PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles Citizens for Education invites the public to Stevens Middle School on Tuesday for a free school infrastructure needs tour.
No RSVP is required but attendees are asked to arrive no later than 5:25 p.m. in the library of the school at 1139 W. 14th St., as the tour will start promptly at 5:30 p.m.
After the tour, community members are invited to join organizers in the school library for more information.
Tour attendees will learn more about the goals of the Port Angeles School District’s $52.6 million capital levy measure on the Feb. 11 ballot, the structural upgrades it would fund at the 60-year-old Stevens Middle School, and the longterm 30-year upgrade and accountability plan lined out by the Port Angeles School District, organizers said.
Nolan Duce, the district’s maintenance director, will guide the half-hour tour and will provide attendees with a synopsis of district-wide maintenance efforts and challenges.
“The tour will provide the perfect opportunity for those who want a deeper understanding of what our district is facing in terms of obsolete buildings and equipment,” said Steve Methner, committee chair for Port Angeles Citizens for Education (PACE).
”Great maintenance has extended the use of our buildings decades beyond their expected service lives, but fundamental structures and systems have become the issue.”
Methner said there are no workarounds “for outdated and unfit infrastructure that can’t support modern training equipment; 1950s equipment has to be used in some cases.”
He mentioned classroom heater parts that no longer exist, teachers having to use microphones to be heard over 50-year old heating and cooling units, and numerous buildings constructed with unreinforced poured concrete causing these structures to shift or slump over time.
“Ultimately, our outdated infrastructure has become increasingly difficult to repair, creates additional safety management burdens, and negates our ability to use modern technology to train our students for the workforce of tomorrow,” he continued.
“I think it is invaluable for folks to see these challenges first-hand by attending a tour. This is crucial, not only for our kids but for our entire community. Our local economy, quality of life, and community safety depend on our willingness to invest,” he said.
Local school taxes are now at the lowest in the district’s history, he said.
“Most people also haven’t noticed that their property taxes decreased nicely in 2019. This is because of belt-tightening at the School District.
“Our school administrators know local school taxes should be as low as possible before asking the community to invest in modernization of our schools,” he said.
For more information about the event or the all-volunteer PACE, see www.yesforpaschools.org.
For details on the school levy, see www.portangeles schools.org.
