Brad Malloy knows that change brings challenges, but Eastlake’s third-year principal is thrilled with the direction things are headed.

For the first time in the Lake Washington School District’s 68-year history, the district is shifting to four-year high schools, middle schools and kindergarten through fifth grade elementary schools.

“I appreciate getting the kids a year earlier, getting that year of transition over a year earlier and having perhaps a longer period of time of educational success going into their post-high school years,” said Malloy, noting kids often had trouble buying into the idea they were actually in high school while on a junior high campus.

With the addition of 400 freshmen, the temporary housing of the district’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) school and the addition of the Renaissance School, Eastlake will have 1,950 to 2,000 students on its campus at the start of the school year. Malloy estimated there was only 1,250 students last year.

The increased population certainly changes the atmosphere on campus, but it’s nothing school officials say they can’t handle.

Eastlake underwent a serious remodel, adding a new wing with 14 new classrooms, a new gymnasium and a mezzanine in the cafeteria that’s capable of seating 200 more students.

The school also made additions to its staff, hiring 36 new employees — several of which have experience at the junior high level.

Returning students will also play a key role in the transition. Approximately 165 juniors and seniors were selected to participate in Link Crew, a program that shows new freshman and sophomores around.

“On the first day of school we’re going to be really utilizing our upperclassmen to help welcome the students, really kind of show them around, talk with them about how to be successful here at Eastlake,” Malloy said.

While change is significant at the high-school level, it also has a large impact on those in middle school.

Two-thirds of Inglewood Middle School’s 1,075 students are new to the campus this year, with only the incoming eighth graders having been at the school before.

Principal Tim Patterson said Inglewood became proactive last year bringing every student in the fifth and sixth grade in Inglewood’s district to campus for a tour and a lunch.

Last year’s seventh graders, about 20 percent of the student body, also went through a leadership course. Patterson, who is entering his sixth year as principal, said he hopes the course will help maintain what he considers a very important tradition at Inglewood.

“We had what we thought was a pretty positive culture so we’re paying a lot of attention to students this year to ensure that we rebuild a healthy, kind student culture,” he said.

Inglewood also saw several hires. Of its 47 teachers, 20 are new to the school. Patterson said 12 of the new teachers are sixth-grade teachers from area elementary schools — something he hopes will make the transition smoother.

Along with the implementation of a 1:1 computing program that ensures every student has a Netbook or laptop, Patterson said he’s looking forward to seeing what the new middle school format can do for Inglewood.

“I feel it has a lot of potential to improve student learning, improve the student experience and just take Inglewood to the next level,” he said.

Entire district undergoes changes

The Lake Washington School District is making the change this year to deal with increased student enrollment.

Officials estimate without the change the district would have needed four new elementary schools at roughly $25 million apiece.

“By shifting one grade out of elementary and one grade into high schools, where we had extra space not being used, we are using our existing space more efficiently,” said Kathryn Reith, district spokeswoman. “It doesn’t make sense to ask taxpayers for money to build elementary schools if we have significant room available in high schools.”

Reith said the district also considered the importance of making ninth graders feel like they’re a part of the high-school experience.

“No matter how often the staff or parents told them they were in high school for the purposes of high school graduation and applying to college, students just didn’t really get it,” she said.