Sumner School District celebrates passage of $145.6 million bond

Sumner School District officials, teachers, parents and community members are breathing a sigh of relief now that the $145.6 million capital projects bond was approved by voters.

The results of the Feb. 9 election were certified Friday, and Prop. 1 garnered 5,631 votes, or 66.63 percent. It needed 60 percent to pass.

With more students and families moving into the district as part of new housing developments and planned communities, a group of volunteers, Sumner-Bonney Lake Citizens for Education, rallied behind the district to encourage voters to vote in favor of Prop 1.

By 2023, the Sumner School District is estimated to see an estimated 18-percent (1,490 students) increase in students, according to district officials.

“The growth won’t be at just one grade level,” said Steve Sjolund, the district’s Educational Support Services officer. “We will see a growth at the elementary schools, middle schools and at the high schools.”

A majority of the growth can be attributed to the new master planned community, Tehaleh, in the south end of the district, Sjolund said. With growth in the valley as well, the approved funds will work on the needs for all areas of the district.

Keeping the pending growth on the horizon, members of theCitizens for Education committee knew just how cramped their own students were in classes and got to work. The committee organized sign-waving events, mailing of postcards and doorbelling homes to engage voters in the district.

Shane Gillispie, co-chair of the committee, says all four leaders of the committee bring different expertise and experience to empower each other to work toward the greater good of improving schools for their children. The other co-chairs are Mark Evers, Janet Payton and Karen Smith.

“We’re advocates for our schools and for our students,” Gillispie said. “We’re an active voice who support our kids and our community.”

The leadership team of the committee is the same group that worked together on the 2014 levy campaign — which was also approved by voters — for the district.

“Most of us grew up here and went to school in the Sumner School District,” Gillispie said. “It puts us in a position of knowing what the schools were like 30 years ago.”

The moment word began to spread in Sumner and Bonney Lake that the bond passed, it was a proud moment for all.

“We realized students in the community will have a better learning environment,” Gillispie said. “They won’t have 30 kids in their class. Buildings will be modernized and specialized. Students won’t have to sit on the floor in assemblies, building will be more secure, and facilities to help them become well rounded through athletics and performing arts.”

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Sumner School District celebrates passage of $145.6 million bond."