Students and parents will find plenty of changes as Plateau schools open their doors Monday and Tuesday.

The most noticeable may be who is and who is not in front of the classroom.

Both Enumclaw and White River school districts made reductions in staff to meet budget constraints. The most noticeable changes may be in the high school athletic departments. At Enumclaw, longtime athletic director Tim Tubbs was let go and assistant principal Kevin Smith will fill the void. At White River High, athletic director Julie Melver was released as the position changed to an athletic and activities coordinator position with girls basketball coach Chris Gibson taking that seat.

Melver’s position as an assistant principal also disappeared while Adam Uhler moves from the position of assistant principal at White River High School to principal at Mountain Meadow Elementary, replacing retiring principal Wayne Watanabe. Lainey Mathews will be stepping into Uhler’s vacant spot at WRHS.

John Hellwich will be principal at Wilkeson Elementary School. Hellwich has been serving in the district administration office as staff and professional development director and has elementary administrative experience in the Dieringer School District.

Elaine Elliott has been in White River School District for many years, serving as an assistant principal at both high school and middle school levels. She takes on the position of principal of the White River Alternative Programs, which have a new home.

The White River School District, which houses the cooperative program with Enumclaw, Sumner and Orting, moved its Collins Alternative Programs from Rainier School to the White River Middle School campus. Along with the move is a name change to White River Alternative Programs.

As part of the White River School District’s budget crunch, district administrators are combined White River and Glacier middle schools and Wilkeson and Wickersham School of Discovery elementary schools.

All White River middle school students will attend classes on the Glacier Middle School campus in downtown Buckley. The name will remain Glacier Middle School with both Andy McGrath and Teresa Signay overseeing operations.

Wilkeson Elementary School will take on School of Discovery students. Wickersham Principal Carol Rembert retired.

Beginning Sept. 4, the Enumclaw School District will implement its districtwide, 60-minute, early-dismissal Friday. Students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade will leave school one-hour early, 1:30 p.m. for secondary students and 2:30 p.m. for elementary, before the final bell each Friday so teachers can meet to analyze student work, develop assessments and create opportunities to meet the learning needs of students.

With the slash of Initiative I-728 money, Enumclaw’s full-day kindergarten program switched back to half-day, but interest in a tuition-based program and a community fundraiser will create a full-time classroom at each elementary school and two at Sunrise Elementary School.

Enumclaw students will also be greeted with a new math curriculum and a new roof at Enumclaw Middle School.

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