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With nearly three dozen projects finished to date, San Benito High School District’s Facility Master Plan is nearing completion, the culmination of years of work from a dedicated team devoted to continually improving the learning and teaching environment at Hollister High School.
Brad Fannin, the project director for our construction partner, Blach Construction, said that from the outset, his company’s input has been valued, which allowed it to help gain economies of scale “to help the District save money while accomplishing a lot of construction in a relatively short period of time. Today, these decisions have proven to be extremely good ones, as construction costs have skyrocketed.”
Modernization Efforts
Over the past few years, projects have included various campus modernization efforts, HVAC upgrades in classrooms and offices, as well as construction of the new Career Technical Education, Visual and Performing Arts, and Science and Robotics buildings. The list also includes projects that benefit our physical education and athletics programs, such as the new Andy Hardin Stadium, the Baler Aquatic Center, the Ray Barragan Softball field, and the multi-purpose fields. The facility plan has also brought the construction of new parking lots, the conversion of the old agriculture building into a classroom space for the Associated Student Body program, and the conversion of the old campus pools into the Baler Plaza.
Voter Support is Key
Many of the projects have been funded through voter-approved bond measures along with state funding that has allowed the District to expand the value of that financial support.
The campus solar projects and energy management systems, created in partnership with Climatec, have helped the District achieve nearly $2 million in energy savings, and counting, with more solar panels on the south side of campus coming online this year.
Completing the proposed student union, which is the only remaining project on the master plan list for Hollister High School, “would put a cap on an extremely successful campaign,” Mr. Fannin said. “I have never been a part of a facility master plan, nor have I ever heard of another district actually completing their FMP. San Benito High School District has done an excellent job of putting themselves in the position to get to this point, and being able to cross the finish line would give the students and greater community a huge boost. Having a completely revamped Hollister High School sets up the community for the next opportunity as the population continues to grow and a second high school becomes a necessity.”
MOT Building Completed
Kristy Betencourt, the District’s manager of maintenance, operations and transportation, noted that the new MOT building on the southwest corner of campus had its final walk-through last week and was found to meet all state standards. The building, which will help us move our buses and other transportation vehicles out of the center of campus and away from students, “provides an amazing home base for our team,” Ms. Bettencourt said.
She also said that the demolition of the former Career Technical Education Building near the corner of Nash and West streets, is nearly complete. Once the final Facility Master Plan project -- the proposed student union -- is constructed there, “this building will provide our students not only a new cafeteria but also an additional meeting space that will have a lot of natural light and be a truly inviting area for all who visit this space. I am excited to provide our community with a beautiful, functional campus.”
Next Steps
With the facility master plan nearly complete at Hollister High, San Benito High School District Board of Trustees President John Corrigan said he is “very proud of the work done to date by our Facilities Planning Committee,” which is providing community input to the discussions about the need for a second high school campus.
“Their engagement and work will ensure that our community's needs are met by the new high school in our district,” President Corrigan said.
Hollister High School’s modern and safe campus is reflective of the value our community puts on education and opportunity for students. We are grateful for their support and proud our Facility Master Plan has come to fruition.
These partnerships are proof that every day is a great day to be a Baler!
Sincerely,
San Benito High School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum
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