By Erin Hawkins
Olympic Peninsula News Group
SEQUIM — A group of fourth- and fifth-grade students in the district are learning in a combined-grade-level classroom at Sequim Middle School because of overcrowding at Sequim elementary schools.
Students began attending the combined class Tuesday, Superintendent Gary Neal told School Board members that night.
They eat lunch at the middle school during the sixth-grade lunch and take part in sixth-grade physical education classes.
Students are escorted to the middle school campus by teachers, Neal said.
Marilyn Walsh, administrative assistant to the superintendent, explained that the elementary students will not be mixed in with middle school students in classes, but will have their own classroom.
Sequim schools are not accepting applications for new students, Walsh said, as administrators are concerned about having enough classroom space for current students.
“To have to say no this year was really tough, but due to overcrowding we had no choice,” Walsh said.
Board directors also considered Tuesday a revision to district policy regarding resident students, a policy that allows students outside the district to attend Sequim schools and releasing students enrolled in the Sequim School District to attend other schools.
The revision would allow an additional justification for releasing students to attend online school. The policy was first implemented before online school existed, administrators said.
Sequim school board directors also approved moving Heidi Hietpas, interim executive director of finance and operations, to a permanent, full-time position.
Hietpas began serving in the interim position Sept. 14.
A Sequim native, she was the director of finance and operations for the Lynden School District from 2012-15. She served as assistant state auditor and assistant audit manager for the Washington State Auditor’s Office from 2007-12.
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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.
