Community members and staff review facility conditions and funding options as part of the Eastmont Facilities Study Committee process.
Planning for the future of Eastmont’s school facilities is a community conversation: one that will shape learning environments for years to come.
Over the past several months, the Community Facilities Study Committee has been meeting to take a closer look at the condition of several Eastmont schools and explore possible paths forward. Their most recent meeting was held in April at Kenroy Elementary, where members continued reviewing building needs, funding options, and long-term considerations. The committee includes parents, retirees, staff, business leaders, and students from across the Eastmont community.
As part of this work, committee members connected with local partners and toured school facilities. As committee member Karisa Nelson shared, “The opportunity to speak with local partners was so valuable. Folks who maybe haven't been in these facilities since their own school days were able to tour the buildings and see firsthand what our students experience every day. Likewise, Eastmont employees were able to hear about the priorities and concerns of members of our community.”
Throughout the process, committee members have worked to balance multiple priorities, including long-term fiscal responsibility, the most immediate facility needs, and a commitment to only consider what is necessary to support students and schools.
The work has been grounded in a clear reality: several schools are reaching a point where ongoing maintenance alone is no longer enough. State ratings identify Kenroy and Lee as being in “poor” condition, with Cascade also needing significant upgrades. At the same time, maintenance demands have increased significantly, and existing funding structures primarily support smaller repairs rather than major improvements.
Eastmont schools serve approximately 5,600 students and are used daily by families and community groups. Ensuring these spaces remain safe, functional, and aligned with modern learning needs is an important priority for both the district and the community.
To better understand potential solutions, the committee reviewed several possible approaches to addressing these challenges. Each option reflects different timelines, costs, and impacts:
- Continuing current practices would focus on ongoing repairs using existing funds. While this approach avoids new funding measures, it primarily addresses short-term needs and does not resolve larger, underlying facility issues.
- A capital levy approach would address schools one at a time, allowing for phased improvements over a longer period and potentially requiring multiple measures over time to fully address all schools.
- A bond measure would allow for larger-scale improvements across multiple schools at once, with costs spread over time.
After carefully studying these options, the committee worked to weigh the trade-offs of each, all while focusing on what is most needed now, what can be sustained over time, and what is appropriate to bring forward on behalf of the community. Nelson added that she is “confident that the committee’s final recommendation addresses the very real needs of our schools while prioritizing financial responsibility and reflecting Eastmont’s commitment to serve its students, staff, and community.”
The next step in this process will take place on Monday, May 11 at 5:30 p.m. at Cascade Elementary, where the Community Facilities Study Committee will present its findings and recommendations to the Eastmont School Board.
Community members are welcome to attend and learn more about the process and the committee’s work. The School Board will use this information to consider next steps for the district.
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