Hello, I’m the district’s communications director and wanted to provide a little background information as a resource (http://bit.ly/2vUXa4g). The district must build a new high school to provide a permanent, long-term solution to address our enrollment growth and the best education to all students. More than 1,600 students are expected to join the district by 2026, and Jackson High School will be well over 2,400 students by 2023.

The district wants to pay a fair price for the properties, and we are sensitive to the concerns of the property owners. We will continue to negotiate mutually acceptable, fair market purchase agreements as we move through this process. Under an eminent domain proceeding, the transfer of ownership and final purchase prices would be determined by a Snohomish County Superior Court judge.