YHS construction update

Earlene Ward

12-14-99

Two buildings have been completely renovated at Yosemite High School, using funds from the $11.76 million bond that was passed in June 1998.

Work is underway on renovation of the building that will house all of the administrative offices and some preliminary groundwork has begun for the cafeteria / multi-purpose room.

“We are a little behind the original schedule we had set,” comments District Superintendent Bill McCabe, “but we are moving forward very well and we are pleased with the results.”

The building that was renovated for the school library / media center was occupied in October. This building is double the size of the former library and includes a 30-station computer lab, a career center, meeting room and the Cyber Café where students and staff can purchase coffee and muffins. The café is a fund-raising project for the Library Club.

The building that was formerly the library / media center and YHS administration building has been converted into spacious science classrooms with laboratories. Gary Sconce, a science teacher at the school, says the new classrooms give the students more space to work and they have facilities for intricate lab experiments.

“I love it,” Mr. Sconce says of the new classroom. This building was occupied just before Thanksgiving.

Cathy Tomison, a YHS science student, says the new classrooms are more comfortable and have more room. She echoed Mr. Sconce’s sentiments by saying, “I love them.”

Science classes were previously held in portable buildings on campus. Those buildings were moved this summer and science classes were held in another building until the renovation was complete.

When the science classrooms moved to their new location, work began to renovate that building for administration. Plans call for that building to be ready for occupancy in early April. A new parking lot has been constructed adjacent to the building.

The area where the science portables had been is where the new cafeteria / multi-purpose room will be built. They hope to begin the actual construction in January or February. It will take a year to complete.

Mr. McCabe says the logistics of the project have taken a lot of planning, coordination and cooperation.

“We told the staff last year that they were going to be uncomfortable for several months and they have come to believe us completely,” he says. “However, once the project is complete and everyone is moved into their new facilities, I think they will agree it was worth the inconvenience.”

The new performing arts building is being drawn now and the designs for the new classrooms will be submitted to the State Office of School Construction in January.

This summer the new locker rooms will be started and renovation will begin on another building (Building 500).

Mr. McCabe said the construction master plan has been changed some because of environmental issues. They will be leaving more trees than originally planned and they are working to blend into the environment.

“We moved to this area because we enjoy the natural beauty,” he says. “Why would we want to destroy that beauty?”

The swimming pool will be built in the area where the agriculture farm is now located. Originally, there was a plan to relocate the farm, but that has changed. It will be left where it is and oak trees and other trees will be planted around the perimeter to form a buffer between it and athletic fields.

Mr. McCabe says the swimming pool will meet the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) standards, “but it won’t be fancy.”

Harris Construction has been hired as a construction management firm for all of the new buildings.

In order to meet the requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act, there will be several elevators located on the campus.

The Madera County Board of Supervisors unanimously ratified the school’s Mitigated Negative Declaration for a traffic study for the expansion of the high school in November.

School staff and community members appeared before the board to explain the project and to emphasize that there will not be more students on campus as a result of construction. Actually, they were told, there will be less traffic once the campus is closed to all students except seniors.

When the school’s attendance increases beyond the current level, the county will require a traffic study.

The school has agreed to pay $7500 toward a stop light at the intersection of Roads 426 and 427 and to pay $4000 toward improvements on Hangtree Lane. The district will also attempt to receive a grant for up to $40,000 to help with Hangtree Lane improvements.

At the present time, the only road serving Yosemite High School and other schools, churches and homes in the area is Road 427. There is a need to improve Hangtree Lane to the point that it could be used for an exit route in case of an emergency, Mr. McCabe explains.

Other projects that have been accomplished with bond funds include fencing around a portion of the campus, surveillance cameras, a new telephone system and wiring for computers.

Computers will be purchased for every classroom in the district over the next three years using funds from the Digital High School program. DHS funds have also paid for the computer lab in the library and will be used for a computer lab in the business education department.

“It is important for people to understand that the bond funds can only be used for renovation and new construction,” Mr. McCabe says. “When we put the bond issue before the voters, we specified what we would use those funds for and we cannot use them for anything else.”

He went on to say that the same is true for the Digital High School funds. “We will receive about $385,000 through this program over three years, but those funds can only be used for computers, software, staff training and technology support,” he stresses.

A goal of the DHS program is to integrate technology into all of the classes at the school. “As we prepare our students for the high-tech future, it is essential that they be able to use computers and other means of technology. We are very pleased to have these funds from the state to help us toward that goal,” the superintendent said.

He notes that the fact that the DHS project and the bond project are happening at the same time is wonderful for the school. “The bond allows us to do all of the internal wiring and the DHS funds allow us to buy the computers; it’s a perfect combination for us.”

A Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the bond meets regularly at the school to give input and to receive an update of the progress.

Computer generated pictures of the future buildings and architectural drawings are posted in the Yosemite Joint Union High School District Office, which is located adjacent to the football field. The public is welcome to stop by between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to look at the drawings or to request a tour of the campus.