Saratoga News School board approves 10-year 'map' for bond implementation SHS and LGHS to get new buildings, paint jobs $79 million passed in June By Michelle Alaimo The Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District has endorsed an implementation plan for $79 million in bond funds approved by voters in June. The plan will serve as a road map for the scheduling, building and spending of the money. The 10-year plan came about after more than 90 hours of meetings by committees at both schools, a district committee and a superintendent review team. HMC Architects presented the final report to the board on Nov. 17, and the board approved it by a 5-0 vote. Superintendent Cynthia Ranii said the mission of the plan is "to provide an exemplary learning environment for every student." The plan outlines costs and projects planned for Saratoga High School and Los Gatos High School. Nineteen projects are planned for LGHS, and include upgrading the restrooms, building a science and home economics wing, painting the school and modernizing several sections of the school. A total of 23 projects is planned for SHS, including upgrading restrooms, building a new science and library building, converting the library to classrooms and painting the school. HMC Architects estimate expenses at LGHS to run at $54.65 million and SHS at $41.47 million. Of that, a little over $11 million will be used to build a two- or three-storyscience and home economics classroom building at LGHS. SHS will get a new two-story science and library building at a cost of $12 million. Ranii said during the bond campaign that current science classrooms at both schools are overcrowded and not up to modern-day standards. She explained that more high school students take advanced science than in the past because of current college requirements. According to the implementation plan time line, construction on both schools' new science buildings is set to begin in the summer of 2000. Some of the first projects, which will go into construction next summer, include upgrading the bathrooms at both schools, the air conditioners in several LGHS buildings, and upgrading the mechanical and electrical site infrastructure at SHS. Other upgrades at both schools include improving parking circulation, and modernizing lockers. Bond money can only be used toward renovating, upgrading and constructing new facilities at the two aging high schools. The improvements will be the first significant upgrades or renovations to either school in more than 20 years. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, November 25, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.