Next year, the Hockinson School District will seek voter approval to fund a new elementary school, expand job readiness programs, and make security upgrades to its facilities.
On Monday, Oct. 28, the school district’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a $87 million bond proposal set for the Feb. 11 ballot.
School board member Teresa VanNatta emphasized the urgency of the bond, citing overcrowding at Hockinson Heights Elementary School, which currently serves 924 students — making it the most heavily populated school in Clark County. Built to accommodate only 598 students, the school relies on 24 portable classrooms to manage its high enrollment numbers. Lunch periods have been stretched from 9:50 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. to accommodate the student body.
“It’s just getting that many students in and out of the cafeteria and providing meals, it’s a lot,” VanNatta said. “I mean, the school is doing it. It’s amazing how they’re doing it, but at the cost of, you know, some kids eating so early and other kids having to wait so late, it’s not ideal. It’s not optimal.”
If voters approve the bond, the district plans to build a new school for students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade on a 40-acre site adjacent to Hockinson Meadows Park. This expansion would significantly alleviate the overcrowding at Hockinson Heights and improve the learning environment for all elementary students in the district, according to a news release.
The measure would also fund the construction of a career and technical education (CTE) building at Hockinson High School. Currently, students interested in job-readiness programs can attend Cascadia Technical Academy, but its limited capacity means many students are placed on waitlists. VanNatta said the new CTE facility at Hockinson High School would provide more choices and hands-on learning opportunities for students aiming to develop job-related skills before graduation.
“We want to provide as many pathways as possible to our students post-graduation, and this building would be able to really improve and expand our CTE programs similar to [Clark College],” she said.
The bond would pay for doors at Hockinson’s current elementary school campus to have automatic lockdown capabilities for its doors. Additional safety improvements include upgraded perimeter fencing around Hockinson Heights Elementary School and digital messaging systems in classrooms for emergency instructions.
Beyond these primary initiatives, the bond would also ensure the replacement of the track at Hockinson High School and the installation of a new synthetic field for year-round use. The bond proposal also includes plans for a covered outdoor area at Hockinson Middle School, providing students with a sheltered space for athletics.
The proposed tax rate for the bond would be $1.42 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Homeowners in Hockinson can expect an increase of approximately $44 per month, or a net increase of $0.71 per $1,000 of assessed property value, based on a $750,000 home. To pass, the measure requires a 60% plus one supermajority — a threshold that the district is hopeful it can achieve. VanNatta shared that community input played a key role in shaping the bond’s priorities through district surveys and feedback sessions led by a facilities planning committee made up of community members.
“I just want to thank the community for their input and for the feedback, and we’re definitely responding as a district to their needs. So we just encourage everyone to vote when this comes up in February,” VanNetta said.
This upcoming proposal marks the first Hockinson School District bond request since 2015 when voters approved a $39.9 million bond to construct Hockinson Middle School.
Readers can learn more at hocksd.org/bond2025.
