Evergreen Public Schools receives $17.4 million bond

Evergreen Public Schools is taking another step towards providing students in the district with a 21st century education. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has notified the district of its approval of a $17,445,000 Qualified School Construction Bond which will be used to build a high school Health and BioScience Academy.

"The Health and BioScience Academy has long been a goal of Evergreen Public Schools," said Reg Martinson, Executive Director of Facilities. "The bio-technological field is growing rapidly and is one of the most significant emerging fields in the state of Washington.  This bond enables us to move forward with our goal of preparing students to graduate with a world-competitive 21st century education by honing their classroom experiences and skills for these careers."
 
The bond, which did not need voter approval, is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Federal stimulus) and will cover a significant portion of the project, which is projected to cost approximately $24 million. The remaining funds will be made up of a $1 million grant from the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED), proceeds from the district’s previous land sales and state matching funds.

The district qualified for matching funds because there are currently more than 1,200 unhoused high school students (student taking classes in portables) in the district. Overcrowding is still a problem in the district and it is hoped that the approximately 500 student school will ease this and avoid the necessity of building another comprehensive high school in the next few years.

Evergreen hopes to begin construction as soon as a building site location is secured. "We are working closely with Southwest Washington Medical Center to locate a site on or near the medical campus," explained Martinson. "This will provide the opportunity for students to access local industry professionals and providers and extend the classroom to the world of work."

Once the site is secured, the district plans to open the Health and BioScience Academy in the fall of 2013.