SEQUIM — The Sequim School District is preparing to ask voters to approve a bond that would replace Helen Haller Elementary and upgrade Sequim High School. On Oct. 1, the school board reviewed three bond proposals from the Long Range Facility Planning Group, which spent months evaluating the schools and identifying priority repairs with a focus on safety, structure, and functionality.

If approved in a special election set for February 2025, the bond would secure funding by 2026. The proposals range from $114 million to $146 million. The most expensive option includes building a new elementary school, replacing classrooms at the high school, rebuilding the athletic stadium, and making improvements to Greywolf Elementary and the transportation center. Homeowners would pay about $0.91 per $1,000 of assessed property value over 20 years.

To gather community input, public forums are scheduled for Oct. 8 at Helen Haller Elementary and Oct. 15 at Sequim High School. A survey will also go out next week. The planning group will finalize its recommendation by November, and the school board will make a decision by Dec. 13 on whether to place the bond on the ballot.

The district hasn’t passed a bond since 1996, with several unsuccessful attempts between 2014 and 2016. Board members stress that passing this bond is crucial for current and future students and could even boost the community by attracting new residents with improved school facilities.