The Snoqualmie Valley School District will use Snoqualmie Middle School as a satellite campus of Mount Si High School.

Board members Scott Hodgins, Dan Popp and Caroline Loudenback voted to approve the recommendation of the district’s Long-Term Facilities Planning Committee at a Thursday, March 25, meeting. Marci Busby and Craig Husa had excused absences.

A task force will now be assembled to decide how best to use the middle school as an extension of the high school.

Committee members recommended the new campus, to open in the fall of 2013, as a way to house a growing high school population.

Community discussion has already begun about the middle school transitioning into a freshmen campus, technical education, science- or math-focused facility, Popp told the board. However, he made it clear that the use of facilities was not the responsibility of the planning committee.

Rather, that committee’s primary responsibility was to find more space for the projected increase in students by the 2013-2014 school year.

“It was a square foot decision,” Popp said. “Now, our job is to task the district with designing the use of that space.

“There are a lot of decisions yet to be made, including budget requirements,” Popp added. “We’re not prepared to make a bond decision.”

At the meeting, Hodgins emphasized that approval would not include a decision on use until Superintendent Joel Aune provides a comprehensive board to explore programs at the site.

The study would include public input and a review process. Hodgins also requested a scope of capital improvements at Mount Si and SMS to lead educational program opportunities .

The satellite project would be separate from needed renovations for the main high school, such as being flood ready, expanding the main campus space or making special accommodations for other programs, Popp said.

“I’m relieved to have some direction, so we can start wrapping our arms around what we’re going to do that is best for our kids, and keeping up with the 21st century,” Loudenback said.

The loss of one of its three middle schools means the district must build a new facility. District-owned land on Snoqualmie Ridge is being eyed to that end.

An update on next steps is expected at the board’s March 25 meeting.