Memories

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The final bell of the school year will not only mark the end of classes for students, but will also mark the start of the construction work on two projects in the Issaquah School District.

Rebuilding Issaquah High and expanding Skyline High will begin after classes get out on June 18.

Issaquah High will completely rebuilt, at an estimated construction cost of $74 million.

The campus has not had any significant work done since 1962, spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said.

“It’s an older design that is not conducive to teaching,” Niegowski said. “It’s been patched up past its time.”

The new and improved school will feature an enclosed design with three-story classroom wings, expanded commons and gym and a 600-seat performing arts facility for community use.

The school will also be built using “green” techniques, with plans calling for rain gardens and maximum daylight exposure.

Skyline High will undergo a $26 million expansion project, which will feature a new gym, expanded commons and facilities, a three-story classroom design with more science lab rooms, redesigned parking lots and regrouping of the administrative buildings at the front of the school.

“Kids will be there the whole time, and we hope to have enough classrooms ready to welcome back freshmen in ’09,” Niegowski said.

Construction should be finished by 2010.

These projects aren’t the only ones the district has lined up. The six-year plan also includes a new elementary school on the Sammamish Plateau, the expansion and modernization of Liberty High School and Maywood Middle School, a rebuild of Briarwood Elementary, a remodel of Challenger Elementary and other repairs at facilities throughout the district.

Issaquah High School will host a “Farewell to the Old School” celebration at 7 p.m. on May 29 in the main gym. The event will be devoted to remembering past experiences, honoring the school’s century-old history, enjoying student entertainment and celebrating a new era.

Those who attend will be invited to tour the schools, share memories, flip through pictures and yearbooks and get a sneak peek at the plans for the new building. A commemorative book that features photos of the current building will be available for purchase.