News & Announcements

The September edition of Community Connections is now available. This month's edition includes a list of the non-school days for the year, information on a free after-school snack program through the Spokane County Library District, job opportunities with our district, and more.

Click here to read the full newsletter!

 

 

After an extensive interview process, Cheney Public Schools is pleased to announce that Georgia Barker has been selected as the categorically funded Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) Student Learning: Resource and Measurement. The interview process involved key stakeholders from across the district, including representatives from the Teaching and Learning department, who interacted and engaged with each candidate throughout the interview process.

As part of the interview process, each candidate engaged with the interview committee during a question and answer session and then each candidate created a resource proposal presentation to share with the interview panel. Following this process, Barker was selected as the best fit for the new TOSA Student Learning: Resource and Measurement position.

"The Teaching and Learning team is excited to welcome Georgia to our team,” said Director of Teaching and Learning Dr. Kelly Niccolls. “Georgia’s intentional inquiry, attention to the full story of student learning evidence, and eagerness to support school teams will be immediately impactful as we continue to build our culture of meaningful assessment and resourcing for high quality tier 1 instruction."

Barker has spent most of her teaching career with Cheney Public Schools, having taught Algebra I, Algebra II, Honors Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus at Cheney High School since 2014. In her classroom, Barker motivates students with innovative math techniques, engaging them in activities and exploratory lessons by creating lesson plans that require students’ to develop an understanding of the math concept and connect it to previous lessons. She monitors their development and level of understanding through authentic assessments and questioning that are integrated throughout her courses. Prior to arriving at CHS, Barker spent one year each at Ephrata High School and Mossyrock Jr. and Senior High School, where she taught Algebra I, Algebra II (Mossyrock only), Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. Barker earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from Eastern Washington University and her Master’s in Science in Mathematics - Mathematics Education Option from Montana State University.

“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to serve Cheney Public Schools in this new role,” Barker said. “I look forward to collaborating with teachers and leaders across our schools, bringing research and resources to support their goals, and learning alongside them as we work together to continue creating stronger opportunities for every student."

 

 

As part of the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, every Cheney Public Schools student can receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day, regardless of household income. Our district is able to participate in the CEP following the passage of RCW 28A.235.300 by the Washington State Legislature in 2022.

But free meals are only part of the picture. 

Depending on eligibility, students and families may qualify for even more benefits, like SunBucks (Summer EBT), waived extracurricular fees, community discounts, fee waivers for college applications and admissions tests. Completing the Benefits Application also helps secure important funding and resources for schools across our district. 

So, how do you know if you qualify? You should complete the Benefits Application if any of the following apply to your household: 

• Your household income is at or below the amount listed for your household size in the chart below; 
• Your household receives Basic Food, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or benefits through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR);
• You are applying on behalf of a foster child who is under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court.

The Benefits Application must be completed annually, so even if you were approved for the 2025-2026 school year, you must submit an application for the 2026-2027 school year. 

The application takes about 10 minutes to complete. Taking a few minutes to complete the Benefit Application can help your family access additional benefits, fee waivers, and discounts while also helping Cheney Public Schools receive funding and resources that support students across our district.  

To qualify for these additional benefits, families must complete both the Benefit Application AND a Parental Consent Survey. Visit the Nutrition Services Benefits Application and Consent to Share webpage for more information. 
 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jenna Larson, 
Communications Coordinator
jlarson@cheneysd.org

 

DAN RUX SELECTED AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY 
Pending Board Approval
August 20, 2026

 

After an extensive interview process, Cheney Public Schools is pleased to announce that Dan Rux has been selected as Assistant Director of Technology, pending Board approval. 

The interview process included representatives from several key stakeholder groups including district leadership, school leaders, and classified directors. Following the evaluation of feedback, Rux emerged as the best candidate for the Assistant Director position.

“Dan knows our systems, knows our schools, and most importantly, knows our people,” said Director of Technology Ryan Spencer. “I couldn’t be happier to have him take on this role. The future of technology at Cheney Public Schools is bright, and Dan is going to be a big part of it.”

Rux has spent the entirety of his professional career with Cheney Public Schools, beginning as a Technology Support Specialist in August of 2023. In that role, he managed accounts on district services, initiated Chromebook and audio visual repairs, and owned urgent help desk tickets, among other duties. Less than a year later, Rux moved into a Systems Support Specialist role, a position he has held since June 2024. In this role, he has been responsible for the administration of multiple district-wide systems, troubleshooting the highest complexity help desk tickets, and the direct device enrollment, configuration, and deployment for staff and student devices district-wide. Rux was also responsible for leading the district’s migration from Clever to ClassLink, coordinating configuration, testing, and rollout. He also led the training of a second support technician, building upon the onboarding program he established in his previous role. 

Rux holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Eastern Washington University with minors in Management Information Systems and Digital Entrepreneurship, and a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity Management from Grand Canyon University.

“Somewhere between fumbling my first printer jam and leading a full server migration on my own, this stopped being just a job fixing computers,” Rux said. “It became about showing up for the teachers, students, and staff who depend on technology. I am so excited to continue my work with this district, this team, and step into the role of Assistant Director.”

 

CHENEY, Wash. – In March 2026, Cheney Public Schools and the City of Cheney issued a joint communication outlining the processes for the irrigation systems within the Cheney municipality. As the new school year approaches, we would like to provide you with an update.

The City of Cheney's water reuse 'Purple Pipe to Playfields' (PPP) project was completed in July of this year. Now, the City is waiting to receive a Water Reuse Permit from the Washington State Department of Ecology. This permit may not be issued until September, and the City cannot turn on and connect the parks and school district properties until that permit is received.  As a result, the City once must rely on irrigation restrictions to maintain public health and fire protection supply. The City recognizes that quality playfields are necessary for athlete safety for the upcoming school year sports activities, and has allowed continued irrigation of these essential playfield locations while working with the school district to reduce irrigation in less critical locations.

During the summer, Cheney Public Schools followed a watering schedule focused on the high school varsity playing fields, with the goal of having the fields in the best possible condition for the fall sports season. This has affected other grassy areas on our campuses within the Cheney city limits, as they have not been receiving as much water.

We are thankful for our partnership with the City of Cheney and their continued work to be good stewards of water. Of course, conditions can change with the rest of the summer based on the weather and potential water restrictions.

In collaboration,