The Kent School District will ask voters on April 26 to approve a $252 million bond referendum to fund projects throughout the district, including the construction of a new Covington Elementary School, a new elementary school in the Kent Valley and 20 additional classrooms at various schools.
The school board was presented five options for the referendum, ranging from $180 million to $252 million, and voted unanimously at its Jan. 13 meeting to go for the largest amount, encompassing the most projects.
“I am happy that we are going for the right amount that there are no re-dos six weeks later after we have already said yes to a lower amount,” board member Russ Hanscom said during the meeting. “I am very proud that we are going for the amount that this district needs, that protects the property values of the citizens in the Kent School District. If we don’t have a strong school district the property values tank.”
If approved, the referendum would replace retiring bonds and would not increase the district’s tax rate. The current levy for the Debt Service Fund is $1.41 per $1,000 of assessed value. The district plans to sell a $60 million bond in 2016, another $60 million in 2018, $65 million in 2020 and the remaining $67 million in 2022. Each series of bonds will be for 20 years, so the last of this bond authorization would retire in 2042, district spokesman Chris Loftis said
The bond issue requires 60 percent plus one vote approval.
The district outlined eight major projects totaling about $169 million, which would be completed if the bond issue passes.
Those projects include:
• $46 million each for the construction of the new Covington Elementary and new elementary in Kent Valley
• $32.5 million for multipurpose rooms at Cedar Valley, Fairwood, Grass Lake, Lake Youngs, Merdian, Park Orchard, Pine Tree, Springbrook and Soos Creek elementary schools.
• $16.8 million for 20 new classrooms at various schools yet to be determined
• $12.7 million for fields, tracks and courts at the district’s six middle schools
• $9 million for smartboard replacements
• $4.8 million for grass fields and tennis courts at the district’s four traditional high schools
• $1.2 million for transportation department parking
The bond referendum would also generate $38.2 million for maintenance and operations infrastructure projects, including roofing projects throughout the district and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at Daniel and Sunrise elementary schools.
An additional $25.9 million would fund projects submitted by schools, including parking lot upgrades at several schools; a remodel of the gym and Preforming Arts Center foyer, D-Wing and art department at Kentridge High School; replacing the windows in the main building at Kent Meridian High School; and remodeling the Performing Arts Center at Kentwood High School.
The projects were prioritized by the district’s Citizen Bond Review Committee, Loftis said.
“The process we went through to come up with this list has been many years in the making,” Loftis said.
District officials considered putting a bond issue on the ballot sooner but didn’t want to do it the same time as a tax levy, Loftis said. In 2014, voters approved two levy measures for the district.
“I appreciate all of the work that has gone in to putting this together,” school board vice president Debbie Straus said before the board voted on referendum. “There has been quite a bit of discussion among the board on getting to this and I appreciate the opportunities it gives us for our schools.”
New elementary schools envisioned
The new Covington Elementary would be built on property the district owns near 156th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 256th Street in Covington.
Loftis said the design of the school would be similar to the new Panther Lake Elementary School, which opened in 2009 but larger.
“It served a lot of folks well,” Loftis said of the existing Covington Elementary. “The new facility will be a modern facility.”
Loftis said if the bond issue is approved, the district would start work on the new school as soon as possible. Construction could take two to four years, he said.
Replacing Covington Elementary has been in the works for more than a decade. A portion of a $106 million bond issue approved by voters in 2006 was slated to go toward the construction of the new building, but following the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012, the school board redirected the money for school safety improvements, Loftis said.
Building a new elementary to serve the Kent Valley would come after the new Covington Elementary. Loftis said the location for the new school has not been determined, but there is a need for a new school in the valley.
“The whole area is growing exponentially,” Loftis said. “We are seeing significant enrollment pressure there to add some capacity.”
The construction of the two elementary schools and the additional 20 classrooms would add 50 to 55 new classrooms in the district, which will relieve some overcrowding, Loftis said.
Citizens for Kent Schools
Citizens for Kent Schools has started planning how to promote the bond referendum. Brooke Valentine, co-chair of the group, said getting people to vote will be crucial in passing the referendum.
“We need everyone in the community to be really engaged in filling out their ballot and voting yes for students,” she said.
The group hopes to raise at least $30,000, Valentine said. That money would be used to purchase yard signs and send out several mailers. Citizens for Kent Schools also plans to host a kick-off event and rally, as well as knock on doors and make phone calls to encourage people to vote.
Valentine said she would like to get high school students involved the campaign.
“We think hearing the youth voice is really important,” she said. “A lot of the projects are improving the facilities at their schools.”
For more information or to get involved with Citizens for Kent Schools, visit citizensforkentschools.org or facebook.com/citizensforkentschools.
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