Facilities committee recommends new Wenatchee High School and districtwide HVAC upgrades

Consultants presented the Wenatchee School District facilities committee's long-range plan to the district board, recommending completion of districtwide HVAC upgrades and construction of a new Wenatchee High School on the existing high-school site while keeping some program delivery on campus during construction. The committee and consultants also outlined enrollment projections, building condition assessments and a preliminary cost plan that factors in School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) funds the district may be eligible to claim.

The facilities planning consultant Phil Crocker described the study as "a deep dive into our facilities committee plan," saying the committee's recommendation "looks eerily similar to the recommendation that the committee brought you forward with" after months of meetings and data review. David Bodine, the construction and costing consultant working with Crocker, supported the feasibility work on site layout and preliminary cost estimates.

Why it matters: the committee's recommendation pairs large capital work on the high school with systemwide mechanical upgrades, and the consultants said the district is eligible for roughly $80 million in SCAP funding. That state assistance is a key factor in the committee's proposed scope and the preliminary bond-sizing discussion the board began during the meeting.

What the committee found and recommended

The committee recommended two principal actions: complete HVAC upgrades across district buildings and construct a new Wenatchee High School at the current high-school site. Crocker told the board the committee pursued consensus through nine meetings and that its recommendation was "rooted in data and educational program." David Bodine and Crocker said initial site layouts indicate it is feasible to build on the existing property while keeping…