Vashon’s schools are an integral part of our vibrant community.  On February 8, voters will have the opportunity to support the long overdue renovation and modernization of the island’s high school campus while taking advantage of low construction costs and low bond interest rates. Responding to community concerns, improvements have been prioritized for all three schools.

Currently 37 high school doors open to the outside after each class period and 85% of the classrooms have single-pane windows. Half of the high school classrooms are too small and have no fire sprinklers. Passage of the bond will correct these deficiencies and will improve the learning environment  by: consolidating classroom instruction at the high school with a new building, renovating existing buildings, updating technology infrastructure throughout, and increasing energy efficiency in all three schools.

The tax increase for Proposition 1 is $8.66 per month for the average homeowner. An experienced project management team will ensure that all construction is completed on time and on budget. A modern, safer high school will promote the vitality of our community for generations to come.  Please join us and VOTE YES for our kids, our community and our future.

We support excellence in education.  This Bond will not support teacher salaries, educational programs or even maintenance.

The Bond before us is one of the highest priced school bond issues in the country.

New classroom: $19,600,000 for 36,206 square feet- $541 per square foot.

Renovation: $22,200,000 for 42,236 square feet- $525 per square foot.

Project Management and Design Fees are calculated on top of 28% contingency.

Average per square foot cost for a High School in Seattle is just one third of our project cost - $163 per square foot.

These numbers far exceed the established guidelines for construction costs.

The total projected $47,700,000 for 516 high school students equals $92,442 per student.

High School enrollment has declined 4% in the last year and depends on off island students that will not pay for this Bond. 

Vote NO on Bond Prop I

The opponents made many factual errors:

The budget for this project is actually lower than average for Puget Sound school districts doing similar work. Our budget was confirmed by two professional Washington estimating firms.

New building construction cost, with contingencies and contractor overhead and profit is $288/sf.

Renovation budget is $287/sf.

No high school in Washington has been built for $163/sf recently.

$92,442/student is a meaningless number over the 50 year life of the project.

Statement submitted by: John “Oz” Osborne, May Gerstle and Bettie Edwards

While we take note of the “low construction costs and the low bond interest rates” the $47,700,000 figure proposed does not in any way reflect this. This bond uses  the same cost numbers from the failed measure two years ago. 

If these bonds succeed the combined property tax on an average $450,000 home would increase by $720/ year for twenty years.  These numbers come from the Vashon Island School District Website.

Statement submitted by: George Wright and Lee Ockinga  •  206-567-4238

Download the full text of resolution

60% yes vote and a minimum turnout of 2,456 voters (Wash. Const. art. VII, sec. 2(b)).