After attending both in-person and online school bond forums, listening to the podcast interviews of both the Yes and No campaigns, and closely following ongoing community discussions online, I reached out to Mercer Island School District Communications Coordinator Ian Henry with the following questions:

Classroom capacity

Q: How many classrooms are currently in the two existing buildings?

A: There are 39 classrooms in the 100/200 and 300 buildings at IMS.

Q: What will be the total number of classrooms in the new building? (The school website mentions 18 additional core classrooms)

A: At IMS, if the bond passes, there will be 28 new classrooms including 10 science labs.

Lab facilities

Q: How many labs are currently in use, and what types of labs are they?

A: There are currently six labs at IMS and they are used for middle school science curriculum.

Q: What will the 10 new labs in the proposed building be used for?

A: The 10 labs will be used to expand middle school science curriculum.

Construction and student impact

Q: What measures is the district taking to minimize the impact of construction on students and staff?

A: When construction starts, assuming the bond passes, the west half of IMS, which is the 100 building, will be demolished and the 200 and 300 building at IMS will remain in use. The separation of the buildings from construction will minimize the impact on students and staff. When construction is complete on the new addition the 200 and 300 buildings will be demolished.

Q: Where will students be housed during construction?

A: As noted in the previous question, students will occupy the 200 and 300 buildings as well as the 2015/16 building.

Q: How will the district support performing arts programs, clubs and extracurricular activities during this transition?

A: The music classrooms, gym, and commons, all part of the 2015/16 building, will not be impacted by construction. We will continue to support all programs, clubs, and groups as we have done in years past.

Instructional continuity

Q: Will class sizes increase or course offerings be reduced during or after construction, especially at the high school level?

A: No class size increases or reductions in course offerings are anticipated at IMS or MIHS during construction or as a result of the construction.

Library design changes

Q: The middle school design appears to exclude a traditional library. Is there a reason for this change?

A: The IMS design does not exclude a traditional library. See additional info provided in answer to the next question.

Q: Will students still have access to library resources in another way?

A: IMS will continue to have a library, but it will be relocated to be more central in relation to the classrooms and will include small group work areas with library resources.

According to the district website, “Does the district pay interest on bond debt? Yes, bonds include interest.” If the April 2025 bond measure passes, the district plans to sell bonds in 2026, and “make the principal and interest payments through 2040, totaling $231.4 million at an estimated interest rate projected at 4.7%.” The district currently holds a rating of Aa2 by Moody’s, indicating “high quality” investment grade.