42% of those who attend the high school are white, while 51.4% are Hispanic. 1.4% are black, 1.2% are Asian or Pacific Islander, 0.2% are American Indian or Alaska native, and 3.6% are of two or more races.[3]
This school has an 85% graduation rate, an increase of 7.5% in the past 5 years. 63.5% of teachers hold a master's degree or higher have an average of 16.5 years of teaching experience.[3]
History
Neppel School Moses Lake's First
Moses Lake High School Started in 1924. The First Graduate was Ed Hull. The original name of MLHS in 1924 was Neppel School. Classes were held in a four-room building at the site of the present-day Rite-Aid
In 1946 a new larger building was built. The first Principal was Ray Darnall (1913-1980). He served from 1946 to 1948. In 1948 Darnall worked as a basketball coach.
In 1947 Vern Taylor was killed during a construction accident.
Moses Lake High School in the Winter of 1948
The Hallway at MLHS From 1946 to 1959
Ray Darnall 1946-1948
Osmond Darling 1948-1951
Robert C Smith 1951-1955
Winifield Fountain 1955-1957
John Lothespich 1957-1961
Delbert Milholland 1961-1971
Frank Kelly 1971-1973
Marr Marchbank 1973-1975
Lee Hutsell 1975-1979
Thomas Oxwang 1979-1981
Larry Smith 1981-2000
Dave Balcom 2000-2009
Dr. Joshua Meek 2009-2015
Mark Harris 2015-2017
Jake Long Fall 2017-Spring 2019
Triscia Hochstatter Fall 2019–Spring 2022
Sheila Kries Fall 2022–Present
1959: New campus
In the Spring of 1959, Moses Lake High School moved locations. That building is currently Frontier Middle School.
The New Location had 7 different buildings.
The Hallways were arranged A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The J building was added in 1962–63.
The Principals who served during the era was
John Lothespich
Delbert Millholand
Marr Marchbank
Frank Kelly
Lee Hutsell
Tom Oxwang
Larry Smith
Moses Lake High School in 1959
Some Students Explaining the Day After the Fire on C Building in 1969
The Side of the Campus in 1974-75
The Campus between classes in 1971
1995–1997: Modernization
In 1995 the high school was modernized with the following:
Connecting the nine detached buildings
Removal of lockers
Adding two new gyms.
2022: Rebranding
April 2021, Washington Legislature passed House Bill 1356 prohibiting the inappropriate use of Native American names, symbols, or images as public school mascots, logos, or team names without tribal consent. In February, 2022, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation revoked the use of the 'Chiefs' mascot for Moses Lake High School in addition to the 'Braves' at Columbia Middle School (formerly Chief Moses Middle School) and the 'Warriors' at Frontier Middle School in Moses Lake. Moses Lake High School began the rebranding process in 2022. With student, staff, and community involvement, the 'Mavericks' was selected as the new mascot.