Mercer Island School Board shows unanimous support for $98.8 million bond resolution to improve schools

September 27, 2013 – The Mercer Island School Board unanimously approved a $98.8 million bond Thursday evening. The bond is scheduled for a February 11 election by Mercer Island voters.

“This bond will provide three solutions to help manage overcrowding in our classrooms at each level,” said Board President Janet Frohnmayer. “The focus and scale of these projects addresses current student needs as well as concerns from people we spoke with at our numerous community outreach events and discussions.”

If successful, the bond would authorize funding for:

• building a new elementary school at the North Mercer campus
• expanding Islander Middle School with 14 new classrooms and lab spaces, commons and cafeteria, gymnasium, music rooms, and administrative space
• building 10 additional classrooms at Mercer Island High School, including 4 science labs and 6 general education classrooms

The value of the bond is actually $102.6 million, but the state of Washington will provide $3.8 million in matching funds under the Credit Enhancement Act, meaning the obligation to Mercer Island residents goes down to $98.8 million.

The Mercer Island School District currently has more than 4,120 full-time equivalent students in the district’s three elementary schools, middle school, high school and alternative program. According to figures from Triangle Associates two years ago and adjusting for enrollment increases, the district is now over design capacity by 746 students. The district currently uses 34 portable classrooms to help accommodate the current number of students.

During the public discussion about the bond package, the district emphasized bringing in opponents of the last package to ensure receiving their input and support before putting the bond to Mercer Island voters.

The election will be an all-mail special election, meaning voters will receive their ballots sometime between late-January and early-February.