Wenatchee High to host community open houses

WENATCHEE — For many in the valley, Wenatchee High School is a familiar place — a gym, an auditorium, a set of hallways walked years ago.

This spring, the Wenatchee School District is inviting the community to look deeper.

Two upcoming open houses will give residents a chance to step inside the parts of the building they don’t usually see, from classrooms and corridors to the infrastructure that supports more than 1,600 students each day.

The events are scheduled for Wednesday, April 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 26 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Wenatchee High School, 1101 Millerdale Ave. No RSVP is required.

Unlike a typical school visit, the tours will be led by students and community volunteers and are designed to go beyond the most visible spaces.

The goal, district officials say, is to give an honest look at a building that has served the community since 1972, as well as to start a broader conversation about what comes next.

Representatives from Integrus Architecture, the firm working with the district on long-term facility planning, will be on hand to answer questions and hear feedback from attendees.

The open houses are part of an ongoing planning process that includes a 45-member community Design Advisory Committee, tasked with helping guide the future of the high school. The committee was selected from a pool of 87 applicants.

Superintendent Kory Kalahar said the effort is meant to bring the community into the process early.

“These open houses are about transparency — giving people the information they need to be part of this conversation,” Kalahar said. “Come with questions. Come skeptical. Come curious. We want you there.”

Attendees will have opportunities to share input during the events, with feedback expected to help shape future design decisions.

For a building that has stood for more than 50 years, the district is hoping the next chapter begins not behind closed doors, but with the community walking through them.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media