College Place campus: Coming up: One building, 2 brand-new new schools

The replacement of College Place Elementary and College Place Middle schools has moved into the next stage after last April’s design development phase.

The project team is now close to the next milestone: completion of the construction documents and engineering reports leading to the bid documents, required for the construction contract and general conditions. Bidding is scheduled over four days, two in early April and two in May, according to Edmonds School District spokesperson Curtis Campbell.

Construction is anticipated to begin this summer. During the two-year construction period, College Place Middle School will remain on site, while College Place Elementary School students and staff will temporarily relocate to Woodway Elementary School.

Completion is anticipated in 2028, in time to welcome students for the 2028-29 academic year. Phase 2 will consist of demolishing the existing College Place Middle and developing the corner parcel into a park-like setting, scheduled to be completed in fall 2028.

According to Campbell, the result will be one building with two schools. The schools will be separated, have their own entrances and parking lots, but will share mechanical systems, such as HVAC, technology, and utilities.

“The two schools are essentially cordoned off on the inside,” he said.

The district also plans to have middle school switch to a sixth-to-eighth-grade model – instead of just seventh and eighth grades – beginning with the 2028-29 school year. The district said this model aligns with educational standards and would expand academic options for sixth graders. College Place Elementary will be a K-5 dual language school.

In February 2024, Edmonds School District voters approved a $594 million bond – approved by 65% of voters – to replace, among other projects, the two outdated schools: College Place Elementary and College Place Middle, built in 1969 and 1970, respectively. Although both are in the City of Lynnwood, plenty of Edmonds students attend the schools, as they are just east of the city limits.

Bonds are sold to investors and repaid with interest over time, generally from property tax collections, over 10 to 25 years. Capital bonds and levies are the primary funding source for school districts.

This College Place campus will receive limited state funding for the replacement of the two schools. Per the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, school districts are responsible to secure local funding for construction projects. If eligible, the state provides partial funding based on formulas, allowances, and costs related to certain aspects of a construction project.

More information: tinyurl.com/33fd5c3p.

Name selected for new school

The approved bond also included the former Alderwood Middle School site, which will sport a new name when completed: Salish Middle School.

A district committee was tasked with recommending five potential names to the school board for consideration. The policy requires that new buildings be named after geographic characteristics of the area, that proposed names be meaningful to the district community, and that they do not duplicate names used by nearby schools.

The committee included 15 members, including four students, six parents or guardians, three staff members, and two community members.

Community input was a key component of the process, Campbell said. A public submission form was offered in the district’s top five languages and remained open for three weeks in November 2025. The district received 230 name submissions.

The committee reviewed all submissions, engaged in discussion, and narrowed the list through a consensus-based process. Ultimately, the committee recommended five names for consideration. The names were discussed in a school board study session on Feb. 3, and Salish Middle School was approved by the school board at its regular board meeting last week.