Facilities Advisory Committee

The Facilities Advisory Committee met on November 17 to continue discussions about the Capital Projects Levy recommendation, with a focus on the timeline for replacing Hilder Pearson Elementary.

Committee members reviewed and discussed the work completed over the past year, including building conditions, capacity, enrollment, and the School Board’s stated priorities. They revisited the questions raised at the November 10 meeting about whether the replacement of Hilder Pearson should wait until the Long Range Facilities Plan is finished.

After further discussion, committee members agreed that the condition of Hilder Pearson Elementary requires action now, and that planning for the Long Range Facilities Plan should not delay the project. Members also agreed that the district should communicate clearly that updating elementary boundaries will be part of the plan if the levy is approved.

• Replacement of Hilder Pearson Elementary as the top priority, and

• Remaining levy funds dedicated to maintenance and repair needs across the district.

This recommendation reflects the committee’s work over the past year and aligns with the School Board’s priorities.

The Facilities Advisory Committee met on November 10 to review the project list for the district’s Capital Projects Levy recommendation. District representatives walked through recent updates to the list, including the need to replace the roof at Gordon Elementary due to new leaks and the addition of an enclosed connector at Kingston High School to support accessibility and student safety.

Much of the discussion centered on the replacement of Hilder Pearson Elementary. A few committee members brought forward questions regarding whether the timing of the project should be delayed until the Long Range Facilities Plan is completed. Other members shared that the work the committee has done over the past year, including reviewing building conditions, enrollment, and capacity, already points to a clear need to move forward.

Because some members still had questions, the district asked the committee to reconvene to gain clarity and reach alignment on the recommendation they would send forward. District representatives shared that all committee input would be taken back to district leadership.

The committee reviewed its recommendation to the school district, which includes building a new Hilder Pearson Elementary, allocating the remaining levy funds for districtwide maintenance, and setting the total levy at approximately $95.5 million to keep tax rates steady.

The committee also discussed maintenance priorities identified by the Facilities Director, with projects grouped into three categories: safety, maintaining existing community assets, and improving operational efficiency.

Next steps for the district include:

• September 11: Board meeting to present the recommendation
• October 14 & 15: Community meetings for feedback
• October 23: Board meeting to review community input
• November 13: Board meeting to consider levy resolution

Meeting Notes
Meeting Slides

The committee reviewed three potential 2026 levy scenarios, each outlining different collection amounts and tax rate impacts. Scenarios ranged from $95.5 million (maintaining current rates) to $120 million (an increase of $0.25). Each scenario showed levy collections beginning in 2027 and running through 2032.

The committee also reviewed broken-down costs for field projects at North Kitsap and Kingston High Schools, as well as a maintenance cost summary prioritized by the Facilities Director into near-term (1–3 year) and longer-term (4–6 year) needs. The replacement of Hilder Pearson Elementary remained a priority.

Discussion points included:

• Balancing maintenance needs with larger capital projects, with consensus to focus on maintaining existing facilities rather than new modernizations.
• Confirmed support for rebuilding Hilder Pearson Elementary.
• Need for clearer board/district direction on enrollment and school capacity planning.
• Leveraging community partnerships for athletic facilities, referencing recent work at Kingston HS baseball fields.
• Interest in a clearer schedule of maintenance projects, emphasizing north-end priorities.
• Importance of meeting community expectations by maintaining facilities, delivering promised work, and building trust.

The committee concluded with a recommendation to pursue a levy of $95.5 million, keeping rates steady and focusing on districtwide maintenance.

Meeting Notes
Meeting Slides

During a study session with the School Board, the Facilities Advisory Committee provided an update on their work, including site tours, facility assessments, and long-range planning efforts. They reviewed district needs and potential funding considerations over the next 20 years, including exploring grade band reconfigurations to improve school capacity. The Board encouraged continued research on grade configuration options but did not set a specific direction for changes.

Board members emphasized priorities such as modernizing facilities, reducing reliance on portables, enhancing safety and security, supporting CTE and career pathways, and maintaining neighborhood schools when possible. Replacing Hilder Pearson Elementary remains a top priority.

At the May meeting, the Facilities Advisory Committee reviewed two additional grade configuration scenarios and their associated costs and capacity needs. The group discussed potential impacts on building use, program locations, and student experience—such as transitions, sports access, and space for CTE improvements. Members expressed interest in further refining scenarios and requested that additional grade band configurations be brought to the next meeting for review.

Meeting Minutes
Meeting Presentation Slides

At their April meeting, the Facilities Advisory Committee debriefed the recent Kingston community meeting, which saw strong turnout but highlighted the need for clearer introductions and context. Key themes from the community included student and staff safety, expanded academic and behavior supports, and more space for small group learning.

The committee also discussed funding tied to student enrollment, the uniqueness of serving two sovereign nations, and possible changes to the Options program. A draft 6–12 scenario for Kingston prompted questions about equity and access, and the group requested additional configurations to review at the May meeting.

Meeting Minutes
Meeting Presentation Slides

Planning for the Future of Kingston Schools

North Kitsap School District and the Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) hosted a community meeting to begin a conversation about how to strengthen Kingston schools for the future.

The meeting included a look at demographic trends, enrollment projections, and long-term challenges facing the district. Attendees reflected on what students need to thrive and what makes the Kingston community special. The group also discussed one possible idea: creating a combined 6–12 campus at Kingston High School.

To learn more and view the presentation materials, visit the Kingston Community Meeting page.

Facilities Advisory Committee & School Board Study Session Recap

The Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) met with the school board for a study session to discuss their approach to facility recommendations. FAC members provided a brief recap of their process, emphasizing their reliance on district data and industry experts to guide their work. They reiterated their focus on how facilities support great learning.

The session included a productive dialogue between the board and committee, with questions and clarifications exchanged. The board confirmed the superintendent’s outlined priorities and provided guidance to help the FAC refine its recommendations. Moving forward, the committee will continue developing both short-term and long-term facility plans with input from industry experts.

Facilities Advisory Committee Meeting Recap – February 10, 2025

The Facilities Advisory Committee met at the Odin Inn at North Kitsap High School, where members toured the student Culinary Arts space, the NKSD Central Kitchen, and the community performing arts auditorium. These tours provided a firsthand look at current space constraints and the aging facilities, helping members better understand the district’s needs and compare them to modernized facilities in other districts.

Discussions focused on upcoming projects following the passage of the 2024 Capital Levy, including priority planning. The committee also identified members to attend an upcoming school board study session and outlined key questions for the board and superintendent. Additionally, members explored strategies to address declining enrollment, particularly in Kingston’s secondary schools, and brainstormed ways to strengthen programming while keeping the community together.

Meeting Minutes
Meeting Presentation Slides

The committee traveled to Central Kitsap and toured Olympic High School and CKHS/MS to view their modernized and new construction projects. This provided the committee with valuable insight into what is possible in North Kitsap.

There we no attendance taken, or presentations given.

At the January 13th meeting, the committee focused on CTE programs and how facility improvements could support career pathways. John Waller, assistant director of innovative learning, provided an overview of current offering at KHS and NKHS. He highlighted opportunities for program growth and facility limitations that impact teaching, and led a tour of the NKHS Technology Building to showcase areas in need of improvement. 

The committee also reviewed some example scenarios of the different types of funding models that could be considered. These were shared for information only and did not have any actual, vetted monetary values or projects attached to them.

Lastly, the committee began looking at some preliminary demographer enrollment data. They will use this information to shape future planning.

The Committee looked at dates for the remainder of the first quarter and will identify community meeting dates for gathering input and sharing their information.

Meeting Minutes
Meeting Presentation Slides
 

In December, the committee reconvened to reflect on the Capital Levy process. While the 52% approval was a positive step, committee members agreed that additional outreach time would be beneficial for future planning. The discussion centered on building upon the work they completed in 2024 and using the next several months to further refine capital improvement priorities.

The committee emphasized the importance of continued community engagement and agreed to first focus on identifying the types of facilities and improvements needed to support high-quality, innovative student learning. Once those needs are clearly defined, the committee will then explore the best funding mechanisms to support them.

Meeting Minutes
Presentation Slides

NKSD and the Facilities Advisory Committee provided a third opportunity to share information, gather input and discuss the future of NKSD facilities. Attendees met committee members, learned about the process that has been used for assessing district facility conditions and the need for repairs, modernizations and growth planning. The committee also shared funding strategies.

This meeting was held virtually.

View the video below:

The Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC) and NKSD recently hosted two community meetings to discuss the committee's ongoing work and gather valuable facilities feedback from community members. The meetings, held on June 17 at NKHS and June 25 at KHS, aimed to involve and inform community members about the facilities exploration process and the work of the FAC to review available information and data regarding facilities needs across the district. About a dozen community members attended each of the meetings (the whole community was invited).

NKSD has partnered with Bassetti Architects to conduct detailed site assessments, facilitate meetings, and provide expert guidance to support NKSD’s long-range planning. At each meeting, Jordan Kiel from Bassetti Architects introduced their role and shared insights into the committee's work. FAC members also shared their insights and the recommendations being developed in collaboration with the district.

Information gathered at the two meetings will be discussed by the FAC at their upcoming meetings and will help to inform the committee as they create recommendations for future funding measures and long-range facilities plans.

Community members are invited to share their thoughts on NKSD facilities priorities for consideration by the FAC here.

Community Meeting Minutes

Mike Merlino provided a financial overview, emphasizing the committee’s desire to rebuild community trust and the strategy of running fewer, but more impactful, elections. The committee discussed the potential benefits of running a capital levy in November 2024 to address immediate capital needs, as well as the timing of future elections, with a bond for 2026 to address larger-scale renovations and new construction, and an Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy in 2026. This plan would give the FAC time to fully analyze long-term plans and needs for the district to recommend a comprehensive plan that includes community input.

The committee reviewed the detailed site assessments for Richard Gordon Elementary, Poulsbo Middle School, and began to review the Kingston Middle School assessment. Additionally, the Bassetti team reviewed the Lone Maple site, noting its 30-acre size with approximately 70-80 percent buildable area despite the presence of a critical fish stream and the necessity of accessing via a private lane. Key infrastructure considerations for the site included the need for a drain field, stormwater management, and possible sewer connections.

Meeting Minutes 

The Bassetti team provided an overview of cost estimate components, and presented their findings on the conditions of Pearson, Poulsbo, Suquamish, and Wolfle Elementary Schools. While Poulsbo and Wolfle had recent HVAC replacements, Pearson was identified as most in need of replacement. The committee concluded that replacing Pearson should be a priority and explored strategies to accommodate projected enrollment increases, including potentially rebuilding Pearson with a larger capacity. The committee will meet at David Wolfle Elementary for its next meeting.

The committee received a financial overview, clarifying the differences between bonds and levies, with emphasis on bonds for larger projects due to construction cost escalation. The State Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) was discussed, with more details to be provided in future meetings. Funding measures were examined, specifically a levy for the short term, with plans to place measures on the November 2024 ballot. The importance of clear communication to the community regarding implications was stressed.

Meeting Minutes

Presentation

Meeting Minutes

Presentation Slides

CFAC Update Presentation