Orland Unified about to start second phase of Measure K

Dramatic changes continue at Orland Unified School District with the ongoing construction of new buildings.

More work is planned this summer once the district next month sells another series of school bonds from its $21.9 million Measure K - approved by district voters in 2008.

Orland Unified Superintendent Chris von Kleist said the district sold $8 million in bonds during its first sale and the it anticipates selling another $8 million in the second phase.

Most of the Measure K money spent so far has been used as matching funds for state educational construction dollars the district received to rebuild its aging campuses.

Work in progress includes construction of a two-story, 20,000-square-foot science and media building at C.K. Price Middle School that began last summer.

It is similar to the building put up at Orland High School for the same purpose ,and will cost about $5 million to complete, von Kleist said.

The next round of construction will be at Mill Street School where its old cafeteria is to be replaced with a new one close in style to the one built at C.K. Price, he said.

Mill Street also will get a new classroom and the cafeteria is to include a multi-purpose room as well.

In addition, the new structure will be set back off the street with room for a parking lot and student drop-off area, von Kleist added.

The Mill Street project is expected to run about $2 million, officials said.

Overall, the district will have completed about $25 million in projects at its six schools, von Kleist said, after the Mill Street project is done.

A solar power project is planned to start in June with rebate funding from Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the superintendent said.

It will include solar panels over parking lots and play areas to power the district office and schools for the future.

Finished projects include the new football stadium at Orland High School, remodeling of its gymnasium, eight new modular classrooms, new tennis courts and an agricultural barn for FFA students behind North Valley High School.

There is a new classroom building across from Mill Street School as well as one for special education programs, and Mill Street teachers also have new computer work stations, von Kleist said.

New security fencing for Fairview Elementary School is planned along with some remodeling as well.

C.K. Price Middle School's cafeteria offers state-of-the-art ovens, huge walk-in freezers and is adjacent to a new gymnasium.

Most of the new bond sale funds will be used to retire matching debt on the projects, von Kleist said, in addition to the Mill Street upgrades.

He said voters were promised charges of $60 per $100,000 of assessed valuation on their homes for the bonds sold.

"We have kept the rate below that," von Kleist said.

The goal is to keep it as close to $60 as possible, von Kleist said.