MOSES LAKE — Elliott Goodrich resigned his position as president of Moses Lake School Board on Thursday, and board member Vickey Melcher was elected president.

Goodrich continues to serve on the board. He was elected to the board in November 2017, and his terms expires next year.

“With the beginning of the school year, it’s a great opportunity to have somebody else step into this role,” Goodrich said at an online school board meeting Thursday evening. “I’ve been doing this for one year and four months now, and I’m excited to let somebody else have a chance and go back to being a regular board member.”

“Thank you everybody for your vote of confidence. I won’t let you down,” Melcher said after the board voted unanimously to make her president. “Thank you, Elliott, I think you’ve done a great job.”

In July, board members approved three options — full-time in-person instruction, full-time remote learning, and a blend of the two that would have students on campus two days a week — for parents and students to choose from this fall.

At the board’s previous meeting, in late August, Goodrich was the sole vote against a proposal from Superintendent Josh Meek to delay any in-person education, either full-time or blended with online instruction, at Moses Lake High School until Grant County’s coronavirus numbers fall below 75 cases over 14 days per 100,000 residents.

“The decision to postpone in-person high school instruction was a mistake,” Goodrich said at the most recent Thursday meeting. “I’ll be beating this drum every time until we’re done.”

Meek told board members that despite the suspension of its two in-person options for high school students, the district remains committed to getting students back on campus as soon as possible.

“I’m still hopeful and planning for the restoration of school services when possible,” Meek said.

To prepare, Meek said Moses Lake High School students opting for either in-person option are being grouped into cohorts with a teacher now so they are ready for the regular school day. Special needs kids will also be allowed on the MLHS campus “in rotating small groups” in order to ensure they can receive adequate instruction, Meek added.

In addition, Meek told board members “there is some continued development on athletics,” with state high school and middle school athletics officials working on schedules to ensure most sports can have some kind of season if at all allowed after the first of the year.

Meek also said the idea the district would go “full remote” for all students from Thanksgiving week through the end of December is no longer being considered.

However, delaying the start of the school year by two weeks will also delay the end of school to June 18, with MLHS graduation scheduled for June 12, Meek said.

Charles H. Featherstone can be reached at [email protected].