Bond Project Update: December 2023

Expedition Elementary

Construction crews are making amazing progress on our newest bond-funded school, Expedition Elementary. The 66,000-square-foot building, which will be located in the Lipoma Firs Community, will house about 500 students in 27 general classrooms and various shared spaces when it opens next fall.

Evergreen Elementary Expansion

The much needed expansion of Evergreen Elementary is now in permitting. This project will add 10,000 square feet to the school, that will include eight additional classrooms and a new commons. The team is planning for prep work to start in spring 2024.

The main part of the construction will take place once school gets out for the summer. The old Naches Trail Elementary will become home to the Evergreen Elementary staff and students for the 2024/25 school year while the renovation and expansion of their school takes place.

A Value Engineering study for the project was recently performed by Meng Analysis to review the architect’s design and make recommendations for cost avoidance, cost verification, and added value proposals.

New Bethel High School

On December 12, our School Board authorized the administration to move forward with advertising bid proposals related to the New Bethel High School project.

There is a lot of excitement around this project, which is anticipated to begin in 2024, subject to permitting.

This spring we submitted our conditional use permits with the county. The project went before the Graham Land Use Advisory Commission in September, and the county Hearing Examiner in October. Once it gets underway, the construction timeline will be 27 months.

Cedarcrest Middle School

We’re excited to announce that we have completed the selection process for the Cedardrest Middle School Renovation & Expansion project. The district recommended and the School Board approved BCRA, Inc. of Tacoma to perform the architectural services.

Our construction team recently conducted a Feasibility Study for the project to better realize the options available to them before starting the design work. This study will help them assess the needs and budget parameters, so we don’t run into any issues along the way. This winter, the team plans to begin the educational specifications for the project.

Projects not funded by the 2019 Bond

Pierce County Skills Center

The Evergreen building at the Pierce County Skills Center is being funded through a state grant through OSPI. The new building will house the Construction Trades and Fire Science programs. Construction is now underway, with an anticipated completion in the fall of 2024.

Clover Creek Elementary

The district owns property to the south of Clover Creek Elementary. The current thinking is that the property may be used as future expanded parking for Clover Creek as well as to help improve the site circulation for pick up and drop off — a project that would likely need to be funded by a future bond. The property had a house on it that was recently taken down