Pasco principals, students outline plans to unite culture across three high schools as Sage View opens

Pasco School District principals and student leaders presented plans to align campus culture across the district's three comprehensive high schools and to mark the opening of Sage View High School in August, emphasizing student voice, shared traditions and ongoing coordination among staff.

At a Pasco School District board study session, Principal Jaime Morales of Chiawana High School said the presentation would review the year’s work, explain how students’ voices were collected and used, and outline plans for the 2025–26 school year as the district moves to “one team, one dream.” Morales said the principals and student leaders aimed to use students’ input as the foundation for unifying activities and identity across the three schools.

The work has included three student summits in January, February and May at the Booth Building facilitated by the Association of Washington School Leaders (AWSL) to “elevate student voice,” Principal Veronica Machado of Pasco High School said. Machado and Principal Raquel Martinez of Sage View described collaborative staff work through a High School Guiding Coalition, joint professional development and program alignment meetings this year as preparatory steps for the new school.

Students who took part in the summits described concrete proposals they said would help build unity and school pride. Alejandra Ampill, a ninth‑grade student at Chiawana High School, described student media returning to campus: “Hawk Talk is a biweekly video segment put together by students for students,” she said, describing the series as a way to highlight programs and events and increase inclusion.

Elizabeth Padarama, a tenth‑grade Chiawana student, outlined goals that grew from the summits, including raising attendance at school games, soliciting student feedback on spirit‑week activities and better aligning staff and student activities such as coordinated dress‑up days. She and other students proposed cross‑campus events such as tailgates, game nights and a districtwide dance to draw students from all three high schools together.

Students also described school‑level organizing at the new site. Daniel Palacio, representing Sage View, said student leaders established an Associated Student Body constitution and participated in selecting the school’s mascot and names for campus spaces: “We picked Lolo the Lobo, which was the name that I came up with and I’m pretty proud of it,” Palacio said. He listed student‑chosen names including the Pack Shack (student store) and Full Moon Café (cafeteria), and said the school’s Hawk Time will be known as Pack Time.

Students and principals provided counts and program details used to justify the proposals. Chiawana students said the campus offers 34 clubs, including DECA, FBLA, speech and debate, and esports; they listed band, orchestra, choir, guitar and mariachi among performing‑arts offerings. Machado and students reported 14 girls’ athletic programs and 10 boys’ programs at the district’s high schools. Principals said over 200 students from Sage View, Pasco High and Chiawana will take part in leadership and alignment activities beginning in August.

The district described a framework, called Ignite to Unite, to guide the 2025–26 alignment work and noted the graphic is still a work in progress. Martinez said the district will use the Ignite to Unite framework and the 4 A approach — academics, activities, arts and athletics — to structure cross‑campus programming and student leadership development next year.

Ignite to Unite partner JJ described the 4 A workshop model and its goals: to create connections across groups (arts, athletics, activities, academics), evaluate campus climate, and empower student leaders to take ownership of campus culture. He said the workshop typically convenes about 100 student leaders and yields student‑driven action steps such as expanding student sections to support arts and non‑football events.

Board President Brown and Superintendent Whitney thanked principals and students for the presentation. A board member asked whether students from alternative or specialty programs — New Horizons, Orion and Delta High — would be included in districtwide activities; Principal Martinez replied those programs have “been a part” of the district’s Building One Team, One Dream work.

No formal motions or votes were recorded during the presentation. Board members did not take action at the meeting; presenters asked for continued support and said staff will continue to finalize plans, materials and schedules ahead of the 2025–26 school year.

The district plans to continue the student‑voice work through leadership summits, Ignite to Unite activities and cross‑campus events next year, while staff finalize branding materials and calendar logistics for shared events.