Changes at the YHS Campus:
Something new, something old - and something borrowed?

by Earlene Ward

Yosemite High School District

“Overnight, we lost close to $6 million in state matching funds…”

--Superintendent Bill McCabe

Yosemite High School graduates who have returned to the campus in recent months hardly recognize it.

“It’s fun to see their faces,” comments YHS Librarian Betsy Blum. “They can’t believe it’s the same school they attended. They want to know why we didn’t do all of this before.”

Photo left: Computers are provided in the main part of the Yosemite High School Library for student use throughout the day. The library is open until 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday for student use and for the public.

What the graduates see, and what the staff and students experience every day, are several million dollars worth of improvements completed with funds from the $11.76 million bond measure the voters passed by a 71 percent margin in 1998.

The library/media center was the first to move into a renovated building. One of the original open-space classrooms was completely remodeled into a state-of-the-art library complete with a 30-station computer laboratory.

“I love it,” Mrs. Blum says, adding that they now have good teaching space, good workspace and good storage space. And, she says, “The computer lab is terrific.”

“Everyone is impressed with the new library facility,” she concludes.

Photo right: One of the original building was renovated to become science classrooms and laboratories. Here students Cassandra Kennedy, Junior Garcia, Jarren O'Connor and Alex Mitchel try to identify an element by looking at it through a special device.

Still some major challenges

Other staff members are equally impressed with their new or renovated facilities. Yet, Yosemite Joint Union High School District Superintendent Bill McCabe is still facing some major challenges to complete the planned project.

The local high school district, along with school districts throughout the state, was dealt a serious blow by the state just a few months after the voters approved the bond measure.

When the YJUHSD bond was passed in June 1998, the state matched construction funds 100%. Based on that, the local district planned a $23 million project. Then, in November 1998, the state school bond was passed and the rules changed over night.

Prior to the state bond’s passage, modernization projects had been matched 50% by the state. However, because so many schools are old and badly in need of repairs, the state changed that funding to 80-20, meaning the state now pays 80% of modernization costs and the district pays 20 %.

In order to have the money to do this, the state funding for new construction was dropped to 50%.

“Over night, we lost close to $6 million in state matching funds,” Mr. McCabe notes. “This is helpful to large areas that have a lot of old schools, but it really hurt districts like ours.”

Like other small districts with limited general funds, YJUHSD was further caught in a bind. Districts that already had blueprints for new construction at the state architect’s office were funded under the old rules.

“We did not have the money to hire an architect and draw blue prints until after our bond passed in June 1998,” Mr. McCabe explains, “therefore the state would not honor a commitment made in August 1977 approving us for 100 percent matched funding.”

Mr. McCabe, district trustees, the district’s architect and concerned citizens have met with numerous people at the state level but to no avail.

A further hit came to small, rural districts late last year when the state agreed with an appeals court that said school construction funding should be based on priority points instead of first-come, first-served. This ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by Los Angeles County.

This court ruling allows funding to go to the school districts with the greatest needs, which, Mr. McCabe notes, translates into school districts in southern California.

“Unfortunately, because we’re small and rural, we became ineligible because of priority points,” he says.

Every quarter, the State Allocation Board distributes $125 million in new construction funds to school districts with the highest priority points. Once that amount of money is spent, the districts that did not qualify are rolled forward, but they do not move up on the list which starts over for each funding.

In June 2002, all of the $9 billion in the 1998 state bond fund will be used up. Plans are underway to put another state bond measure on the ballot in 2002.

Mr. McCabe says YJUHSD is in a dilemma because its priority points are so low, it will never be funded under this formula.

“Whether a law is fair or not is not our call,” he says, “we have to comply. Right now the rules don’t favor any small district.”

Photo: Yosemite High School secretary Pattye Chandler is in the reception area of the renovated Administration Building. The remodeled building allows the high school administration and district administration to be in the same building, making it more convenient for parents who need to see people in both offices.

Photo: Barbara Burcham and Cherie Napoleon prepare lunches for students in the new cafeteria multi-purpose room that opened for the first time in August. All of the students but the seniors must remain on campus during lunch since the campus has been closed.

Photo: A new parking area was added for students. Bridges were also constructed to cross the stream that runs through the campus. The agriculture farm is located in the trees behind the parking lot.

Borrowing is proposed

Faced with these hard facts, Mr. McCabe is asking the district Board of Trustees to approve the district borrowing $3.5 million to complete most of the project that was promised to the voters in 1998. The board members were scheduled to make their decision at a board meeting held on Thursday.

So far, the district has received $3 million from the state and is in line for another million if and when a new state bond is passed. There is $2.4 million left in the district’s bond account. “With that money and $3.5 million, we could fulfill all of our goals from the 1998 bond election,” Mr. McCabe says.

“YHS will never be finished,” he goes on to say, “as there are educational advances and increased enrollment, we will have to adjust.”

If the board approves the superintendent’s proposal to borrow $3.5 million, it will be in the form of Certificates of Participation (COP) that will be sold like bonds. The district will repay the COP from its general fund. Money for this will come from the developer fees people are required to pay when they build a new home or add onto an existing home.

“We joined with all of the other districts in the Mountain Area to have an extensive developer fee study done this year,” Mr. McCabe explains. “We receive enough in these fees that we could repay $3.5 million over 30 years.”

He stresses that the taxpayers would not pay any additional money if the board approves the COP. “All of the money would come from developer fees,” he says.

Recapping the progress

Mr. McCabe is proud of what has been accomplished and he is hopeful that the project can be completed.

The district hired a political consultant to conduct a survey prior to the 1998 bond election and then structured the construction project around the results.

“The political consultant gave us advice and we followed it,” the superintendent says. “We developed our needs and marketed the bond based on what the voters told us in the survey.”

The top 10 priorities in that survey were: Upgrade the library to accommodate technology; install two additional computer laboratories with 56 student work stations; rewire classrooms for technology; replace inadequate heating and ventilation; add 25 classrooms; build a multi-purpose room-cafeteria; repair and upgrade YHS; general safety improvements; build three shop classrooms; build music and drama classrooms.

“We’ve completed most of these projects,” Mr. McCabe says, noting that the classrooms have not been built yet but are a top priority in the coming months.

“We’ve completed the library, we’ve completed the cafeteria-multi-purpose room, the campus is entirely wired for technology, we have added more computer labs and more student work stations than we anticipated (thanks to grants we have received), we are replacing the heating and air conditioning as we remodel the buildings, we’ve made a lot of safety improvements such as lighting and fencing and parking.”

He goes on to say that of the original open-space classrooms, only two have not been remodeled yet. Instead of building three new shop classrooms, the existing open-space shop building was remodeled to include three separate shops with floor-to-ceiling walls.

That remodeling project has worked out well, according to Mike Monahan, auto shop teacher. Although it is about a month away from being totally finished, he says it is already much better for instruction. “The noise was a distraction,” he says of the open-space building. “It will really enhance the instruction because it is so much quieter.”

Plans for Fine Arts classrooms

Music and drama classrooms will be included in construction of new classrooms or in the remodeling project. “The Fine Arts Department staff will be meeting over the next few weeks to give us their recommendations,” Mr. McCabe said.

Larry Pesetski, chairman of the Fine Arts Department, is adamant in his insistence that the district borrow the money to complete the construction project.

“It is absolutely essential,” he says, “that the district move forward with plans to float the $3.5 million loan. This money is crucial for the Fine Arts Department and the athletic program to be completed. It’s essential on all fronts that the loan go through.”

Mr. Pesetski goes on to say that all of the projects still in the planning stages are wonderful. “To have upgraded facilities for the fine arts is what we need to do. This department is on the cutting edge of developing the creative side of our students and we need to do everything we can.”

District officials have spent the past several months surveying groups about the priorities for the rest of the funds. People are asked to rank the projects in the order they would like to see them completed with funds that are available.

The list of priorities

So far, the top priorities are: Remodel the last two original buildings; construct new classrooms; re-roof the original buildings; drill a new well and build a swimming pool complex.

“It’s important for us to respond to the wishes of the community with a comprehensive approach to services and facilities,” Mr. McCabe says. “To that end, we have $2.4 million left if we do not borrow additional money.”

Addressing the priorities from this summer’s surveys, Mr. McCabe explains what is now in the planning stages.

The last two original buildings will be remodeled. The building now used for drama, band and choir will be remodeled into a small theatre that will seat from 350-400 people. “This will give us flexibility for numerous functions,” Mr. McCabe says. The other building, which houses home economics, art and another classroom, and had included the old cafeteria, will be completely remodeled to include additional classrooms.

A new building that will feature 10,000 square feet of classroom space will be constructed near the library. At one time, there were plans to construct this facility in the parking lot area that had originally been set aside for a performing arts center.

“At this time, we cannot afford to build the Performing Arts Center we had hoped for,” Mr. McCabe says, “but we are going to leave the space as it is on the master plan. In the future, the board will look at different sources of funds for this center.”

The original buildings, which are more than 25 years old, will all be re-roofed with metal. “We live in a high fire-risk area,” Mr. McCabe notes. “It is in the interest of safety that we replace the old wood shake roofs with fire resistant materials.”

An additional well will be drilled, allowing the district to expand the recreational facilities and athletic fields. These are all heavily used by the community as well as the school.

Baseball and softball fields will be increased and relocated so they are more convenient to the public.

Circulation and utilities will be improved and upgraded.

The tennis courts and outside basketball courts will be resurfaced. “These are heavily used by the community and the school. They are aging and in need of attention,” Mr. McCabe notes.

Pool: ‘needed recreation’

A swimming pool will be added to the campus. “This is an area of needed recreation,” the superintendent says. “A pool would meet the needs of the community and the school.”

Projects that have been completed, and the cost of the projects are:

· Multi-purpose room-cafeteria, $6 million. Irene Keener, director of food services, says the cafeteria is “just remarkable.” She is pleased with the comprehensive food program the school offers and she notes that the cafeteria has resulted in far more students participating in the free and reduced meal program which is strictly confidential, she stresses. She says they are improving daily on how quickly and efficiently they can feed the students.

· Parking lot, entrance and bridges, $2.1 million.

· Mitigation of stream and a retaining wall, $500,000.

· Remodeling of three buildings, $1.5 million (library, science building and administration building).

· Greenhouse at the agriculture farm, $40,000.

· Locker room addition and remodeling, $800,000.

· Shop building remodeled, $300,000.

· Portable classrooms relocated, $120,000.

· Fencing, $60,000.

· Paving and concrete work, $200,000.

· Co-generation plant, $260,000.

· Architectural fees, $1 million.

One promise: closed campus

Mr. McCabe notes that one of the promises during the bond campaign was that the campus would be closed during lunchtime to all students but the seniors. He says they are allowing the seniors off campus as a privilege. “We believe in our students, they are responsible citizens and they have a right to participate in the community.” The closed campus took effect with the opening of school August 20.

Staff members who are in the new facilities are very pleased. Gary Sconce, who has taught science at YHS for 12 years, says the remodeled building that now houses the science classrooms and laboratories is wonderful.

“They let us [the science teachers] design it,” he says. “Very few changes were made, we were able to put together a plan for what we needed. I’ve never been happier.”

He says the classrooms were designed by specialists for their specialty. “We can get far more work done,” he says, noting that there is room to build projects and still have room for the students.

“All of the science teachers keep smiling at each other,” he says, “we’re in heaven. Happy teachers make happy teaching, and the students like it too.”

Mr. Sconce says when the facility is complete, he believes YHS will be more competitive with other educational facilities. “I want my facility, and I mean the entire campus, to be the best it can be, staffed with the best teachers. To be excellent in everything is to have job security.”

Aaron Eames, chairman of the Physical Education Department, says the new locker room facility is “fantastic.” He says he can supervise the students better and now there is a separate shower and bathroom facility for visiting teams. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” he says, “it was well worth the wait.”

Technology leader

Mr. McCabe points out that technology was the No. 1 concern for people in the 1998 survey and, he says, the district has surpassed all that was promised. Thanks to additional money from grants, YHS added four additional computer labs with 89 student workstations. The campus is networked, there is a fiber optic backbone throughout and there is at least one computer in every classroom. E-mail is available to all staff, there is an extensive web site and a new and improved telephone system.

YHS has formed a partnership with the Madera County Office of Education and is the hub for the MCOE Internet system in the Mountain Area.

As he assesses where the district has been with the project and looks forward to where it still needs to go, he says he is “thankful the community had the vision to create Yosemite High School into a marvelous place of learning and recreation for our communities.”