Bond Project Update: November 2020
Even as we head into another cold and wet winter, our ongoing bond projects won’t be slowing down.
Construction crews continue to make great progress on our newest school, Katherine G. Johnson Elementary. This month plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work was done on both the A and B wings of the school. Additionally, roof rafters and sheet roof were installed on the school’s B wing. The first round of vinyl windows were also installed this month.
Located on Waller Road between Military and 176th, the school will be capable of comfortably educating 700 students, with space for enough portables to house another 200 students on site. Because of the way the state funds school construction, we can’t build schools to accommodate future growth, if we want to still be eligible for matching funds.
Katherine G. Johnson Elementary will open its doors to students next fall.
Graham-Kapowsin High School expansion
We’re continuing to make progress on our Graham-Kapowsin High School expansion project. Last month the School Board approved the Educational Specifications for the 33,000 square foot additions.
The expansion will add a classroom wing, a gym and weight room, administrative spaces and a larger commons. Part of the expansion, which is scheduled to be ready for the 2024/25 school year, will include a full traffic impact analysis, as traffic in the Graham area has been a concern.
Last summer, six double portable classrooms at the school were moved in preparation for the expansion.
Bethel Early Learning Center
It was also a busy month for the construction team at the Bethel Early Learning Center.
This project — which will convert an old church into a learning center — will be the first of its kind in the district. It was designed to allow us to move preschool classrooms out of our crowded elementary schools and into the new building. The 12,000 square foot center will feature seven classrooms, administrative offices, support facilities, and will house approximately 250 students each day.
The center is being financed by impact fees, rather than bond money. Impact fees are collected when new homes are built in the district. The fees go up very minimally each year based on the consumer index and the money collected is generally used to purchase and place portable classrooms.
In addition to the main building, the center will feature a fun and educational outdoor space for playing, eating and learning. The center will open to students next fall.
2021 preview
Next year is also shaping up to be a busy one for our construction teams. Not only is Katherine G. Johnson Elementary scheduled to open in the fall, but:
- Construction begins on the new Bethel High School
- Construction begins on Phase II of Challenger High School
- Planning begins for Evergreen Elementary’s modernization and expansion project
