The summer of 2023 saw CHS beginning to reap the benefits of Measure S, a $340 million bond measure that passed on Nov. 8 of last year.
CHS underwent a variety of facility upgrades throughout the campus this summer via a Reimbursement Resolution of Measure S. These upgrades included fresh roofing on larger buildings, and cleaning up of the school’s tennis courts.
“Over the summer, [The Measure S Funding] resurfaced the tennis courts,” said Assistant Principal of Student Safety, Facilities and Athletics, Tyler Lee. “[the funding] gave us new roofing on the MPR and gym and the walkways where there’s an overhang and there are new floors in the cafeteria.”
With the Measure S funding, the school now has the financial means to bolster school security. It has already added new technology intended to keep the school secure. Due to the funding, the school was able to install new Ring-device-connected phones for administrators. These devices not only allow administrators an additional means of communication, but it allows them to remotely grant or deny access to people attempting to enter the school.
“We got new phones in the offices that have video calling,” said Lee. “They’ll be Ring devices […] so in an emergency, it’s locked and we keep it locked but from my office, I can lock and unlock it. But, say a student needs to get in, I can answer it, make sure it’s a student and let them in.”
Teachers and staff members are expected to be granted access to the Ring technology during this school year.
CHS is continuing to increase campus safety with the soon-to-be-added entrance gate technology. Funded by Measure S, all student IDs feature a microchip which students will need to be scanned through new scanning systems which are to be installed at the gates.
“They’re going to put in at the trail gate and the front gate, emergency scanning systems,” said Lee. “That’s why we’re making sure everyone has their new ID because the new IDs that students have have chips in them. This will allow them to tap in and out so instead of showing your ID when you walk in, you’ll just tap them.”
Teachers have also seen significant upgrades for both in-class equipment and in-class security. Teachers are to receive new in-classroom speakers and equipment for projection to improve the quality of instruction.
“There [will be] new speaker hookups and new power plug-ins so that [teachers] can plug in their computers to the wall port and it goes to the projector,” said Lee.
In addition to access to the aforementioned security equipment, each classroom will feature a clock that can display notifications in case of an emergency.
“All the clocks in the rooms [will have] built-in emergency systems,” said Lee. “It’s an LED clock and we [admin] can send out messages in an emergency to all the classrooms.”
With Measure S funds, even more CHS facility upgrades are soon to follow, with many projects expected to occur from now through 2033. As of now, the two most highly anticipated projects are the addition of solar panels by December 2024 and a new HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system for the H-building by the summer of 2025.
LVUSD received its first installment of funds provided by Measure S on August 24, 2023, when they received $85 million via an Aa1, the highest credit rating according to Moody’s Investors Services. The impacts of Measure S funds have already left their mark on CHS, and more improvements are soon to follow.
“[The money] is coming in phases,” said Lee. “The next wave of updates is being finalized right now.”
