Hundreds of students leave Central Valley High School for the last time to attend new Ridgeline High this fall

June 18, 2021 6:49 PM

Elenee Dao,

Posted: June 18, 2021 6:49 PM

Updated: June 18, 2021 6:51 PM

by Elenee Dao

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Friday was the last day of school for the Central Valley School District, and even though it ends a year of changes, students will have to go through a few more next year.

Friday marked the end of an interesting year for kids, as they started out fully online then switched to hybrid and then full-time.

“It’s been different. I mean we started off online and then I went a couple days, and then like just for a couple months, I’ve been able to go back full time,” said Taylor Waltermire, a sophomore at Central Valley High School. “I wish I could’ve been going back full time all year.”

Taylor and all other sophomore students have yet to actually experience high school. Freshman year was cut short because of the pandemic, and sophomore year wasn’t all in-person, too.

Soon, about 500 students from Central Valley High will have to make adjustments again. They’re being transferred to the brand new Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake as boundary lines had to be redrawn.

Sophomore Kelsey McDevitt told 4 News Now she was a little sad about having to make the switch.

“A lot of my friends are staying here, because they’re not in the boundaries, so they’re unable to come to the new school. Also, I’ll have a lot of friends next year that’ll be seniors [at Central Valley High], so I won’t get to see them, but that’s okay,” Kelsey said. “I’ll be able to make new friends and have better opportunities at the new school.”

“I would be more sad if I had a stronger connection with CV, just given that I’ve only had six months here. I’m more excited than sad,” added Jillian Persicke, another sophomore currently at Central Valley High.

All three students, and more, are ready to forge their own path in a new high school. They’ll be the first class to enter Ridgeline, so they’ll get to be at the top for the next two years, since there won’t be any seniors there this fall.

The school will end up having more than 900 students walking the halls this September. More than 300 will be students streaming in from middle schools, a few from University High, and then there will be about 50 new students coming to Ridgeline.

“I think it’s really cool. Not many people get that chance, so I’m excited I can get that opportunity,” Taylor said.