The construction at the back of the school, which has been in the works since spring, is currently on schedule for the addition of a total of nine new classrooms. Construction is currently on course to be finished by the 2013-2014 school year. This project traces its origins to Measure A, a bond measure passed by the MVLA District that proposed the construction of new facilities.

The construction of these classrooms is intended to correspond with the ever-growing number of students at the school. Construction of these buildings will help significantly as the school braces for a pattern of growth in incoming classes of freshmen. The district has anticipated the arrival of approximately 900 additional students, and this measure attempts to accommodate this increased number of students.

“This is largely in anticipation of increasing enrollment … which has increased as predicted,” Assistant Principal Galen Rosenberg said. “Additional classrooms will be coming online just in time to accommodate increased enrollment.”

The addition of new and up-to-date facilities is also a key component of Measure A. There has been a heightened focus on specifically adding more science labs and classrooms to the school.

“Measure A would add science labs, classrooms and equipment to ensure our high schools are up-to-date and allow for growing enrollment [and] new classrooms built to modern fire and earthquake safety standards, as well as update safety systems in our current facilities,” sponsors of Measure A said in an official document.

However, the construction is not solely limited to this primary construction site in the back of the school. Additionally, art classrooms in the 700 wing will be refurbished and converted into classrooms for non-art courses. This preserves a balance of departmental classrooms, as new art rooms are among the classrooms that are currently under construction.

Although the original budget was estimated to be around $8 million, this budget has already been exceeded. However, due to the fact that the Measure A bond allocated $41.3 million, this overbudgeting will likely not be an issue.

“All the pads and underground conduits are down, that’s how you access to water and electricity and signals,” Rosenberg said. “Now they’re beginning to do the upward direction of the construction, so some steel frames and the elevator pad are going up.”

The construction is expected to be completed in time for the 2013-2014 school year.

“We fully anticipate beginning next year with students and teachers beginning in the classrooms,” Rosenberg said.