MOSES LAKE - The construction of the Moses Lake School District's Park Orchard Elementary School is nearing completion and should be ready for students this fall.

School staff are expected to gain occupancy of the roughly $10 million building on Aug. 1, to add furniture and prepare for students, explained Eric Johnson, Park Orchard's principal. 

The new 44,500 square-foot school has the same floor plan and layout as Sage Point Elementary School in Moses Lake, which opened last year for students.

Park Orchard is designed to hold about 450 students. 

Johnson estimated each class room could probably hold roughly 30 students each, but that it would be a tight fit. 

The new building is larger than some of the others in the school district, as well as being better designed, more modern and offering better safety and security, he said.

The school board and some administrators received a tour of the building Friday to see what it looks like at this phase.

"You hear about it and talk about it," Johnson said. "It's nice to look through and see it. We did the same thing for staff members selected to work there thus far."

Johnson is the former principal of Larson Heights Elementary School in Moses Lake.

He said he applied to work at the new school because "it's a unique opportunity."

"I believe in challenges," he commented. "What a chance, for a building principal to open a new school, to create a culture of trust and respect, the best culture of kids in the beginning."

Johnson's secretary at Larson Heights, Rene Stephens, is now his new secretary at Park Orchard.

Teachers entered their names into a public drawing at Moses Lake High School to teach at the new school. They were only allowed to request to teach at the current grade level they are currently teaching.

The selected teachers are: Marge Seiler, kindergarten, Becky Goodrich, first grade, Jennifer Gonzalez, first grade, Brady Wiltbank, second grade, Cindy Hammond, second grade, Kathleen McFarland, third grade, Kelly Sackman, third grade, Jennifer Kostelnik, fourth grade, Scott West, fourth grade, Brett Hammond, fifth grade, and Kathy Hymes, fifth grade.

Openings created by the movement of teachers are to be filled internally, he said.

No additional hiring is planned because of budget reductions, Johnson said.