WSD Weekly

February 13, 2026

📅 Upcoming Calendar Events:

February 16 - President's Day (No School)

March 6 - PLC Day (No School)
March 20 - Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
View the student academic calendar

At the District's Mid-Year Staff Rally, two unsung heroes received the recognition they truly deserve: Lance Coleman and Patrick Shane, WSD's HVAC Technicians, were honored with the Hard Working Heroes award.

Lance and Patrick work behind the scenes every day performing what can only be described as daily miracles—keeping our schools running with equipment that's often decades past its engineered lifespan. They're coaxing life out of 50-year-old HVAC systems designed to last 15-20 years, hunting down replacement parts that no longer exist, and ensuring our students stay safe and comfortable no matter what challenges arise.

"Keeping the milk cold, coming in the clutch"—that's how the tribute song [Watch the video] performed at the rally described their work. And it's true. When temperatures soar to 103 degrees, when systems fail, when classrooms need cooling, and kitchens need functioning refrigeration, Lance and Patrick are there, finding creative solutions to impossible problems.

Their focus isn't on awards or recognition—it's on our students. Every repair they make, every system they keep running, every creative workaround they develop is done with one goal in mind: ensuring students have the safe, comfortable learning environment they deserve.

The Hard Working Heroes award celebrates staff members who go above and beyond, and Lance and Patrick exemplify that spirit every single day. They're magicians, problem-solvers, and heroes—and we're grateful to have them on Team WSD.

Thank you, Lance and Patrick, for everything you do for our students and schools!

WestSide students are getting REAL-WORLD READY with hands-on life skills training! From changing a flat tire and basic first aid to home repairs, fire safety, gardening, sewing, and even baby care, students are learning the practical skills they'll use for a lifetime. Community partners and staff taught 14 workshop classes for students to learn practical adulting life skills.

HUGE thank you to our community partners:

• Randy's Towing
• ASAP Plumbing
• Teams Learning Center
• Wenatchee Fire Department
• Sustainable Wenatchee's Bike Co-op
• Wenatchee Valley College
• Lowe's

This is what community partnership looks like—and this is how we build future-ready students with the skills to tackle whatever life throws at them!

All four Wenatchee middle schools bring home top honors in cerebral fitness competition

Wenatchee School District middle schoolers proved that when it comes to mathematical prowess, they're anything but average. At the Math is Cool Regional Championships held at Foothills Middle School on January 30, all four WSD middle schools competed against 18 regional schools—and brought home an impressive collection of trophies and top finishes.

More than 280 students from grades 6-8 across the region gathered to flex their cerebral fitness, competing in three divisions: phi (φ), e, and pi (π). Our Panthers, Wildcats, Pioneers, and Patriots showed up ready to calculate, problem-solve, and compete at the highest level.

Team Champions

Wenatchee schools swept multiple division championships:

6th Grade Powerhouses

• Foothills MS claimed 1st place in the phi division

• Pioneer MS took 1st place in the pi division

7th Grade Excellence

• Valley Academy of Learning secured 1st place in the pi division

• Foothills MS earned 2nd place in the e division

• Orchard MS finished 2nd place in the pi division

8th Grade Dominance

• Foothills MS captured 1st place in the e division

• Valley Academy of Learning won 1st place in the pi division

• Pioneer MS finished 3rd place in the e division

• Orchard MS placed 3rd in the pi division

Individual Stars Shine

Among the hundreds of competitors, several WSD students stood out for their exceptional individual performances:

Foothills Middle School

• Avantika Chakravarthy (8th grade) earned 1st place overall in the e division with the high score for her school

• Gibran Martin (6th grade) took 2nd place overall in the phi division and recorded the high score for Foothills

• Elizabeth Carter (6th grade) finished 3rd place overall in the phi division

• Mariah Reeg (7th grade) placed 3rd overall in the e division with the high score for her school

Orchard Middle School

• Micah Barry (7th grade) claimed 1st place overall in the pi division with the high score for Orchard

• Olivia Weaver (6th grade) earned 3rd place overall in the e division and the high score for her school

• Aukse Frei Elvikis (6th grade) finished 6th place overall in the e division

• Dalton Sharples (8th grade) took 4th place overall in the pi division with the high score for his school

Pioneer Middle School

• Jameson Lawless (6th grade) secured 2nd place overall in the pi division with the high score for Pioneer

• Colt Hernandez (6th grade) finished 4th place overall in the pi division

• Ethan Blakney (6th grade) placed 5th overall in the pi division

• Sonja Behrens (6th grade) earned 6th place overall in the pi division

• Shona Eppich Talbot (7th grade) recorded the high score for her school

• Alexa Diaz (8th grade) achieved the high score for her school

Valley Academy of Learning

• Kasen Krebsbach (8th grade) took 1st place overall in the pi division with the high score for Valley Academy

• Edith Hood (8th grade) finished 3rd place overall in the pi division

• Alek Nes (7th grade) placed 3rd overall in the pi division with the high score for his school

• Aurelia Furmanczyk (7th grade) earned 4th place overall in the pi division

• Simeon Keifenheim (6th grade) recorded the high score for his school
  
  

Building Future-Ready Students

Competitions like Math is Cool give students opportunities to apply their classroom learning in exciting, real-world challenges. The critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills developed through these competitions prepare students for success in STEM careers and beyond.

HVAC failure forces venue change; Wenatchee community rallies to pull off successful championship in 24 hours

When the HVAC system at the Moses Lake Aquatic Center failed on Thursday, February 5, with seven Big 9 schools already en route to the district swim championships, Athletic Directors scrambled for a solution: where could they host a championship meet on one day's notice?

The answer: Wenatchee High School.

By Friday morning, ADs from across the Big 9 Conference asked Wenatchee to step up as emergency host. What followed was a 24-hour community effort involving coaches, parents, Velocity Swim Team volunteers, and JROTC students working together to transform the crisis into a successful championship event on Wednesday, February 11.

"This was WE are Wenatchee showing up in perfect and amazing ways," said WHS Athletic Director BJ Kuntz.

Historic Double Championship

The Panthers delivered a dominant performance, scoring 421 points to claim the Big 9 District Championship—their second consecutive district title, third in the last four years, and the first time Wenatchee has claimed both the Big Nine Conference and District championships since 2020.

Championship Performances

The Panthers dominated the relays, winning the 200-yard medley relay (1:38.84) and 200-yard freestyle relay (1:29.69), while placing third in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Individual standouts included:

• Aiden Grigsby earned Swimmer of the Meet honors (NISCA Power Point Rankings), winning the 100-yard freestyle (47.66) and placing second in the 50-yard freestyle (20.83).
• Brian Vargas claimed two individual titles in the 200-yard freestyle (1:52.11) and 500-yard freestyle (5:03.53).
• Liam Sullivan won the 100-yard butterfly (55.75) and placed third in the 200-yard individual medley (2:08.76).
• Liam White took the diving championship.

Additional podium finishes came from Luke Hawkins (2nd in 100-yard breaststroke, 3rd in 100-yard freestyle), Noah Doiron (2nd in 100-yard butterfly, 3rd in 50-yard freestyle), Oliver Brownlee (3rd in both 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle), and Gavin Brown (3rd in 100-yard breaststroke).

Big 9 All-League Honors

• John Pringle – Big 9 Co-Coach of the Year

• Ben Sagerser – Big 9 Diver of the Year

• Jeff Sutton – Greta Alderson Volunteer of the Year

• Aiden Grigsby – Big 9 All-Sportsmanship Team
  
  

From Crisis to Championship

In less than 48 hours, Wenatchee transformed an emergency situation into a successful championship event and a historic double-title season.

"This is what 'WE are Wenatchee' means," Kuntz said. "When someone needs help, we show up. And when we compete, we compete to win."

The Panthers will advance to state competition with momentum from their championship performance and the knowledge that their entire community has their backs.