Eastmont Smiles

Eastmont
Smiles
Facility Improvement Bond Edition
October 2010
School District
Quality Education - A Community Commitment
Eastmont Focus
The Right Projects
The Right Reasons
The Right Time
As student populations in the
Eastmont School District continue to
grow and educational needs evolve,
the adequacy of our educational
facilities is becoming more critical.
Two of our buildings (Grant and
Sterling) are at or exceed 50 years
old since their original “first day
of school”. Although it may seem
like only yesterday, Eastmont High
School is now more than 30 years
old with 53 percent more students
than its 1978 intended capacity.
With each passing year, time
takes a toll on our facilities. Each
year, the District spends more
money from a limited budget to
maintain our aging infrastructure.
After carefully evaluating the
state-mandated Study & Survey
that includes recommendations
from community members, parents,
staff and a team of architects and
engineers, the Eastmont School
Board has decided it is necessary
to act now and place the enclosed
bond proposal on the November
2010 ballot. Currently, school
construction costs are at the lowest
level in the last decade.
Our priority is to address the
most urgent space, safety and
building infrastructure needs in a
practical and economical way. What
can be saved will be saved in the
renovation of the current buildings.
The renovated buildings will be
safe, functional and will serve our
community for many years to come.
What is the proposal?
This proposal is to issue
$30,855,000 in new bonds for
capital improvements to various
school buildings. This includes
modernizing and improving
Eastmont High School, Sterling
Intermediate and Grant Elementary.
If approved, the proposal will extend
the taxes that pay for constructing
and remodeling our school facilities
from 2020 through 2030. It is
similar to refinancing a mortgage for
a home that increases the amount
and extends the term.
If this ballot measure is approved,
the District is currently eligible for
an additional $44,487,000 in State
matching school construction grants.
These grant funds are generated
from the sale of timber from land
owned by the state.
The net effect is that Eastmont is
estimated to receive approximately
$1.44 in grant funds for every local
dollar raised through the sale of
bonds.
When is the election?
The general election date
is November 2, 2010. Ballots
are scheduled to be mailed to
registered voters on October 15th.
More details inside...
Superintendent
Message
Please carefully evaluate this
proposal to modernize three of
our nine schools. I ask that you
look at it from the perspective of
a parent, or grandparent, whose
children will attend these schools.
You should also consider the
perspective of a person visiting our
community
as they
determine
whether
to locate a
business and
their family
in East
Wenatchee.
These
Garn Christensen
individuals
Superintendent
will likely
Eastmont Schools
check the
availability of
housing, health providers, and
the quality of schools. They will
want to see if a school district
typically meets or exceeds State
averages (we do). They will want
to see if students from that district
successfully compete at colleges
and universities and for local jobs
(ours do). And they will want to
see if the community takes care of
existing schools (we are trying to).
This proposal greatly supports
Eastmont’s efforts to provide
quality schools and demonstrates
responsible use of taxpayer
resources. It is important to
remember that a community is
known by the schools it keeps.
Please vote on November 2.
Sincerely,
Garn Christensen
“Too many kids, not enough space”
at Eastmont High. Pages 2-3
NON PROFIT
U.S. Postage
PAID
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Permit Number 241
ECRWSS
Eastmont School District
460 Ninth St. NE
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
Postal Customer
Why Sterling Intermediate School
needs an upgrade? Pages 4-5
What’s missing at Grant
Elementary? Pages 6-7
Garn Christensen
Superintendent
The Eastmont School District complies with all federal and state rules and regulations and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender or disability in education programs,
services and activities. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed
to the school district’s Title IX / RCW 28A.640 office and/or Section 504 / ADA coordinator.
Title IX / 28A.640 RCW Officer
Vicki Trainor
Eastmont School District
460 Ninth Street NE
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
509.884.7169
Section 504 / ADA Coordinator
Bob Busk
Eastmont School District
460 Ninth Street NE
East Wenatchee, WA 98802
509.884.7169
Focus on EHS
Page 2
October 2010
Meeting needs at EHS
Estimated Project Completion - Fall 2013
By Matthew Ockinga
Staff Writer
Eastmont High School constantly
plays the space game. In a school
with 1,390 students and designed
for hundreds less, both faculty
and pupils alike have been
sharing, sacrificing, squeezing and
improvising to make do with the
limited real estate at their disposal.
“Too many kids, not enough
space,” Eastmont Principal
Mark Marney said, matter-offactly. “Teachers make great
sacrifices because they don’t have
a workspace. There are lots of
sacrifices that need to be made when
your building’s antiquated and not
big enough.”
Eastmont High School, which
opened in 1978, was designed to
educate 800 students. In 1993, a
building addition was completed
to accommodate a growing
student body. But these days those
student bodies that compose the
larger student body are cramming
themselves, albeit politely, up and
down hallways and staircases, trying
to arrive to class on time. A few
years ago, the school added an extra
minute to passing periods to allow
students more time to walk to class.
“The time to experience the
salmon run is between 5th and 6th
periods,” art teacher Terry Valdez
said, referring to the appearance
of students navigating the back
stairwell. Since it takes so long to
travel from class to class, many
students also cram all their supplies
in their backpacks, adding to the
crowded hallways.
“The backpack adds another third
of a person,” Marney said.
Space is equally as tight in the
commons area where students are
overcrowded during both lunches.
The most significant space issues
at Eastmont occur in the areas that
matter most: the classrooms. P.E.
students perform crunches and
sit-ups in the hallways outside the
locker rooms. There are storage
issues in the auxiliary gym and the
weight room is overcrowded as
well.
“They’re really short on P.E.
Qu
•
•
•
Wh
cur
•
•
•
Eastmont High School
• Opened in 1978 to educate 800 students.
•
• Currently serves 1,273 students.
• Building addition in 1993.
room,” said Gary Dexter, Director
of Maintenance for the Eastmont
School District. “They’re just
swamped.”
Many teachers share classrooms,
work in the hall and library or teach
in former offices or storage rooms
not designed as classes. Students
also must share the already small
lockers that line the hallways.
“We’re just making the best of
what we have,” Marney said. “We
have this space so we use it to
the best of our abilities. It is
What is the current situation?
what it is.”
• Outdated safety and emergency
Due to lack of classroom
systems.
space, Eastmont’s library
doubles as a classroom
• Insufficient electrical system with
equipped to handle two
overloaded circuits.
classes per hour. The career
• Inefficient and outdated heating and
center occupies a very small
ventilation systems.
corner of the library to cater to
• Crowded hallways, commons, gym and
those thinking about life after
classrooms.
Eastmont.
•
Main
entrance is difficult to monitor and
Space is not Eastmont
control by office staff.
High School’s only issue,
however. The original
• Inadequate learning spaces for
pipes from 1978 are leaking
curriculum needs.
throughout the school and need
• Aging roofs require frequent repair.
replacing. Heating, cooling
and ventilation systems need
replacing as does the roof.
the home of the Wildcats will
The wear and tear is understandable
receive an extreme makeover.
considering much of the facility
Possible additions would be
was built a few years after Sylvester
added to the area west of the main
Stallone was debuting the movie
entrance. The east wing of the
Rocky.
school, on the other side of the
“And we’re talking the first
entrance, would also be expanded
Rocky,” Marney said. “Not Rocky
forward for additional classroom
seven or eight or nine.”
space. All building systems would
If the November 2 bond passes,
be replaced and the school would
•
•
•
How would the bond address these needs?
• Bring building up to code.
• Address classroom space needs
(additional new
ESTIMATED
PROJECT
COMPLE
classrooms).
• New heating, ventilation, cooling system and roof.
• Modernized science classrooms.
• Expanded commons and kitchen facility to be used as a
cafeteria and commons.
• Practice gym and P.E. spaces to alleviate overcrowding and
accommodate curriculum needs.
• Upgrade all interior spaces.
• Improved roof and wall insulation; energy efficient windows
and doors.
gain new energy efficient windows
and doors.
Marney sees the bond as not only
beneficial for the school he watches
over, but for the community that
surrounds it.
“Good structure projects are good
for the economy. This is just a great
time to do this,” Marney said. “The
community puts a lot of money into
this school as it is. So you have to
improve that and protect that.”
Eastmont High School: Crowded company
How crowded are Eastmont High’s halls?
Watch the Cattle Drive video clip on the District’s
November 2010 Bond Information web page. The
video was voluntarily produced by Mark Wavra,
Eastmont High School arts teacher.
www.eastmont206.org/distoff/bond.html
Joining the crowds
Class in a hallway
Stairway traffic jams
Traveling
classroom
on a cart
www.eastmont206.org
The Right Projects l The Right Reasons l The Right Time
Page 3
These hallowed halls
By Matthew Ockinga
Staff Writer
John Schmauder had just landed
his dream job. A 1995 graduate of
Eastmont High School, Schmauder
was enthusiastically returning to
EHS in 2006 to teach, he thought,
in one of the very classrooms he
had learned in over 10 years earlier.
But the classroom he was given
was new — sort of.
“I thought they were joking,”
Schmauder remembered thinking
upon seeing his class space. “I
was like, ‘This is a hallway and I
remember hanging out with my
friends in the corner.’ I spent a lot
of time in that hallway and never
did I think they’d put two walls up
and make my room.”
Yet due to overcrowding at the
high school, that’s exactly what
happened. Schmauder’s current
classroom was, in a previous life,
part hallway, part lounge, part
book storage. Study carrels used
to occupy the space around the
hallway, making the area conducive
for learning and relaxing.
That is not the case now, where
severe overcrowding has forced
faculty and administration to resort
to resourceful methods to create
more classroom space. Schmauder
is one of several Eastmont
teachers working out of former
closets, storage rooms or offices to
accommodate for over 400 more
students than the building was
designed for.
“I did not know going in that that
was what I was going to get,” he
said. “When we first moved in there
it had two different types of carpet.”
History teacher Mike Beck has
taught at Eastmont for almost 40
years and joked that his seniority
landed him the spacious class space
he enjoys as opposed to that of his
colleague.
“His is a closet, mine is a
classroom” Beck said.
And because Schmauder’s
classroom is really a hallway in
disguise, ventilation not meant for
a classroom causes an increase of
dust that settles over Schmauder’s
domain.
Library is now
computer lab and
offices
Because of overcrowding, Eastmont High School teacher John Schmauder teaches his students in an area that was once a hallway.
“I truly believe I was given every opportunity at
Eastmont High School and that’s what allowed
me to earn a 3.9 in college. Being given the
chance to come back and hopefully provide the
same thing, I jumped on it. That’s why I came
back.”
John Schmauder
Eastmont High School grad turned teacher
“I’ll come in in the morning and
there’s a fine film of dust over the
computer and desks and stuff,”
Schmauder explained.
While Schmauder has a
sense of humor about his closet
classroom, he does not find it
funny that his students must
sometimes pay the price. Not only
can his closet classroom become
stuffy, but Schmauder has cut
the majority of his group projects
from his social studies curriculum
due to lack of space for students
to spread out. EHS teachers sign
up for time in the computer labs
or library weeks, sometimes
months, in advance, trying to
work their lesson plans around
that time.
“I really kind of see the ability
for kids to learn or have access to
technology going down because of
the lack of space and availability,”
he said.
Schmauder is an ardent
supporter of the November 2 bond
that, if passed, would fund major
construction and renovation at
Eastmont. As someone who took
full advantage of his public school
education, he wants Eastmont to be
Leaky roof protection
a place where future students can
thrive academically, and he thinks
the bond is a necessary step in
ensuring that goal.
“I truly believe I was given every
opportunity at Eastmont High
School and that’s what allowed
me to earn a 3.9 in college,” said
Schmauder. “Being given the
chance to come back and hopefully
provide the same thing, I jumped
on it. That’s why I came back.”
If voters approve the bond, the
proposed Eastmont construction
plan calls for two areas for
classroom addition, which would
Lockers
needing
to be
replaced
Who is exempt
from this bond?
You may be eligible
for an exemption from
paying this bond if
you are 61 years of
age and meet other
requirements. Please
contact the Douglas
County Assessor’s Office
at 884-7954 for more
information.
not only allow Schmauder some
much needed instructional space,
but affect future generations of
students.
“To me it’s huge for the future.
It’s going to provide a better
education for my current students,
but also for the children who are
coming up and my own kids, who
are four and two,” he said. “I really
feel it’s a legacy, and second it’s an
economic chance for a community
that needs it… I just really hope the
community can support us on this.”
Portable in use for 20-plus
years
Page 4
Focus on Sterling
October 2010
Ready for an upgrade
By Matthew Ockinga
Staff writer
The first day of school, the
drastic need for a building
renovation at Sterling Intermediate
School was on display. On
September 1, the students at
Sterling were treated to a pair of
new microwaves to use during
lunch time. The students used them
only a few minutes before their
food warming was cut short.
“The kids used them both the
first day and blew the circuit,”
Sterling Principal Chris Hall
said. “We’ve spread them out
and plugged them into different
places.”
That microwave incident proved
that Sterling’s electrical system
is outdated and overloaded with
circuits. That is to be expected
from a school built in 1962. Be it
outdated heating and ventilation
systems to an aging roof that
requires frequent repair, the school
from the ’60’s is having a difficult
time keeping up with the evolving
educational needs of 21st century
students.
“It just wasn’t built in the 1960s
with the technology and power that
we can do today,” Hall said.
Gary Dexter, Director of
Maintenance for the Eastmont
School District, is especially
concerned about Sterling’s roof
and continued leaking. With the
vote for the school bond looming
on November 2, Dexter stresses the
need for Sterling and other schools
in the district to receive long
overdue upgrades.
“It’s just like your own home,”
Dexter said. “If you just let it go,
it’s going to fall apart on you. It
doesn’t go away.”
Similar to Eastmont
High School, Sterling faces
overcrowding with approximately
160 more students than originally
intended. The hallways, commons,
gym and classrooms all have
crowding issues. Hallways are too
narrow and some of the lockers,
straight from the ’60’s, have been
moved to the inconvenient location
Sterling Intermediate School
of the commons area. Since the
gym can only fit about one grade at
a time, Hall cannot hold all-school
assemblies so he must split them by
grade levels.
To help accommodate the
growing student population,
Sterling relies on six portables
for a total of eight classrooms.
But the portables themselves
are showing their age and are
spread out, which adds to the
already confusing layout of a
school that lacks a centralized
location. Sterling’s unique layout
of four distinct wings awkwardly
connected, in combination with
the six portable buildings, makes
for security and monitoring
challenges.
“It’s better to have everything
“It’s just like your
own home. If you just
let it go, it’s going to
fall apart on you. It
doesn’t go away.”
Gary Dexter
Director of Maintenance for
Eastmont School District
in one area,” Dexter said. “(The
portables) were supposed to be
temporary, but 20-odd years is not
so temporary.”
The proposed construction plan
for Sterling calls for three separate
• Opened in 1962 to educate 550 students in grades 7-9.
• Currently serves 710 students in grades 5-7.
• Small building additions in 1971 and 1988.
areas of classroom addition. These
new classrooms would ideally spur
the removal of the portables and
better connect the separate wings of
the school, making the architecture
more unified.
“The infrastructure is not built to
handle six portables,” Hall said.
Inadequate parking and
conflicting bus and car traffic are
also areas the bond would address.
The proposal calls for improved
site safety for bus loading and
unloading plus traffic control
and parking as well. This would
increase safety not only during
school hours but also during
evenings and weekends when
Sterling’s baseball and soccer fields
receive heavy use.
“All the new schools have
separate drop-offs between parents
and buses for safety issues,” Hall
said.
From the north side of the
school, Eastmont Junior High
School can be seen across Ninth
Street. Dexter commented on the
contrast between the two schools
built four decades apart.
“They have plenty of power and
plenty of room,” he said.
Sterling Intermediate School: Time for a 50-year makeover
Windows, doors to be upgraded
Electrical supply
beyond capacity
Extensive roof repairs
needed to prevent leaks
www.eastmont206.org
Quick Facts
• Opened inl1962 to educate 550 students in grades 7-9.
The Right Projects l The Right Reasons
The Right Time 5-7. 5
• Currently serves 710 students in gradesPage
•
Small building additions in 1971 and 1988.
How projects
How would the bo
Estimated Project Completion - Fall 2014
What is the
current situation?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
address these nee
were selected
Outdated safety and
• Bring building up to co
emergency
systems.
• Address classroom spa
Identifying projects and exact costs is a three step process.
Insufficient
electrical
system
(additional
First, architects and engineers have inspected all schools
and usednew classro
with overloaded
circuits.modernization/remodeling
common
formulas for determining
costs. ventilatio
• New heating,
Projects
are
also
prioritized
for
their
ability
to
generate
State
matching
Inefficient and outdated heatsystem and roof.
grants.
ing
and
ventilation
systems.
•
Modernized science cl
Second, once a facility proposal is approved, groups of school staff
Crowded
com• andExpanded
commons an
and
citizens arehallways,
formed at each
school to review
prioritize possible
mons,Architects
gym and
projects.
andclassrooms.
engineers guide this processfacility
and continue
to used as a
to be
estimate
potential
costs.
Eventually,
prioritized
bid
specifications
are
Main entrance is difficult to
and commons.
developed and the project is put out for public bid. A contractor is
monitor
and
control
by
office
• Practice gym and P.E.
selected and construction begins.
staff.
to alleviate
overcrowdi
Third, as a project gets underway there will be unexpected
changes
and
costs just as inlearning
any construction
are budgeted for curriculu
Inadequate
spacesprojects. Theseaccommodate
asfor
theycurriculum
always occur. Eventually
andaging
final interior
needs. the projects are
• completed
Replace
costs determined.
Aging
roofs require frequent
cabinetry
Any remaining funds can be used for additional district
facilityand fixtures
repair.
• Improved roof and wal
projects or saved for future major improvements.
Conflicting bus and car traftion, windows and doo
fic creates site safety issues.
• Provide separate bus lo
Additional Projects if Funds Remain student drop-off areas.
on an As-Needed Basis
No State matching dollars are available for most of these
projects. There may be some energy conservation grant
funds that can be obtained for improvements in heating,
cooling, and overall energy use.
1. Replace worn heating, cooling, and ventilation
equipment at Cascade, Lee, Kenroy, and Rock Island
Elementary Schools.
2. Removal of portable classrooms and possible
replacement with brick and mortar classrooms at
Cascade, Lee, and Kenroy.
How would the bond address
these needs?
3. Replace worn and leaky roofs as needed.
4. Upgrade plumbing and electrical.
5. Expand secure storage areas for buses and
maintenance equipment
in the school district.
ESTIMATED
PROJECT
COMPLETION
- FALL
2014
• Address classroom
space needs
What is the current situation?
• Bring building up to code.
• Outdated safety and emergency systems.
• Insufficient electrical system with
overloaded circuits.
• Inefficient and outdated heating and
ventilation systems.
• Crowded hallways, commons, gym, and
classrooms.
• Main entrance is difficult to monitor and
control by office staff.
• Inadequate learning spaces for curriculum
needs.
• Aging roofs require frequent repair.
• Conflicting bus and car traffic creates site
safety issues.
(additional new classrooms).
• New heating, ventilation, cooling system
and roof.
• Modernized science classrooms.
• Expanded commons and kitchen facility
to be used as a cafeteria and commons.
• Practice gym and P.E. spaces to alleviate
overcrowding and accommodate
curriculum needs.
6. Expand the main administrative office of the school
district an additional 1,800 square feet. This will provide
space for administrative services currently located on
the Grant Elementary campus.
7. Resurface asphalt and improve auto and student traffic
areas.
8. Repair/replace exterior lighting.
9. Repair/refinish interior walls.
10. Repair/refinish exterior walls.
• Replace aging interior finishes, cabinetry
and fixtures.
11. Replace worn carpet and hard surface floors as needed.
• Improved roof and wall insulation,
windows and doors.
13. Construct improved storage areas.
• Provide separate bus loading and student
drop-off areas.
12. Replace/upgrade clock, alarm, and intercom systems.
14. Upgrade plumbing and electrical.
The Board of Directors would conduct a hearing to take
citizen input and prioritize the above additional projects.
Renovate
restrooms
to be ADA
compliant
Crumbling infrastructure
Classroom converted into
storage space
Six
portables
in use
Focus on Grant
Page 6
October 2010
Quick Facts
Put Grant ‘Back together again’
•
•
•
Opened in 1953 to educate 240
Currently serves 410 students i
Building addition in 1960 and
Estimated Project Completion - Fall 2015
By Matthew Ockinga
Staff writer
Head over to First Street in
East Wenatchee and you will see
capital metal lettering declaring the
building as ULYSSES S G NT
SCHOOL. The missing letters on
the north side of Grant Elementary
symbolically sum up the overall
state of the 61-year-old Humpty
Dumpty-like facility that needs to
be put back together again.
“Things are falling apart,”
Principal Spencer Taylor said.
A quick walkthrough reveals
a school showing its age. Grant
Elementary opened in 1953 to
accommodate 240 students grades
K-6 and will serve about 410
students for the 2010-2011 school
year.
The building itself desperately
needs a mechanical makeover. The
roof systems need replacing as do
the plumbing, heating, ventilation,
and cooling systems. The district
also hopes to increase energy
efficiency through improved roof
What is the current
and wall insulation and by adding
situation?
new doors and double-paned
• Inefficient and aging heating
windows.
and ventilation systems.
Plumbing has certainly been an
• Inadequate space for school
• Inefficient and aging heating and
issue in one of the south annex’s
programs.
• Aging roofs require frequent
ventilation systems.
bathrooms. Taylor said during the
repair.
• Conflicting bus and car
traffic
• Aging roofs require frequent
last school year, water would flood
• Inadequate
creates site and safety
issues. kitchen storage.
repair.
the restroom about once a week,
•
Inadequate
kitchen
storage.
•
Inadequate
space for school
a byproduct of an aging concrete
programs.
sewer pipe. The bathrooms are also
not compliant with the Americans
• Conflicting bus and car
with Disabilities Act.
traffic creates site and
While certain areas of the school
safety issues.
are slightly crammed, age is the
Grant Elementary School
main issue.
• Opened in 1953 to educate 240 students in grades K-6.
“We don’t have space needs,
5, 8, 10 more holes,” Taylor said.
• Currently serves 410 students in grades K-4.
it’s just everything is getting really
Should the bond pass, both
old,” Taylor said.
interior and exterior walls would be
• Building addition in 1960 and 1987.
Taylor also stressed that the bond
replaced or improved. The school
is needed to improve the parking
will also have an updated alarm,
exist on the school’s exterior
minimal remodel. Neither time nor
and student pickup situation
clock and intercom system as well
infrastructure and surrounding
woodpeckers have been as kind
at Grant. The school’s modest
as new storage areas throughout
property. Grant lacks both a gutter
to the outside wall of the gym.
parking lot is insufficient to handle
the school and improved exterior
system on the roof and an outdoor
Composed of a Styrofoam mixture, lighting. Classrooms and building
after-school traffic congestion. The
drainage system. These dueling
the wall has been repeatedly
combination of parent vehicles and
systems would receive an overhaul.
dangers create pools of water in the attacked by the beaks of the
buses transporting students after
A potential addition would be built
neighborhood birds despite all the
school makes for unsafe congestion playground area and sheets of ice
extending south of the gym for
during winter.
attempts to patch the holes.
on First Street. The bond would
a new stage, kitchen and storage
The school gym, added in
“I’m constantly having to submit facility.
resurface asphalt and add a new
1987, still stands in fairly decent
work orders to get it patched and
bus pullout to increase safety.
The bond could also replace the
shape and would need only a
by the time they get it done there’s
Several other safety issues
four portable classrooms just east
What is the current situation?
Ho
ad
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How would the bond
address these needs?
• Address accessibility needs.
• Address classroom storage
needs.
• Improve site safety through
provision of separate bus
loading and student drop-off
areas near main entry.
• Replace aging interior
finishes, cabinetry and
fixtures.
ESTIMATED PROJECT COMPLETION - FALL 201
• New heating, ventilation and
cooling system.
• Replace failing roof systems.
• Increase energy efficiency
through improved roof and
wall insulation, doors and
windows.
of the main building and replace
them with more traditional brick
and mortar classrooms. Given the
extent of the construction needs,
the Grant Elementary project
upgrades would not be completed
until fall of 2015, enough time
to find an ‘R’ and an ‘A’ for the
Humpty Dumpty of First Street.
Grant Elementary School: Much work to be done
Replace single-pane
glass with safety glass
Lack of storage space
Ceiling tiles reveal
leaks from above
Damaged door
www.eastmont206.org
The Right Projects l The Right Reasons l The Right Time
Page 7
‘A place to call our own’
By Matthew Ockinga
Staff Writer
Food Services at Grant Elementary School operates out of a hallway to prepare meals for
the school’s 410 students.
These lunch ladies take nothing for
Grant-ed. Without a true kitchen of their own,
Suzanne Taylor, head cook, Charla Jensen
and Lacey Cutright must pull off an organized
drill for lunch everyday as they shuffle around
the hallways and gym during lunchtime to
feed about 410 students at Grant Elementary.
“These ladies definitely put in a lot more
effort to get the job done than at other
schools,” said Suzy Howard, Director of Food
Services for the Eastmont School District.
“It’s just hard to do product cooking for 410
kids when you’re away from your refrigerator
and you’re in an area that has a lot of traffic
in it.”
That area would be the gym, where, for the
third straight year, Grant Elementary students
from all grades eat their lunch. Class lunch
times are staggered to ideally serve about 20
students at a time and reduce the rush.
The challenge for the lunch ladies is their
food and kitchen supplies being scattered in
three separate areas throughout the school.
Their main preparation area is a former
daycare office room tucked in the side of the
gym. Since the room was not designed to be
a kitchen, it lacks a produce sink and has little
storage area.
“It’s probably prepping in here and
cooking in the hallway,” Taylor said of her
kitchen challenges. “I’m just thankful to have
this little room because when we first started
we didn’t have this room.”
The hallway she refers to is between the
west side of Grant’s main building and the
gym. The narrow area is lined with salad bar
carts, food warmers and tray holders among
other cooking supplies.
“We operate out of this hallway as our
kitchen,” Howard said. “Our space here is
still challenging.”
Grant’s so-called walk-in cooler is nothing
more than a small closet with a cooling unit
and shelves installed. The closet is part of the
school’s teachers work room and sits a good
distance from the gym.
Given these challenging storage issues,
much of the food served at Grant is actually
prepared at and delivered from Eastmont
Junior High School, across town on Ninth
Street. Howard has a separate crew to bring
in the food.
“It really takes a lot of planning to be able
to serve food safely,” Howard said.
Besides serving over 400 students every
day, Grant’s lunch ladies also frequently serve
themselves a helping of humor. Taylor has
Grant Elementary School’s kitchen crew
includes Lacey Cutright, left, and Charla
Jensen.
“We operate out of this
hallway as our kitchen. Our
space here is still
challenging.”
Suzy Howard
Director of Food Services for Eastmont
School District
already thought of a shortcut to the walk-in
cooler.
“Suzanne was saying to me the other day,
‘Can’t we just cut a hole in this room so we
can be out in the hall?’” Howard said.
Should voters approve the November 2
bond, Grant Elementary could be receiving a
new stage, storage and kitchen facility. While
construction plans won’t be made official
unless the bond passes, the proposed building
addition would be just south of the gym.
And a group of food workers accustomed to
maximizing space would be happy with even
a slight increase in room to cook.
“It doesn’t have to be that much space,”
Howard said. “It’s not a lot, I don’t think, that
we’re asking for. Just a place to call our own.”
Exterior deterioration
Interior deterioration
Upgrade restrooms
to be ADA compliant
Upgrade walkways
and bus drop-off area
FocusProject
onCosts
School Bond
Page 8
How much is this going to cost?
The Right Projects
The total project cost is $75,342,000. Due to the age and condition of Eastmont’s school build• Modernization/remodel of
ings, the State willHow
fund approximately
$44,487,000,
leaving
a balance of $30,855,000 which is
much is this
going to
cost?
Eastmont HS
the amount of the The
construction
bond
on the atNovember
total project cost
is estimated
$75,342,000.2010
Due to ballot.
the age and condition of Eastmont’s school
• Modernization/remodel Sterling
Intermediate
• Modernization/remodel of Grant
Elementary
buildings, the State will fund approximately $44,487,000, leaving a balance of $30,855,000 which is
the amount of the construction bond on the November 2010 ballot.
• All three schools are eligible for
matching State grant funds
New Heating,
• These schools are all in need of
Ventilation, Cooling
major repair/remodel New Heating,and Electrical
Ventilation,
Systems
• To continue to let the condition
of
Cooling
and
these schools deteriorate does
49.8%
Electrical
not demonstrate responsible
use
of public funds and does Systems
not help
49.8%
attract people and businesses
Interior Work: Interior
Furnishings, Handicap
Interior Work:
Accessibility, New Energy
Interior
Furnishings,
Efficient
Windows
and Doors
Handicap Accessibility,
18.8%
New Energy Efficient
Windows and Doors
18.8%
New Classroom Space
The Right Reasons
7.6%
• Facilities need repair/remodel/
modernization/upgrade New Roofs and
New Classroom Space
7.6%
• Delaying projects does notEnergy
make Saving New Roofs and
Improvements
them go away
Energy Saving
8.9%
Improvements
• Maintaining public facilities
is a long-term community
8.9%
commitment
New Multipurpose,
Commons and
The Right Time
Cafeteria Space
• Lowest interest rates on bonds
3.5%
in years
• Lowest construction costs in
decades
• $1.44 in State matching dollars
may decrease given the status
of the Washington State Budget
(Many states already provide
no match for local school
construction projects.)
What will happen if the
election does not pass?
Nothing. The sad fact is just as
if you don’t fix your home, no one
else will. Eastmont schools total
over 700,000 square feet of public
facilities on over 175 acres. To not
attempt to repair/remodel these
buildings when the State will match
at an estimate $1.44 for every local
dollar is irresponsible.
Just as with your home, a
renovated building costs less to
maintain, is more energy efficient,
often safer, and is more comfortable
and enjoyable to spend time in than
an aged building in need of repair.
These three schools total
about 287,000 square feet and
the average age is 45 years.
An estimate to replace these
schools with new buildings is
$115,000,000. This is almost four
times the amount we are asking
voters to approve. Our proposal will
fund improvements that will extend
the life span of these buildings an
additional 30 years.
About The Election
• State law requires 60% voter
approval to pass school
construction bond measures.
• Douglas County conducts all
elections through mail-in ballots.
• Ballots are scheduled to be
mailed to registered voters on
October 15th.
• For information about ballot
drop-off locations call the
Elections Office at 745-8527,
Extension 207.
For More Information
• Visit www.eastmont206.org.
• View the Powerpoint presentation.
• Call the District office at
884-7169.
New Gym and
New Gym
Upgraded
P.E. and
Upgraded
P.E. Facilities
Facilities
8.6%
8.6%
New Multipurpose,
Commons and
Cafeteria Space
Campus
Site Safety
Improvements
3.5%
2.8%
Campus Site Safety
Improvements
2.8%
October 2010
Breakdown of Project
High School
Sterling
Grant
Temporary Classrooms
2010 - 2011 Elementary
Non-Matched
Eastmont School
Improvements
District No. 206
ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
Total
Project Costs
884-7169
460 NE 9th Street, East Wenatchee
Dr. Garn Christensen,
State
Contribution
Superintendent
Bob Busk, Executive Director of
Curriculum/Instruction
Local
Taxpayer’s
Cindy Ulrich, Executive Director of
Financial Services
Contribution
Vicki Trainor, Executive Director of
Human Resources
EASTMONT HIGH SCHOOL
884-6665
955 NE 3rd Street, East Wenatchee
Mark Marney, Principal
“For every $1.00 inve
by theJUNIOR
localHIGH
commun
EASTMONT
SCHOOL
State
884-2407 will invest $1.4
905 NE 8th Street, East Wenatchee
John Westerman, Principal
STERLING INTERMEDIATE
SCHOOL
884-7115
600 N James, East Wenatchee
Chris Hall, Principal
CLOVIS POINT
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
Breakdown of Total Estimated Project Costs
High School $41,252,000
Sterling $23,186,000
Grant $9,861,000
Non-Matched Elementary
Improvements $1,043,000
Total Project Costs $75,342,000
State Contribution $44,487,000
Local Taxpayer’s Contribution
$30,855,000
CASCADE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
884-0523
2330 N Baker, East Wenatchee
Robin Kirkpatrick, Principal
GRANT ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
884-0557
1430 SE 1st Street, East Wenatchee
Spencer Taylor, Principal
Frequently Asked Questions
Where would students be housed during construction?
• All Eastmont students would remain on campus. The District will bring in temporary classrooms during the project
and modify existing space within our schools to house students displaced by construction.
What if the bond isn’t approved?
• We will run it again although the cost may well be higher than $75.35 million. In the meantime, more money will
be diverted from the general education fund to make critical repairs.
If more homes are built in the District, does the school get more money?
• No. Voters approve fixed dollar amounts for school bonds and levies. This is the maximum amount that can be
collected and is shared by all taxpayers in the District. When more homes are built, there are more taxpayers to
share the fixed amount. This means the tax rate decreases because the tax base of the District is larger.
Effects on tax rates
Eastmont has continuously collected two types
of property tax levies. The first, and most common, is
collected for our Maintenance & Operation Levy, which
was renewed for 4 years in 2009 and generally pays for
learning activities. (Think Levies pay for Learning.) This
is not a new tax and requires a 50% voter approval.
total amount of money that can be raised. As property
values increase or decrease, the amount levied is
adjusted while the amount of tax collected remains the
same. The range over the last 17 years has been $3.44
to $5.77 per thousand in property value with a 10 year
average of $4.86.
The second type is collected to repay bonds that are
sold with voter approval. For Eastmont, as well as most
other school districts in our state, bonds are used to
construct new schools or remodel older schools. (Think
Bonds pay for Buildings.) This is also not a new tax and
requires a 60% voter approval.
Estimates indicate this new bond would increase
the tax collected in the next few years between $.50
and $.56 cents per thousand over current authorized
tax rates. The anticipated increase for a property owner
with a $200,000 home will be approximately $9 per
month, or $112 a year. This may be less if a homeowner
itemizes their income tax deductions.
In either type of tax, the ballot measure specifies a
888-1400
1855 SE 4th Street, East Wenatchee
Dennis Gibson, Principal
KENROY ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
884-1443
601 N. Jonathan, East Wenatchee
Jon Abbott, Principal
LEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
884-1497
1455 N. Baker, East Wenatchee
David Woods, Principal
ROCK ISLAND ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
884-5023
5645 Rock Island Road, Rock Island
98850
Sue Kane, Principal
EASTSIDE ALTERNATIVE
Grades 7-12
888-1866
345 6th Street, East Wenatchee
Mat Lyons, Administrator
SPECIAL EDUCATION
884-8333
1570 1st Street, East Wenatchee
James Stevens, Special Education
Director
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
884-6852
1570 1st Street, East Wenatchee
FOOD SERVICE
884-3026
905 NE 8th Street, East Wenatchee
Suzy Howard, Director
TECHNOLOGY
884-6503
345 6th Street, East Wenatchee
Doug Clay, Director
MAINTENANCE
Eastmont School District Board of Directors
Tour the Schools
Annette Eggers, Board President
Jan Cetto - Chris Gibbs - Brad Hawkins - Cindy Wright
Superintendent Garn Christensen or any of the School
Principals would be happy to give you a tour of the
schools and discuss how we plan to address the safety,
infrastructure and learning needs of our students now
and into the future.
Bond Committee Chairs
Pat & Adele Haley
884-6970
345 – 6th Street, East Wenatchee
Gary Dexter, Director
TRANSPORTATION
884-4621
345 – 6th Street, East Wenatchee
Mat Lyons, Director
Brian Egan, Interim Director