Ferney says enrollment is growing
CHENEY - Local business leaders heard from the Cheney School District Superintendent, the mayor, and the Dean of Students at Eastern Washington University in a Community Members Association meeting on September 6.
During the meeting, Cheney School District Superintendent Ben Ferney announced that the community needs at least one more elementary school in Airway Heights and land for another elementary and secondary school.
The district-wide enrollment is 5200 and growing, which makes Cheney Public Schools the 4th largest school district in the region according to Ferney.
He said 150 students are coming into the district per year. He stated that while super majority bonds are hard to pass, levies and bonds are needed to fund this project.
The proposed bond is about $68 million.
He announced a strategic plan: to gather input from students, parents, teachers and guardians, which is currently getting started.
The Mayor of Cheney Chris Grover said he was hoping to get the water reclamation project off the ground by 2025. The city currently treats and pumps 1 million gallons of water into the wetland area. The purple pipe project will allow the city to treat it to a higher level so it can be used for watering and take pressure off of the domestic water supply.
He said that the City of Cheney is working on partnering with Eastern Washington University for internships, including hosting a "planning on development" internship class. The comprehensive plan is due for review, and they are looking for feedback from the community for the next 7-10 years to see what growth will look like. The mayor will be reaching out for community input.
Other groups brought presentations to the table as well.
Kelly Ashe with Parks and Recreation announced that the dog park is finally open and that they are planning on adding benches, shelters and water in the future.
Samantha Armstrong, the Dean of Students at Eastern Washington University announced that the semester schedule for the nursing program has already started in Spokane.
Quarter students are to move back on September 13.
Enrollment at Eastern Washington University is down due to factors including a decreased population in the college-aged demographic. Enrollment is about 8600, the incoming class is down 5% and sits just shy of 1400. The college is working towards experiential learning and other options while keeping the needs of the community, region, and students in mind.
This means that there will be a sunsetting of some programs, and restructuring and helping students get out of school with the least amount of debt.
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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