School board opts to annex middle school for space for high school
March 16, 2010
By Laura Geggel
NEW — 6:51 p.m. March 16, 2010
The Snoqualmie Valley School Board voted to solve the crowding crunch at Mount Si High School by annexing Snoqualmie Middle School.
The annexation would take place in the 2012-13 school year, when Mount Si’s student population is projected to exceed the building’s capacity.
In the meantime, the district would spend two years building a new, $50 million middle school on a 40-acre parcel it owns on Snoqualmie Ridge. It would cost the district an additional $60,000 per year to operate the new middle school.
Before the school board approved the resolution, board member Scott Hodgins put forward a motion asking the superintendent to provide the board with a comprehensive study, including public input and review that examines two things: how Snoqualmie Middle School would be utilized for grades nine through 12, and the scope of capital improvements necessary at the high school and middle school to meet high school educational program objectives.
Not everyone is happy with the board’s decision. At the last board meeting, several parents asked that the board choose to modernize and remodel Mount Si to deal with student crowding.
The parents said that while modernizing and remodeling Mount Si would cost about $100 million, it would save money in the long run, since Mount Si would still need to be modernized with the price tag of about $60 million, even if it annexes the middle school.
But school board Vice President and Long Term Facilities Committee liaison Dan Popp said annexing the middle school was most the financially responsible thing to do.
“This is the right first step in a multiface approach in making sure we have space and a brilliant curriculum for our students,” Popp said.
In a later interview, Popp added, “building a new middle school is simply less expensive than expanding the current Mount Si High School facility. I think the recommendation gives us the most flexibility and it moves us into the next phase (of) educational programming.”
School board members Marci Busby and Craig Husa were not in attendance for the vote.
Laura Geggel: 392-6434, ext. 221, or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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I have an idea…..how about we make all the kids that live on the snoqualmie ridge go to issaquah schools. Everyone that lives on the ridge is rude to everyone else in the valley, and not to mention there kids suck at sports because they are wuss’s that just want to play crap sports like lacrosse. Where have all the real country boys gone. Why should we school a bunch of kids who’s families dont support local business’s, trash talk long standing valley families, and complain about the valley education. One thing to say…..”JUST CUZ YOU LIVE ON THE RIDGE, DOESN’T MEAN YOU ARE PART OF THE VALLEY!”