EPHRATA – The Ephrata School District board met for a regular meeting Jan. 27 and swore in a new board member, received an update on district attendance, approved grants and purchases and discussed the district’s budget – including the upcoming Educational Programs and Operations levy which is on the Feb. 11 ballot.  

Attendance  

The board discussed ongoing efforts to improve student attendance across the district. The goal is to increase the number of regularly attending students by 5% from June 2024 to June 2025. That will be measured by weekly and monthly attendance data, weekly and bi-monthly attendance team review and weekly data manager review.  

Attendance Coordinator Deb Knox presented data reflecting a positive trend in attendance figures, following a challenging period during the pandemic. Chronic absenteeism, she said, presents significant hurdles to student success, leading to literacy challenges and potential dropout risks.  

“Students who are chronically absent in any two years between eighth grade and that transition through high school to graduation have more than 50% chance of dropping out,” Knox said. 

To address attendance challenges, the district is implementing various interventions, including community engagement efforts. 

“We have established clear focus with our community engagement boards to meet regularly,” Knox said. The board hopes to increase regular attendance by 5% over the next year, pursuing a series of strategies to support families and students in accessing education. 

Funding 

Ephrata High School Assistant Principal and athletics director Bryan Johnson discussed funding for various school-hosted tournaments.  

“The city worked out pretty good, and what we did with that money is pass for those tournaments,” Johnson said. “We had two volleyball tournaments, a baseball tournament, and a softball tournament. All those tournaments had schools from far away that did stay in hotels.”  

Johnson asked for the school board’s approval to apply for $15,000 in funding from Grant County. The county then recommended an allocation of $8,590 to assist with expenses related to officials for tournaments.   

Board members discussed and approved funding an expansion of the health sciences program that includes classes in sports medicine, human anatomy and medical terminology. The health science program aims to prepare students for careers in nursing and health care, responding to a growing demand for healthcare professionals in Washington, Technology, Career and Technical Education Director Sarah Vasquez said. 

“There’s a shortage of nurses in Washington,” Vasquez said.  

Also on the agenda was a proposal for new musical instruments for Grant and Columbia Ridge Elementary Schools. Director of Teaching and Learning Sharon Scellick highlighted the need for new instruments due to the disrepair of existing ones. The approved purchase would revitalize the musical program relying on methods that emphasize active music-making, said Scellick.  

The district has presented a replacement levy to voters with Election Day coming Feb. 11. If approved by district voters, the levy would collect approximately $11.5 million over a four-year period, with a requested assessment rate of $1.85 per $1,000 of assessed property value. 

According to Superintendent Ken Murray, this is not a new tax; it is replacing the 2021 voter-approved levy. Levy dollars are used to fill in the gap between the funds given by the state and the actual cost to run a school district.  

The district has been holding meetings and opportunities for the public to ask questions about the proposed levy.  

“We conducted a town hall meeting a couple of weeks ago which was well attended,” Murray said.  

      

Correction: Jan. 30, 2025 - “Ephrata School Board focuses on attendance, funding in regular meeting” - Bryan Johnson is the Ephrata High School athletics director and assistant principal. Sharon Scellick’s name was misspelled.