2020 Vision
Elementary #18 to be named, new BHS schematics released
It’s been 11 months since voters overwhelmingly approved our School Construction Bond. The $443 million bond will fund the construction of three new schools, and will renovate and expand five others.
Elementary #18
The first new school we build will be our first new elementary school in more than a decade. Elementary #18 will be 80,000 square feet, located on Waller Road just north of 176th St. E.
In December, a naming committee for the school was approved by the School Board. Made up of staff, parents and students, the committee will recommend names, mascots and colors for the new school to the School Board, who will make the final decision.
Save the Date!: The district will host a neighborhood Open House for communities in and around Elementary #18. The event is scheduled for January 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Clover Creek Elementary.
Construction of Elementary #18 will begin in April 2020.
New Bethel High School
Located near the corner of 224th St. E. and 70th Ave E., the new Bethel High School will be 250,000 square feet. Schematics for the building were approved by the School Board in December, and the site will be home to some excitement early this year.
The vacant house that is currently on the new BHS property will soon be gone. The district is working with the Graham Fire Department to arrange time for local fire departments to conduct training at the site, with the end result being the building being safely burned to the ground.
A lot of time was spent on site placement for the new school, partially due to the wetlands on the site. The district directed the design team to completely avoid the wetlands, so the schematic designs show the new BHS will be set back off of 224th. Plans currently show there will be two access points to the school off of 224th, one of which will be lined up with the entrance to North Star Elementary and will probably have a traffic light.
A Neighborhood Open House for the new Bethel High School will be announced in the coming months.
Designing and permitting for the new high school will take place this year. In 2021 the project will go out to bid and the school will open in the fall of 2023.
Other bond project notes
The design of Challenger High School Phase II will begin this spring.
Graham-Kapowsin High School will be relocating six double portables this summer in preparation for the school’s expansion.
Construction of synthetic turf football fields at GKHS and SLHS are expected to start this summer.
