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2018 Capital Facilities BondPeninsula School District
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The April 2018 Capital Facilities Bond addresses the following conditions:
SAFETY AND SECURITYMost of of our schools are decades old and operate with outdated life safety systems. In some older schools, there are classrooms, gymnasiums and common areas that do not have sprinklers installed at all. In others, outdated fire alarms and sprinklers need to be replaced. If a fire were to break out, the amount of water available to first responders at many schools does not meet current code. This bond will update or replace these systems so that all schools are brought up to current life safety code standards.
Meanwhile, the majority of our schools were built before the Columbine tragedy. This means they do not have modern security systems designed to better protect students and staff in the event of an emergency. Gig Harbor and Peninsula High Schools have dozens of unsecured entry points. This bond will enhance security at all schools by creating secure entry points, adding new security cameras and automatic locking systems. |
CHRONIC OVERCROWDINGOur District has seen tremendous growth in the past 20 years. The addition of full day Kindergarten along with class size reductions mandated by the State has created chronic overcrowding in our schools.
Currently, 25% of Elementary instruction takes place in portable classrooms, which are less secure and more expensive to maintain. Over half of Elementary schools have been forced to eliminate science and other specialist classrooms to accommodate regular classrooms, resulting in science being taught from mobile carts. This decreases learning time for students and robs teachers of proper resources. This problem will only get worse, as the District projects 22 more classrooms are needed by 2020. This bond will build a new Elementary school and add permanent classrooms space at our most overcrowded schools. |
OUTDATED INFRASTRUCTUREMany of our schools have HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) systems that are past their serviceable life and frequently break down. Parts are often unavailable or no longer manufactured, resulting in the District purchasing replacement parts, if they can find them, from services like eBay. This costs extra money and offers no quality controls.
Several schools have deteriorating roofs that require complete replacement rather than partial repairs. They frequently leak, leading to water intrusion that destroys insulation, damages interior walls and creates conditions for mold growth. This bond will upgrade or replace all failing HVAC systems and roofs across the District. New, more efficient systems will save taxpayer dollars on operating and maintenance costs - money that can then be redirected into the classrooms where it belongs. |
ACCOUNTABILITY |
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100% of bond funding STAYS IN OUR COMMUNITY and will, by law, go towards the planning, construction and opening of safe, up-to-date classrooms so our students can compete effectively in college, career and beyond.
Our District has a proven track record of responsible, accountable spending. The previous 2003 Bond saw all projects completed on time and on budget, allowing the District to refinance in 2011 and save taxpayer dollars. The District has strong financial health indicators and ratings from both OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) and Moody's along, with over a decade of clean audits from the state. Click here to learn more: Peninsula School District - Promises Made, Promises Kept. According to Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan, "...the Peninsula School District is more frugal than most and the local rate for schools is lower than most districts in the county or state." - KP News, February 1, 2018 |
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