In planning for a new Carl Cozier Elementary School, community members hope to see added features such as green spaces, shared learning spaces, high-quality staff lounges and spaces for less stimulation.
A new school is planned to be built on city property at the Civic Athletic Complex in a “unique opportunity” between the City of Bellingham and the school district, Mayor Kim Lund said in a memo. Currently, Carl Cozier is located next to the Civic Athletic Complex at 1330 Lincoln St.
Attendees of a Monday, March 18, meeting shared how they hope the new school can reflect their neighborhood and voiced their wishes for the project.
A bond was passed to fund the redesign of Carl Cozier, Roosevelt and Columbia elementary schools on Feb. 8, 2022. Of that bond, $50 million will be used to build the new Carl Cozier.
The proposed building is 64,000 square feet and is designed to house 450 students, according to a school district presentation shown at the meeting. The school will accommodate pre-K through fifth-grade classes, with three classrooms per grade.
Initially, the school district planned to build and create an entirely new elementary school, Elementary 15, in the King Mountain neighborhood, as well as replacement schools for Carl Cozier, Roosevelt and Columbia.
Elementary 15 was meant to act as a “swing school” while the other schools were redesigned and built. Students from Roosevelt and Columbia would go to the original Carl Cozier until their schools were rebuilt.
Now Bellingham Public Schools, in partnership with the city, has begun focusing its energy on plans for the new Carl Cozier.
“We could use the current Cozier site as a swing space when we rebuild Columbia and Roosevelt,” Greg Baker, Bellingham Public Schools superintendent, said in a news release.
Baker said a new school in the King Mountain neighborhood will be needed in the future, but it makes sense to focus on replacing the oldest schools now. Due to Cozier’s central location, it is accessible for Roosevelt and Columbia families when they need a “swing school” during construction of their new buildings.
The city plans to sell a portion of the civic complex to the district for the new Carl Cozier in a unique partnership, since both entities already own and operate facilities in the area, Lund said in a memo.
When designing the school, Zach Ham, the architect working on the project, said they will focus on three things: educational goals, along with functional, space and aesthetic requirements.
Ham and Curtis Lawyer, director of capital projects, also collected community feedback and ideas during Monday’s meeting.
“We listen, I promise,” Ham said.
Some of the main questions and concerns surrounded accessibility to the building via car and bus, and safety and comfort of classrooms.
Lawyer said they were focusing on safety and security. Fob keys are expected to be used, there will be security cameras, and only one exit and entry point into the building.
Sunnyland Elementary School, completed in 2022, was mentioned on multiple occasions as a point of reference. Ken Erickson, who has two grandchildren at Carl Cozier, especially likes their playground.
“It’s not a school, it’s a community,” he said.
The education specifications committee for Carl Cozier will meet three more times, ending their discussions on May 23 with a final numeric program, final design goals and a site diagram.
The new Carl Cozier Elementary School is expected to open by fall 2026 or 2027.
