Still time to provide input on LWSD facilities long-term strategies

Parents and community members can still help shape the long-term strategies around school buildings for Lake Washington School District. There are two final opportunities to provide input into the recommendations of the Long-Term Facilities Task Force. The Task Force has held four community meetings and members have attended many PTSA meetings to provide information and get feedback on their draft recommendations.

The following is a release from the Lake Washington School District:

Parents and community members can still help shape the long-term strategies around school buildings for Lake Washington School District. There are two final opportunities to provide input into the recommendations of the Long-Term Facilities Task Force. The Task Force has held four community meetings and members have attended many PTSA meetings to provide information and get feedback on their draft recommendations.

Community members can participate in a Task Force Town Hall from 6-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at Rose Hill Middle School. From 6-7:30 p.m., attendees can review and learn more about the recommendations, then join small discussion groups with task force members. From 7:30 p.m. on, task force members will host a Town Hall session, listening to and fielding questions from the audience.

An online open house provides information on all of the draft recommendations. A survey on that site is open through Oct. 11.

Districtwide, enrollment is predicted to increase to more than 30,000 students by 2021-22. That is over 5,000 more students than district schools were built to serve. There is little space left in current school buildings, some of which need to be renovated or replaced due to their age and building conditions.

The recommendations address classroom capacity issues, cost reduction, efficient use of space and other issues. They also recommend specific projects to be undertaken in the future. Some of the major recommendations concerned capacity, aging facilities and funding.

The Task Force will review the input collected through these different methods, then meet to determine any potential revisions to the recommendations. They plan to share final recommendations with the school board in November.