School districts have an obligation to house and educate all students who enroll in the public school system.

Ferndale School District has experienced rapid growth from 1985 through 1995, followed by a no growth period. However in 2002, student enrollment once again rose and there are indicators it will continue to rise.

Due to the increase in enrollment now and in the future, the district must plan for additional space. It is also the district’s belief to continue its practice of maintaining existing facilities by programming and budgeting significant funds for renovating and modernizing existing schools.

The proposed bond issue is broken into two parts. Proposition one includes the new elementary school that is currently being designed and will be located on land that has already been purchased.

Proposition one will also include health and safety items such as a new entrance for busses at Skyline Elementary, the purchase of land for a future secondary school site, additional classrooms at Mountain View, renovation of Ferndale High School’s fine arts building, the gymnasium, safety concerns at all schools, electrical upgrades, the roofing of the FHS gymnasium, the conversion of two general purpose classrooms into science rooms at Ferndale High, vocational building upgrades, safety, parking, lighting and plumbing upgrades at Beach Elementary, ventilation, heating and electrical, upgrades at North Bellingham and the renovation of Custer Elementary which is designed to bring that school up to district standards. The transportation facility would be renovated to include two additional service bays.

Proposition two includes Ferndale High School’s Memorial Field upgrades including bathrooms, ADA improvements, additional seating, synthetic turf, the all weather track, adding storage and improvement of the concession stand area. A district land lab would be added with site improvements that would accommodate K-12 and community needs.

Special Note: Updates will be made as the planning proceeds.