September 21, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Redmond, Wash. – Lake Washington School District will hold six public meetings to gather input on replacement of the current educational programs and operations levy, capital projects levy and a new bond measure to prevent overcrowding. At these meetings, Superintendent Chip Kimball will review several options for each measure, what the cost would be for each option and what that money would pay for.

At each session, property owners will have the opportunity to fill out a form that would help them determine the cost in property taxes depending on the levy and/or bond options they select. All attendees will be able to submit input forms with their preference for levy and bond options.

Meetings will be held:

Oct. 7 – 3:00-4:30 p.m., Redmond Junior High
Oct. 7 – 7:00-8:30 p.m., Eastlake High School
Oct. 8 – 7:00-8:30 p.m., Redmond High School
Oct. 13 – 3:00-4:30 p.m., Kamiakin Jr. High
Oct. 13 -- 7:00-8:30 p.m., Juanita High School
Oct. 14 – 7:00-8:30 p.m., Lake Washington High School

“Many of our community members came out last spring to provide invaluable input as we looked at budget cuts,” noted Superintendent Chip Kimball. “I am looking to the community for the same kind of input to help us understand what the community wants with regard to technology in our schools, replacement of major systems in our facilities, and the kinds of basic programs paid for by our educational and operations levy.”

The district is also looking at a potential bond measure to address potential overcrowding in the next several years and beyond. Enrollment is up by 240 students district-wide at the elementary level this year. Projections indicate that the district will need space for approximately 1300 more students by 2014 and 2500 more students by 2019-20.

“With the need for more building space, we have an opportunity to look at the grade configuration in our schools,” Kimball said. “We have gotten very positive feedback to the proposal I raised last spring to move to a K-5, 6-8, 9-12 grade configuration. We have a choice now of adding space in the elementary schools to accommodate growth or to shift sixth grade and ninth grade up a level and build more space at the high schools to accommodate growth. Either way, we need to build or we will have too many students for our current buildings to hold.”

Community input will be collected at these meetings and through the district Web site. A community/staff advisory committee will analyze the information and develop a recommendation to the superintendent, who will make a proposal to the board of specific levy and bond items to place on the ballot for voting in February. The district’s board of directors must approve any bond or levy items to go to voters.

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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 sixth largest district in the state of Washington, with over 23,000 students in 50 schools.