Manzanita Public Charter School is beginning a $60 million renovation project aimed at upgrading its long standing campus and bringing all students back to one location.
The project is the result of a decade-long effort by school leaders to secure funding for improvements to the campus, which was built in the 1960s and serves about 600 students.
One of the largest awards came through the Department of War’s Public School Military Installation Grant, which provided $45.4 million toward the project.
Superintendent Suzanne Nicastro said the school’s facility was rated Q4, which bumped them to the top of the list.
“The condition of our facility was rated Q4, and that Q4 condition is considered the lowest condition acceptable for military dependents to attend a school,” Nicastro said. “We went to the top of the list for funding because we had so many deficiencies on the campus.”
Those deficiencies include the school’s architecture and amenities.
“The deficiencies have to do with roofing, HVAC, the size of the campus, and, for example, we don’t have a gym,” Nicastro said. “Now, with PE standards that have changed over the years, a gym is necessary.”
According to project manager, Travis Erickson the renovation will be completed in three phases.
The first phase includes renovations to the transitional kindergarten building, new classrooms and construction of a new gym. The goal is to eventually bring all transitional kindergarten through 8th grade students back to one campus.
Since construction will take place while students are on campus, school leaders and the project team say safety will be a priority.
“It’s going to be tricky on the project because we have to move students,” Erickson said. “It’s a live campus, so at the same time, we have to keep the project extremely safe. We are going to be moving temporary fences.”
Malia Mondragon a parent, says she is excited about the upgrades but also have some concerns about construction taking place on an active school campus.
“As a parent, I feel like the kids are going to be like, ‘Oh, like what’s going on?’” Mondragon said. “But I think just the feeling of getting all new equipment is going to be exciting for them. But I do have a little bit of a concern about that.”
Future phases of the project are expected to include a library, additional classrooms and improvements to the parking lot and student drop-off area.
Some improvements, including field upgrades, will have to wait while school leaders work to secure an additional $1.2 million in funding.
School leaders hope to complete all three phases of the renovation within the next three years.
