From the SVSD website...
The Snoqualmie Valley School Board of Directors has voted to place a school bond measure on the February 10, 2015 ballot, to address district-wide facility needs and provide more space at all grade levels to serve the District’s growing student population. 

The Challenge: More space is needed in Snoqualmie Valley schools, for ALL students at all grade levels (elementary, middle and high school), to alleviate overcrowding and accommodate long-term enrollment growth.  At the same time, ensuring schools are safe, well-maintained and responsive to students’ needs — not only by replacing aging systems that have exceeded their functional lifespans, but also by providing modern learning environments to support new educational programs and skills — will help teachers boost learning and students achieve their potentials. New educational programs being implemented at the high school to better prepare students for college, career and citizenship include: the transition to more rigorous Common Core State Standards, increased Core 24 graduation requirements, and a focus on expanding opportunities around Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) learning and career exploration. 
 
The Proposed Solution: Invest in safe and modern schools for ALL Snoqualmie Valley students.
 
What: A comprehensive, long-term bond proposal to build and make critical repairs and upgrades to schools across the district will:

• Rebuild and expand Mount Si High School (to include a Freshman Campus concept on the main campus),then reinstate a third middle school
• Construct a new elementary school
• Make district-wide improvements to existing schools and systems

Why: Snoqualmie Valley schools are running out of space to serve the growing student population.

• All elementary schools are nearly full this year and more space is needed by 2016 for state mandated full-day kindergarten, efforts to lower class sizes, and growing enrollment at grades K-5.
• Both middle schools are nearing capacity with growing enrollment in grade 6-8.
  
• Modernizing Mount Si High School benefits ALL students in the community — and expanding the facility to serve freshman on the main campus will allow the District to reinstate a third middle school and alleviate crowding among grades 6-8.
• Mechanical systems that have exceeded their functional lifespan need to be upgraded, to maintain the integrity of our school infrastructure across the district. 

Who: ALL Snoqualmie Valley students will benefit, as the bond effects all schools across the district.
 
How: The 20-year bond would raise $244.4 million for capital improvements including school construction and repairs. (The estimated additional cost for per home owners is $1.29 per $1,000 of 2015 property valuation.) The District has a history of completing bond projects on time and within budget as promised.
 
When & Where:
Ballots must be mailed by February 10.
Passage requires 60% voter approval.
 
For more information:

• Check out the School Bond Facts page on the SVSD website.
• Explore the Bond Facts Mailer that was mailed to all residents.

The 2015 Legislature kicked off this week in Olympia — and it’s our best opportunity in a generation to win increased funding for public education, including educator compensation and smaller class sizes.

“This is a critical opportunity to make a lasting impact for public education and our students,” said Karen Cornell, a teacher at Cascade Middle School near Vancouver and a member of the Evergreen Education Association. “The crisis mode is over. We need to restore what we’ve lost and fully fund public education.”

“It’s what our kids deserve,” added Emily Humphrey, a teacher at Orchards Elementary and also an EEA member.

As educators, we are facing an opportunity that comes along once in a generation. Consider:

• The Supreme Court has issued a contempt order for the Legislature to increase K-12 funding.
• I-1351 passed and smaller class sizes for all students (and more support staff) are now the will of the voters. In a democracy, that matters and we can’t let legislators and others pretend it doesn’t.
• By law, the Legislature has to restore the voter-mandated cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for educators this year.
• The economy is expanding.
• Polling shows public education is voters’ top priority for the 2015 legislative session.

“Knowing that the Legislature last year found an $8.7 billion tax break for Boeing means that there is absolutely no reason why the public’s and our priority can’t be funded,” said WEA President Kim Mead.

WEA members believe every student should benefit from qualified, committed and caring teachers and education support professionals. We’re advocating for:

• Competitive professional compensation, including salaries, health insurance and retirement benefits
• Smaller class sizes approved by voters via Initiative 1351
• Resumption of the voter-mandated COLA
• Solid funding for higher education to ensure college students receive degrees, not debt

You can read WEA’s full set of legislative priorities for ensuring all students have the opportunity for success in school.

The priorities were approved by the elected WEA board of directors in November. WEA members will have many opportunities to help achieve these goals in the coming months, both in Olympia and in your local community.

Click here to email Gov. Inslee and your legislators and tell them to fully fund our K-12 schools and higher education.

From January 23rd to February 10th, Snoqualmie Valley Citizens for Schools will be calling bond supporters in the Snoqualmie Valley and reminding them to vote. Help is especially needed for February 2nd and later.

This is their single most important campaign effort and where they can make the biggest difference.

The phone banks will operate at Mount Si High School and at least 16 volunteers per night are needed to remind school supporters to vote. Grab some friends and volunteer together!

Visit the Eventbrite Page to pick a phone bank night that works best for you.