2025 August Splash

DOCKSIDE

Liberty Lake Librarian Passion shines bright

By Nina Culver Splash contributor

Georgette Rogers, circulation supervisor at the Liberty Lake Library, has been a fixture at the library for 21 years. Throughout her entire career, however, her love for a particular fictional character has never waned – Winnie the Pooh.

Her love of Winnie the Pooh is well known and her office is filled with Pooh pictures, décor and stuffed animals that have been given to her by friends, family members and library patrons. “Winnie the Pooh is my guy,” she said. “He’s just the sweetest little character.”

Her passion for being a librarian still burns brightly, but it's not anything she considered growing up. After she graduated from Reardan High School, she moved to Spokane and took general education classes at Spokane Falls Community College. “I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do,” she said.

While attending classes, she had a work study job at the SFCC library and also took a part-time job at 2nd Look Books on the South Hill. Still, the idea of becoming a librarian never occurred to her. After two years at SFCC, she took time off from school to decide what to do next.

In what Rogers considers divine intervention, one of the librarians at SFCC walked into 2nd Look Books while she was working and the two chatted. When Rogers said she was taking time off to figure out what to do next, the librarian suggested Rogers study library science. The light bulb clicked on.

“It was like this little fire that lit in my belly,” Rogers said.

She headed back to SFCC and earned an associate’s degree in library science. Rogers said that even

though she’d previously attended SFCC, she had not known about the library science classes.

She initially used her degree to get a job as a library technician. She worked for the Spokane County Library District for 4 years, then worked at the library in Spokane Public School’s Garry Middle School for four years before being laid off in 2003. She worked for a few months at the Spokane County Law Library while she looked for other work. Then she heard about a job opening at the new Liberty Lake Library shortly after it opened and applied.

Rogers interviewed for the job in early 2004, but worried that she hadn’t done well during the interview. She drove home chastising herself for not answering a question better, though after all this time Rogers doesn’t remember what the question was. She just

remembers fretting over her answer, convinced she wasn't going to get the job. However, when she got back home, a message was waiting for her from the city’s then finance director, Arlene Fisher, asking her to call City Hall.

“At that point I knew that I had the job,” she said.

Rogers enthusiastically threw herself into the work, doing everything from shelving to book repairs to book check out. “We were the only two employees for a year and a half,” she said of working with then library director Pamela Mogen. “I really did kind of do it all.”

Though her title is now Circulation Supervisor, Rogers still does it all. It’s not unusual for her to shift easily between helping patrons check out books, pointing children toward books they might like and ordering books. “I have such a

variety in my job,” she said. “That’s what I like about it.”

She’s also in charge of training new employees, whom she teaches to repair damaged books by hand. One of the more unusual tasks that she has come to enjoy is taking apart books to be used in the book walks in Rocky Hill Park and Orchard Park. She initially found it to be harder than it looks, but she now does the task with ease.

Library Director Jandy Humble started working at the library 10 years ago and said Rogers is a fixture. If she’s not there, patrons ask about her. “She’s the person most people see when they come into the library,” she said. “Most people think she runs the library. She’s currently the city’s longest standing employee.”

Rogers is the type to remember details about people, Humble said. She remembers who is getting married, who got a new job and who just had a new baby. “She’s really friendly,” Humble said. “She remembers everyone’s name.”

Having such a friendly face to greet people is an asset for the library, Humble said. Because she’s been there so long, people often turn to Rogers when they have questions. “She’s definitely a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the history of the library,” she said. “She likes to say – and it’s true – she has an elephant brain. She never forgets.”

Rogers can do anything and everything in the library and is always willing to lend a hand with whatever task needs to be done, Humble said. “She’s always willing to fill in if someone needs a day off,” she said.

The Liberty Lake Library has humble roots, starting with donated books managed by volunteers in a strip mall. As the library has grown and changed over the years, Rogers has been a constant presence. It’s a busy library, particularly in the summer, the beep of the barcode scanners providing background noise as patrons scan the shelves.

ROGERS

Continued from page 2

Rogers has never thought about going to work at a different library. “I have no desire to change jobs,” she said. “This is home. This is where I belong.”

However, all good things must come to an end. Rogers is already making tentative plans to retire in four years, though she admits the idea makes her sad even though she knows it's nearly time to retire. “I love my job,” she said.

Humble said that she, like everyone else, wants Rogers to be able to retire and live her best life, yet at the same time she doesn’t want Rogers to go. She expects patrons to notice quickly when she retires, since Rogers will leave big shoes to fill.

“I think it will deeply impact the library,” Humble said of Rogers’ eventual retirement. “We’ll miss her so much. I think everyone will notice when she’s gone.”

Q: Why did you want to become a librarian?

A: I have a love of books and a curiosity and love to learn and I wanted to pass that on to others.

Q: How did you get hired at the Liberty Lake Library originally?

A: I saw the ad in the paper, was interviewed by Director Pamela Mogen, Finance Director Arlene Fisher, and City Administrator Lew Griffin. I felt it went well, though

wished I would have answered one question differently, but by the time I drove home, I had a message from Arlene offering me the job!

Q: What has kept you at the Liberty Lake Library for more than 20 years?

A: The staff and the patrons. It has been a great place to work with great coworkers, the city staff and mayor, the way they respect and care about us. I love the people I work with and the people I work for. The patrons are great as well. I have a lot of fun.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

A: All of it. I love working with the patrons and helping them at the front desk! I also enjoy being in the office and working with the lost items, invoices, ordering supplies, etc.

Q: Why do you think libraries are important?

A: They are a great social aspect for all, and a place to learn and find new things and get a love of reading. There are programs for learning and that is so important as well.

Q: Do you have a favorite book or genre?

A: I like historical fiction, and a light mystery. I have several favorites, Winnie the Pooh will hold my heart forever, but I love Lonesome Dove, the When Calls the Heart series by Janette Oke, the Hannah Swenson series by Joanne Fluke and Little Women.

Please join us for our

TH

TH

TUESDAY, AUGUST 12 TH 1:00 – 6:00PM & Frame Show

We’re celebrating 25 years of serving the Liberty Lake community—and you’re invited!

Stop by for an unforgettable afternoon featuring:

• A curated selection of designer frames

• 30% OFF complete pairs of glasses*—one day only!

• Raffles, prizes, food and drink

Liberty to host Aug. 7 open house on new facility options

The Liberty Lake Municipal Library is presenting an open house on Thursday, Aug. 7, during which area residents can learn about and help shape the future of a new library and community flex space that has been proposed for Town Square Park.

The open house will run that night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Visitors at the open house will have the chance to explore and ask questions about preliminary designs and layouts for a future building. Attendees will also be able to offer input on library collections, meeting spaces, and services that they’d like to see.

“W value your input and look forward to hearing from our community,” said the library’s director, Jandy Humble.

The city’s library is located at 23123 E. Mission Ave. in Liberty Lake.

Shakespeare in the Park brings “As You Like It” on Aug. 20

The Montana Shakespeare in the Parks group makes its annual visit to Pavillion Park for a performance of “As You Like It” on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The free show will start at 5 p.m.

Audiences are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy while watching the play.

“As You Like It” is a romantic comedy that follows the character of Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle’s court. Rosalind ventures into the Forest of Arden to encounter a variety of colorful characters and, along the way, explores questions of love and transformation. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks describes this play as one that speaks to the joy and complexity of love, identity, and the transformative power of

nature.

The Shakespeare program comes from Montana State University’s College of Arts and Architecture. The group is performing this summer in more than 60 communities throughout five states (Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, and Washington)

as part of a tour that began on June 11 and will conclude back in Bozeman on Sept. 9.

“As You Like It” is being presented at Liberty Lake through the sponsorship of the Greenstone Foundation, with the co-sponsorship of the City of Liberty Lake.

Spokane Symphony takes the Pavillion Park stage

scores by Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, and “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Audience can also expect to hear Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.”

on Aug. 30

Circle your calendar to hear the traditional sounds of Labor Day weekend at Liberty Lake.

The Spokane Symphony Orchestra will take the stage of Pavillion Park for the 2025 Lud Kramer Memorial Concert on Saturday, Aug. 30, starting at 6 p.m. The free public concert is presented by the Greenstone Foundation and the City of Liberty Lake.

This year’s performance will again include a mix of popular classics as well as familiar songs from Hollywood and Broadway.

Selections will include music from Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt,” plus

The Pavillion Park concert will also feature Musicfest Northwest prize winner Jessie Morosov as soloist on Pablo de Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen,” which is known as a pyrotechnic work for solo violin and orchestra.

Audiences should come early not only for a good spot on the lawn but also to enjoy music from the opening act of Jason Garrett Evenas and Ruth Engeda. The pair will later join the orchestra on Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

Summing up the evening, Spokane Symphony music director James Lowe said: “It’s going to be a fun gig!”

Activities & Food

n Family fun activities, inflatables & Touch A Truck — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

n Ninja Nation course — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

n Music from DJ Mad 1 — 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

n Car show — 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. $10 registration at the event. Awards at 3:30 p.m.

n Train rides — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

n Second Chance Ranch petting zoo — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

n Dunk tank — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

n Food trucks, vendors, and concession stand open — 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Scheduled food trucks: Dippin’ Dots, Mixed Plate, Clementine, Sasquatcho Taco, Kona Ice, and The Wandering Tin Can. Concession stand will be in operation from Kiwanis Club.

n Inflatable chicken races — 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Participant registration starts at 2:30 p.m. at the main stage. Racing groups will be for ages 13-14, 15-17, and 18-up.

n Beer garden — 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Pavillion Stage Entertainment

n Reptile Lady April Jackson — 10 a.m.

n Youth bands (Spider-Monkey with Issac, Crimson Creek, We R Decoys, Rainbow Epoch, The Monday Band) — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

n Frances from Inland Northwest Magic — 1 p.m.

n Northwest Taekwondo Academy — 1:30 p.m.

n Aloha Hula of Spokane — 2 p.m.

n Soulful Brothers featuring Max Daniels — 4 to 5:30 p.m. & 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Dunk Tank!

That’s “Dunk TANK” – not just some mere “water bucket” head splash for this year! Here’s the schedule of who’ll be above the big water tank and awaiting your throws:

n 11:00 a.m. — Mayor Cris Kaminskas of Liberty Lake

n 11:30 a.m. — Chris Cargill, Liberty Lake City Council

n 12:00 noon — Chief Damon Simmons, Liberty Lake Police Dept.

n 12:30 p.m. — Jed Spencer, Liberty Lake City Council

n 1:00 p.m. — Kaaren Kardonsky, Ridgeline Falcons Booster Club president

n 1:30 p.m. — Phil Folyer, Liberty Lake City Planning Commission

n 2:00 p.m. — Michael Hamblet, Ridgeline freshman football head coach

n 2:30 p.m. — Dave Myers, Ridgeline varsity football head coach

n 3:00 p.m. — Val Dimitrov, Precision Driving Academy instructor

n 3:30 p.m. — Deputy Chief Darin Morgan, Liberty Lake Police Dept.

This year’s water dunk is a fundraiser for Girl Scouts Troop 2360. Throw tosses are:

l $2 for 3 throws at 20 feet

l $5 for 3 throws at 15 feet

l $10 for 3 throws at 10 feet

l $20 to just push the target

COVER STORY

Additional Opportunities and new schedules Await Students as school prepare to open

By Nina Culver Splash contributor

A class that was once a fixture in nearly every middle and high school is being revived this fall at Ridgeline High School, as the school becomes one of only a handful in the Central Valley School District to have a wood shop.

Many schools ripped out their wood and metal shops two decades ago as the focus shifted to college readiness. Now, however, the pendulum is swinging back as schools realize that not everyone is interested in college, said Principal Jesse Hardt. In recent years there has been a labor shortage in the trade industries, including construction and manufacturing. That has encouraged some schools to bring back or improve their shop spaces.

“We’re following the trends of the world,” Hardt said.

New equipment and supplies, some still in their cardboard boxes, sit inside the shop space. The drawers of several large metal rolling tool carts are filled with new hand tools, some still in their packaging. Hardt said Ty Larsen, the former principal of Selkirk Middle School who has a background in construction, will be heading up the program.

Though the classes are just starting up, the moment was planned for in the new high school that was opened in 2021. “We had that space built in the original design,” Hardt said. “We already have kids enrolled.”

Hardt said he hopes that getting students enrolled in shop classes will help them learn practical life skills as well as give them a leg up in a career in the trades. “It’s just a good starting point for kids who are interested in that,” he said. “Those jobs are expected to be in high demand.”

This fall Ridgeline will also be expanding its College in the High School program in partnership with Eastern Washington University and Community Colleges of Spokane. The program allows students to take college level courses either online or at Ridgeline so that they graduate high school with an associate’s degree. It’s similar to using the

Running Start program to earn an AA degree in high school, but that program requires students to leave their high school campus and enroll in classes on a college campus.

“You can stay in your high school and get your AA degree,” Hardt said.

The College in the High School program will be fully up and running at Ridgeline this year. “We just rolled out one class last year,” Hardt said. “Now we have a whole menu.”

Ridgeline will also add girl’s swimming to the sports roster this fall. Last year the school partnered with Cheney High School to create a boy’s swimming program in the spring and it’s being expanded this year to add a girl’s team. Swimmers will practice with the Cheney swim team at Eastern Washington University, but compete under the Ridgeline name, Hardt said.

Students have been asking for a swim team, Hardt said, and nine boys signed up for last school year’s inaugural team. “We had good community interest,” he said. “We have kids who are in swim clubs.”

Liberty Creek Elementary School

Principal Alisha Alsaker said her school will be expanding its Meet the Masters program, a program led by parent volunteers that teaches art history. “Each student receives three engaging art lessons per year, introducing them to influential artists, styles and techniques,” Alsaker said.

That program will expand this fall to include an after-school Art Club, where students will be able to learn more about famous artists and create some art of their own. The goal of the program is to build a strong foundation in art appreciation among students, Alsaker said.

Liberty Creek, a K-2 school, will also partner with Liberty Lake Elementary, a grade 3-5 school, to launch a Lego robotics league with nine teams with students in grades 1-5. The program will be led by parent volunteers.

“Creating a Lego robotics league has long been a dream of mine as we continue to develop innovative opportunities for our students,” Alsaker said.

Practices for the new teams will begin shortly after school starts. “With the help of community sponsorships, we successfully secured the funding needed to purchase all necessary supplies,” she said.

Liberty Lake Principal Jennifer Tesky said the goal of the new

robotics program is to give students the chance to explore STEM concepts, work as a team and learn critical thinking and problemsolving skills. “Multiple student teams will participate in design and coding challenges as they prepare for regional competitions later in the year,” Tesky said.

The elementary schools will be partnering with Ridgeline as they launch their program. Hardt said the high school’s robotics teacher has been working behind the scenes with the parent volunteers to get the program up and running. Ridgeline will also offer space for the new program, he said.

“We also have our own very high-level robotics team who can serve as part-time mentors,” he said.

The schools are looking forward to the new program, Alsaker said. “We’re incredibly excited for what lies ahead and are proud of the strong foundation we’ve built for this new and exciting program,” she said.

School start times have been adjusted at Liberty Creek to 9:55 a.m. on Thursdays and at 8:55 a.m. the other four weekdays.

Several district wide changes are starting this fall, including a new school calendar that brings most students back on Aug. 27.

Central Valley has previously gone back to school after Labor

Day, but the district, as well as West Valley, changed their school calendar to go back to school earlier in order to add more breaks during the school year. The new schedules match the schedule the East Valley School District has used for the last 20 years.

Students will still be attending for the traditional 180 days, said Superintendent John Parker. “This is just taking the 180 days and redistributing them,” he said.

The district put together a committee that included staff, parents and community members to consider the change. The group met eight times and also surveyed parents and students to get their input. “It was a very detailed process,” Parker said. “We pulled research. We had speakers come and give us information.”

Schools are closed for Veterans Day, which falls on a Tuesday this year. The district will not have classes the day before, on November 10, to create a four-day weekend for staff and students. Winter break remains the same, but the district added four days off to the week of President’s Day in February, giving everyone a week-long mid-winter break.

Other no school days have been added to the schedule to create occasional three-day weekends. The schedule committee felt the community would appreciate those breaks, Parker said. “I think it was pretty smart work,” he said.

Hardt said he thinks the new schedule will be well received. “I think it makes a lot more sense to spread out the time off,” he said.

Tesky said people seem to be supportive of the new calendar. “Families and staff members have expressed appreciation for the more balanced structure, particularly the extended weekend breaks and the addition of a midwinter break, which provide valuable opportunities for rest and rejuvenation.”

Selkirk Middle School Principal Rachael Crooks said she’s also heard good feedback. “I know staff is kind of excited,” she said. “I’m hoping these natural breaks will help students. I’m excited to see the data at the end of the school year.”

The elementary schools will also see changes in how parent teacher conferences are handled. Previously, the district had 11 half

COVER STORY

school days on the calendar for conferences. This year, the district will switch to having five full days off for conferences, Oct. 22-24 and Feb. 5-6.

“This shift significantly reduces disruptions to instructional time while allowing for more in-depth, meaningful conversations between families and teachers,” Tesky said. “By minimizing the number of early release days, we’re preserving valuable classroom time and promoting stronger continuity in learning.”

Ridgeline will also have some schedule alterations that are unique to the school. The late start held every Thursday to allow for teacher collaboration will now be an hour long, Hardt said. “In the past the high school has had just 30 minutes instead of the full hour,” he said.

The school is also trying something new on the first day of school. Freshman will start school at the usual time, but upperclassmen will not arrive until two hours later. This will allow the freshman to find their classrooms and get settled in with fewer students in the halls, Hardt said. He hopes it will make the first day of school go more smoothly. “There’s nothing like the first day of school for chaos,” he said.

The district has also updated its cell phone policy. Central Valley

simply because not a lot of students were spending a lot of their time on their phones during their limited time between classes, Hardt said. “Walking down the halls, they’re talking, they’re laughing,” he said. “It’s busy. You’ve got to move. There’s not really time for that.”

He said parents can help their children comply with the new rules by either not texting their student during the day or not getting upset if their child cannot reply right away. “We, as parents, are just as bad as kids are,” Hardt said. “We’ll do the best we can with it.”

Crooks, who was assistant principal at Evergreen Middle School last year, said that Evergreen enacted a stricter cell phone ban last year that did not allow cell phone use during the school day. “I saw less incidences of discipline,” she said. “I saw less distraction and more focus on learning.”

formed a committee to study the issue, which recommended that cell phones be allowed before and after school, during lunch and during passing periods. However, Parker said, the school board voted to eliminate cell phone use during passing periods when they approved the new policy.

The school board was so committed to banning cell phone use during passing periods that they voted to spend funding for extra staff to patrol the halls at the district’s high schools to enforce the new cell phone policy.

Last year Ridgeline allowed cell phone use before and after school, during lunch and during passing periods. “It was great,” Hardt said. “We were all collectively on board. Kids responded well. They’re the first to acknowledge that they’re a distraction.”

Hardt said he’s worried about how hard it will be to enforce the no cell phone during passing periods policy and has already notified teachers and staff that they will need to monitor the issue. He requested that the school board not move forward with the ban during passing periods. “We pushed back on that because of enforcement,” he said. “The enforcement will be a challenge.”

Cell phone use during passing periods wasn’t an issue last year

With cell phones not allowed during lunch, students began having conversations with each other, Crooks said. “It was a little awkward at first because no one knew what to do,” she said.

Some physical changes happened at Liberty Lake Elementary School over the summer, including a new security vestibule in the entryway funded by the district’s capital levy. A combination of levy funds and PTSA fundraising paid for new playground equipment and upgraded basketball hoops.

Back to school nights

Liberty Creek Elementary, 23909 E. Country Vista Drive –Aug. 25 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Liberty Lake Elementary, 23606 E. Boone Ave. – Aug. 25 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., preceded by a security vestibule ribbon cutting at 4:15 p.m.

Selkirk Middle School, 1409 N. Harvest Parkway – Sneak peak for incoming sixth graders from 8 to 11 a.m. on Aug. 20; back to school night Sept. 4 at 5:30 p.m.

Ridgeline High School, 20150 E. Country Vista Drive – Open house at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. All clubs and sports teams will have information on their programs.

The Friends of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library gratefully acknowledge the support, commitment and dedication of Mark and Sarah Lathrop, owners of the Liberty Lake Wine Cellars, and their hard-working hospitality staff for hosting and sponsoring the Summer Soirée event each and every year.

Student of the Month

Scarlett Lambert an incoming senior at Ridgeline High School helped open the GESA credit union branch at Ridgeline and has been serving at the branch manager managing a team of intern tellers. Over the summer, Scarlett was recently promoted at Gesa to Community Outreach Coordinator. Scarlett maintains a 4.0 GPA with a weighted GPA of 4.85. Last year she competed at the national level in two separate categories for FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) and she placed 9th in the country. Scarlett also has been a member of the Ridgeline Dance Team serving as a team leader and helped secure a 2nd place in state in the Hip Hop division. In her spare time she is also a member and officer for the National Honor Society. After high school Scarlett has aspirations of pursing a career in forensics and wants to keep our world a little bit safer.

Ridgeline Softball player and incoming Junior Grace Morgan is a leader on and off the field. On the field, Grace plays softball year-round competing for Ridgeline in both the fall and spring seasons. Over the summer she plays for the Pacific Northwest Chaos a summer travel team. Off the field Grace maintains a 3.95 GPA while taking multiple advanced placement classes. She was recently recognized with an AP Scholar Award, a committed member of the schools Speech and Debate team which qualified for state competition last year, is an elected member of her class council, recently served as the president of the Ridgeline American Sign Language Club, and was accepted into the Youth Leadership Spokane program where she will spend the next year learning about servant leadership while engaging with the community. After high school, Grace wants to study political science or history at either the University of Washington or the University of Oregon and ultimately going on to law school.

Citizen of the Month

For over 35 years, Debbie VaughnByrne has quietly shaped the hearts, minds, and futures of Liberty Lake’s youngest citizens. As the founder and director of Liberty Lake Montessori School on 2nd Avenue back in 1986, Debbie has become a beloved and trusted presence in our community. Guiding generations of children through their earliest educational experiences with compassion, patience, and an unwavering commitment to the Montessori method. Her approach fosters curiosity, independence, and confidence in every child, planting the seeds not just for academic success, but for lifelong learning. Many of the children she’s molded over the last 35+ years are now very doctors, lawyers, judges etc. She doesn’t just provide a place to learn letters and numbers she makes kids feel safe, seen, and supported.

By Ben Wick, Splash Publisher

HUB Brings Summer Fun with Play Unplugged Program

While summer break is often celebrated as ‘free time’ by students, the HUB Sports Center is helping provide a free program to help get kids active and off of electronics this summer. Reviving a nationwide effort that was starting to catch on before the pandemic ended it, the HUB Sports Center has stepped up to organize a local ‘Play Unplugged’, a challenge to all youth to unplug from electronics, find an activity, and play!

Twenty sponsoring businesses across Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake have stepped up to highlight an activity kids can accomplish without being on an electronic device. Once completed, they can visit the local business to receive their ‘Brag Tag’ which has a point value and registration code and can be registered on the HUBs website for a chance to win further prizes.

The tags themselves are a plastic tag of different shapes that resemble a military dog tag or keychain tag and has an image representing the specific activity accomplished. Special attention has been given to ensure that each Brag Tag has a desirable and highly collectible design and feel.

With over 300 kids registering activities so far this summer, the program which initially targeted kids from Kindergarten through 5th grade in East Valley, Central Valley, and West Valley, is open to all kids no matter age or school district enrollment who are interested in participating.

“Our goal is to help kids re-engage with the real world, help parents plan a fun and exciting summer, and give much needed visibility to local businesses” said Ryan Barbieri, Program Director at the HUB Sports Center.

While the program began on Memorial Day it runs through the HUBs annual Family Fun Festival which is on September 19th.

“There really isn’t anything social about social media” added Phil Champlin the Executive Director of the HUB Sports Center. “You need to be in-

person to pick up social skills and learn how to interact with each other.”

According to the Play Unplugged program website at hubsportscenter. com/play-unplugged The Liberty Lake Library has the most registrations so far and offers two Brag Tags, ‘The Adventure’ challenge which asks kids to “Read an adventure book and tell the Liberty Lake Library about your favorite character. And the ‘Color Our World’ challenge which asks kids to “Color a picture of something you see outside and bring it to the Liberty Lake Library”

Roller Valley is the sponsor of the ‘Roller Skater’ challenge which offers a free 30 minute rink time to participants to show their skating skills or develop new ones or order to achieve the Brag Tag.

Other challenges include: Basketballer, sponsored by HUB Sports Center challenges kids to see how many hoops they can get in a row and to

www.hubsportscenter.org

tell the HUB Sports Center your highest score to achieve the tag.

Bike Rider, sponsored by WA Trust Bank challenges kids to ride a bike and share with them about your biking adventure and what you saw.

Cake Decorator, sponsored by Nothing Bundt Cakes challenges kids to make a cake or other baked treat and decorate it. Then share a picture of your creation with Nothing Bundt Cake.

Smile Maker, sponsored by Scott Family Orthodontics challenges kids to do a random act of kindness for a family member, friend, neighbor or stranger. Draw a picture of what you did with a sentence about who you made smile and bring it into Scott Family Orthodontics.

Animal Whisperer, Camper, Cloud Watcher, Collector, Dancer, Gardner, Outdoor Explorer, Pizza Partier, Road Warrior, Story Teller, Super Saver, and Wacky Clothes Wearer.

For specific challenge details and

more information about the program please visit www.hubsportscenter.com/ play-unplugged/ and click on “2025 Tags”

While parents are encouraged to set a point system goal and rewards, kids that complete and register their activities on the HUB website by September 19th or bring their Brag Tags to the HUB Family Fun Festival on September 19th will be eligible for prizes.

“In order to help those who might have transportation as a barrier to participation, on Friday August 1st from 3pm to 5pm we are having a ‘Brag Tag College’ where kids can come to the HUB Sports Center and have the opportunity to earn six different Brag Tags at the same location” explained Barbieri.

“We know that kids who are moving and are active are less likely to face obesity issues, less likely to develop heart disease, etc. We want our kids to grow up and become healthy adults” added Barbieri.

Council approves whitewater rafting opportunities, equipment purchases

By John McCallum Splash correspondent

The Liberty Lake City Council has approved a new option for residents using Parks and Recreation Department’s outdoor activities — whitewater rafting.

At its July 15 meeting, council approved a recreation agreement with Spokane-based outdoor business Wiley E. Waters Whitewater Rafting company that enables Liberty Lake residents to sign up for trips down the Spokane River. The trips are currently for adults only, and offer the chance to experience Class II rapids — and for those of the more adventurous nature, Class III.

“It offers a wider variety of things that we could not offer in the city,” Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Camp said. “It’s a very typical process (outside contracting) that recreational departments do.”

Under the agreement, which runs to Dec. 31, 2027, Liberty Lake will retain 20% of the registration fees for the trips. The fees will be paid to the city, which agrees to pay Wiley E. Waters the remainder, 80%.

According to the contract’s “Scope of Services,” two trips will be provided. The Spokane River Whitewater Trip begins in Peaceful Valley below the Spokane Falls and travels through Riverside State Park, including the famous “Bowl and Pitcher” and “Devil’s Toenail” rapids.

This 2-3-hour trip is for beginner/ intermediate rafters, runs April –early July and allows for a minimum of five adults and a maximum of 10.

The second trip is the Spokane River Scenic Float, a 2-3-hour journey for beginners also beginning at Peaceful Valley but takes out before the Bowl and Pitcher. It is available from May – October, and is also for a minimum of five and maximum of 10 adults.

At the council meeting, Liberty

The City Council has authorized a contract with Spokane’s Wiley E. Waters Whitewater Rafting company to provide rafting opportunities to city residents through the Parks and Recreation Department.

Lake Mayor Pro Tem Chris Cargill asked if there were any costs or time demands on the city through the agreement. Camp said the only cost and time committed were staff writing up the contract and having City Attorney Sean Boutz review it.

“We’re just advocating for them (Wiley E. Waters) and we get 20%,” Camp added.

Stormwater plan work wrapped up, art classes approved

Also at the July 15 meeting, council unanimously approved a grant contract amendment with the state Department of Ecology that provided funding for the city’s work on its master stormwater plan. The amendment adjusts the original amount provided the city to reflect actual costs for the services provided.

Liberty Lake originally received authorization for total eligible costs of up to $223,424 from Ecology for the work. The actual cost of the services came to $162,913.83, reducing the original eligible grant amount by $60,510.17 and allowing for final closeout of the agreement.

Besides work on the actual plan, the grant also helped pay for a stormwater utility rate study.

Council unanimously approved an agreement with Post Falls-based Art and Flow Studio to provide painting classes to youth and adults through the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. Liberty Lake will retain 20% of the registration fees paid.

Art and Flow will provide three classes: “Mommy (or Daddy) & Me Paint Night” for children ages 4 and up with a participating adult; “Youth Paint Night” for kids 7-14

years old and “Adult Paint Night” for individuals 15 – adult. Classes are 1.5 – 2 hours in length and take place at Pavilion Park, 727 Molter Road.

Also at the July 15 meeting, council unanimously approved the reappointment of Maria Hatcher to the city’s Civil Service Commission. Hatcher has served on the commission since July 18 2023, and is reappointed for another two-year term, expiring July 18, 2027.

Council OKs equipment purchases, leaves information network

The City Council authorized a pair of equipment purchases and added delivery costs on a third as part of its Consent Agenda at the July 1 meeting.

Council approved authorizing the Parks and Recreation Department to spend up to $99,236.88 to purchase a Bobcat Toolcat UW56 for its park maintenance. The “utility work machine” will be used for a variety of

turf maintenance projects including fertilizing and mowing along with transporting materials to job sites.

In the winter, the Toolcat can be used to spread salt and plow areas near city facilities requiring snow removal. The machine will eventually replace the department’s Kubota tractor.

Council approved the purchase of K9 vehicle installation from Frontline Communications for an amount not to exceed $13,295.82. The Liberty Lake Police Department’s K9 officer’s vehicle requires modifications to safely transport the animal, including removal of the rear seat and installation of a K9 transport assembly, hardware for remote opening of doors and cooling fans.

Council also approved adding delivery charges to its purchase of a Crafco Crack Sealer authorized at the March 18 meeting. The Streets Maintenance Department purchased the machine for $75,631.05, but did not include a final freight charge of $2,249.45, bringing the final purchase amount to $77,880.50.

Finally, the council unanimously approved a recommendation from the city’s Library Board of Trustees to dissolve its involvement in Idaho’s Cooperative Information Network. The network was formed in the 1980s, with Liberty Lake joining in 2012, but in a recent attempt to change the network’s name it was discovered that it had not properly organized under Idaho law.

According to the staff report, the “simplest and most effective way to resolve” the organizational issues was to dissolve the network, which will take place on Sept. 25, 2025. If dissolution is approved, future information on a reformed consortium will be made available.

CV School Board Position in August Primary

By Nina Culver Splash Contributor

Central Valley school board member

Pam Orebaugh has drawn two challengers to her seat, former political ally Rob Linebarger and former Central Valley teacher Mark Bitz. Linebarger and Orebaugh faced off on the ballot four years ago, but Linebarger came out and endorsed Orebaugh as being the better candidate.

This time, however, Linebarger said that Orebaugh is too closely aligned with Superintendent John Parker and isn’t representing parents and teachers. “The teachers that come to me say she’s been less than effective in her position,” he said. “They don’t ever see her. They don’t hear from her.”

Orebaugh, who works as a nurse educator, said she often has different opinions from the superintendent even though the two meet weekly. The board often votes in opposition to Parker’s recommendations and he always follows board directives, Orebaugh said. “Dr. Parker is not happy with a lot of what we do, but we have a respectful working relationship,” she said. “We have very candid conversations. What I have seen

from him is he is there for the kids.”

Linebarger, a Navy veteran who currently works for Cisco Systems, said he believes the district has dropped its emphasis on maintaining high academic standards and is focusing too much on ideas like belonging and equity. The most recent district newsletter highlights a 67 percent improvement in academic achievement in elementary in middle schools and points readers towards a 20 page “Report Card” filled with data and statistics, but Linebarger said he’s skeptical about that statement.

“They don’t say what the baseline was,” he said. “Where did we start from? I’d rather a detailed report.”

Orebaugh maintains that the district has been working hard to improve academics. “I’ve heard from staff and principals that we’ve had a huge increase in academic achievement,” she said. “We’ve done a lot of work on it.”

Orebaugh said she’s also followed through on promises to increase transparency, with the district often posting detailed information on its web site. “We’re doing really great work in increasing communication and accountability,” she said. “Even the web site is full of information, more than it used to be.”

Linebarger said administrators should worry about policy and budget and let teachers teach without interference. He said he thinks teachers have been stripped of their autonomy in favor of a one-size-fitsall mentality. “I have 99 percent confidence in the classroom teacher in Central Valley,” he said. “They know when a younger child needs additional help and I just want that control back to them.”

He also believes that the district employs too many administrators and that money should instead be going to classrooms. “I’m having a hard time finding the value in all those extra heads,” he said of administrative staff.

In May the school board voted to file a federal Title IX complaint in regards to conflicting directives from the federal government and Washington State regarding the participation of transgender athletes in sports. State policies allow transgender students to play on the sports team they identify with, but federal policy is the opposite.

Orebaugh voted to approve the letter. She said the state has said the district will lose state funding, which accounts for a large part of the budget, if it does not follow state policy. The federal government has also threatened to withhold funding, a much smaller part of the district’s total budget, if federal policy is not followed.

“We are caught in the crosshairs,” Orebaugh said. “We are taxpayer funded. We just need funding so we can pay our teachers and educate our kids.”

Linebarger said he believes trans students should not be allowed to play on teams associated with the gender they identify as and should use the bathrooms and locker rooms associated with their gender at birth.

“Biological males should not compete against biological females,” he said. “It’s a moral issue with me. It’s a safety issue with me.”

He said schools should have separate facilities for transgender students. “Why not build a new locker room?” he said.

BACK TO SCHOOL IS BETTER WITH BUNDTS

“Whatever happened to the phrase ‘separate but equal?’”

Bitz, a former engineer who previously taught at Spokane Valley Tech, said he believes the school board has spent too much time focusing on ideological issues and real life is more nuanced than that. “The key for the board is to focus on what matters and staying away from partisan and ideological issues,” he said. “In our current political climate, divide and conquer is a very effective strategy and I feel like it’s being used on us. I’m really not about pushing those ideological issues from either side.”

The board should be focusing on academic and enrichment, including clubs, activities and sports, he said. Enrichment activities are equally as important as academics because of what they can teach students, Bitz said. “They learn to work hard, they learn to come back after failure,” he said. “They’re critical to student success.”

Bitz also was unhappy about how the board handled a recent update to the district’s cell phone policy. The district spent time and money putting together a committee of parents, students, staff and administrators to consider the issue. The committee recommended allowing cell phone use before and after school, during lunch and during passing periods. However, the board decided at the last minute to ban cell phones during passing periods and also voted to spend $50,000 to hire staff to monitor the halls of the high schools during passing periods to enforce the ban, Bitz said.

Bitz said many committee members felt ignored. “Listening to our community is important,” he said. “I believe the proper approach is to listen to the committee.”

Bitz said he’d also like to focus on fiscal responsibility, including growing the district’s small reserve fund. “We really have to be focused on that,” he said. “We need to show we are spending our money wisely.”

Orebaugh said she decided to run again because she wants to continue the work she has been doing the last four years. “My focus is the kids,” she said. “They need to be safe. We have to provide them with everything they need. I love what we’re doing. We’ve done a lot of good work in the last few years.”

Bitz said he wants to listen to families in the district and believes his perspective as a former teacher would be valuable on the board. “You cannot make all the people happy, but we can make our district work for everyone,” he said. “We really are a good school district. We offer a lot of opportunities.”

Primary ballots are due August 5 and must be postmarked by that day if mailed. Ballots can also be put in an official drop box, most of them located at library branches. The drop boxes close at 8 p.m. on Aug. 5.

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Schools welcome new leadersMeet the new Principals

By Nina Culver

Current

contributor

Schools are full of new faces each fall – new students, new teachers and new principals. Principals usually head back to school before the teachers do to prepare for the upcoming year and new principals are often the earliest to go back, getting to know their new school before everyone starts arriving.

The Central Valley School District is welcoming new principals this year as former principals retired or took other positions.

Jamie Mikelson, new principal at the K-8 Summit School, is back in the Central Valley school district after several years away. She will be a familiar face to some after working as an instructional coach at Summit from 2012 to 2016.

Mikelson said she heard Summit’s principal was retiring and applied to replace him. “It just all worked out,” she said.

Not only is it like coming home because she previously worked at Summit, her family lives nearby. Really nearby. “My sister lives across the street from Summit and my parents are two blocks away,” she said.

She grew up in Coeur d’Alene and Davenport and attended Carroll College. She had planned to become a lawyer and didn’t even consider becoming a teacher until her senior year in high school, when she tutored a fourth-grade student. “I taught a student how to read and I caught the bug,” she said.

After earning her degree, she worked in the Lakeland School District in North Idaho for nine years teaching sixth grade. “It was a fantastic experience,” she said. “It really taught me how to be a teacher.”

She was teaching third grade at Opportunity Elementary when her principal encouraged her to apply for an instructional coach position at Summit. She realized she liked helping teachers improve their craft. “It’s one of the things that really caught me the principal bug,” she said.

She earned her administrative certificate from WSU Spokane, then, with no elementary principal positions available in Central Valley, she took an elementary school principal job in Oroville, Washington, for five years. She then was the principal at Reardan Elementary School for the last four years.

Mikelson said she enjoys getting to know all the students in her school. “The relationship that you can have with kids is so different,” she said. “As principal, you get to know the

entire school.”

She’s excited to be back at Summit, where she still knows some of the staff. “It’s just that family feel,” she said. “It’s like coming back home. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Mikaila Shaw is the new principal at North Pines Middle School, but she hasn’t gone far. In fact, she’s in the same office she was in last year. She just changed the name plate outside her door to read Principal instead of Assistant Principal.

“We’re all right next to each other, so it doesn’t matter,” she said of her office choice. “I absolutely love North Pines. I love our staff, our students. We have such a diverse population. This is the community I love.”

Shaw earned her teaching degree at St. Martin’s University in Lacey, Washington, after wanting to be a teacher her entire life. As a child, she often played school with her two younger sisters. “Truly, literally, all my life I wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I loved school. I loved my teachers.”

She taught math in Yelm for a year before moving to Spokane with her family. This year will be her ninth year at North Pines, the first four years as a math teacher. Shaw said she was encouraged to participate in

the leadership team nearly from the beginning and that’s what pushed her to consider becoming a principal.

“I just had incredible support,” she said. “They believed in me, pushed me.”

She transitioned from math teacher to instructional coach and was the assistant principal for the last three years. Though she missed the classroom, she wants to be in a leadership position. “I want to think bigger,” she said. “I want to support teachers.”

She said it’s her students that keep her enthusiastic about her job. “It’s definitely the students,” she said. “Our kids are hilarious. They show up, they love that their teachers push them, believe in them.”

Rachael Crooks, the new principal at Selkirk Middle School, has worked at nearly every middle school in the Central Valley School District in various roles. She’s already familiar with some of the staff at Selkirk and hopes to settle in quickly.

“I’m so excited to be a part of the wolfpack,” she said. “The staff is amazing. I’ve worked with a number of these staff members in various roles.”

Crooks grew up in the small community of Bridgeport,

Washington, where she was one of 23 students in her graduating class. She said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I don’t remember ever wanting to be anything else,” she said. “I was that kid who made her siblings play school.”

She graduated from Spokane Community College, then earned her teaching degree in special education and elementary education from Eastern Washington University. Crooks said she was inspired to pursue special education in part because of her uncle, who has special needs.

“I just really like meeting them where they’re at,” she said of special education students.

She taught special education in Chewelah for three years, though she remained living in the Spokane area and commuted every day, carpooling with other teachers. In 2007, she landed a job as a special education teacher at Horizon Middle School. After five years, she switched to teaching history and language arts, which she did for another four years. Crooks said she always tried to be as involved as she could, serving on numerous committees in the district. “I love what I do,” she said. “I have a real passion.”

After her time at Horizon, she began working at other middle schools in the district, often as Dean of Students. She spent a year at Evergreen Middle School, then went to North Pines Middle School and Bowdish Middle School. In 2020 she was named the assistant principal at Evergreen Middle School.

Crooks said she enjoys teaching both children and adults. “As an administrator, you have the opportunity to broaden your classroom,” she said.