Nespelem School hoping to expand sports area

Nespelem School is hoping to find extra land on which to expand with a future sports area.

The board voted last week to formally inquire with the Colville Tribes about land across the street currently held in trust status that the school board members recall being acquired by the tribes for that purpose.

The board met in special session Dec. 26 specifically to authorize a letter to Colville Business Council Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson to address the topic.

“It was years ago that the tribe had let us know that they had purchased the property across the street for the high school for the Nespelem school,” Board President Jolene Marchand said.

The school recently began to expand its educational footprint, this year offering a ninth-grade curriculum and planning to add a grade each year until a full high school curriculum is offered, with a stated aim of serving students who may not adapt successfully at Lake Roosevelt Jr./Sr. High School.

Architects had recently informed the school that an area near its current bus barn would not be large enough to allow for their desired expansion of a sports facilities, including for football, track and field, cross country and possibly soccer.

“I think there’s a growing interest for soccer in our younger students, as well,” Marchand noted.

The property was said to be situated south of the school and “west of the Palmer residence.”

Director Jarae Cate questioned whether there would be enough water available there for irrigation of fields, an issue the school has been dealing with for its current field on the school’s north side.

Superintendent/Principal Effie Dean said it likely would not be a worse area for water. She noted that sometimes grants become available to install artificial turf, which wouldn’t need water.