The Hockinson School District is sending voters a multimillion-dollar bond measure this winter to replace its aging middle school and expand its other two campuses.
In all, the district is seeking $39.9 million to cover the projects. About $3 million of that could be offset with state matching funds for Hockinson Middle School.
Now more than 60 years old, the school is in desperate need of modernization, district officials say. The campus no longer complies with a number of safety standards and accessibility codes.
The student population has also outgrown the school, with 20 percent of the student body taking classes in portables, according to the district. The new campus would be built to accommodate 600 students.
It would also sit next to the current school, on the north side of the existing track and field. And the old building would still be used for the school’s special education program.
Hockinson High School faces an increased demand in music and athletics, the district says. The bond would finance the addition of a new baseball field, two soccer fields, tennis courts, a wrestling room and a band room.
The money would also be used to beef up security, add restrooms and expand seating capacity at sports fields.
At Hockinson Elementary, the money would go toward developing a master plan to address a number of inadequacies at the 34-year-old campus. District officials say the campus needs to be reconfigured to improve security, streamline traffic circulation and food services operations, and prepare for long-term enrollment growth.
Voters previously passed a bond for the district 14 years ago, locking in the funding to build Hockinson High School. District officials say that bond will be paid off next year.
The latest bond will go up for a vote in a special election on Feb. 10, along with a $57.7 million bond measure for the Washougal School District. To pass, each measure will need at least 60 percent approval from voters.
