.png)
NEWPORT — The Newport School Board heard two more estimates regarding projects under proposal at the Newport School District at its board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 19.
The first estimate, which includes 57,070 square feet of construction, projects a total cost of $54.4 million. Of that, the state is expected to assist with $18.8 million, leaving $35.6 million for the district to fund with a bond.
If enrollment drops below 400 students, the district will have to set a bond amount closer to the second estimate, which projects a total cost of $51 million for 52,000 square feet of construction. Of that, the state is expected to assist with $17.1 million, leaving $33.8 million for the bond. Newport School District is budgeted for over 1,100 students.
These estimates were presented at the board’s Tuesday meeting by representatives from OAC, a design and construction performance management firm with locations in Washington and California. Both are more detailed than a prior estimated total of $65.2 million, which resulted in a bond amount of $48.4 million after the state match.
“I’ve done estimates for a long time,” said Jeff Jurgensen, OAC’s Spokane office head, at the meeting. “And so you try to be conservative, but realistic.”
The state matches districts based on their free or reduced lunch rates, and about 69% of students in Newport High School alone qualify for free or reduced lunch.
“To be honest with you, we adjusted a couple things upward, but other than that there were no concerns or issues,” Jurgensen said. “And I didn’t think there would be.”
Regardless, 5% was budgeted for owner contingency, 5% for construction contingency and 5% for inflation within both estimates.
Jurgensen said the estimates represented the scope recom- mended by NAC Architecture in the firm’s most recent study and survey of the district. One of NAC Architecture’s suggestions was the modernization of Newport High School, which is over 40 years old and scored the lowest out of all the buildings in the district.
With these estimates, Jurgensen advised that the district continue to form a bond resolution, develop a community engagement plan and organize committees before its filing deadline. If the district were to file the bond for February 2026, its filing deadline would be Dec. 12 this year.
“You all have to make a commitment to the community,” Jurgensen said. “And the community has to believe in that.”
The first of the four projects under proposal is a comprehensive modernization of Newport High School, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades, a new roof, administrative expansions and a new auxiliary gym, as well as modernizations of the library, commons, stage, band room and classrooms. This project would also renovate the main gym, level and add grass to the practice field and remodel the locker rooms, parking lot and plaza.
Two more projects would add new security vestibules to Sadie Halstead Middle and Stratton Elementary Schools. At Sadie Halstead Middle School, a fourth project would add new play equipment with surfacing at key playground locations and clean up the playground site, as well as level and add baseball diamonds, grass, lighting and power to the practice field.
“It’s efficiency and functionality,” Superintendent Dave Smith said at the meeting. “There’s laws that we’re going to have to keep up with, and just the efficiencies of our buildings. And how you educate kids now is a lot different than how you educated them 43 years ago.”
