Construction is underway on the next phase of Sumner High School’s more-than-$412 million expansion.
The school’s remodel includes a plethora of athletic additions such as a new gym, pool, multi-use turf fields for baseball, fastpitch, and soccer, and lighted tennis courts.
Other academic-related building changes were addressed as well, including wider hallways for increased safety and accessibility, new CTE labs, a band room, and a performing arts center.
Sumner High School expansion is unfolding across three distinct phases
Phase 1 has already been completed, finishing the first of three buildings located at the heart of the school’s campus.
Construction on Phase 2, the West Building, is currently underway as the planning, design, and permitting have all been finalized. Phase 2 of the expansion has a budget of $114 million and an estimated completion date of Fall 2028.
Further down the road, Phase 3 will begin planning, design, and permitting in 2028, with construction expected to begin in 2030. Phase 3 includes construction efforts on the performing arts center, gym, and pool.
Phase 3 of the expansion has a budget of $298.2 million and has projections to be completed in the Fall of 2032.
The 2024 voter-approved school bond is funding the project for the 99,000-square-foot building. The expansion is part of a district-wide plan to improve safety and address increased enrollment, with other projects continuing through 2032.
Sumner project responds to steadily growing student enrollment
Sumner High School has a net capacity (number of students) of 1,830, the largest of any other school in the Sumner School District. Sumner’s net capacity is capable of holding nearly 600 more students than Bonney Lake High School.
No information was provided on where Sumner High School’s revised net capacity will be following the expansion project’s completion.
The Sumner School District anticipates student enrollment to gradually increase over the next few years, with a total increase of 1,027 projected October student enrollment from 2024 to 2029.
For comparison, from 2018 to 2023, October student enrollment for the Sumner School District increased by only 599 across all schools in the district, with the largest increases at the middle and high school levels.
This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
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