ARLINGTON, Wash. — For students at Arlington's Post Middle School, just getting to class can be a bit of an adventure.
Built in 1981, the school has no interior hallways, and the walkways students pass through to get to class flood whenever it rains, leaving them with cold, wet feet.
"Well, you end up going to class and your feet are freezing constantly for the rest of the day," says eighth grader Xander Andersen.
At 43 years old, the school's ceiling tiles are crumbling, the electrical system is outdated, the roof in the gym doesn't have steel framing and is vulnerable to collapse.
The school is ill-prepared for an earthquake and the HVAC system is obsolete.
Zoey Chalk said there was even a bat flying around her gym class last year.
"Post has amazing educators and we have an amazing educational system, in general," she said. "We just don't have the school itself to go along with it."
The district is asking voters to approve an $81 million levy that would add $1.55 per $1,000 to property taxes. It would cost the owner of a $500,000 house $775 a year so the district could replace Post Middle School.
The money would also help alleviate traffic and parking problems at nearby Eagle Creek Elementary School and the Stillaguamish Learning Center.
A vote for a bond to pay for the new school has failed five consecutive times, dating back to 2018, because it needs a 60% super-majority.
In each previous vote more than 50% of voters approved the bond.
School officials are now asking voters to approve a levy because that only needs 50% plus one vote.
"It certainly has been frustrating but only because we want to do the right thing for the students in the community," said district Executive Director of Operation Brian Lewis. "It's not frustrating for any kind of personal reasons. It's frustrating because we want to make it right for our students."
Lewis added, "A bond would last twenty years to replay. A levy is only six years. Plus, there are no interest costs associated with a levy. So, the day the school opens it would be paid for rather than having fourteen years of payments remaining on the debt. Traditionally, we would do a bond. The advantage in doing a bond is you get all of the money up front so you can start construction right away instead of waiting until the end of the levy period."
If a new school does get built it won't be in time for any of the kids currently attending Post.
That doesn't matter to eighth grader Aylah Bragg, though. She is is focused on the "younger generation."
"I hope that they have a brighter future where they can focus on their work instead of getting distracted by all the problems," she said.
If voters approve the levy, the new Post Middle School would open in 2030.