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Nearly five years after passing a $49.5 million bond measure to build new facilities and modernize existing ones in the Portola Valley Elementary School District (PVSD), the project is complete.
Community members celebrated the milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration on Oct. 20 at each of the district’s two schools, Ormondale and Corte Madera.
“As we embark on this exciting new chapter, I look forward to witnessing the positive impact these state-of-the-art spaces will have on the educational journey of our students,” Superintendent Roberta Zarea told attendees, according to a press release. “The opportunities that lie ahead are infinite, and I am confident that these facilities will empower our students to thrive academically and personally.”
District voters approved Measure Z in 2018 to fund the construction of classroom buildings, facilities and grounds. A mix of sources — the district’s general fund, state funding and Measure Z — financed the projects, which began in 2019.
District officials said that the project included upgraded energy-efficient systems that will reduce PVSD’s environmental footprint.
The project updated lighting to more long-lasting LED bulbs and installed energy management systems for HVAC units, costing about $227,000, according to district officials. This comes from state funding for energy efficiency projects, according to a district presentation.
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SLIDESHOW: Corte Madera School Principal Kristen Shima during a ribbon cutting to celebrate new facilities in the district in Portola Valley as school board trustees look on. Courtesy Portola Valley School District. -
SLIDESHOW: Ormondale School third graders Serafina and Genevieve play with bubbles provided by the “Bubble Lady” on Oct. 20, 2023. Courtesy Portola Valley School District. -
SLIDESHOW: Community members tour the new middle school atrium at Corte Madera School on Oct. 20, 2023. Courtesy Portola Valley School District. -
SLIDESHOW: Portola Valley Elementary School District Superintendent Roberta Zarea during an Oct. 20, 2023 ceremony to celebrate the opening of new facilities in the school district. Courtesy Portola Valley School District.
Construction of the new facilities at the K-3 Ormondale School was completed early this year, according to the press release. There’s a new STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) lab and sensory garden, where students take “Garden Thyme” classes. Students take woodworking classes in the new art room on Wednesdays and Fridays, according to a district board staff report.
Corte Madera School’s new middle school opened this April. Construction of the new fourth and fifth grade building was completed in August. Updates include a new amphitheater and an outdoor classroom deck.
