KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — In 2016, local voters approved Measure U, a $24 million bond measure that allowed us to invest in our school facilities.

Thanks to sensible planning from our school board and careful execution from our staff and community partners, we’ve been able to complete projects at every single school, even in the midst of a pandemic, and these projects are making a real difference for our students.

In addition to Measure U funding, we received modernization funds and those have allowed us to take on even more projects. Here’s what we’re up to.

KELSEYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

At KHS, we installed air conditioning in the gym, replaced decades-old portable classrooms with new modular buildings, and built a state-of-the-art shop building where students can gain practical skills in woodworking, ag, metals, and mechanics.

This summer, we plan to repair and refinish the KHS wood gym floor and add exterior storm drainage, as well as adding a shade structure behind the shop building. And next year, we’ll break ground on our final Measure U project: a major renovation of our track and field facility, which will include improving the football field and grandstands, renovating the bathrooms, and providing better accessibility with improved lighting and walkways.

MOUNTAIN VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL

At MVMS, we added new shade structures over ADA-compliant walkways to keep kids cool in the summer and protect them from rain in the winter. Then we poured concrete foundations and relocated some of our modular classrooms to create a more open and attractive campus layout.

After that, we gutted those old modulars and the accompanying bathrooms and completely renovated them, rebuilding them from the ground up, both inside and out. Our next project is to replace the MVMS gym floor and upgrade drainage around the campus.

KELSEYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

At KES, we built a multi-use roomm that serves as a cafeteria and gymnasium. It includes a basketball court with an LED scoreboard, shot clock, bleacher seating and a concession stand, and because the court meets high school standards, MVMS and KHS can use the gym for practices and games.

We also laid new asphalt in the playground and the renovated bathrooms — and when I say renovated, I mean we took them down to the studs and replaced the flooring, the lighting, and every fixture. Right now, we’re in the process of installing new playground equipment, and then we’ll convert the old cafeteria into two classrooms and a large extra room.

RIVIERA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

At RES, our newest school, we redid our parking lot to improve safety and enhance the flow of traffic. We separated bus traffic from parent drop-off/pick-up, replaced gravel with asphalt, and ensured ADA compliance. We also installed a new septic system—always a good plan before there’s a problem.

THANK YOU

All these projects have been done on time, and many of them under budget. To all of you who voted in favor of this bond measure, thank you. Kelseyville is an awesome community where we come together to help each other. I’m grateful to live and work here.

I also want to thank our maintenance staff, the contractors, the architects, and our project manager. Another big thanks to our students and staff who have been so patient while all the construction was underway.

And finally, big thanks to all the community businesses and organizations who continue to support us through donations and other partnerships, including the Lake County Wine Alliance who donated $15,000 to support fine arts education and $2,500 to the Future Farmers of America out of proceeds from their 2021 Lake County Wine Auction.

Every donation makes a difference and we appreciate your support as we help students discover their passions and grow their skills.

Dr. David S. McQueen is superintendent of Kelseyville Unified School District.