West Valley School District of Yakima

West Valley School District
High School Bond Levy Proposal

West Valley High School is Overcrowded

Current high school is 65,000 square feet too small.
Built in 1955 for 400 students.
Today’s student body is over 1,100 students.
20% of the students are educated in portable classrooms.
West Valley is growing; our schools are impacted by that growth.

West Valley High School is Overcrowded

The proposal calls for ….

	A new high school with a common campus built for today’s educational standards.
	40 modern classrooms wired to support new technologies.
	Eight computer labs.
	Efficient and reliable heating, electrical and plumbing systems.
	Expanded band, choir and art facilities.
	Contemporary auditorium for large group instruction, distance learning, and performing arts.
	Up-to-date library with improved access to technology and research material.
	A.D.A. (Americans with Disability Act) accessible buildings.
	Expanded parking with safe and separate areas for bus and parent drop-off and student parking.
	Modern gymnasium with expanded seating.
	Improved safety and security, consolidating seven separate buildings into one common campus.

This is what you see . . .

Classrooms and facilities remodeled in 1987

This is what the students see . . .

Classrooms and facilities built in 1950’s and 1960’s

Why do we need a new high school?

Educationally Outdated

Educational standards have changed
significantly since 1955.
Library is undersized and technologically
unequipped for the student body.
Classrooms lack adequate electricity for
today’s technology.
Space limitations reduce the number of
opportunities to participate in band & other
performing arts.

Deteriorating Physical Condition
The 50 year old heating, plumbing, and electrical
systems are:

FAILING...leading to frequent, cost
prohibitive repairs.
UNRELIABLE...causing unexpected
interruptions at school.
OVERTAXED...posing fire and safety
hazards.
INEFFICIENT...resulting in excessive utility costs.
OBSOLETE...requiring repair parts to be specially manufactured for maintenance.

Building New vs. Remodeling

The cost of remodeling the current high school is estimated at $40.1 million. The cost of constructing a new high school is $52.3 million. The new high school would be 210,000 square feet. By building new, the district would also retain 90,000 square feet of the current high school that was remodeled as recently as 1987.

The dollar difference between new vs. remodeling is $12.2 million. These are the benefits for $12.2 million:

New high school that is 65,000 square feet larger than the existing high school
Retain 90,000 square feet of the current high school (for additional growth needs of the district)
38 acres added to the high school campus
No disruption of school for students during construction

Compare Costs - West Valley vs. Yakima

High School	Total Cost	Total Sq. Ft.	Cost per Square Foot
West Valley High School	$52.3 million	210,000 sq. ft.	$249.04
Eisenhower High School	$72.2 million	275,000 sq. ft.	$262.54
Davis High School	$73 million	275,000 sq. ft.	$265.45

Matching Money Q & A

How much matching money will we receive?

$8-$14 million dependent upon a formula used by the State.
Matching money will be used to ensure that the high school is thoroughly completed.
Remaining state matching money will be used to address remaining critical needs with district facilities.
Two elementary schools (Summitview Elementary and Apple Valley Elementary) in the district are in need of renovation.
A public hearing process will be used to determine the best use of the funds.

Why does it seem that Yakima School District receives so much more matching money?

State’s matching formula is different for each school district (based on economic factors).
Yakima School District anticipates receiving 50% of the total project cost in matching funds.
West Valley anticipates receiving 31% of the total project cost in matching funds.

Plan for Existing High School

Current buildings will be used until new high school is completed allowing for uninterrupted education during construction.
90,000 square feet of the current high school are retained to address future growth in the district.

Bond Levy Costs

The total cost of building a new high school and development of the site is $52.3 million. If approved, the bond will result in an increase of 78¢ per $1,000 of assessed value over the current bond assessment.

The school district has tried to minimize the property tax increase by spreading the bonds payments out over twenty years and taking advantage of low interest rates.

Dollars per thousand on existing bond debt	$1.45
Increase due to new bond issue	78¢
New tax rate combined with existing bond debt	$2.23

Bond Levy Taxpayer Cost Example:

Home Value	Additional Property Taxes
$100,000	$78 per year/$6.50 per month
$150,000	$117 per year/$9.75 per month
$200,000	$156 per year/$13.00 per month

Please remember to vote by May 16th
Ballots will be in the mail April 25th

For additional information visit the District’s website at www.wvsd208.org or leave a message on the levy information line at 972-6003. Tours of the high school are also available by calling the information line.