Hockinson School District will post $87 million in bonds on the February ballot

The Hockinson School District board voted unanimously earlier this week to place an $87 million bond on the Feb. 11 ballot.

The association has five priorities: building a second elementary school, improving safety, replacing Hockinson High School’s track and installing an artificial turf field, adding a high school career and technical education building and a classroom emergency system , and building a covered outdoor area on Hockinson. Secondary school.

In Washington, bonds require a supermajority of 60 percent.

The projects would be completed for about $44 per month, or a net increase of 71 cents per $1,000, for the owner of a $750,000 home. Because an existing bond eliminates property taxes, this bond would take its place. The total bond tax rate would be $1.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value, according to a news release from the district.

The Hockinson School District has been considering the idea of ​​developing these projects through a band for years.

“In Hockinson, we really rely on our schools. We do not have a town hall. We don’t have a mayor. The schools are where people really come together and meet each other,” said Hockinson School District Board Member Teresa VanNatta. “The schools provide that opportunity for the community.”

New primary school

Currently, Hockinson Heights Elementary School has the largest population of elementary school students – double the average – in Clark County, with 929 students. The capacity of the school is 598 students. Students will be housed in 24 portable classrooms and smaller buildings around the main building.

“We are dealing with overpopulation. So we want to reduce that and we want to alleviate traffic congestion,” VanNatta said. “To improve the safety and security of our students, we need a smaller campus, a safer campus.”

Overpopulation is just one problem; lunch periods are another. Due to the capacity of the cafeteria, lunch times are extended from 9:50 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.

To get all students to lunch, “we have to make sure the kids come in around breakfast time,” VanNatta said.

The lot for the proposed elementary school is near the intersection of Northeast 119th Street and 172nd Avenue at Hockinson Meadows Community Park. The district previously purchased the 40 acres.

The construction costs of the primary school would amount to 60 percent of the deposit.

Safety first

The next biggest priority for the school district is implementing safety measures, including lockdown functionality at all Hockinson schools and installing a single secure access point at Hockinson Heights Elementary School.

“Safety was the major concern of our community when we surveyed the community,” VanNatta said.

The safety improvements would amount to 25 percent of the bond. Schools should be safe learning spaces, she said.

About 7 percent of the money raised from the bond measure would go toward improving Hockinson High School athletics. The track is over 20 years old and the grass field gets muddy. In the nine-school competition, Hockinson High School is the only one without artificial turf. VanNatta said the field cannot be used year-round.

It costs more than $20,000 each year to maintain the running track.

Other priorities

The bond measure would also add a career and technical education building at the high school, as well as a classroom emergency messaging system.

“We want to help every student find his or her path after high school, whether it’s higher education, entering the workforce or exploring vocational training,” VanNatta said.

The final item on the association’s agenda is a covered outdoor area at Hockinson Middle School to protect students from the Pacific Northwest weather during lunch, recess and physical activities.

In the past two decades, only two Hockinson School District bonds have expired. A bond-financed construction of Hockinson High School from 2003. Before that, only elementary and middle schools existed, and ninth graders attended high schools outside the district. More recently, a 2015 bond allowed the district to build a new Hockinson Middle School.

“It is finally time to reduce crowding and improve our safety, allowing our elementary students and staff to work in a much more optimal learning environment,” VanNatta said.