The Orcas School Board is thinking of putting a bond before voters in 2010. The amount is yet to be determined, but the scope of the project is huge.

It sounds like they will move forward with it – and they should.

Not only will it allow for the construction of a new middle school to replace the current structure (or at the very least do major repairs), it will provide a vocational center for students and possibly a community learning center for adults.

Not every student learns in the same way or has traditional academic interests. A vocational center would provide an opportunity for kids to learn a different kind of skill set – one that could be implemented later in their adult lives. More and more schools are realizing the importance of offering a diverse curriculum that blends classroom-learning with hands-on learning. Orcas Schools are currently teaching career and technical education (CTE) courses, but a center would allow them to expand their offerings. CTE classes can be anything from sustainable farming and building, cooking, fine woodworking, boat building, health and human courses, and business classes. This is one more way that Orcas School District can enrich the educational experience for our youth.

The money for a vocational center is in the district’s budget. Voters approved a bond two years ago that allocated $400,000 for the construction of a career and technical education building to be added on to the middle school. This project was halted because of previously unknown problems in the middle school facility.

To move ahead with a CTE center, the middle school issues need to be resolved. To pay for that, a new bond needs to be approved. Receiving that money is critical to continuing this project.

The third component of the bond is the community. The school board wants to meet the needs of the community at large, and this could include building a learning center with classes for adults. This would enrich the educational experience for all students – young and old.

Now is the time to give the school district feedback. They are still in the planning stages of determining where the bond money will go, and they are strongly encouraging locals to join the bond committee. Come be a part of the process by offering the school ideas and asking questions.

Orcas makes its support of our education system widely known, whether it’s by volunteering to clean up campus grounds, participating in fundraisers, or approving a bond. Let’s finish the project we started two years ago.