A trench dug in a hallway, yellow drinking water and a leaky roof plague Explorer Middle School after voters rejected a $400 million bond measure.
MUKILTEO, Wash. — Angela Gottula walks her daughter into Explorer Middle School each day into a piece of living history — and not the kind schools like to showcase.
“This building is from when the Vietnam War was happening,” she said.
The proof is hard to miss: an actual trench dug into the middle of a hallway to repair burst pipes. It is the latest in a string of problems at the 56-year-old school, which also has a leaky roof, yellow water coming from drinking fountains and more than 700 students crammed into classrooms at capacity.
The plumbing repairs have forced the school to close hallways, relocate classes and cancel clubs. Students are forced to go to school in a literal construction zone.
“It’s really difficult. It’s really expensive and very impactful to a school day,” said District Director of Capital Projects Shelly Henderson.
In February, voters rejected a $400 million bond that would have funded a new Explorer Middle School and dozens of other construction projects across the Mukilteo School District. The measure fell just 3 percentage points short of the 60% supermajority required for passage.
The current pipe repair alone will cost the district more than $100,000 — and no one believes it will be the last such expense.
“Unfortunately, this issue isn’t the first of it and it isn’t going to be the last of it,” said Principal Kendrah Leone, who has watched the building deteriorate since she arrived a decade ago.
“Things are just continuing to fail, and things are going to continue to continue to fail,” added Gottula.
“Research shows that when students are proud of their environment and feel safe and comfortable their learning and gaining of skills increase,” said Leone.
Eighth-grader Laurel Gottula says the constant disruptions make it hard to concentrate on schoolwork.
“I do wish our schools would be prioritized more because we are the future of our entire world,” she said.
Her mother agrees the burden falls on the adults in the community.
“This is the way we take care of the future. This is our role as the adults and the taxpayers in our area,” Angela Gottula said. “I just can’t imagine a world where people don’t vote for kids.”
District officials are considering bringing a bond measure back to voters this fall, hoping the outcome — and the building’s condition — will be different the second time around.
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