As TDHS's Disrepair is Highlighted - Projected Bond Rate of New School Is Reduced - Video
The Dalles, Ore., July 26, 2023 - The North Wasco County School District Board, in a decisive move during their June 15th meeting, voted to move forward with a school bond measure in November 2023 that could pave the way for a new High School in The Dalles.
And they received good news about financing prior to the vote.
The bond package, totaling $140 million, was initially projected to require homeowners to pay $3.12 per $1,000 of assessed value of their property. However, a recent analysis conducted by the Piper Sandler Public Finance Team reveals a reduction in the bond rate, now estimated at $2.73 per $1,000.
That would cost the owner of a home with a Wasco County Property Tax valuation of $220,000 (the average assessed value in the district) $601 a year or $50 per month.
Interestingly, the ~2003 middle school replacement bond the community paid off in 2020, was a rate of $1.65. When you adjust that rate for inflation when it was voted on, it’s the equivalent of voting for $2.74 in today’s money, (calculation on usinflation.com).
Community members are encouraged to check their tax-assessed value to understand how the proposed bond will affect them personally. Tax Parcel Value Property Search & Bond Rate Tax amount calculator. This value is different from the real estate sale value and is often a lot less.
Communications Director, Stephanie Bowen points out leaks in The Dalles High Schools Roof.
What is behind the push for a new high school on Wahtonka Campus?
A CCCNews Archive image of a thermometer in The Dalles High School
While polls taken by the district show that some people in the community believe The Dalles High School is in good condition, a tour of the building on Tuesday, July 25th quickly divulged its shortfallings - the leaking roof, the lack of an HVAC system in the main portion of the building, insufficient air conditioning, a boiler system that has two settings - on or off, inefficient windows, rooms lacking ADA accessibility. The building also needs plumbing and electrical upgrades, seismic upgrades, fire sprinkler improvements, repairs to paving, walkways and utilities as well as major infrastructure repairs for the auditorium.
District officials estimate that it would cost $129 million just to do the repairs on the building. But that would not address the bigger problem:
The 1941 design of the building which was combined with an addition in 1973, have created a school with a cafeteria capable of serving 20 percent of the student population, cut-up spaces, rooms that are too small and 25 entrances that are mostly impossible to secure against threats.
The building lacks commons and gathering spaces, and the 7-acre site is too small to support a full athletic program on campus.
We filmed the entire media tour of the high school and put it together without jumping from scene to scene for transparency.
On Tuesday, July 25th, TDHS Principal Kurt Evans said TDHS had the same square footage as other schools that are able to hold 1,000 to 1,200 students comfortably. But given the layout of TDHS and its many smaller rooms, it is struggling to hold 800.
With the popularity of Career and Technical Education, including courses such as culinary arts, construction, wood shop and auto shop, the school is now at it’s full capacity of course offerings as the school can only accommodate 43 teachers/ classrooms in the building. Any additional course would have to be placed on other locations such as CGCC.
Staircase heading down to 505 (The dungeon) - this route often sees 150 or more students and staff during a 5 min passing period
More about the plan
The proposed initiative is stated to achieve the following goals:
Construct a new, safe, and secure High School on the east side of the Wahtonka campus, catering to approximately 950 students and providing college and vocational pathways for students.
Renovate and repurpose the existing High School building, addressing basic repairs and ensuring it can be used for district educational needs, administration & programs.
Demolish the west side Wahtonka High School building, creating space for in-demand athletic facilities.
According to information available on the school district website, the National Center for Educational Statistics suggests that the average age of public school buildings in the United States ranges between 40 and 44 years, with many becoming obsolete after 60 years. The Dalles High School is 82 years old.
If the bond passes, the new High School would be built on the east side of the Wahtonka Campus starting in 2025 with completion projected in 2027.
We’ve been here before
The school district has experienced this problem before in the late 90s when The Dalles Middle School fell into such disrepair that the building was no longer safe for students to enter. Students were moved to the Joseph G. Wilson Elementary school and makeshift classrooms were set up at the former DeHarts grocery store at the corner of 12th street and Dry Hollow Road.
Voters then eventually passed a school bond to construct the new middle school which was opened in 2002
On Tuesday, Evans said he had been through many other schools during his 23-year career with the District, and he has never seen any building in this state of disrepair.
