Board meeting, 5:30 p.m. July 16

The school board has a day-time work session, and an early board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 16.

Of interest on the agenda, under action items, is "Adopt Capital Facilities Plan for School Impact Fees."

This is the plan we've been waiting for; it updates the 2004-09 plan, with current school capacity and expected growth for the next five years. This will be a good indication of what the district plans to do -- how it will justify building a new school on Aldrich Road, without the extra students to fill it, and without the operating funds to run it.

Hopefully, we'll also find out if the district is still planning to go ahead with its "capacity study," which is the precursor to closing schools in order to get the students and money to operate new schools.

The facilities plan itself should be available in the next day or two, and I will post it when the district attaches it to the agenda.

To see the agenda, go to
Bellingham School District and School Board , click on School Board meetings, agendas and minutes, enter the public site, and you'll see the list of agendas.