OAK HARBOR SCHOOL DISTRICT: Sound Off: Community invited to learn about the needs of our aging schools (WNT)

Michelle Kuss-Cybula, superintendent of the Oak Harbor School District, wrote a Sound Off column for the Whidbey News-Times about the district’s February 2023 bond measure. Kuss-Cybula’s column appeared in the paper’s Dec. 14, 2022 edition.

They Said It

On Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2023, Oak Harbor Public Schools will be asking our local voters to consider supporting a bond for $121 million that would replace three aging school buildings, enhance safety and security at all schools, and address critical needs of the community. If supported, this bond would be joined by matching funds from the Department of Defense and the State of Washington.

Due to the school’s serious capacity limitations, age, compromised infrastructure and poor conditions in comparison to other public schools on military installations in the United States, Crescent Harbor Elementary and Hand-in-Hand/HomeConnection are eligible for 80% reimbursement from the Department of Defense to rebuild these schools. Due to the condition of Oak Harbor Elementary’s south building, the state will pay 7% reimbursement to help build a school on the Fort Nugent property owned by the school district.

During the past two months, we have met with several community groups, individuals and businesses to help answer questions as well as inform the community about what this bond is truly about. We have heard many people ask, “Why do we need new schools?”