NEW SCHOOL - Architect's rendering of the new California City High
School was presented to Mojave Unified School District board members Tuesday
evening. Board authorized district staff to purchase property for the school
for $254,000. Construction is expected to begin in the spring or summer
of 2004.
California City high school to use new modular construction technology
BY BILL DEAVER, Mojave Desert News
CALIFORNIA CITY - An important step in fulfilling the dream of a high school in California City was taken last week when the Mojave Unified School District opened escrow on land for the new school.
District Superintendent Larry Phelps said the district deposited $10,000 into an escrow account for the 65-acre site at Mendiburu and Hacienda.
Phelps said construction on the new school could begin this spring or summer.
"It takes 18 to 24 months to build a high school," Phelps said.
Although the new California City High School could be completed early in 2006, Phelps said classes will probably not begin until fall of that year.
"It probably wouldn't make any sense" to move students into the new school from Mojave High School with only a few months left in the school year, Phelps said, adding that the district's board will have the final decision.
"It would be too chaotic," he said.
Modular construction
As reported previously in the Desert News, the new, $22.5 million high school will use a modular construction system produced by Turnkey Industries in Perris and trucked to the site. The system speeds construction by allowing site and structural work to be done at the same time.
Phelps said the new high school is designed to accommodate up to 600 students, and the site has room for expansion to handle an even larger student body. Around 450 students were originally expected when the school opens, but Phelps said that number could increase if current enrollment trends continue.
"Last week our enrollment was up about 100 students," Phelps said. "My gut feeling is that we will continue to grow,." because the economy seems to be improving and enrollment is increasing in the lower grades.
Hacienda Elementary
Plans to build a new elementary school in California City are proceeding in parallel with the high school, Phelps said.
Hacienda Elementary School, to be built on district land at the site of California City Middle School, should begin construction about the same time as the high school, but could be completed sooner.
Plans are on their way to the Department of State Architect for final state approval, and the district is working out details of a plan to heat and cool the new school using geothermal energy.
"We may get a grant" to help pay for the energy-saving system, which will cost more initially than conventional heating and cooling but is expected to save operation costs over its life, Phelps said.
Final cost of the system hasn't been determined, and Phelps said geothermal must have a reasonable pay-back period to be viable. The district is figuring costs of a conventional system in case geothermal does not prove economically feasible, he said.
Phelps said conventional construction will be used for the school.
Opening date
The new school will provide classrooms for students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. Kindergarten through third grade students will continue to attend Robert P. Ulrich Elementary School and seventh- and eight-graders will attend California City Middle School.
Construction of the elementary school should take a little less time than the high school, and classes could begin there when it is completed if the district is experiencing overcrowding at RPU.
"If we were so crowded that we needed to move some classes, we would do it," Phelps said.
Funding for the two new schools comes from bonds approved by and paid
for solely by California City property owners.
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