Central Kitsap Reporter, November 20, 2015

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REPORTER CENTRAL KITSAP

KITSAP WEEKLY INSIDE: Paris, not afraid. Life is getting back to normal.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015 | Vol. 32, No. 6 | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM | 50¢

IN THIS EDITION

$220 million sought for major CK schools upgrade Plan calls for new CK high school and middle school, upgrades to Olympic and Klahowya BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM

NEWS 61st annual Silverdale tree lighting

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OPINION Safety should be focus of gun club

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NEWS Seabeck roundabout completed

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SILVERDALE – Central Kitsap voters will be asked in February to approve $220 million in funding to build a new CK high school and new CK middle school, and to make a host of other district-wide building improvements. The plan, called “Long Range Facility Plan Phase II,” would keep the total CKSD tax rate level at $5.21 per $1,000 assessed value. “It’s about replacing Central Kitsap High School. It’s about replacing Central Kitsap Middle School. It’s about building permanent classrooms at Olympic (High School) so we can remove the portable classrooms. It’s about modernizing the technical education because Olympic, while structurally it’s in great condition, the teched spaces are now 35 years old and they need to be modernized to meet current requirements and train our kids for the future,” said Doug Newell, CKSD executive director of business & operations. The plan includes: • $117.1 million to replace Central Kitsap High School with a new 218,524-square-foot facility. • $60.8 million to replace Central Kitsap Middle School with a new 106,694-square-foot facility. • $33.1 million to replace portable classrooms at Olympic High School with permanent classrooms (66,754 square feet) and to modernize career and technical education classrooms. • $25.2 million to replace portable classrooms at Klahowya Secondary

Central Kitsap School District

A preliminary artist’s rendering of what a new Central Kitsap High School (the left half of this building) and CK Middle School (the right, rear portion of this building) could possibly look like. The schools would sit on the same plot of land as they do today. School with permanent classrooms (44,392 square feet) and to build a gymnasium. • $17.8 million to conduct critical and required repairs for all schools district-wide. • $5.4 million to upgrade security for all schools district-wide. The total cost of phase II is estimated to be $260 million. Because the buildings are more than 30 years old, they’re eligible for $40 million from the State of Washington’s School Construction Assistance Program. Thus, local taxpayers would be responsible for the

BY MICHELLE BEAHM MBEAHM@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM

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authorize asking voters to approve the levy and a 20-year bond. CKSD School Board President Bruce Richards said the plan was “a good concise plan for the future.” Board Vice President Jeanie Schulze said “What I like is all three high schools get something significant.” The plan calls for the current tax burden of $5.21 to remain the same as it is now. However, the numbers are shifted around a little: The capital project levy is currently $1.90 and the SEE SCHOOL PLAN, A9

Public comments on public prayer at Bremerton schools

Conversation continues about post-game prayer

NEWS ’Tip-a-Cop’ raises $5,200 for Special Oly.

remaining $220 million. Community members, students and school employees teamed up to create the plan. District buildings were comprehensively assessed and it was determined that the secondary schools needed the most attention. CKSD then brought in architects and engineers to come up with options, cost estimates and a final recommendation. The CKSD board unanimously approved a capital projects recommendation at their Oct. 28 meeting. At their Nov. 12 meeting the board unanimously approved two resolutions that

BREMERTON – Two weeks ago, Bremerton High School’s assistant football coach Joe Kennedy was placed on paid suspension for his prayers on the 50-yard line immediately following football games. The story began almost two months ago, however, when the issue of him praying with the team was brought to the school board’s attention, sparking a heated conversation about religious freedom and separation of church and state.

This issue has garnered national attention, inviting letters to the editor of the Bremerton Patriot from all over the country. A Texas-based organization provided their legal representation to Kennedy. The Satanic Temple of Seattle announced that an invitation from a student or teacher from the Bremerton School District would bring them across the Sound to perform a Satanic invocation on the football field, should Kennedy continue to be allowed to disobey district policy in flagrant disregard for the board’s directions for him to stop. But on Oct. 28, the day before the SatanMichelle Beahm / staff photo ic Temple was set to visit the football game, The Bremerton School District board of directors heard public Kennedy was put on paid administration leave. comments from 12 people on the issue of assistant football coach Joe Kennedy being placed on paid suspension for praying on the football field immediately after games. SEE PRAYER, A2

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