With the results all but official, the Shoreline School District will get its wishes.
Voters approved a $149.5 million bond package and a replacement to the district’s expiring maintenance and operations levy at a Feb. 7 election.
As of Feb. 14, both the bond and a replacement maintenance and operations levy were passing with nearly 70 percent yes votes each. The bond and levy require a supermajority of 60 percent yes votes to pass.
Now, work can begin on determining the timeline of projects, most of which will not begin until May, district Superintendent Jim Welsh said. The school board will soon conduct a workshop to determine the best way to manage the projects that now have funding, which is set for Feb. 27.
Some projects, such as security and fire suppression system installation can move forward in the more immediate future.
“The next steps are pretty laid out and well-planned,” he said.
Starting in the spring, modernization work will begin on the district’s older schools.
“What we’re working on right now is to make sure of proper stewardship to make sure the projects are properly put together,” Welsh said.
Seismic upgrades, updates to sprinkler systems and installation of fencing and security fences account for the bulk of the $87 million set aside for capital improvements.
Of those upgrades, some are more immediate, such as new roofs, while others are still being planned.
The district has portable buildings at most of its elementary schools, which are used for music and after-school programs. With the availability of funds from the bond, the district can replace some of the portable buildings with permanent structures.
In addition, the district’s secondary schools will eliminate grass fields, which will be replaced with synthetic turf. This will allow for more opportunities for community and youth programs to utilize the fields.
The bond measure also contained funds to study the future of the district’s two high schools. Shorewood High School was created by fusing an elementary and a middle school in 1974.
The bond package set aside $4.5 million to begin planning the replacement of the school, with the anticipation of approaching voters in 2010 for funds to construct a replacement.
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