THE BATTLE GROUND School Board of Directors recently approved an 18-year, long-range facilities plan that was presented by the Facilities Improvement Team. The plan includes a prioritized list of more than 25 specific projects in three phases.
BATTLE GROUND — During a June 12 regular meeting of the Battle Ground School Board of Directors, school board members voted unanimously to approve the long-range facilities plan that was put together and presented by the Facilities Improvement Team.
“I’m really proud of the work these folks did,” Superintendent Mark Hottowe said. “This group came together and bonded and represented the interests of the community. We selected folks from each of your (school board members) five districts and we asked Dave Halme to facilitate. This was really marked as a watershed moment for the district.”
The purpose of the long-range facilities plan is to provide information and guidance to school board members on appropriate facilities for educational instruction. The plan also aligns with the district’s strategic vision and includes funding considerations, educational enhancements, maintenance, construction of new facilities, replacement and renovations of current facilities, and appropriate upgrades.
The long-range plan was developed over the past two years through the Facilities Improvement Team, a community-driven process with community volunteers working in collaboration with the school board members, district administration, staff and third-party consultants.
The projects listed in the plan were identified using multiple data sources, including demographic studies, building condition assessments, expert consultation, enrollment information, community surveys and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s School Construction Assistance Program protocols.
According to the final draft of the long-range facilities plan, which can be viewed on the district’s website at www.battlegroundps.org, Facilities Improvement Team members and district administration agree that school facility projects must provide safe and positive learning environments for students and staff while maintaining fiscal responsibility to the community that supports facility construction through voter-approved bond measures and property taxes.
The plan states that projects are prioritized in three phases, and each phase is six years and requires approximately $80 million in local bond and/or capital levy funding and $50-$70 million in state assistance. Phases were developed based on age of buildings, educational need, safety concerns, state assistance and enrollment growth.
According to the plan, “The district can accomplish the proposed phases using a stepped approach to the tax structure that will plan principal and interest payments over time to allow a new voter-approved bond every six years while maintaining a stable tax rate.”
During a recent Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce luncheon meeting, Hottowe briefly presented the ideas of the long-range facilities plan to those in attendance, and discussed the three phases.
Phase one will take place over the years 2016-2021 and aims to include projects such as replacing the Glenwood/Laurin buildings, replacing buildings at Pleasant Valley, upgrading/replacing the 500-900 buildings at Prairie High School, upgrades to district operations, constructing new K-4 and 5-8 campus in the Southeast section of the district and additional district upgrades.
Phase two, scheduled to take place from 2022-2027, will include projects such as replacing/modernizing the Maple Grove and River HomeLink buildings, constructing a third high school and additional K-4 and 5-8 campuses and additional district upgrades.
Phase three of the facilities plan will take place from 2028-2033 and will include replacing Battle Ground High School, Yacolt Primary and portions of Captain Strong Primary, constructing additional school buildings based on enrollment growth needs and additional district upgrades.
Do learn more about all of the details of the long-range facilities plan and to find out more about the cost of each specific project, visit the district’s website at www.battlegroundps.org and view the plan in its entirety.
