2024 Annual Report: Building, Maintaining, & Preserving Community Assets - April 2025 Bond Proposal

Editor’s Note: This story appeared on Pages 8 & 9 of the 2024 Mercer Island School District Annual Report which was delivered to all Mercer Island residents via regular mail on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

April 2025 Bond Proposal

The Mercer Island School District (MISD) is inviting the community to consider a bond measure in April 2025. This proposal focuses on completing critical projects to enhance educational environments, address infrastructure needs, increase safety, and ensure accessibility across the district.

Key Projects for Consideration

1. Completing Islander Middle School (IMS)
The proposed bond would finalize campus improvements that began in 2014, creating a cohesive, modern learning environment. The core goals of the project are to replace aging structures not touched in the 2014 bond, reunite the campus under one roof as opposed to the three separate buildings today, and improve teaching and learning conditions for all students.
 

2. Improving Mercer Island High School (MIHS) and Crest Learning Center
The MIHS bond projects would fund essential repairs and upgrades, last undertaken as part of the mid 1990s bond. These updates include replacing aging mechanical equipment, fire alarm systems, and improving HVAC infrastructures to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for students and staff. To improve the educational environment, the plan includes modernization of the mass media video production studio, KMIH radio station, robotics and engineering labs, and core academic classrooms last remodeled in 1995. 

At the Crest Learning Center (CREST), parking improvements would enhance ADA accessibility, addressing long-standing needs as well as redesigning spaces to include a healthroom and essential work center.

3. Addressing Accessibility and Environmental Sustainability at the Administration Building
Adding an elevator to the Administration Building would allow community and staff members access to the first and second floors. At the same time, reconfiguring the adjacent parking lot between CREST and the Administration Building would not only improve safety for students coming and going between the main campus and CREST, but it would create an opportunity to add an additional water retention and natural filtration pond to capture water runoff on the campus.

Planning with Community Input

This proposal reflects extensive planning and community collaboration. Following the approval of the community-driven 2023-24 Long Range Facility Plan (LRFP) in January 2024, concept design work began. Leadership teams and site-based committees—including students, staff, and community members—have been actively involved in shaping solutions and priorities for the IMS and MIHS projects.

Why School Bonds Are Necessary

State funding for school construction is minimal, leaving school districts reliant on local, voter-approved bonds for significant capital projects. These bonds are a vital tool to:

• Preserve the community's investment in school facilities;
• Maintain safe, sustainable operations; and
• Enhance the educational experience for all students.

Bonds vs. Capital Levies: What’s the Difference?

It’s important to understand the distinction between bonds and levies in school funding:

• Bonds fund long-term capital projects, like constructing or modernizing school facilities. They are repaid over time, typically 10-25 years, using property tax collections. Bonds require a 60% supermajority to pass.
• Capital Levies fund short-term operational needs, supporting facility improvements and technology needs not fully funded by the state, and is renewed every 6 years by voters. The current levy expires in 2028.

MIHS & Crest Updates

1 Update HVAC and Fire Alarm Systems     2 Update 200 & 300 Wing Learning Communities & Courtyard

3 Update Entry & Health Room at Crest       4 Renovate Stadium Bathrooms    

5 Renovate Changing, Student Storage, & Training Areas        6 Update Assembly Areas to Showcase Student Work

7 Update Commons

Learn More

For detailed information about the April 2025 bond proposal, visit www.mercerislandschools.org/bond.

This bond represents an opportunity for the community to shape the future of its schools, ensuring that MISD facilities remain safe, accessible, and conducive to high-quality education.