Issaquah School Board upset with decision
May 2, 2012
Members of the Issaquah School Board were unhappy to hear last week that a district-owned 80-acre property is most likely unusable.
“We own the land. If the county wants to condemn it then they can pay us and we’ll go find something else,” said Board Member Brian Deagle.
The board got the bad news at its April 26 meeting where it received an update about the recent recommendations of the School Siting Task Force. Read more
Issaquah schools may add high school grad requirement
May 2, 2012
While the class of 2017 is just finishing up seventh grade, the Issaquah School Board is starting to talk about changing what those students will need to do in order to graduate from high school.
During its April 25 worksession, the school board took the first step of looking at changes to graduation requirements. Any changes the board adopts would first take effect on this year’s seventh graders once they reach high school. Read more
Issaquah voters to decide on bond package next month
March 13, 2012
New: March 13, 3:01 p.m.
Voting by mail in the weeks leading up to April 17, roughly 58,000 registered voters in the Issaquah School District will have the chance to decide whether the schools can sell $219 million in bonds to pay for major renovation and maintenance projects throughout the district.
The capital improvement plan presented by district officials includes a wide variety of projects, including replacing several schools, and installing new roofs and carpet at other facilities. The plan was created by a long process that started in early 2011 with meetings of a bond feasibility and development committee. That group made recommendations to Superintendent Steve Rasmussen and the package eventually had to earn the approval of the school board.
The board had the final say on whether to put a bond before voters and what projects would be proposed. In dollars, the largest projects include the replacement of Clark and Sunny Hills elementary schools and Issaquah Middle School, and major renovations to Liberty High School.
The oldest schools in the district
In talking about the bond projects, district officials are quick to point out that Issaquah Middle School (built in 1955) Sunny Hills (built in 1962) and Clark (built in 1950) are among the most aged schools in the district. In his recommendation to the school board, Rasmussen said it was no coincidence that replacing those schools accounted for nearly half of the cost of the overall capital proposal.
In the board-approved package that cut Rasmussen’s proposal by $8.5 million, the price of the three schools totals $109.1 million of the overall package of $219 million. Rebuilding Issaquah Middle School will cost $62.5 million. The price tag for Clark is $19.5 million; for Sunny Hills, $27.1 million.
Officials said there are numerous efficiencies that can be achieved in new buildings.
For example, it costs 27.4 percent more to heat Issaquah Middle School than Pacific Cascade Middle School, Rasmussen said.
In regard to its oldest schools, the district reached the point where a decision had to be made whether to keep spending substantial dollars on maintenance of older buildings or ask voters to allow an investment in newer structures, said Associate Superintendent Ron Thiele, who also mentioned safety issues at the older schools.
For example, the layout of doors at Issaquah Middle School makes it difficult to lock the building down in cases of emergency, he said. Moving central offices would provide better, direct views of parking lots, and students coming and going.
“I don’t want to give the impression those schools are unsafe,” Thiele said. “They are adequate … It goes to the overall improvement of the learning and teaching environments at those schools.”
As the schools are rebuilt, some will be relocated. Clark and Issaquah Middle would change places, putting Issaquah Middle closer to Issaquah High School. Tiger Mountain Community High School also would move to part of the existing Issaquah Middle School location.
Liberty High School
Renovation plans for Liberty total $44.5 million. That includes $4.8 million for rebuilding the athletic fields and stadium. Still, the biggest portion of the dollars aimed at Liberty would go toward what’s been labeled “Phase B” of its reconstruction and modernization.
Future plans for Liberty include reconfiguring and expanding the so-called commons area; relocating and remodeling administration and counseling offices; modernizing a large number of classrooms; completing a video/TV lab and production and editing studio; modernizing the school library; and adding a new auxiliary gym. The roof would be replaced outside of the new or remodeled areas.
The existing football bleachers would be converted to the visitor’s side. New home bleachers would seat 2,000. Plans call for a press box on the west side of the field.
Tiger Mountain Community High School
The district’s alternative high school is aimed squarely at students who have struggled in a more typical classroom environment or students who simply prefer, and do better in, an alternative-learning environment. If the bond package wins approval, the school would be relocated to the current location of Issaquah Middle School. Total cost: $3.9 million.
A renovated and modernized Tiger Mountain would allow the expansion of career and technical training for district students, not necessarily just those who attend Tiger. In the past, school board members and administrators have discussed making new Tiger Mountain programs available to all district students as much as possible.
The revamped Tiger Mountain would have added hours of operation in order to give students more classroom time. Officials envision new science-, technology-, engineering- and math-related programs. A culinary arts program would be expanded. At one point, administrators said they had not fully programmed the new Tiger, as that seemed a bit of a wasted exercise if voters do not approve the bond.
Tiger also could serve as home base to expanded online educational offerings.
Stadiums and artificial turf
As preparation of the bond package moved forward, administrators and school board members admitted this part of the package might be a tough sell with voters. The proposal calls for a major revamping of stadiums at all three mainstream district high schools. Additionally, artificial turf would replace existing natural fields at all district middle schools. Rubberized running tracks would replace existing cinder tracks. Total cost of athletic field work at all schools, not including Issaquah Middle School, is $18.3 million.
Of the high schools, Skyline would receive the most attention with a $6.4 million project. Covered, home-side stands seating 2,500 would be built at Skyline’s stadium, along with a bigger press box, more restroom space and additional concession areas.
Maintenance and
other projects
The project list includes specific work at roughly 21 of the district’s 24 schools. Besides those projects already listed, the program would include $7.2 million in expansion and improvements at Apollo Elementary School. Issaquah Valley Elementary School also would receive an addition and other improvements at a cost of $8.5 million. The additions would create room for 120 more students at each school.
Other schools would receive greatly varying degrees of attention. For example, Challenger Elementary School is slated for new flooring, an upgraded intercom system and a new fire alarm system. Total cost is $455,000.
The program list also includes numerous districtwide projects. Electronic locks and a card-key access system would be installed at all schools. The district would spend $2.6 million to install security cameras and closed circuit TV systems in each building.
On the web
See a complete list of all projects that could be funded by the 2012 bond issue at www.issaquah.wednet.edu. Click on “April 2012 bond.”
What will it cost
“How much will it raise taxes?”
That’s the first question that comes to mind when a money issue of any kind is put before voters. So, how will the $219 million bond package being floated by the Issaquah School District affect local property taxes?
Bond supporters are quick to point out that local property tax bills will fall even if the bond issue passes. That’s because a bond package voters approved in 2006 is about to be retired.
According to the district, the retirement of the earlier bond will drop the local tax rate from $4.85 per $1,000 of assessed property value to $4.05. Passage of the new bond would put the rate at $4.42.
Compared to present rates, for a person with a home valued at $500,000, even with the new bond, property taxes will drop by $215 annually, said Jake Kuper, district chief of finance and operations. He was quick to add taxes would drop by an additional $215 if the new bond does not pass.
The 2012 bond would be on the books for eight years.
The current economic slump actually could work in the district’s favor, according to Associate Superintendent Ron Thiele and others. Issaquah schools can take advantage of low interest on the bonds sold to fund capital improvements. At the same time, contractors are hungry for work, meaning bids should be lower than they might be otherwise. On projects under way with funding from the 2006 bond, local schools have been able to attract big-name, quality contractors who might have ignored Issaquah under other circumstances, Steve Crawford, district director of capital projects, said.
Online registration deadline looms
Unregistered voters looking to cast a ballot in the April 17 special election need to register online or by mail by March 19.
Ballots for the all-mail election are expected to go out March 28.
You must have a valid Washington driver’s license in order to register online. Go to www.kingcounty.gov/elections/registration.aspx. From there, you can find a form to use for mail-in voter registration. Forms are also available at King County elections offices and branches of the King County Library System.
March 19 is also the deadline for previously registered voters to change information such as name or address. That can also be done on the county website.
Voters who have never registered or voted in Washington previously have until April 9 to register, but all registrations after March 19 must be done in person. Visit the above website for details.
Former Issaquah Board member on state education board
February 29, 2012
Though she was defeated in voting for Western Position 3, former Issaquah School Board member Connie Fletcher will retain a seat on the Washington State Board of Education thanks to Gov. Chris Gregoire.
While appointments need legislative approval, Gregoire directly names seven members of the 16-member board. Read more
Issaquah School Board president runs for Legislature
January 9, 2012
In a campaign announcement focused on dollars for education, Chad Magendanz, a Republican and the Issaquah School Board president, entered the race Jan. 5 to represent the 5th District in the Legislature.
Magendanz, a Tiger Mountain resident in Issaquah, launched the local campaign season days after state leaders offered a re-contoured legislative district and a little more than a week after the longtime incumbent, GOP state Rep. Glenn Anderson, opted against running for the seat in 2012. Read more
Issaquah School Board supports its own bond issue
January 9, 2012
If voters approve a new bond measure this spring, Skyline could get its long-awaited Spartan Stadium renovation and Sunny Hills Elementary School will get a total rebuild.
The Issaquah School District will ask district residents to do so this April. At its last meeting of 2011 on Dec. 14, the Issaquah School Board unanimously passed a resolution supporting a more than $219 million capital bond issue. If passed, the bond money will provide funding for various building projects and school upgrades around the district for the next eight years. Read more
Issaquah school bond campaign gets an early start
November 23, 2011
Voters will have until April 17 to decide the fate of a $219 million capital bond issue supporting the Issaquah School District.
Still, those running the bond campaign are starting to put the groundwork for it in place.
In the meantime, the Issaquah School Board approved the ballot language for the measure at its regular meeting Nov. 9. Read more
Return Deagle, Weaver to Issaquah School Board
October 25, 2011
The Issaquah School Board is fortunate to have solid, professional, dedicated men and women willing to serve the district.
Brian Deagle and Suzanne Weaver, both incumbents, are still the best choices. Both have been board members through the tough economic times. While the budget for schools has fallen, student performance has not.
Deagle regularly makes his presence felt on the school board, asking the tough questions before casting a vote. In recent months, his probing of the proposed school bond over the course of three months led to some revisions and reduced costs. It’s the kind of challenge that citizens want to see in a representative.
Weaver has creative ideas for schools and is passionate about changes that will promote better education of our students. Her business background has been valuable to the board. She is an articulate, no-nonsense board member. Read more
Anne Moore will join the Issaquah School Board
October 25, 2011
Residents are guaranteed of seeing at least one new face on the Issaquah School Board next year.
Bellevue resident Anne Moore is running unopposed for the District 1 seat being vacated by current board president Jan Colbrese.
“I will always be deeply invested in the Issaquah School District,” Colbrese said. Read more
Forum attracts schools and ports candidates
October 18, 2011
Candidates for local and regional offices offered prescriptions for counteracting the ailing economy and educating a 21st-century workforce at a forum Thursday.
Organized by The Issaquah Press, sister publication to the Sammamish Review, and moderated by Publisher Debbie Berto, the forum attracted candidates for the Issaquah School Board and Port of Seattle Commission.
The candidates, gathered at the King County Library System headquarters in Issaquah, answered questions in 40-minute sections organized by race. Read more
