Substantial consensus behind LWSD bond recommendations | Letter

We appreciate the contributions Susan Wilkins (letter, March 30) made as a member of the Lake Washington School District Long Term Facilities Planning Task Force.

We appreciate the contributions Susan Wilkins (letter, March 30) made as a member of the Lake Washington School District Long Term Facilities Planning Task Force. In fact, a number of recommendations in the report directly reflect her input.

In any large group process, different points of view and different voices are evidence that it was complete, thorough and representative. As a result, not everyone will agree with everything. In the end, there was substantial consensus behind the recommendations among task force members. Those recommendations include the projects that are included on the district’s April Bond measure, which would provide space for 3,000 more students.

The district’s facilities planning efforts she refers to include enrollment projections based on a robust set of data, including demographic information such as the King County birth rate.

Facilities management is the responsibility of Forrest Miller, the director of support services. Mr. Miller has over 30 years experience in facilities management in both public and nonprofit sectors; holds facilities management certifications including Recognized Educational Facility Planner; and is an adjunct instructor with the University of Washington’s Facility Management program.

For those who would like to form their own opinion of the task force’s process and the data they reviewed, please visit www.lwsd.org/news/long-term-facilities. A record of the task force’s work, including meeting reports, presentations and data considered by the task force are all posted there.

Kathryn Reith, Lake Washington School District Director of Communications