The ninth time was a charm for the Liberty School District.

The district finally had reason to celebrate this week when voters on Tuesday approved the district’s ninth attempt to pass a bond issue, with 62.5 percent of voters saying yes to the issue.

Voters also approved the district’s replacement levy.

“People are recognizing maybe the schools need a chance to prove themselves, and they need support to do that,” said Superintendent Skip Berquam. “We’re sure pleased.”

The bond will allow the district to update its wastewater treatment plant and add a wing to its high school. The library, currently in a portable building, will move into the school’s band room.

A band room will be included in the new wing.

The wing will be added to the southeast end of the school.

Berquam said the project could go to bid as early as spring. He said the new wing could be completed by fall 1999.

Voters in Spokane County’s south school districts passed all their levy and bond measures as well.

Cheney Superintendent Phil Snowdon spent Tuesday night tracking the election over the Internet. Just after 11 p.m. he learned that both a replacement maintenance and operations levy and a two-year capital levy had received approval.

The $2.1 million capital levy will fund computer upgrades as well as structural improvements to Cheney Middle School.

“We’re just really thankful the voters saw fit to endorse public schools,” he said.

The district has a general plan for integrating new computers into the classroom, Snowdon said. Educators haven’t yet decided on the exact equipment the district will purchase.

Snowdon said the district likely will provide additional training for teachers this spring to bring them up to speed on the new technology. It has not yet been decided who will oversee the upgrades, which probably will be implemented starting in spring 1999, Snowdon said.

He said renovations to the middle school may begin in summer 1999.

Here are unofficial results for all three districts. Results will be validated by Feb. 13:

Cheney School District - Two-year, $7.9 million maintenance and operations levy: yes, 75.5 percent; no: 24.4 percent. Two-year, $2.1 million capital levy: yes, 70 percent; no, 30 percent.

Liberty School District - Two-year, $1.5 million maintenance and operations levy: yes, 72.1 percent; no, 27.8 percent. $3.1 million bond issue: yes, 62.5 percent; no, 37.4 percent.

Medical Lake School District - Two-year, $715,000 maintenance and operations levy: yes, 78.3 percent; no, 21.6 percent.

, DataTimes