WSD Weekly

Thank you to everyone who voted in Tuesday’s election. Based on current results, the bond measure received about 57.95% support, falling short of the required 60% supermajority to pass. That’s strong community support. But at this time, it appears there is no path forward to passing.

Thank you to the many community members who gave their time this fall attending meetings, asking questions, serving on committees, and sharing their views. That kind of engagement makes our community stronger.

But reality is the needs at Wenatchee High School haven’t changed. The building is 50 years old, it serves more students than it was built for, and the critical infrastructure is still failing. HVAC systems across the district continue to struggle. These problems don’t go away. They just get more expensive the longer they wait.

Next Tuesday, the school board will discuss next steps and whether to rerun the bond measure on the February 2027 ballot.

Thank you for caring about our students' future and our schools.

Kory Kalahar
Superintendent

Our partners at the City of Wenatchee and Chelan County have been hard at work improving infrastructure and traffic safety near our schools. Like anything healthy, a growing community changes, and those growing pains can be frustrating.

In the meantime, we’re asking for your help. Please slow down, follow construction signs, and give workers space to do their jobs safely. Our children are walking, biking, and riding to school through these zones every day, and every driver’s patience helps keep them safe.

We know traffic around our busy schools can test anyone’s patience. Thank you for putting safety first. The reward will be worth it: safer, much improved routes to school for every student and family.

Wenatchee High School’s Air Force JROTC cadets kept busy this fall, and the first quarter ended with a historic win.

Recently, the all-female Raider Team took 1st place overall and won every event, marking their place in history as the first all-female team to compete. The all-male Raider Team placed 2nd out of 11 teams, with one first-place and two second-place finishes in individual events.

Raider competitions are some of the toughest events in JROTC. Teams of cadets compete in physically demanding challenges that test strength, endurance and teamwork, such as long-distance team runs, building rope bridges and carrying a stretcher over rough terrain.

“Everyone should be extremely proud of these cadets and the hard work they’ve put into preparing for competition,” said Lawrence Nahalea, AFJROTC instructor. "This is a tremendous accomplishment for our cadets and our entire JROTC program."

JROTC cadets also supported 46 events and logged more than 135 community service hours. They put in 1,241 Leadership Development Requirement hours of practice and training. The Color Guard represented WHS at more than 17 community events. The Drone and Marksmanship teams are now preparing for their own competitions.

Nahalea credits families and the community for much of that success. “We could not accomplish everything we do without the support of our families and community,” he said.

The Wenatchee FFA Forestry Team traveled to Satsop Business Park in Elma for the Grays Harbor College Forestry CDE, and the Timber Beasts brought home 1st place team overall out of 19 teams. Individual results included:

• Aaron Hammerberg — 2nd place individual
• Trenten Huntington — 6th place individual
• Layla Spindle — 8th place individual

District Champion - Lily Hansen

Join us in congratulating junior Lily Hansen - Wenatchee's only athlete competing in both swim & dive! - on winning the district championship in diving.

Cross Country - Brooklyn Biwer

Congratulations to sophomore cross country runner Brooklyn Biwer for placing 13th during the district meet and qualifying for state.

• Caroline Sullivan - District Champ in 200 Free and 500 Free. State Qualifier
• Madalyn Moore - District Champ in the 100 back. State Qualifier.
• Lily Hansen - District Champ in diving and 2nd in 100 Breast - State Qualifier in both events.
• Girls 400 Free Relay: Lola Underwood, Madalyn Moore, Caroline Sullivan, and Madeline Sutton - District champs and State Qualifiers.
• Girls 200 Free Relay: Lola Underwood, Lily Hansen, Madeline Sutton, and Caroline Sullivan - District champs and State Qualifiers.

The Wenatchee Panther Pod is a brand-new podcast all about Wenatchee Panthers athletics and activities. Hosted by Eric Granstrom, the voice of the Panthers and one of the most trusted and recognizable voices in the Wenatchee Valley, the Panther Pod takes you behind the scenes with the coaches, athletes, officials, and fans who represent why it takes more to be a Panther.

New episodes drop every Thursday. Find the Wenatchee Panther Pod on YouTube or your favorite podcast provider Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more or follow Wenatchee Athletics or KKRV on social media for links and updates.

🎤 👀 This Week's Episode: Episode #12 -We're all over the map on this week's Wenatchee Panther Podcast. First, host Eric Granstrom welcomes Panther Athletes of the Week Liam Borst (Sophomore) and Dane Musser (Junior) football players fresh off a JV win over West Valley. Next up, Cross Country Coach Steve Roche recaps the Panthers efforts at the district meet and previews State in Pasco this weekend. Then, Eric helps us learn more about Color Guard with Coach Elvis Garcia and his Junior Captain Marisela Vargas. Finally, Girls Swimming Coach Jana Sutton shares stories from the district meet in Moses Lake and preparations underway for the State meet in Federal Way next weekend.

More than 130 Wenatchee students, from second graders to seniors, are taking the stage this November in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

The all-district musical brings together students from across Wenatchee schools. For a lot of the younger performers, it’s their first time on a big stage, and this show combines all the talent into one incredible cast.

The show has everything you remember: the glass slipper, the fairy godmother, and a race against the clock at midnight. It’s a great one to bring the whole family to.

Tickets are on sale now. Get yours before they turn into a pumpkin!

📅 Show dates: November 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 & 21

📍 Location: Wenatchee High School Auditorium
Tickets: On sale now!

🎫 November 12, 7 pm​​​

🎫 ​November 13, 7 pm​​​

​🎫 November 14, 2 pm​​​

​🎫 November 14, 7 pm​​​

​🎫 November 19, 7 pm​​​

​🎫 November 20, 7 pm​​​

🎫 ​November 21, 2 pm​​​

🎫 ​November 21, 7 pm