The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) invites the community to a groundbreaking at Encinal Junior & Senior High School, 210 Central Ave., at 3:15 p.m. Friday, May 24. The ceremony will mark the beginning of a $42 million project that will include:

• A new two-story, 12-classroom building with a maker space
• A complete redesign of the area in front of the school including: relocating the parking lot, removing the portable classrooms and new landscaping
• A new central student-gathering area and new outdoor learning structures 
• A modernization of the 200-classroom wing 
• An update to critical infrastructure and safety-security systems, including fire alarms, public-address system and door locks. 

The school district expects completion in 2021. AUSD has already placed portable classrooms at the school to replace the classrooms that will be under construction.

“I am so excited to see this project begin,” said AUSD Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. “Encinal Junior & Senior High School already has an amazing location by the Bay and a wide range of excellent programs. Now we can provide the Encinal school community with a beautiful 21st-century campus, as well.”

About $39.5 million for the project is coming from Measure I funds, and $2 million is coming from AUSD’s deferred maintenance fund. Voters passed Measure I on Nov. 4, 2014, with 62.75 percent of the voters saying “yes.” The measure required a 55 percent majority to pass. 

Passage of Measure I gave AUSD the nod to raise $179.5 million in bond money with the aim of improving earthquake safety and student security at its schools. The measure also authorized the district to use proceeds from the bonds to upgrade science and computer labs, improve heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical and solar systems, as well as replace leaky roofs, windows and doors. Many of these improvements are evident in the plans for Encinal Junior & Senior High School.