In December 2022, Battle Ground Public Schools launched a ThoughtExchange to collect information on facilities needs. The two-week exchange asked participants about the top facilities needs at their buildings.
Participants shared their thoughts and responded to thoughts shared by others. Almost 600 people participated, including staff members, parents, guardians, students, community members and volunteers.
The top themes that emerged from the exchange included:
Overcrowding
Age/condition
Safety
HVAC
Miscellaneous
Parking lot
Layout/design/amenities
Teaching and learning needs
The exchange also asked people to rate the physical condition of the building with which they are mostly closely associated.
Themes and ratings varied from building to building. See reports for each school.
Major facility projects–including building new schools, rebuilding existing schools and making significant repairs and improvements–are funded through bond measures approved by local voters. Voters last approved a bond measure for BGPS in 2005. That bond was paid off at the end of December 2023.
The district is exploring new funding solutions to address ongoing facility issues. As they develop a preliminary proposal, district leaders are reviewing the thoughts shared in the exchange, as well as additional feedback from staff members, students, parents, guardians and community members. The district plans to present potential bond packages to the school board in spring 2023. The school board will review the options and eventually vote whether to place a measure on the ballot in a future election.