By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Built in 1982, Cedarcrest Middle School in the Bethel School District has never had a major renovation. That might change. Remodeling of Cedarcrest could be among the projects that are paid for through a bond measure that district officials are considering putting before voters in 2016. The School Board discussed the possible bond proposals during a public meeting Nov. 17 in the district's Educational Service Center in Spanaway. Among the other school expansions, improvements and new construction that the bond would cover include a new wing for Graham-Kapowsin High School, a new elementary school next to Cedarcrest, and a swimming pool at Bethel High School. Bethel High itself is ticketed for modernization. The school, which has about 1,600 students, was built in 1951 and last was renovated in 1990. It's showing its age, according to district officials. Principal Cliff Anderson, in one of the videos the district is including in an information campaign about the potential bond measure, said Bethel High looks fine aesthetically to the casual passerby. "It's what you can't see,GÇ¥ he said, "that needs to be fixed,GÇ¥ such as heating systems and other infrastructure. The district's newest high school, Graham-Kapowsin, has a different problem. Built in 2005 to originally accommodate 1,400 students, it now is approaching an enrollment of 2,000. For students who spend part of their schooldays in the 18 portable buildings that have been added to provide more classroom space, it's slow-going as they enter the main building through a single entrance. And at lunch time, the crowding makes it hard hard for students to get their meals and eat before it's time to return to class. Simply put, the school needs more space, said principal Matt Yarnosky. To relieve overcrowding and update its schools, the district has put together a list of priorities that it wants the public to learn about as a prelude to the School Board possibly putting a ballot measure before voters. School Improvements and upgrades of technology are on the list. They include: " Modernization and partial replacement of Bethel High. " An expansion of classrooms, the cafeteria and gym at Graham-Kapowsin High. " Replacing Challenger High School, currently a collection of 14 portable buildings, with a new building on the former site of Spanaway Elementary School. " Remodeling Cedarcrest Middle School. " Building a new elementary school adjacent to Cedarcrest and updating Evergreen and Naches Trail elementary schools. " Building a school pool next to Bethel High School and a sports park behind Bethel Learning Center. The new facilities would be open to the community. " Replacing existing sports fields at Graham-Kapowsin and Spanaway Lake High School with synthetic surfaces that would be better-suited for year-round use. In addition to those bigger-ticket items, the bond would also pay for making schools safer with seismic upgrades to withstand earthquakes and improved security systems, improvements to pedestrian routes used by students, and other building improvements such as heating, air conditioning and roofs. The proposals emerged from a study the last few years by a long-range planning committee comprised of 80 district personnel and parents. Last month's meeting hosted by the School Board was part of a process in which the general public can weigh in, both through e-mail at communications@bethelsd.org and by getting more information from the district's web site at bethelsd.org. Bethel's last ballot measures were in 2014, when voters approved two levies GÇô one for technology and the other for maintenance and operations. With approximately 18,000 students, Bethel is the 16th-largest school district in Washington. In a report to the School Board in January, consultant Les Kendrick said the district has been averaging an additional 166 students in each of the past three years, and that gains in enrollment are expected to continue based on current and projected economic factors GÇô such as construction of new housing GÇô that affect growth in the district's population. Bethel's growth has been consistent with trends throughout Pierce County, Kendrick said.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment