A school district in Washington state is planning to buy a Boys and Girls Club facility and convert it to an elementary school.
The Tacoma News Tribune reports that the Peninsula School District intends to acquire the Boys and Girls Club of South Puget Sound building in Gig Harbor, Wash., for $12.8 million.
The purchase is contingent on voter approval of the district's $198 million bond proposal later this month.
Money from the bond would pay for two new elementary schools and a remodel of two existing elementaries.
The Boys and Girls Club site would be used for one of the new elementary schools.
Interim Superintendent Art Jarvis says the site is already compatible for school purposes.
“It has nine classrooms, gymnasiums, offices, food services, storage," he says. "In some ways it’s starting with half a school already built. That fit our needs wonderfully because we need to build school No. 10, and we are purchasing a site that isn’t just usable, but excellent."
Right now, the Peninsula district is using 66 portable classrooms at the elementary level.
The district’s intent is to add at least 20 classrooms to the Boys and Girls club site.
“If we can add that many classrooms instead of building a school with 30 classrooms, there will be some savings regarding that,” Jarvis says.
