LW School District Invites Residents to Give Input on Construction Plans

Representatives from the  will meet with Redmond and Kirkland area residents this week to discuss plans for a new science-focused secondary school as well as the construction of a new school building for Rose Hill Junior High and Stella Schola Middle School.

New secondary school

The first meeting concerns plans for a new secondary school and takes place at 6 p.m. tonight at . The gathering will serve as the public land use hearing that is required for the school district to receive King County construction permits, said school district spokeswoman Kathryn Reith.

The new school will be open to students from around the district and offer a curriculum that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math — also known as STEM subjects. The 66,000-square-foot facility will be located next to Alcott Elementary.

According to Reith, some nearby residents have appealed the project's State Environmental Policy Act Report (SEPA). A separate hearing will be held at a later date to address those concerns, which Reith said are focused on traffic and wildlife.

The district is working under a very tight deadline with the $26.5 million project, Reith said. The school is scheduled to open in fall 2012, to coincide with the district's switch to a new grade configuration that includes four years of high school.

“We are looking at using modular construction to save time and cost on the project,” Reith said. “Basically the building (would be) built in pieces off site and then brought to the site and placed on it.”

Rose Hill modernization

Two meetings will also be held this week to get the public's input on the modernization plan for . Those meetings will take place at 7 p.m. tonight and Wednesday night at Rose Hill; both will cover the same material.

The school district plans to build a new four-story building to replace the current school, which was built in 1969. The new school will be large enough to accommodate 900 students and will feature a combined student gathering/performance space with a multi-purpose stage and three sets of two-story classroom wings.

, a choice school that is located on the same campus as Rose Hill, will have a separate entrance and occupy its own classroom wing.

Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in early 2012. More information can be found in the district's list of frequently asked questions.