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Arcadia Weekly Sep 19, 2018
Measure I, the “Arcadia Neighborhood Schools Health, Safety, and Repair Measure,” a 10-year, $218 million dollar bond that upgraded and improved every single classroom and school campus throughout the entire school district. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
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Measure I, the “Arcadia Neighborhood Schools Health, Safety, and Repair Measure,” a 10-year, $218 million dollar bond that upgraded and improved every single classroom and school campus throughout the entire school district. – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
By Staff
Arcadia Unified School District (AUSD) introduced the new $7.5 million Facilities and Maintenance Yard Tuesday, which is the culminating project of the$218 million Measure I bond that spanned more than ten years.
This school bond measure that was voted on and passed by the Arcadia community in 2006 was essential to renovating and updating every single classroom at all 11 schools in the Arcadia district and was especially pivotal in making important updates to safety features.
The new Maintenance Yard was not in the original plans for the bond, but because the project was managed so well by being on time and under budget, this facility was able to be constructed, according to the District. The bond was also refinanced last year, and the district was able to save the Arcadia taxpayers $80 million.
Executive Director of Facilities, Jim Leahy (Retired) was honored for his enormous contribution to the team effort Tuesday. Leahy, right, is pictured talking with AUSD PIO, Ryan Foran. Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Measure I has been a great asset to the community and was the reason the state-of-the-art Arcadia Performing Arts Center was able to be constructed, along with numerous other school facilities. The district will also be honoring Jim Leahy, who recently retired and who oversaw Measure I as the Executive Director of Facilities. Several local dignitaries and school district officials and staff will be in attendance. Arcadia High’s Apache News program will be live streaming the ceremony.
The lack of funding for education in California and nationally has put an increased emphasis on support from the community in order to maintain excellent public schools. In addition to Measure I, which generated $218 million for the schools, last year the community supported and passed Measure A, a parcel tax that will generate an estimated $77 million over the next 18 years.
Major new facilities include: Dana Middle School Gym, Arcadia Performing Arts Center (PAC), New Career and Technical Education (CTE) Building at High School, New swimming pool and aquatics center at High School, New Facilities, Maintenance, and Operations facility, New Central Kitchen, New Science building at High School, New Library at High School, New MPR at High School, New Cafeteria at High School, New parking lot at High school, New Student Services Center at High School, New stadium bleachers and restrooms at High School, New floor and bleachers for North Gym at High School, New District Office and Rancho Learning Center School (Arcadia Education Center – AEC).
