For the 2006/2007 School Year

School District History and School Renovations

Nine Mile Falls School District follows both sides of the Spokane River approximately 30 meandering miles from Seven Mile Road on its southern boundary to Scoop Mountain on the northern edge. The widest spot spans 8.5 miles east to west from Wallbridge Road to Richey Road. Spokane and Stevens County residents are served by our District. The District serves students in two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school, with a total enrollment of approximately 1700 (Oct. 2006). In the summer of 2003 the District installed a new telephone system which was paid by federal grant funds. The new system enhances 911 reporting and adds individual telephone numbers for each staff member and individual voice mailboxes.

Nine Mile Falls Elementary School was the original school in the District, with an enrollment of 60 students in 1960. In 1994 the building was modernized. The multi-purpose room was reroofed in 1995, and the P.T.G. spearheaded a major playground renovation. Plumbing and landscaping improvements were made in 1996. The summer of 1999 marked new carpet and roof work. A remodeling of the school’s driveway to create a new bus loading area was completed in August of 2000. In the summer of 2003 the District installed a new fire alarm system paid for by federal funds. This system brings fire reporting up to current code levels. In the summer of 2003 asbestos was abated in the crawl spaces under the building. A new heating system was installed in the cafeteria in the spring of 2005.

Lake Spokane Elementary School opened in the fall of 1977 with five classrooms, a library, and a multi-purpose room. In 1980, ten classrooms were added to accommodate growth in the area. An office area and four additional classrooms were built in 1984. Eight more classrooms were added in 1995. The P.T.A. (now PTN) raised funds to fence the playground in 1996, and the District reroofed and recarpeted the portable classrooms. In the summer of 1999 the building received new carpet and additional roof work was done. The spring of 2001 saw the bus lanes in front of the school redesigned for safety purposes. New shelving was also added to the library, and a sidewalk was added to the parking area. In 2003, mold that was discovered under the portables was removed and encapsulated. Subsequent retesting of classroom air for mold spores has shown the mold to be abated.

Lakeside Middle School opened its doors on September 1, 1998. The thirty-acre site includes athletic fields: baseball, softball, soccer, football, and track. The October 2006 enrollment was at 429, while the building can accommodate 600 students. The middle school was housed in the high school building from 1990 to June of 1998.
Lakeside High School opened for grades 7-10 in September of 1990 and celebrated its first graduation with the class of 1993. In 1997 new carpeting, cafeteria flooring, air conditioning, and business computer lab upgrades were added. Community effort resulted in a first-class baseball field in 1995 and lighting for the football field in 1998. A soccer and a multi-purpose ball field were also 1998 additions. In 1999, the north wing was carpeted and painted, along with new paint for the stage area. New concrete football/track bleachers were laid; the softball field was upgraded; and the soccer field was completed. In 2001, new doors were installed in the gymnasium, giving more reliable access and security. A video security system was added to monitor and record operations in various areas inside and outside the building, and a new fence was added to the soccer field. In the summer of 2004, the library was recarpeted. This completes the total recarpeting of the school.

In May 2007 the voters of the Nine Mile Falls School District approved District sale of bonds in order to make improvements to Nine Mile Falls Elementary and Lake Spokane Elementary schools. During the 2007-2008 school year assigned architects, engineers, and other consultants will be gathering information and developing specifications and designs for these projects. Construction on these projects are currently scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008.
Improvements are ongoing. Maintenance and custodial staff work each summer to keep the schools clean, safe, and attractive for our students, staff, and community use.

Come and visit each site!