College Place Schools Start Year With Growth And Upgrades (Photo) - 09/11/25

Enrollment Growth

Three weeks into the 2025–26 school year, College Place Public Schools has more students learning in refreshed, well-cared-for facilities than at any point in the last five years. Enrollment climbed by 65 students since June, making this the district’s 1521 students its largest fall enrollment since 2020. Sager Middle School set a record with 397 students.  Even with this growth, students in College Place continue to benefit from unusually low student-to-teacher ratios of 17 to 1 in elementary grades and 18 to 1 in secondary schools.

Behind these numbers is a community-supported story of growth and stewardship. CPPS’ vision of a ‘small school feel, larger than life outcomes’ reflects the pride families feel in sending their children here.

Students Taking Big Steps Forward

At College Place High School, an emphasis on College in the High School courses has led to an increase in participation. More students are earning college credit while completing high school requirements through partnerships with Central Washington University and Eastern Washington University. For many, the experience has already helped them see new possibilities for their futures.

Students also began the year with new spaces designed to support their learning. CPHS opened its Career and College Readiness Center “The Perch”, which has quickly become a hub for planning next steps beyond high school. At Sager, students are finding their way in the newly completed library; which will quickly become the heart of the school for curiosity and exploration. 

Taking Care of Our Facilities

Work completed in recent months has already made a visible difference across the district.

• Elementary Upgrades: At Davis Elementary, a large portion of the school’s interior walls were painted and a new drain at the K–1 playground to solve water issues, giving children a more usable space. Fresh bark across campus grounds added to the welcoming feel.
• Transportation Improvements: Two new electric buses rolled into service this fall, powered by newly installed charging stations. Both the buses and infrastructure were fully funded through state and federal grants.
• Districtwide Pride: Across the district, gym floors gleam thanks to refinishing work done by custodial staff, a cost-saving project that showcased both pride and skill.
• Physical Education Facilities: CPHS outdoor activity spaces received upgrades designed to improve safety and broaden use for students and the community. New windscreens enhance both appearance and protection at the football, baseball, and softball areas, while refinished tennis courts, now striped for pickleball, support PE classes, after-school programs, and community recreation. The CPPS Fieldhouse Project is also moving forward, with groundbreaking expected in November, creating additional space for year-round physical education, indoor educational space, and student wellness activities.

Living the Vision

Superintendent Jim Fry reflected on the importance of pairing growth with care.  “We are continuing to take great care of the facilities that our community provides for us,” Fry said. “We will not allow our schools to get run down and out of date. This ensures that we can provide our students with top notch experiences.”

A Community Effort

The progress of the past two weeks underscores how deeply the community’s support shapes the district’s success. Local community tax dollars and state funding paired with grant opportunities, allowed CPPS to open the year with facilities that look and feel ready for growth.

A Note of Thanks

Now that the school year is underway, it’s clear: our facilities and students are will cared for and the community deserves the credit.  College Place Public Schools begins the year larger, stronger, and deeply grateful for the community that makes it possible.

CPHS Annual Service Day: Serving Those Who Support Us (Photo) - 08/28/25

Nearly 400 College Place High School students stepped out of the classroom and into the community today, partnering with more than a dozen nonprofit, city, and state organizations for the school’s annual Service Day.

From harvesting tomatoes at Frog Hollow Farms, to assembling chairs and preparing outreach materials at the YWCA, to cleaning parks and roadways with the City of College Place, students contributed their time and energy where it was needed most. Other groups worked with SonBridge, Blue Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center, United Way’s Tabitha’s Closet, and supported other organizations such as Camp Fire.

For many students, the day offered an important lesson in connection and responsibility. “I enjoy community service day because I get to help clean the community and give back to them especially since they do a lot for our school,” said Birtukan Durand, a senior at CPHS. “After pulling weeds with my group we got to see our finished product and we all felt happy knowing we’re giving back.”

Building Connections

Assistant Principal Ambra Bryant, who coordinated this year’s Service Day, said the event shows how powerful simple acts of service can be. “When our students step into the community to serve, they see firsthand the impact their efforts make. It builds pride, strengthens connections, and reminds all of us that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.”

The annual event has been going on for nearly a decade and is one of the school and district’s efforts to remind students of the importance of service of others, teamwork, and responsibility to the community.  Service Day continues to highlight the close partnership between College Place schools and the broader community with each supporting the other, and each stronger because of it.