PORT ORCHARD, Wash. — Schools in south Kitsap County haven't been updated in decades, but a bond measure on the November ballot could change that.
The past eight school district bond attempts have failed and the last bond measure to pass in the district was 35 years ago. The district said schools are out of date and need to be replaced and updated
“The two elementary schools were built in the 1950’s,” said Tim Winter, the superintendent of South Kitsap School District. “So, part of the issue that we're dealing with, as well as with our middle school is accessibility, safety, and space for collaboration, for students to work together.”
If passed, the bond measure in the upcoming election would use taxpayer money to replace five schools and renovate one wing of South Kitsap High School where they hold classes for career and technical training and special education.
“The infrastructure and the electricity and those kinds of things just don't meet the standard,” said Winter. “We run out of power basically is what happens.”
The schools that would be replaced are Discovery High School, Olalla Elementary, Cedar Heights Middle School, South Colby Elementary, and Explorer Academy. The replacement schools would all be built in the same location as the current buildings, except Explorer Academy will move to the Discovery High School campus.
The proposed bond would be $271 million and would be paid off over 21 years by taxpayers. For homeowners, that adds up to just over a dollar for every thousand dollars of your home value. So, a $500,000 household would add $45 to their bill, per month.
“We believe this bond is part of our community's effort to grow and progress, while holding on to those traditions that makes this a great place to live,” said Winter.
Superintendent Winter said the schools they want replaced are not accessible for all students, some of the schools have no air conditioning, and safety upgrades are needed. The bond would eliminate 43 portable buildings, which he said would be a safety improvement.
“We want to make our schools safer,” said Winter. “So, when you have breezeways and portables, in this day and age we've got to pay attention to those kind of things.”
Some parents told KING 5 South Kitsap High School is overcrowded and wish an additional high school was part of the bond. Winter said that may come one day, but right now replacing existing schools is the priority. He said they are tracking growth in the area and can address that growth in the future.
“We have some property on the west end of the district, where a lot of that growth is happening, with the idea that in the future we will know what that growth and what that impact will look like,” said Winter.
Some of the bond proposals in the past included an additional high school, but those bonds failed.
This bond needs a super majority to pass, which means 60% of voters would need to approve it in the upcoming election.
Watch: State of our schools: Where Washington is thriving – and struggling