VILLA PARK, CA (January 12, 2019) – The Orange Unified School District (OUSD) broke ground today on a new, state-of-the-art science center at Villa Park High School, the second project to be funded by the $288 million Measure S school bond that voters approved in November 2016. The bond will fund construction of science centers at each of the district’s four comprehensive high schools, in addition to campus-specific facility renovation and modernization projects. Each high school will receive a $72 million share of the voter-approved funds. Pre-construction work at Villa Park High School begins this month, with the science center scheduled for completion during the Winter of 2021.
Villa Park High School opened its doors in 1964 and is the second oldest high school in the district. According to Principal Kenneth Miller, Ed.D., the buildings and other facilities at the 55-year-old campus have never been extensively renovated or modernized, and there is great anticipation about the transformation that will occur over the next few years.
“The Spartan Community is about to experience significant and meaningful new construction and facility improvements on our campus, and we couldn’t be more thrilled or appreciative of the voters who supported Measure S and helped make this possible,” said Miller. “Our new science center will ensure our students have modern classrooms, labs and other resources that will optimize in-class instruction, support 21st century learning and help prepare them for future academic, professional and personal success.”
OUSD Board of Education Vice President Kathryn Moffat, whose Trustee area includes Villa Park, echoed Miller’s sentiment and reaffirmed the school district’s commitment to strong fiscal stewardship of the taxpayers’ dollars.
“Our high schools have served our students extremely well over the past half-century, and I’m grateful that we are able to make these investments, so they can continue serving our students - equally as well, if not better - for the next half-century and beyond,” said Moffat. “Orange Unified School District has been entrusted by the voters to manage the taxpayers’ dollars and to maximize those dollars for the benefit of our students. We take this responsibility seriously and we are committed to doing so in a fiscally disciplined and transparent manner.”
Following the June 2018 ground breaking at Orange High School and today’s groundbreaking at Villa Park High School, OUSD will next break ground at El Modena High School in the spring, followed by Canyon High School before the end of the school year.
Additional information and event photos are available online at https://www.orangeusd.org/measure-s/vphs