Pateros school student enrollment decline prompts budget freeze

PATEROS – Student full time enrollment (FTE) in the Pateros school declined by almost 11.5 percent from this time last year, Superintendent Greg Goodnight told the regular monthly meeting of the Pateros School District Board of Directors on Sept. 26. The school has lost 33 students from 287 last year to 254 last month. The enrollment loss has resulted in a budget freeze and the school could lose significant apportionment and levy equalization funding if enrollment numbers do not recover.

“Most enrollment loss is due to families moving their residences out of the area,” Goodnight told The Quad in an email message last Friday, Sept. 30.  “As everyone knows, housing availability in this region is an issue.”

“If our enrollment doesn’t rebound, the story will be about the impact in 2023-24,” added Goodnight. “The board will make those decisions in April and May.”

It was not all bad news at the board meeting. Principal Susan James reported that Pateros FFA students won the Spirit of the Pavilion award from the hog barn at last month’s Okanogan County Fair for demonstrating outstanding service and their roles as good ambassadors.

The Pateros Pep Band attended WSU Band Day on Sept. 16. School band and music director Jimmie Riders told The Quad that the trip was the first for the Pateros musicians who joined other high school band programs from across the state.

“The students got to rehearse with the CMB (Cougar Marching Band) in the morning, ate breakfast with them, toured the college for a few hours, got to see the football game, and performed with the band on the field at half time,” said Rogers. “I'm not sure of how many schools participated but I know it was about 200 high schoolers participating in total.”

Ag instructor ands FFA advisor Brevin Evenson presented the year-end Career and Technology Report including a four-year CTE plan.

Evenson later told The Quad that the goal of the plan is to “improve the agriculture program here at the school. I think currently we have an amazing program. We just need to fit a few of the pieces together and with this being my second year here I feel like those pieces are starting to fall into place.”

Evenson said one of his goals is to obtain shop equipment best suited to prepare students for real industry jobs. 

“The additional equipment includes welders, plasma cutters, 3D printers, etc. to create more learning opportunities for our students,” Evenson said.

Ag and FFA courses are gaining in popularity at Pateros.

“Our program has jumped in enrollment from an average of eight kids in Ag CTE courses to an average of almost 15,” said Evenson. “Our FFA Program has jumped from a whopping one member to a massive 15 members this year.  I'm excited as an Ag teacher because the kids are buying into the program and reaping all the benefits.”

Brevin said he would also like to add a greenhouse to the campus.

“Our chances are good for a greenhouse, but we are early in the early planning stages such as selecting a location, determining what kind of greenhouse, and how we can make it for the budget we want,” said Evenson. “Funding for the greenhouse and equipment will most likely come from grants, fundraising, and yearly state mandated funds.”

Among other business:

• Outdoor Ed at Alta Lake State Park will run from Oct. 11-14.

• Homecoming Week is Oct. 17-21.

• A new messaging system, ParentSquare, will help the school connect with parents.

• Microsoft TEALS (Technology Education & Literacy in Schools) volunteers spent a day with computer programming students.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24 in the school library.