The Tahoma School Board is contemplating a major construction program that would add classroom and support spaces at five schools, build a new Lake Wilderness Elementary School and address long-term building-maintenance needs across the district.

At its Sept. 22 meeting, the board heard a report from Karen Montovino, a representative of DLR Architects, describing proposed improvements that are estimated to cost $118 million. The proposed improvements are the result of work that has been under way for two years by district staff, architects and a citizen committee to analyze future enrollment, educational program requirements and building maintenance needs that include heating and ventilating upgrades, roof and siding replacement.

The construction and remodeling proposal is different than what was being considered last year, when the board decided to postpone it due to the economic recession. The board resumed looking at the construction and remodeling proposal over the summer in a series of work-study sessions to determine if it could be adjusted to reduce costs while still meeting student needs. The proposal now under consideration is about $30 million to $50 million less than earlier proposals.

At the center of the proposal is construction of a new Lake Wilderness Elementary School. The current school, which includes buildings that were constructed in 1959, is over capacity and uses a village of portable classrooms to accommodate its students. The construction proposal would build a two-story school on the upper play field, which would allow students and staff to continue classes in the existing school during construction. When the new school is finished, students and staff would move in and the old school would be torn down and replaced by new play fields, parking and bus lanes that are separated from other traffic.

Bill Clausmeyer, a member of the board of directors, said he expects district patrons to ask why the school would be replaced rather than remodeled.

Montovino explained that building a new school is more cost-effective and also provides an opportunity to design the school to meet modern education program and school security needs.

“The cost really penciled out that replacement is the best option,” Montovino said. “At the end of the day, when you renovate you still would have a 30- to 40-year old building.”

The district’s schools currently operate at full capacity and rely on portable classrooms to house students on every campus. The construction and remodeling proposal would replace most portable classrooms with permanent space, though there are provisions to provide portables as needed for special programs or to accommodate temporary enrollment increases.

The citizen committee that worked on the construction and remodeling project had pushed to eliminate all or most portables being used in the district, but the school board decided to retain a few portable classrooms because they are less costly and provide some flexibility.

The board also decided that any remaining portables must be in good condition, with a life expectancy of at least 20 years. Most of the district’s portable classrooms now in use would not meet that standard.

The school board is awaiting an updated demographic and enrollment projection before it makes a final decision about whether to place a construction and remodeling bond measure on the Feb. 9 election ballot. A decision is expected by late October.

The board also is likely to place two levy measures on the Feb. 9 ballot to renew the operations and educational programs levy and the technology levy, both of which expire at the end of 2010.

Other projects under consideration for a bond measure include:

• Glacier Park Elementary:

21,760 square foot addition (classrooms, gym/cafeteria expansion, office and library expansions, support spaces)

Replace roof and siding

Replace HVAC system controls

Improve site circulation and parking

• Lake Wilderness Elementary:

Replacement of 69,600 square foot school, fields, site circulation/parking, and 2,800 square foot covered play structure with 94,530 SF new facility

Remove most portables

• Rock Creek Elementary:

21,760 SF addition (classrooms, gym/cafeteria expansion, office and library expansions, support spaces)

Replace roof and siding

Replace HVAC system controls

Improve site circulation and parking

• Shadow Lake Elementary:

Playfield improvements

Replace gym floor covering

• Cedar River Middle School:

21,901 square foot addition (classrooms, commons expansion, office expansion, support spaces)

Replacement of existing 6,919 square foot classroom building

Replace roof and siding

Restroom and flooring improvements

Add air conditioning (cooling) to both gyms

Improve site circulation and parking

Field improvements

Remove some portables

• Tahoma Middle School:

Renovate locker rooms

Improve auditorium lighting and balcony seating

Upgrade gym equipment

Replace band room windows

Improve athletic fields and parking

• Tahoma Junior High:

21,640 square foot addition (classrooms, fitness room, large group instruction, locker rooms expansion, support spaces)

1,800 square foot covered outdoor eating area

Replace gym divider

• Tahoma High School:

32,440 square foot addition (classrooms, commons expansion, support spaces)

Replacement of existing 10,316 square foot auto shop building

16,539 square foot performing arts center building

New 1,300 square foot visitor concession/restroom building and covered visitor seating at Maxwell Field

Minor reconfiguration of select interior spaces

Improve site circulation and parking

Replace baseball and softball fields with synthetic turf

Remove most portables

• Central Services Center:

Replace siding and roofing

Minor HVAC improvements

Kevin Patterson is the Tahoma School District public information officer.