Superintendent Antonio Garcia, Board Member Dominick Palera, SMHS Principal Steve Campbell, Board Member Carol Karamitsos and Board President Dr. Jack Garvin. Courtesy photos.
SANTA MARIA — The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board of Education and district officials on Feb. 16 held a groundbreaking for the Santa Maria High School 50 classroom/administration building that is projected to be completed in April 2023.
The new building will help ease the congestion on Camino Colegio, that small dead-end street, now the front entrance. It will also create permanent classrooms and eliminate nearly all portable classrooms.
“It’s a game changer for our students and community,’’ said Dr. Jack Garvin, school board president. “It brings a major area of campus into this century.’’
The three-story 88,774 square-foot structure will face Morrison Avenue and feature visitor parking and a bell tower. The structure’s architectural design will complement the older buildings and incorporate energy-savings measures such as LED lighting and modern climate control systems.
Classrooms will include moveable whiteboard walls, mounted big screen monitors with the capacity to display from the teacher’s tablet, desks and chairs on wheels that separate easily into different arrangements and other learning aids.
The project is funded through Measure H, which was passed by voters in 2016. The projected estimated cost is about $59.5 million.
About 22 classrooms have been relocated on campus. Demolition started a little more than three weeks ago.
Due to health and safety concerns during the on-going pandemic, the event was held without public invitation. We look forward to a more dignified, public grand opening ceremony in 2023.
SMJUHSD Director of Support Services Gary Wuitschick and Board Member Carol Karamitsos.