The school board approved its updated capital improvement projects list Aug. 31, setting funding priorities for critical repairs and replacements across the district if state funding becomes available, which is always uncertain.

“The capital improvement project list we put together is based on the most recent condition assessments for the elementary, middle and high schools,” Maintenance Director Michael Shilts said. “With any existing building or infrastructure, there is always the possibility that conditions can worsen over time.”

At the top of the list is an estimated $135,612 project to install a stone retaining wall on the steep slope between the high school and the middle school, at the base of the staff parking area.

The wall would measure roughly 80 feet long and stand 6 to 8 feet tall. Shilts said it would stabilize the slope and the sidewalk above it, where visible sloughing has already created uneven pavement in the walkway and parking lot, posing potential safety hazards for students and staff.

Limited drainage at the base of the incline keeps the area saturated year-round. The project description warned that without stabilization, the ground could give way, potentially triggering a walkway collapse or water running into the middle school.

Second on the priority list is a $366,523 replacement of the aging intercom and bell systems serving the middle and high schools. Rounding out the district’s top five needs are upgrading the fire alarm system at Evergreen Elementary School, installing updated exterior door access controls across all campus facilities and repairing storm drains and foundation drainage on the playground side of Evergreen Elementary.

The total cost for the top five projects listed is $1,367,769.

“Much of the equipment and infrastructure identified in the capital improvement project list is already more than 20 to 30 years old, which increases the likelihood of additional repairs or replacement needs as these systems continue to age,” Shilts said.

State law requires school districts to maintain an updated six-year plan and submit project priorities to the Department of Education by Sept. 1. The department ranks the requests and sends the list to the Legislature each year, with lawmakers, and the governor, deciding how many, if any, to fund that year.

“Unfortunately, we do not have much information or control over the state’s current school funding challenges or what future funding levels may look like,” Shilts said.

“However, we can clearly document and communicate our facility needs to the state,” Shilts said.