Why are voters being asked to consider a
St. Helens High School Improvement Bond?
n November of 2016 the Citizens of St. Helens passed a $49 million dollar bond with 56% of the voters in favor of the measure. The 2016 bond funded a new middle school, the new CCEC, renamed Plymouth High School, and $3.5 million dollars in upgrades to the existing high school.
By keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line the district was able to realize $2 million dollars in savings during the construction of the middle school and CECC. This allows for a high school remodel budget of $5.5 million dollars. Unfortunately, St. Helens High School needs far more than $5.5 million dollars in improvements. The high school campus has some buildings dating back to the 1950s and others were built in the early 1980s.
Safety & Security
- Fire safety systems and basic security are way out of date or in some cases are completely failing.
- There are over 80 unmonitored entrances to the school and open air walkways between buildings creating security vulnerabilities.
Building Systems
- Wiring is exposed and outdated and electrical systems are inadequate to meet the needs of modern equipment and classrooms.
- Building boilers are also reaching or past their useful life, including one that dates back to 1958 whose replacement parts must be sourced from eBay because they’re no longer manufactured.
- Windows, siding and roofs are aging and inefficient.
Classrooms, Learning Spaces
- Classrooms are out of date, small and lacking infrastructure to best support current and future technologies.
- Demand for hands on learning and Career and Technical Education exceeds available space.
- Additional classrooms are needed to offset impending growth.
- The band and choir rooms are too small to accommodate the number of students in these programs.