ACH High School/Lauzier Foundation Press Release

Coulee-Hartline School District Superintendent, Edward A. Fisk, announced that the district will receive a one million dollar gift from the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation. The gift, to be paid over ten years, will be used to pay a portion of the district’s cost to construct a gymnasium/multi-purpose facility as part of building a new high school.

Fisk explained that the district recently extended its cooperative agreement with the Almira School District. In the newly extended agreement, the districts agreed to seek state funding for the proposed construction project. However, not all anticipated construction costs are eligible for payment from state funds. The district will use the Lauzier Foundation gift, as well as money from existing reserves and money from an insurance settlement, to pay the local share of costs that will not be paid by the state.

The current high school in Hartline received significant water damage last year when vandals turned on water spigots sometime during the Thanksgiving break. Following an inspection of the building, the Grant County Building Inspector determined that safety code violations would have to be corrected. Vandalism damage is covered by insurance, but the insurance settlement will not begin to cover the cost of properly modernizing the building. Due to the age of the building and the cost of renovating it, the School Board decided to build a new high school in Coulee City rather than repair the old building.

Superintendent Fisk stated, “This gift from the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation is a dream come true for the Coulee-Hartline School District. The district does not have the resources to properly repair or replace the old high school in Hartline. However, this gift will provide local funds that can be matched by state funds to build a state-of-the-art high school for ACH. It is a gift that will be enjoyed by everyone in the three communities for many years.”

Paul Lauzier was a Grant County cattleman and farmer who passed away in 1995. He supported a number of religious, educational and charitable causes during his life. To that end, Mr. Lauzier developed an estate plan designed to continue a legacy of charitable giving. Half of the net income from the assets of his estate are distributed through the Paul Lauzier Scholarship Foundation for college scholarships to Grant County students. The other half of the net assets are distributed through the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation in the form of grants for religious, educational, charitable and community causes.

As of August 2006, the Paul Lauzier Scholarship Foundation has awarded over 2,200 scholarships totaling $4.5 million dollars, including $150,000.00 in awards to graduates from the Coulee-Hartline School District. In addition, the Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation has awarded grants totaling $4.3 million dollars. Lauzier charitable grants have included major funding for projects such as the Paul Lauzier Athletic Complex in Moses Lake and the Paul Lauzier University Center at Big Bend Community College.

A representative from the Paul Lauzier Foundation stated, “The Paul Lauzier Charitable Foundation is extremely proud of this gift to the Coulee-Hartline School District. The proposed facility will provide a wide range of educational opportunities and will serve various needs of the communities of Coulee City, Hartline and Almira.”

The district has submitted an application to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for funds to build the new high school. If the state provides approval, construction could start as soon as the summer or early fall of 2007.