Schools prepare to re-open

School bells are about to ring.

The Grand Coulee Dam School District opens its door to students next Tuesday.

The start of school will see three new faces as principals of the various schools.

Newcomer Ronanda M. Liberty takes over as principal at the Grand Coulee Dam Middle School, after being hired this summer to take over from Brandon Byers who moves to Lake Roosevelt High School.

He replaces Brad Wilson who left the district to take a position with the Chelan School District.

Lisa Lakin, while not new at Center Elementary, starts her year at that school. She started out at Middle School last year and then teamed up with Superintendent Dennis Carlson to handle dual principal duties at Center School after Sue Hinton left the district.

School officials expect over 600 students when school bells chime. The district is budgeted for 610 students.

Liberty comes to the district from Connell, Wash., where she taught a variety of subjects during her time there.

Center School will have three kindergarten classes, a first for the district.

Teachers show up Monday, Aug. 26, with students following the next day.

Nespelem teachers are back on the job by Monday, aslo. And a traditional community barbecue is planned for 5 p.m. Tuesday with an open house for the school.

While students are gathering for a return to school their thoughts might easily be centered on the new K-12 school project at the old Wright Elementary School site. The new school complex is scheduled for completion in October, 2014. Students will likely start school in 2014 in the old schools, but move into the new complex shortly after school begins.