Capital Projects and Facilities Planning

Kennewick School District to Place Bond Referendum on March 20 Ballot - Funds Requested to Move Forward with Ten-Year Facilities Plan.  The Kennewick School District will be asking the community to invest in its public schools by voting on a bond referendum this spring. The district operates on a ten-year facilities plan cycle put together by its facilities planning committee. The committee is made up of community members and district personnel who project when we will need new schools and develop a timeline for renovating schools. They also project when to move forward with district wide improvements to things like roofs, HVAC systems, parking lots, and athletic facilities. The ten-year plan also addresses what we need to do to keep up with technology. Click here to read full article. What will the bond pay for? If approved by voters, the funds will be used to construct and equip a new elementary school on land the district owns in the Badger Canyon area; renovate and expand Canyon View, Southgate, Sunset View and Cascade elementary schools; improve network and wireless capacity; and make health, safety, educational and infrastructure improvements district-wide. State matching funds would go toward renovating Lincoln elementary if they are made available by the state.  The district estimates a tax rate increase of approximately $0.30 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2010 over the estimated 2009 bond tax rate of $1.49 per $1,000 of assessed value. (The current 2008 tax rate is $1.63 per $1,000 of assessed value.) The exact amount of the annual tax will depend on interest rates at the time the bonds are sold. (See chart at right.

Corroded pipes are causing water leaks and damage Canyon View, Southgate, Sunset View, Cascade, and Lincoln are all more than 25 years old and have never had a renovation. Major infrastructure repairs aren't possible in the short time school is out of session during the summer, or when students are in school. We need to stop further deterioration soon. Several schools have experienced significant water leaks and damage. Click here for a PDF file of water leaks at our elementary schools.Water%20Leaks%20at%20Elementary%20Schools.pdf

What are the benefits and features of the new elementary and scheduled renovations and expansions?

• Addition of a 3,000 square foot multi-purpose room to be used for breakfast and lunch as well as additional educational space and after school program and community use.
  
• Expanded classroom space to accommodate individualized learning and small group instruction within the classroom.
  
• Gymnasiums with wood flooring, expanded to 4,300 square feet.
  
• Increased use of daylight to improve educational experience and save energy.

Developing Specifications for Kennewick Elementary Schools
Teachers, administrators, and community members met with architects in July to develop a comprehensive set of specifications for future Kennewick elementary school buildings and remodeling projects. Each participant contributed their perspective, experience, and best thinking. The group toured local Pasco and Richland elementary schools and worked together over three days to develop the document.

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Canyon View Elementary Renovation and Expansion

Expansions and Renovations: Southgate, Sunset View, Cascade
and Lincoln. (Lincoln funded by state match dollars that may
become availalbe with passage of the bond.)



Elementary #14 at New Construction at Cottonwood Springs