Over 100 people toured the new building at Poulsbo Middle School at an open house Dec. 16, in anticipation of students and staff set to use the two-story, 18,000-square-foot facility after the new year.
The building will add 10 classrooms, a student-gathering space and connects the main building to the existing lunchroom/gymnasium, North Kitsap School District documents read.
The project, made possible by the voter-approved 2022 capital projects levy, is budgeted at over $16 million and began construction in 2023. The expansion of the school involved the removal of portables to improve safety for students moving between buildings.
One of the key features of the building is a mural created by PMS students in partnership with Bassetti Architects. It includes a panther, the school’s mascot, a tree-rimmed skyline that reflects the Pacific Northwest, and words and phrases that capture the school’s spirit in several languages, district representative Jenn Markaryan said.