Facilities and Technology Levy Has Proven Powerful for Student Achievement

Sometimes the behind-the-scenes upgrades can make all the difference and the recently passed Facilities and Technology Levy couldn’t have been a timelier investment in the future of Lynden Schools and students.

The levy, passed by Lynden voters in 2020, has provided funding for key areas that have not only improved the efficiency of facilities, but supported the essential needs connected to technology required during the pandemic.

“We greatly appreciate the support from our community which has provided resources specifically for addressing the needs of our buildings and infrastructure that support students and help improve learning,” says Jim Frey, superintendent. “With approximately 450,000 square feet of school facilities to maintain, the resources provided by our Facilities and Technology Levy has enabled us to take care of a significant portion of our deferred maintenance items and ensure the longevity our schools as community assets.”

For the facilities within Lynden Schools, funding allowed for campus roofing replacement and repair projects, updated emergency power and lighting backups, security camera installations and upgrades and a modern HVAC control system to improve efficiency and offer cost savings to the district.

On the technology side, the funding provided for upgraded wiring in classrooms, new in-classroom digital screens to help with instruction and an improved wireless infrastructure that was vital in ensuring students in the hybrid learning format stayed connected with academic instruction and peers.

The tech levy also unified the district’s phone system.

“The school district has made significant investments into utilizing technology as an integral part of the learning program,” Frey says. “Both the new middle school and new Fisher Elementary included up-to-date technology-rich classrooms. The resources provided by the Facilities and Technology Levy are being used to bring our other schools up to the same technology standards creating a school system that provides students and teachers with access to essential experiences that helps prepare them for college and careers.”