High schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District will move forward with modernization and construction projects with money from Measure U, a $250 million bond measure passed by voters in November.
Much of the money will go to handle the district's growth, but more than half would go to upgrading existing schools. The district plans to spend $110 mil-lion on seven new schools and $140 million on rehabilitation and modernization projects.
The board of education discussed the bond-funded projects at a Tuesday evening meeting.
Projects slated to begin in June include performing arts and athletic facilities, as well as improvements to security at Norco, Centennial, Corona and Santiago high schools.
The district will receive $90 million in the spring to fund the first phase of the project. Funding will be distributed in a two-year cycle through 2011.
Ted Rozzi, assistant superintendent of facilities, said the construction at the high school stadiums would not interfere with graduation ceremonies.
"Students won't lose the ability to graduate at their home school," he said. Rozzi said projects would begin one day after graduation and will be completed at individual school sites by the time the class of 2008 graduates.
About $15 million from the initial round of funding would go toward land acquisition and planning for the new Rancho Serrano High School, a new district high school to serve Temescal Valley. The district is in talks with developer Ali Sahabi to purchase land for Rancho Serrano near Sahabi's Dos Lagos development at Cajalco and Temescal Canyon roads.
The initial round of funding also would provide $10 million toward land acquisition costs for VanderMolen and Yorba elementary schools in Eastvale. The district would use another $5 million from the bond to reimburse other district funds used to buy land for Parks Elementary School, now under construction in Eastvale.
Corona-Norco hit the 50,000-student mark this year, almost doubling its enrollment over the past decade. The district predicts it will add another 15,000 students over the next six to eight years, Rozzi said.
The Corona-Norco Unified School District plans to issue $90 million in bonds this spring for the first stage of projects under a $250 million bond measure voters approved in November. The first projects would include:
Site acquisition, development, design and planning for Rancho Serrano High School
Performing arts theater, swimming pool replacement, stadium field house and other improvements at Norco High School
Performing arts theater, parking expansion, all-weather track and other improvements at Centennial High School
All-weather track, swimming pool replacement, stadium field house and other improvements at Corona High School
Lab building, stadium field house, lecture hall, all-weather track and other improvements at Santiago High School
Home Gardens Elementary School reconstruction
Additions at Parkridge Elementary School
Land acquisition for Parks, VanderMolen and Yorba elementary schools
Source: Corona-Norco Unified School District
Copyright The Press-Enterprise Co.
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