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LWSD Board of Directors approves repurposing levy funds to remodel or rebuild and enlarge Rockwell Elementary

LWSD Board of Directors approves repurposing levy funds to remodel or rebuild and enlarge Rockwell Elementary

Will create space for 252 students while also addressing an aging facility

Redmond, Wash. – At the April 3 Special Board Meeting, the LWSD Board of Directors approved the repurposing of levy funds to remodel or rebuild and enlarge Rockwell Elementary. This plan creates space for 252 additional students while also addressing an aging facility. 

Funding from this project will come from the 2022 Building Excellence Construction levy funds. These funds were originally planned to be used to build a new elementary school for 550 students on the Redmond Elementary campus.

While the capital construction levies allow funds to be used on any capital project, given the elimination of one project, and replacing it with another, this was brought for board action, and shared with our community prior to board action. 

“We value our partnership with our community,” stated Dr. Jon Holmen, Superintendent. “To that end, our commitment to fiscal responsibility includes using our public resources in the most efficient and effective ways to accomplish our goals of excellence in education for each student.”

Enrollment projection changes drive this decision

Planning for the 2022 Building Excellence Construction Levy began in 2019 and was finalized in 2021. Since the 2022 Building Excellence Construction Levy passed, enrollment in the Redmond-area elementary schools is lower than projected. The lower projection trend is expected to continue, so the need for an additional new elementary school for 550 students has changed.

This proposal adds space for 252 additional students in permanent capacity, in an area that is still expected to grow. Permanent capacity at Rockwell Elementary would increase from 438 students to 690 students. 

Facility Advisory Committee recommended addressing aging facilities

This will also allow the district to address an aging facility now, at a lower cost, rather than waiting for a future measure to meet this need. The Facility Advisory Committee recommended that LWSD continue to address aging facilities and increase capacity by remodeling or rebuilding and enlarging aging schools.

Additional aging facilities

This plan addresses only one of our five aging schools. Alcott Elementary, Evergreen Middle School, Kamiakin Middle School and Smith Elementary remain on the district’s list of aging schools that need to be addressed. LWSD is reviewing their Building Excellence Construction plan to determine when those schools can be addressed via a future ballot measure.

Learn more:

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About Lake Washington: Lake Washington School District is a high-performing public school district serving Kirkland, Redmond, and Sammamish, Washington. It is the second-largest district in the state of Washington, with over 30,000 students in 57 schools. 
 

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