REVIEW BAINBRIDGE ISLAND
INSIDE: You want fries with that! A6
Friday, January 22, 2016 | Vol. 91, No. 4 | WWW.BAINBRIDGEREVIEW.COM | 75¢
FEBRUARY SPECIAL ELECTION
BHS 100 Building: 45 years old and feeling it
The end of the Evergreen State
BY JESSICA SHELTON
Next week
Bainbridge Island Review
The Bainbridge High 100 Building has storage problems. And safety problems. And structural problems. Actually, it literally has buckets of problems — custodians repeatedly pump standing water out of the electrical room, where it circles ominously around the emergency generator. But how do these problems affect students? Do they really need natural daylight, working drinking fountains, triple-pane windows and quiet flooring to learn effectively? Bainbridge residents who are still wondering can hash out those finer points with neighbors — or Duane Fish. (The BHS principal will be at the Jan. 23 BHS open house to answer questions.) Despite their best efforts, teachers agree instruction in the 45-year-old structure is difficult, often involves complex, creative workarounds and results in inefficiency and a less-than-ideal student experience.
WSDOT retires oldest ferry boat in the fleet BY LUCIANO MARANO
T
Bainbridge Island Review
he nation’s largest ferry system has officially retired its oldest vessel, the first boat to be custom-built for Washington State Ferries, after more than 60 years of service. Built in 1954, the M/V Evergreen State remained active until November 2015, Washington State Department of Transportation officials said during a press conference last TURN TO END | A14
Band facilities
Luciano Marano | Bainbridge Island Review
Mike Fagernes, the M/V Evergreen State’s last chief engineer, stands before the stack on the sun deck, which is adorned with the gold band awarded all vessels with 50 years of service.
Chris Thomas directs a robust 100-piece band that has no space to practice. “Right now, despite organization and purging, our facility is packed to the gills,” he said. “Our band room tops off at 35 student musicians and the tiered floor locks us into one configuration.” During class, when the band splits into sectionals, it’s almost impossible to find separate lis-
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In the Jan. 29 edition, election coverage continues with a look at Blakely Elementary. tening environments, he said. Theoretically, there are four practice rooms, but, because Thomas has limited storage for the 14 ensembles he leads — four concert bands, two jazz bands, four jazz combos, a percussion ensemble, the marching band, the basketball band, the chamber music program and Winterguard — they all serve dual purposes. The percussion room is the most accommodating of the bunch; wedged between giant drums, three students with music stands can fit there. To the left is the music library, or Practice Room 2, stacked wall-to-wall with fourfoot-high filing cabinets. A twofoot aisle between them leaves space for two practice stands; students with small instruments can sit on top. Flags, hula hoops and labeled bins pack Practice Room 3, where one non-claustrophobic student (“maybe,” Thomas said) can eke out scales in peace. And that leaves the fourth room-closet with its capacity for two. Students are dedicated, though, and give up time before school, after school and during their lunches to get their chance to rehearse, Thomas said. For performances, everybody is relegated to the BHS TURN TO BOND | A14
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