Ten months after the School District’s $106 million bond centering on improvements overwhelmingly was approved by voters, the first three projects are in various stages of completion.
“We are finishing what we started,” says Asst. Supt. Mike Reynolds of the athletic fields’ upgrades, refurbishing of the baseball and softball fields, and a new artificial turf for the football practice field that also is used by the soccer and lacrosse teams. The fields, only partially funded by the bond, are almost “almost wrapped up.”
Work is under way on a long-debated air mitigation system at freeway-close El Marino Language School. Dirty air caused by proximity to the 405 Freeway has made cleansing “a top priority,” says Mr. Reynolds. “We have had the prototype developed, and it will be installed soon. That will filter out up to 95 percent of the particulates from the 405 Freeway, and it will provide clean, heavily filtered air to the classroom spaces.”
Third is the Robert Frost Auditorium – air conditioning, revamping of the stage, lighting and sound area, and renovation of the back of the house where actors prepare to go on stage. “The architectural plans for the Frost already are at the Division of State Architect,” Mr. Reynolds said. “They are being reviewed. We are hoping for approval of the plans in the next few months.”
The bonds provide $26.5 million to the District in four increments every three years.
“We also will begin putting together architectural plans for modernization of the schools,” said Mr. Reynolds. “We are being assisted in reviewing potential investments by the Community Budget Advisory Committee. A decision on which investments to undertake will be made by the School Board.
To set the context, “Our first priority was to finish what we started,” said Mr. Reynolds of the above plans. Next, the School Board will identify target projects for the last three-quarters of the $106 million.
