PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School District is now debt-free, leaving more than $800,000 in limbo as the district works to find solutions for crowded classrooms and graduation requirement changes.
The final debt payment on a construction bond for Dry Creek Elementary School and another for the rebuilding of Jefferson Elementary School was made Dec. 1, leaving the district with an $811,000 balance in the account used for debt payments, Finance Director David Knechtel told the school board last Thursday.
It was not clear where the entirety of the $811,000 came from, but at least part of it came from higher-than-expected state forest trust fund payments or interest received from investments in past years, Knechtel said.
“Most likely it was not received from taxes,” he said.
District officials said they are researching how they can use the money remaining in the debt service account to address district needs.
The account where the money is kept is tightly controlled by law, and it was unclear if the school district could access it for other purposes, board members said.
With a need for additional classrooms and building repairs at nearly all schools, school board members and staff said they had clear uses for the money.
Board members are mulling options to address the classroom issue. Suggestions have included refurbishing and reopening Fairview Elementary and constructing a new elementary school. The suggestion list includes adding a wing to Stevens Middle School and moving sixth grade there — all of which would require a bond measure.
The district has already determined two elementary schools — Franklin and Hamilton — are nearing the end of their usable life spans and need to be replaced, at an estimated $18 million to $20 million each.
Board member Sarah Methner suggested using the $811,000 as the first payment for a new bond measure, to reduce the burden on taxpayers.
Enrollment
Enrollment continues to grow, with a December count of 3,856 students district-wide — an increase of 42 students compared with December 2014, Knechtel said.
Most of the growth has been at the elementary school level, where the district closed two schools — Monroe Elementary in 2004 and Fairview Elementary in June 2007.
Elementary school enrollment increased by 49 students, where classrooms are already full and a critical shortage of up to 16 classrooms is expected once voter-approved Initiative 1351 is implemented.
High school enrollment and enrollment in the Running Start “high school in college” program also have increased this year.
Middle enrollment declined due to smaller classes, with fewer than 300 students per grade. There are classes with 300 or more at the high school.
Graduation waiver
The board also voted 4-0 to allow the district to apply to the state Board of Education for a temporary waiver of state graduation requirement increases required for the class of 2019.
If the waiver is approved, it would shift the date of new requirements for Port Angeles High School students to the class of 2021, who are in the seventh grade at Stevens Middle School.
Additional time is needed to reorganize classes to meet the new state requirements, which will increase from 20 credits to 24 credits, and reduce the available number of vocational/performing arts elective credits so students can concentrate on core academic courses, Assistant Superintendent Gerald Gabbard told the board.
The Port Angeles School District currently requires 22.5 credits for graduation.
The district’s request to the state said, “More time is needed to explore the available options (such as scheduling changes) to implement the change in the most effective way that still allows students the flexibility to explore electives and [vocational] offerings while meeting the graduation requirements.”
A task force would be formed to explore ways to restructure the school’s schedule, the district wrote in the application.
“We will probably be requesting the waiver for Lincoln High School in the future,” Gabbard said.
The small alternative school, which has only 75 students, is likely to struggle to create a schedule to meet all students’ needs, he said.
Board application
The application process is open for a new school board member to fill an empty seat.
Applications for the position are available at the Central Services Building, 216 E. Fourth St., during business hours.
Applicants must be registered voters and live in the Port Angeles School District. Each applicant must submit to a background check and provide two letters of reference.
A vacancy was created when Rick Marti, who was elected to the position in the Nov. 3 election, resigned before taking his seat.
School board members plan to review applications and select finalists to take part in interviews at a 5 p.m. Jan. 7 special board meeting at the Central Services Building.
Immediately after the interviews, the board expects to recess to an executive session to discuss the candidates’ qualifications, then return to vote to select a new board member.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arice@peninsuladailynews.com.
