As employers and colleges have placed greater emphasis on high school students graduating with more education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies, school districts have worked to provide the teachers and curriculum needed.
But classroom space with the necessary flexibility and facilities for those subjects also is required, and it’s why the Sultan School District’s plans for improvements at Sultan High School include four new STEM laboratory classrooms as part of $32.44 million in improvements and new construction.
“We’re going to have a problem if we don’t have that lab space,” said Sultan School District Superintendent Dan Chaplik.
The work at Sultan High is part of a $47.77 million bond request to Sultan School District voters.
The voter-approved funding will be joined by more than $10 million in matching funds from the state that will fund the following projects:
The $32.44 million for the high school also funds construction for a new gym, conversion of the current gym into an auxiliary facility, a new performing arts center and expansion of the band and music room, four other classrooms in addition to the STEM classrooms and infrastructure and other improvements;
$3.25 million for Sultan Middle School will provide a new roof, new gym floor and conversion of the shop and office space into STEM classrooms;
$3.82 million at Sultan Elementary and $2.15 million at Gold Bar Elementary will provide for roof replacement and health and safety improvements throughout the schools; and
$6.1 million will build a new educational support services center that will centralize the district’s bus services, maintenance and technology services now at Sultan Middle School and relocate the district offices from Sultan Elementary, freeing space there for an alternative high school program.
A community-involved process evaluated the district’s existing facilities and its needs, then prioritized which projects to include in the bond request. Debbie Copple, director of the Sultan Chamber of Commerce and president of the Sultan Education Foundation, participated in the process and supports the bond proposal’s emphasis on the high school, which was built 30 years ago.
“In 30 years, everything has changed. We didn’t have the technology 30 years ago we have now, computers weren’t common and no one had heard of STEM education,” she said.
Enrollment growth requires more space for classrooms, physical education classes, as well as a performing arts center and classroom space for award-winning musical and performing arts programs that now meet in the lunchroom, she said.
This will be the district’s first bond request since a successful request in 1998. That bond, which charges a current millage rate of 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed value will expire in 2017.
The proposed bond will have a millage rate of $2.13 per $1,000 of assessed value, resulting in an additional $446 for the annual tax bill of a home valued at $200,000.
Bond elections, unlike levy elections, require approval by 60 percent of voters. Additionally, a minimum of at least 40 percent of the voters in the district’s last election must participate to validate the election.
Chaplik said he believes the district has been responsible in its request. The area economy is growing again, following the recession, during which the district saw a decline in enrollment. Enrollment now is increasing, and the district needs the space and improved facilities for students.
“It’s what we need to do to keep up maintenance,” Chaplik said. “We have to be responsible to make sure our learning environment is where it needs to be.”
“This is an investment that benefits everyone in the community,” Copple added.
The Sultan School District, through the process it used in preparing the bond request, has balanced its responsibility to meet the needs of its students against the ability of the community to support the request.
The Herald Editorial Board encourages support for the Feb. 9 bond request.
School bond, levy elections
Voters in several Snohomish County school districts will soon receive ballots in the mail soon for levy or bond elections.
The Sultan and Lake Stevens school districts are seeking voter approval of bond elections to fund construction projects.
Arlington, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Stanwood-Camano and Lakewood school districts are seeking approval of levies for maintenance and operation, technology and capital improvements or both.
Ballots must be in the mail or returned to county elections drop boxes by Feb. 9. A list of ballot drop boxes is available at tinyurl.com/SnoCoBallotBoxes.
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