New Bond Page Tem

• Presentation Slides

This meeting introduced the purpose of the Bond Planning Task Force Committee and how the long-range facilities master plan is designed to help guide the process. The long-range facilities plan bundled every single potential need for the district into one of six thematic buckets:

• Safety and Security Upgrades
• System Upgrades
• Targeted Improvements
• Major Modernization Addition or Expansion
• Community Partnerships
• Enrollment Efficiencies

The committee broke into small groups and looked at different scenarios for potential bond projects that mixed and matched projects from various containers. The small groups then explained their choices and the committee engaged in discussions around the various results. Participants discussed trade-offs between priorities, including the potential construction of new buildings and upgrades to existing facilties.

• Presentation Slides

State of the Schools

The meeting began with the group reflecting on the educational assessment from the work done on the 10-year facilities master plan, with a scale of: 1 - works well, needs minimal improvement; 2 - needs improvements to meet standards; and 3 - poor, large scale improvements needed. 

This included an asset report, which rated over 400 maintainable assets VISD possesses, ranging from everything to roofing to exhaust systems. The ratings were based on observed condition, cost, impact to students, remaining life, and then provided composite scores based on importance.

Going in chronological order of when the building was first built, the team presented the scores, providing data points for the overall conditions of buildings as they relate to their use by the District. Understandably, older buildings, such as the high school gym and McMurray Middle School scored poorly compared to the newer buildings, such as Chautauqua Elementary and the main Vashon High building.

The task force then broke into small groups to discuss what they noticed about the building conditions that surprised them and what they wanted to learn more about.

Talking Money

Ryan Swanson and Trevor Carlson of Piper Sandler were invited to the meeting to present about the financials of bonds and the differences between bonds and levies. They explained how districts can collect funds and explained historical tax rates on Vashon, providing comparisons to other districts with similar assessed values.

They then presented hypothetical bond scenarios to provide an idea of how much money various tax rates would generate in bond monies.

The meeting concluded with a quick update on project costs. It was highlighted that in 2020, the construction cost index trend in Seattle rose 26.06 percent as the global pandemic disrupted the global supply chain, and prices have never recovered. As an example, when Vashon High School was completed in 2017, its construction costs equated to approximately $33.4 million, or $411 per square foot. If the building was to be built today, it would theoretically cost $67.3 million, with a total cost per square foot of $829.

• Presentation Slides

During this meeting, the Bond Planning Task Force Committee looked at program iniatives surrounding safety/security, technology and infrastructure, athletics and fields, food service, career and technical education (CTE), and science, with presenters who work in the initiatives presenting the challenges they face today due to current building conditions and how potential bond projects could help alleviate concerns.

Safety and Security

Highlighted deficiencies in safety and security (both physical and digital) were perimeter security around the VISD campus and visitor management systems (e.g. no vestibules at McMurray or Chautauqua, lack of lockdown buttons, electronic entry/access control).

Potential bond projects to address these issues could include perimeter security upgrades such as fencing, access gates, and bollards; reviewing expanding electronic address systems; increasing security camera coverage at all schools; adding vestibules to buildings that lack them; continuing fire alarm system upgrades; and adding/maintaining window coverings.

Technology

Highlighed issues of access surrounding sound and display systems across school classrooms and gyms, lack of proper cooling and ventilation for critical network infrastructure at McMurray, and lack of necessary IT storage/workspace due to the condition of Building F.

Potential bond improvements could address upgrading all classroom sound reinforcement systems, updating outdated sound and display systems across classrooms in the district, ugprade distrcit-wide intercom system with emergency alert capability, among others.

Athletics

Highlighed issues surrounding lack of access, including lack of restroom facilties (visitors must use port-a-potties), proper spaces for officials to change, storage space in gymnasiums at both VHS and McM, necessary seismic safety upgrades to the gymnasiums at VHS and McM and the VHS stadium, and overall field improvements for the McM and the practice fields at VHS.

Potential bond improvements could address ADA issues at the VHS gym, upgrade field lights at McM and VHS practice field to support community-use during winter months, and synthetic turf upgrades to help conserve water and improve overall condition of fields for community use.

Food Service

Highlighted issues included the lack of a kitchen/cafeteria at McM (food is currently made at VHS and then delivered to McM), lack of capacity for students to eat lunch at CES, and increased need for more storage/freezer space to receive bulk price breaks and reduce processing/delivery fees.

Potential bond improvements could include a full kitchen at McM and an expanded kitchen at CES, increased space at McM to support CTE foods program, and more outdoor freezers for storage.

Careet and Technical Education (CTE)

The CTE presentation largely centered on what CTE is and how it integrates throughout the course offerings at McM and VHS. Highlighted issues included a STEM pipeline gap from McM to VHS, a gender gap in specific programs, and flexible and dedicated spaces to respond to student needs.

Potential bond improvements could create classrooms for flexibile use and more consistent pathways bridging offerings between McM and VHS.

Science

Highlighted issues surrounded the deficiencies of the science classrooms at McM, including overcrowded classrooms, one sink (for entire classroom), lack of power outlets for science equipment, and limited storage. Other issues noted the exterior and isolated location of the 7^th and 8^th grade science rooms.

Potential bond improvements could address these problems by creating new spaces that allow for more flexible science classrooms and better locations to integrate the science team and students.

• Presentation Slides

This meeting continued looking at various needs of district programs and intiatives, focusing on needs of student services, the music program and performing arts.

Student Services

Highlighted issues centered on accessibility and inclusivity across various aspects throughout the district, such as automatic doors and curb cuts for individuals with mobility challenges, accessible restrooms in all buildings for students who need both privacy and assistance, and improving access of individuals with vision impairments.

Potential bond improvements could address accessibility and inclusivity concerns, benefitting both the students and the community members who use district spaces outside of the school day.

Music Program

Highlighted issues centered on problems with each space at their respective buildings – at McM: no performance area, lack of storage for personal instruments, overall acoustic issues, poor heating and cooling in room (negatively effects condition of instruments); at VHS: no close access to bathroom; sound system is underpowered in band room and gym; and no performance area for pep band to play as one unit.

Potential bond improvements could address issues surrounding each music classroom and performance space.

Performing Arts

Highlighted issues around accessibility for all students, student safety problems, lack of plugs for electricy, and no capacity to further interests of students who want to learn more about lighting, projections, and sound designs.

Potential bond improvements could address safety concerns and allow the space for students to explore their interest in lighting, direction, and set design.

After hearing from the various programs, the committee examined six potential bond proposals, each ranging in costs and showcasing how different bond proposals can address the areas identified as needing improvement in the 10 year facilities master plan. Components of these proposals were organized into six themes:

• Safety and security upgrades
• System upgrades
• Targeted improvements
• Major Modernization, addition, or expansion
• Community partnerships
• Enrollment efficiencies

• Presentation Slides

In the final spring meeting of the Bond Task Force Planning Committee, members examined the state of conditions related to physical education and athletic programs, noting the wide variety of condition needs, ranging from drainage in playfields to storage in the gym to accessibility issues throughout.

Finally, the committee looked at five different proposals, each with a different price tag and different components they addressed. These scenarios ranged $44.8 million to $160.6 million dollars (beginning on slide 30). The committee was then presented with information related to VISD’s historical and projected district tax rate relative to the various scenario (beginning on slide 41).

The committee then broke into small groups to discuss what scenario best meets the district’s needs as stated by the 10 year facilities master plan and how a bond proposal can best support everyone’s priorities. Although a majority of committee representatives felt that a bond proposal which included a new middle school and a new gym, among many other projects, ultimately, the bond committee noted that overall community feedback on the state of facilities and potential projects is the most important piece of knowledge to have in any given scenario.

• July 25: Bond Planning Task Force will make an initial recommendation to the school board based off the discussions of the committee.
   
• Summer 2026: Bond Planning Task Force works on surveying Vashon voters and events/community outreach to try and get as many responses as possible.
   
• September 14: Bond Planning Task Force reconvenes for another meeting to integrate feedback received throughout the summer.
   
• September 24: A final recommendation regarding a potential bond proposal is given to the VISD board of directors.