted with new secure doors that require front office personnel to admit visitors.

"We got buzzed in at the middle school, we got buzzed in all the way around," Headrick said. "Tim and I tested it out, we were the Guinea pigs I guess."

Those measures worked very well, with one exception, Ames said.

There was one glitch and that was at the middle school where the buzzer was ringing without anyone pushing the button. "We gotta' get that one fixed, but other than that it went well," Ames said.

Another new feature at the high school is the implementation of an open campus setting during lunch periods. Ames and Headrick observed that a significant number of students stay on campus. "We didn't see a large wave of kids move out," Ames said.

One student, a sophomore, crossed the street just to say "Hi" to a parent who is a staff member. "I just want to say hi to my dad," Ames said he overheard.

The open campus policy will be monitored throughout the year with adjustments possible depending on how the student population handles this new-found freedom that allows them to either go home for lunch, or to visit area businesses for food.

Paul Delaney can be reached at pdelaney@cheneyfreepress.com.