SPOKANE, Wash. — Wednesday night’s Spokane Public Schools (SPS) meeting will have several topics up for discussion. The most important on the list? A new clinic for Logan Elementary, and SPS bus routes and budgets.
SPS will be building a new health clinic on the south side of Logan Elementary. It will bring comprehensive health care options to the Logan area.
The clinic will start by serving students and will provide healthcare services like regular check-ups, visits with doctors and medication appointments just like a regular doctor's office. Clinics will also offer mental health services. Eventually, it will open to the rest of the community.
The district is partnering with local healthcare students to make this happen.
This way, the students will get their necessary clinical practice, and it will provide free care for the community.
"This is a community that has a lot of need and there are a lot of great community partners that want to spend time here to serve those families," said Becky Doughty, executive director of school support services for SPS.
The Logan clinic is the second like this in the SPS District.
At Wednesday's school board meeting, the board will be talking about partnering with the city of Spokane to fund a potential third clinic. The city has budgeted $3 million dollars for youth health services that could help build that third clinic.
Another topic on the agenda tonight is an increase in how much SPS pays Durham School Bus Services. The district cannot confirm whether this budget change will bring more bus stops for students. Some parents are frustrated with the changes, but the district said they are working with what they have.
Since the school year has started, school bus driver shortages and longer walking distances for students as the school year have been impacting students, and parents. According to SPS, Durham lost 40% of its bus drivers, meaning fewer options for routes to and from schools.
The loss forced SPS to move some high school students to take Spokane Transit Authority (STA) routes. SPS expanded the walking boundaries for walkable distances to schools. SPS also changed up where bus stops are to make stops more efficient.
Even with fewer drivers and routes, the school board is talking about paying Durham seven percent more for their contract. The district said the increase is making up for inflation, higher gas prices and better pay to bring in more drivers.
For now, the district said the changes have been an adjustment for everyone.
"You can imagine the number of changes of bus stops, where families were accustomed to one experience. Now that experience looks different. We know there's going to be a transition period as families acclimate to that. We're working as quickly as we can to clarify questions, comments and concerns." said Dr. Adam Swinyard, superintendent of SPS.
There is a hotline parents can call if they have any questions about the changes. The district said someone should answer that number anytime during school hours.
For more information on the meeting, including how to attend, you can click here.
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