The Mercer Island School District presented the projects scheduled to take place under the six-year capital levy during a study session with community taxpayers May 12 at City Hall.

The first projects scheduled to take place are the resurfacing of the Mercer Island High School tennis courts and track replacement at Islander Middle School, both set for this summer. The combined cost of both projects is $1.25 million.

Other projects include asphalt roof replacement at each of the three existing elementary schools as well as at Mercer Island High School, costing just over $5.737 million. The roof replacements are set to take place between 2018 and 2022.

Each of those four schools will also have carpet replacement from 2019 through 2022, for a total cost of $1.5 million.

Renovations to Mary Wayte Pool are tentatively set to take place during the summer of 2018 and 2019 and will cost $3.8 million.

Turf replacement at Islander Stadium is slated for either 2018 or 2019 and will cost $2.5 million. Turf installation at the junior varsity field is set for 2022 and will cost $1.5 million, though School Board President Ralph Jorgenson requested potentially looking into installing turf at the north field between the tennis courts and Northwood Elementary instead.

Another $1 million will also be set aside for K-3 class size reduction solutions within the district, should it be needed due to legislative action. The $1 million would be used to buy three or four additional portables if necessary.

To see the complete list, visit www.mercerislandschools.org and see the School Board’s agenda for its May 12 regular meeting.

MISD gets clean audit report from state auditor’s office

Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano reported during the study session that the Mercer Island School District recently received clean audit reports, both on the federal and state level, with no findings from the Washington state auditor’s office.

“What a great testament to Dean Mack as our chief financial officer, to his entire business team and March Roschy, director of human resources, who serves as part of that business team,” Plano said. “It is another wonderful report.”

“We have a tremendous staff all throughout this district,” Mack said. “There is no way you can get that kind of an audit without thinking about the staff that are in the front office of the elementary school, the PTAs working in cooperation with the principals and the building staff, and every single department in the district doing their part to ensure that we’re following the big laws. I can only look to them and say thank you to all of them.”

Plano said the district’s credit report was directly tied to its audit reports, and that the district’s previous favorable reports have helped the school district receive a premium when selling its bonds.