Future Renovations Include New PA System
VANESSA LUJAN Staff Writer
Funding for the remodeling of older buildings on campus, including A Building which was damaged in the recent fire, will come from bonds. The new renovations will feature a PA system that will be implemented throughout all the buildings.
“I’m thinking (the construction) will take at least four years,” principal Marisa Palacios said. Renovations will improve all rooms within A and B building, M building, the cafeteria, auditorium and the gym buildings. The renovations were planned to take place two years from now, but were moved to now, as a result of the fire damage. Although C and D building will not be undergoing extensive renovations, they will be getting a PA system along with the rest of the school. This will be similar to Mark Keppel’s system which is used announcements the first few minutes of the day.
“It is good that the school is taking this seriously but, it is inconvenient how many offices [will be] displaced during construction,” junior Joseph De La Llera said.
Some students are torn on whether the renovations will actually improve the school.
“I think they should leave [the current buildings] the same way, but fix up the rest of the rooms that are currently badly damaged,” sophomore Steven Quintero said.
Bungalows will likely not be needed right away due to the number of open classrooms around campus. Many items were lost in the A building fire, including most of the building itself. Due to water damage, smoke damage and related abatement, the entire building will be unusable for the foreseeable future, the rest of the school year, according to the principal.
The building is currently fenced off to students so that the fire restoration company, Servpro, can clean out the building of damaged items left in the affected areas.
Rodolfo Bravo, an American Government teacher, was affected by the fire. He lost many personal items but still has a positive attitude about the event.
“Everyone has been really great about supporting one another but at the end of the day it’s just stuff, and we are still able to create more memories,” Bravo said. The school will remain functional throughout all of the construction.