Return to Headlines
Community begins to see improvements funded by Measure G
Video and story by Sydney Northcutt and Reijer den Dulk, FCUSD Communications Internship Program
Not only are students’ busy feet scuffling to class kicking up dust right now - new construction and modernization is well under way at many of our Folsom school sites as well.
During the upcoming school year the Folsom community will begin to see the first wave of improvements to classrooms and facilities as a result of Measure G. In November of 2014 Folsom voters passed Measure G, a $195 million bond measure that will provide the funding needed to upgrade current Folsom facilities and add new facilities to some schools.
A total of 10 elementary school sites and five secondary school sites have proposed renovations. A Facilities Master Plan has been approved by the Board of Education to help prioritize those upgrades.
The first $100 million was approved by the Board to plan and construct initial projects including: Vista del Lago High School stadium completion, Carl Sundahl modernization and new construction, Oak Chan modernization and new construction, Phase 1 of Sutter Middle School’s modernization and new construction, a second gym at Folsom High, and technology infrastructure upgrades throughout Folsom school.
Here’s a closer look at some of those projects:
Folsom Middle School
Folsom Middle School is receiving numerous technological updates including, iPads for teachers, Apple TVs in classrooms, and improved interactive LCD screens.
Principal John Bliss explained what he is most excited about for the students at his school:
“It brings it into parity between what you experience at home and what you normally do with what is at school and I think that’s exciting … to see that schools are really getting to the point of adding this technology so that it’s mirroring what you see in your normal everyday life,” he said.
Bliss also had a message for the voters who are making these improvements possible. “I’d like to thank. . . the Folsom community for supporting Measure G,” he said. “Without the support we wouldn’t get those technology pieces that I think are essential for kids to really exist in a 21st century workforce.”
Vista del Lago High School
One of the most anticipated projects is the completion of a new stadium at Vista del Lago High School. The new stadium will feature home and visitor bleachers, a fieldhouse and snack bar, and track lane revisions.
Construction on this project began May 31 and is expected to be ready for the spring season sports teams. Currently the old visitor bleachers have been removed, new bleacher preparation is 30 percent complete, hillside preparation for new home side bleachers bleachers and press box is 50 percent complete, and underground utilities are 40 percent complete.
Vista’s athletic director Mark Keeton is one of the many excited community members. “Some of the first athletic events that will be happening in the stadium include track and field, lacrosse, maybe playoffs in soccer, potentially graduation,” Keeton said, “so I think the whole student body is going to be really excited.”
Vista students, parents, and staff have long pictured a stadium of their own. “A stadium can really help define a school culture,” Keeton said.
Carl Sundahl Elementary School
At Carl Sundahl Elementary School, one of the District’s oldest schools, construction and modernization has been in progress throughout the summer to work toward the July 2018 estimated project completion time.
The first phase of the Carl Sundahl project, which has a target completion date of November 2016, includes the installation of temporary administration and classroom portables, the expansion and modernization of multipurpose storage and the construction of a hard court on the southeastern playfield.
All construction for the primary phase is proceeding on schedule. Following this phase will be construction of a new library/media center, kindergarten building, parking lot, and revamped landscaping. Target completion for the second phase is August 2018.
Folsom High School
The highlight of Folsom High School’s planned improvements is the construction of a second, auxiliary gymnasium which is expected to be completed by the end of the 2016-17 school year.
Howard Cadenhead, principal of Folsom High School explained how the addition of a second gym will alleviate many scheduling conflicts.
“We badly need a second gym. Our sports practice everywhere, from elementary school multi-purpose rooms all the way down to Cordova. . . It creates a real burden on our parents and community to get kids where they need to be instead of being able to practice right here at Folsom High School,” he said.
However not just student athletes will be affected; physical education classes will be heavily impacted by another gym on campus. “It will diversify the activities we can do,” Cadenhead said. “Many times we will have four or five classes in the same period at least; we can have one activity in the small gym and one activity in the in the large gym doing two different things.”
Cadenhead also highlighted some environmentally friendly aspects of the project. “. . .The lighting will be LED lighting throughout. The energy efficiency will far exceed our normal buildings on campus,” he said.
Sutter Middle School
Like Carl Sundahl, Sutter Middle - built in the 1920s as the original Folsom High - is undergoing a multiyear transformation.
Sutter Middle School’s set of bleachers has already been demolished and replaced with Vista’s old bleachers as part of Sutter Middle School’s upgrades. Starting this winter new classrooms, a media center, and administration buildings will be under construction. There will also be new access to the drop-off/pick-up lot from East Bidwell.
In a span of three more years the addition of various buildings and modernization of facilities will take place.