From the Helm: Is there an out-of-the-box solution to PSD overcrowding situation?

Back in late 2014 when the Peninsula School District went to voters with a pair of propositions — which ultimately failed — to build and upgrade elementary and middle schools, it was thought at the time by many in the community that was the only way to address the overcrowding problem and some of the failing infrastructure.

Some time has passed since then and there have been a lot of changes within the school board and the superintendent position.

Back in December, there was talk at a school board meeting about the assembling of a group of concerned citizens from the community to visit various sites throughout the district and access the condition of buildings, classrooms and other facilities students inhabit every day. The idea of the Community Facilities Board, school board members said, was to have another set of eyes looking at the situation surrounding the facilities and at the same time perhaps build some goodwill with residents who might not have children in the district but who would still be affected should a tax measure be put on the ballot.

While there were initial questions about the makeup of the community board — mainly pertaining to how many would participate and if there was enough diversity when it came to professional backgrounds and members’ demographics — things seem to be moving along in the right direction.

“It seems to be progressing pretty well,” Rand Wilhelmsen, PSD board president, told me last week.

Superintendent Rob Manahan is handling the feedback from the community board, then reporting the results to the board. Several community board members were part of a tour over the weekend of the district’s facilities.

“I am so grateful for the continued involvement of so many who want to see our school district continue its success and the success of our students and staff,” Manahan told Gateway correspondent Hugh McMillan, who also attended the tour. “Saturday’s tour was gratifying to have 24-plus individuals take the time to see how our facilities are meeting the needs of our staff, students, parents and the community.”

Although the process of going through all of the district’s facilities with the community board is just beginning, Wilhelmsen said initial feedback that the school board has received has “been the quality of discussion we like.”

While the temptation to propose another capital measure to voters is always looming, Wilhemlsen said people shouldn’t take the formation of this community board as a step toward putting a measure in place for the future.

With the passage of the Continuing Educational Programs and Operations (M&O) Levy last year, the district has done a lot of maintenance work on various facilities.

“We’ve put that money to work,” Wilhelmsen said.

There are many questions looming when it comes to financing as it pertains to the district, the answers to some of which lie at the state and national levels. Some have to do with the future of charter schools and the vouchers that come with moving students, Wilhelmsen said.

But the big one pertaining to overcrowding likely won’t go away anytime soon, especially with the recent report of a surge of people moving to Pierce County.

“There is no question we are overcrowded today,” Wilhelmsen said. “I can feel it, I can see it. And I know our facilities are tired.”

The hope is the community board can help prioritize projects, discuss options and offer ideas and suggestions.

Will that be enough to hold off a proposing a measure for the foreseeable future? Only time will tell.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 12:47 PM with the headline "From the Helm: Is there an out-of-the-box solution to PSD overcrowding situation?."