Why Now?
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1. DO YOU KNOW WHAT A NO VOTE MEANS?
MIHS is 70-years old, originally built in 1954. IMS, built in 1958, is almost 70-years old. Buildings that are this old must have renovations to preserve their lifespan. Higher costs. A NO vote means that maintenance and improvements will simply cost more later. Learning spaces. A NO vote means that students won't have suitable learning spaces to meet their learning needs. Out of compliance. A NO vote means that known accessibility issues, fire alarms, and HVAC systems remain as is. Security. A NO vote means IMS remains in three buildings. It's not about the rain, it's about security. |
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2. DID YOU KNOW THAT SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COSTS ARE PROJECTED TO RISE AT 8% PER YEAR?
With construction costs rising at 8% per year, the proposed bond will be nearly 20% more expensive in two years. MIHS and IMS were originally built 70-years ago, and the need to update for compliance (ADA, fire alarm), plumbing HVAC, security, etc. isn't going to go away. |
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3. DID YOU KNOW THAT IMS AND MIHS ARE SEPTUAGENARIANS?
MIHS was built in 1954, over 70-years ago. Classrooms and an auditorium were added in 1961 and 1967. Small additions occurred in 1978 and 1986. In 1997, all buildings were put under one roof. In 2014, robotics music, and classroom spaces were added. All school buildings need to evolve and have improvements, and this bond is part of the regular update cycle. The scope of work has an emphasis on flexible spaces that can be used for multiple learning purposes, compliance (ADA, fire alarm system), and increased security. Originally built in 1958, and an honorary septuagenarian, Islander Middle School had a renovation in 2000 and a new addition from 2016. The update in 2016 impacted roughly half of the school. It was designed and built for the upcoming addition that is part of this bond measure. |
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4. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE BOND ADDRESSES SECURITY FOR OUR STUDENTS?
By putting all of IMS under one roof, students can more securely move throughout the school between classes. This was part of the original plan and is aligned with best practice for securing our students. Keep the doors closed for security. The IMS “All in One Roof” aspiration was originally part of the 2014 IMS design, but it didn’t get into the final Bond because the Board wanted a plan that was affordable. After it wasn’t included in 2014 Bond, it was the priority issue for the next renovation at IMS, this 2025 Bond. Current IMS student flow has almost 1000 students moving between buildings several times a day. Teachers are out in the halls and between buildings with a watchful eye moving kids along but also on the lookout for strangers who don’t belong there. Having controlled, single point of entry to the ONE building under ONE roof will be huge. The Crest school is also getting a vestibule for security. The three older elementary schools got vestibules in 2017. Of course, the district also does security work with other funding sources, but this bond will have the most impact for securing our middle school students and those attending Crest. |
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Get your questions answered
If you'd like to see a question added to this list, please email us at [email protected]
For more detailed information on the bond, please visit the Mercer Island School District website.
For more detailed information on the bond, please visit the Mercer Island School District website.