The ribbon was cut
– the bus barn is open for business.
The first of four construction projects is complete and
officials with the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District
inaugurated the district’s transportation and maintenance
facility.
The new building, on the Anzar High School campus, houses
offices, a school bus garage and parking lot for the district’s 14
school buses.
The ribbon was cut – the bus barn is open for business.
The first of four construction projects is complete and officials with the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District inaugurated the district’s transportation and maintenance facility.
The new building, on the Anzar High School campus, houses offices, a school bus garage and parking lot for the district’s 14 school buses.
Out-going Board President John Ferreira thanked the community for supporting the bond that financed the construction.
“The biggest thing is that we have a good, safe place for the employees to work,” he said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony just before the Board’s monthly meeting. “It also frees up space at (San Juan School) where the buses were stored. It was a hazard – very dangerous.”
The project bid was $959,200, but the district saved $60,000 through value engineering.
Around 30 people were present to celebrate the opening. To honor the event, the Board’s monthly meeting was held in the transportation and maintenance facility’s garage.
On hand to mark the occasion were county Supervisor Ruth Kesler, San Juan Bautista Mayor George Rowe and former county Sheriff Harvey Nyland. Superintendent Jackie Munoz said Nyland was instrumental in rallying support for the bond.
San Juan School Principal Joe Hudson said people have already noticed the difference at the campus without the school buses.
“It’s definitely going to make it nicer for visitors – they will have a place to park. They won’t have to park in downtown San Juan Bautista,” he said. “It’s safer for our employees and students.”
Hudson looks forward to landscaping the wire fence between the school and Highway 156 to help hide the school.
The next construction project is modernizing parts of San Juan School, including the kindergarten classes and reconfiguring the parking lot.
Also at the meeting, the Board elected new officers. Trustee Rachel Ponce nominated Trustee Andy Hsia-Coron for president of the Board. With Hsia-Coron abstaining, the Board unanimously approved him as president.
Trustee Sylvia Rios-Metcalf nominated out-going president Ferreira for clerk. The clerk fills in for the president if he is absent. Trustee Jeff Hancock thought Ferreira would be overworked serving two positions in a row and nominated Rios-Metcalf who declined, saying Ferreira would do a better job filling in for Hsia-Coron. The Board approved Ferreira as clerk.
To honor Ferreira’s service as president, Munoz announced that one book at each of the district’s four school libraries would be inscribed with his name. Ferreira chose “Fahrenheit 451” at Anzar and asked principals of the other schools to help him decide on books for their schools.
Trustees also chose committees they would like to serve on. They chose as follows: Rios-Metcalf – budget process and certificated negotiation committees and representative to the County Office of Education; Ponce – classified negotiation, strategic planning and community foundation committees; Hsia-Coron – legislative advocacy committee and representative to the County Office of Education; Hancock – budget process and classified negotiation committees; and Ferreira – Regional Occupation Program and certificated negotiation committees.
In other business:
– Munoz updated the Board on construction activities and the Board approved a $2.59-million bid by Salinas’ Dilbeck & Sons for the San Juan School modernization project.
– During public comment, parent John Goodman expressed concern about the district not having a manager of construction for the projects. Currently, Munoz oversees construction. He said it might be cost-effective to have someone who specializes in construction since mistakes can mean costly remodels.
Goodman also asked the Board to address why so many Anzar students are scoring low on California State University entrance exams. According to his research, 70 percent of Anzar graduates are failing the tests even though they have high grade point averages in high school.
– Munoz presented results of staff and parent surveys about the district’s calendar. More than 100 staff and 34 parents on advisory committees were surveyed. The results indicate support for keeping a three-day Thanksgiving break and three-week winter break.
– Anzar Director Charlene McKowen discussed upcoming exhibitions. Almost 70 exhibitions will be presented next week – the most for a single round in Anzar’s history.
The next meeting is Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at San Juan School.
The Board tentatively scheduled a Board retreat for Feb. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
