River Ridge High School, transformed by construction, welcomes students back to school

As students descended on River Ridge High School in Lacey last Thursday for the first day of school, they were asking for directions to classrooms or offices.

That’s because the school, which serves about 1,500 students, is almost unrecognizable after a wave of construction and remodeling has transformed the school and its campus.

One of the most striking changes at the school is a new wing of classrooms.

Principal Brent Whitemarsh, who greeted students outside the school Thursday morning, singled out those new spaces as significant accomplishments, especially after a busy period of construction during the last school year.

“I mean, more than half the teachers were teaching out of portables, and, you know, students were trying to navigate campus, and we did what we could,” he said. “It was, you know, a little bumpy from time to time, as far as that goes, with machines, heavy machinery on campus and stuff like that.”

But on Thursday, he had nothing but praise for the completed work, describing the new classrooms as larger, more intentional in their design and with added technology.

“I think they will be very effective in supporting students,” he said.

What do teachers think?

The construction began in 2022, and although some major construction milestones have been met, the work is not expected to be complete until 2027, according to district information.

The total cost of the project is $188 million, which was funded by a combination of a 2020 bond issue as well as state funds for schools that are more than 30 years old and need to be modernized. The school opened in 1993. Some of that money also went toward renovations at Komachin Middle School, according to the district.

River Ridge teachers greeted the renovations with a mixture of relief and excitement.

Andrea Pease, who teaches a range of scientific subjects, is in her 15th year at the school. One thing she remembers from last year: fire alarms going off because they were being tested.

“Sometimes we knew about it, sometimes we didn’t, but, you know, it wasn’t the worst year here, but, yeah, there were definitely some challenges,” she said.

At the same time, she was standing in a new science classroom Thursday morning.

“It’s a beautiful room,” she said. “The school itself is incredibly gorgeous. You know, they’ve done a really nice job with the finishes and everything.”

Horticulture teacher David Ohrt was thrilled with his new space, saying his classroom is about 20% larger, but most important: it has a back door that opens to a garden and, in time, a new greenhouse.

“The campus is a little more connected and it’s just going to do wonders for us and really build up our community,” he said.

Teacher/librarian Angie Farley was thrilled with the new library, which is situated on a floor above the main entrance to the school. It has plenty of new technology, floor to ceiling windows that provide natural light and, in a nod to the old library, it was designed with giant cedar beams.

“It’s going to be a real academic hub for the new building,” she said.

What do students think?

Junior Ernesto Alonso showed up early Thursday and was looking forward to the new school experience after the previous year, which he described as “bad.”

He said it was crowded, construction was everywhere and areas of the school were blocked off. Several students, including Ernesto, were grateful for a more connected campus.

“I’m glad that everything’s inside, not outside, so when it’s raining, we don’t get wet,” he said.

Because the campus wasn’t as connected last year, students were given more time between periods to get to their next class, said Senior Rickey Wilbourn.

Rickey said he was looking forward to the new classrooms and all the other things that come with a return to school.

“Just seeing all my friends and meeting new people,” he said.