Amber Siratt
Kern Valley Sun

“This is truly our gift, the community’s gift to you the students,” said Mary Barlow, former Superintendent of the Kernville Union School District at the Woodrow Wallace phase three ribbon cutting held on Nov. 17.

The event officially celebrated the completion of the new Wallace Middle School campus which includes new classrooms, a new gymnasium/community center that is not only spacious for school events but also events such as community performances or meetings and presentations. In the event of a natural disaster, the gym/community center will serve as an evacuation center. The campus also includes special education facilities that better serve students with mobility challenges and severe needs.

The new Wallace Middle School colt mascot leads middle school students on the celebration walk at the Wallace Middle School campus ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Middle School students kicked off the event with a celebration walk around the campus complete with a parade of banners led by the school’s new colt mascot who made his debut at the event.  The Kern Valley Sheriff’s Activities League Color Guard presented the colors. On behalf of Congressman Kevin McCarthy, field representative Ben McFarland, presented the school with a flag that has flown over the nation’s capitol building. Former and current school board members, superintendents and administrators from around the valley were in attendance along with several members of the community.  Speakers offered their thanks for the commitment and hard work that it took for so many to make the new Wallace Middle School campus a reality.  “This is an effort that will forever change the course of the valley. For generations to come, children will benefit from higher expectations of themselves and their community,” Said Barlow.

Phase three is the culmination of years of planning that began nearly 20 years ago. Christine Frazier, who is currently the Kern County Superintendent of Schools spoke about the vision she had for the Wallace school when she became the KUSD superintendent back in 1991. “I have so many wonderful memories of this school. Back then I didn’t quite think the facilities matched how wonderful the staff and students were,” said Frazier. She shared stories about meeting with the staff all those years ago about the possibility of a new school. She asked them to make charts and to “dream big,” to write everything down that they could want because there was a chance it could happen.  “In walking into this facility today I was so touched. It is spectacular,” said Frazier.

A second ribbon cutting celebrated the special education facilities that were also years in the making. Until the special education classroom was built, students with special needs were transported to Bakersfield for school. Meg Strange became an advocate for the new facility 17 years ago when she began attending KUSD school board meetings to learn more about what it would take for the school to have its own classrooms here in the valley. At the time her son Johnny, who has special needs, was one of the students who was transported daily. Strange and her family attended the event and she spoke about what the day meant to her. “With this new building we have new hope for growth in this very special part of education. And I’m pleased and thankful for all the people that made this possible. I couldn’t be more pleased,” said Strange.