Principals report enrollment rises, behavior and staffing pressures alongside new programs and community engagement

Several Lewiston principals gave brief updates on school enrollment, programs and challenges during the committee’s presentations.

Farwell Elementary: Andrew Bard, principal at Farwell Elementary School, said the school serves about 411 students and 103 staff, including 97 special‑education students and 44 multilingual learners. Bard highlighted a refreshed school vision — “Farwell Bobcats pounce into the future” — and said the school’s reading recovery program and third year of social‑emotional‑learning (SEL) work are bright spots. He said chronic absenteeism and behavior remain concerns and that specialized staffing shortages limit growth in special‑purpose programs.

Geiger Elementary: Cindy Gish, principal at Geiger Elementary School, reported enrollment of 574 students (an increase of about 40) with 78 multilingual learners and 23 special‑education students. Gish described community partnerships (FoodCorps, LA Arts), a 30‑tree orchard, and co‑teaching and learning‑lab…