District facilities staff told the Santa Rita Union School District board that a contractor found inadequate structural support in the district office's front window wall, prompting a design change and installation of horizontal and vertical support beams rather than replacing the upper gable glass.
"Our contractor and his workers discovered that our old front entrance... didn't have adequate structural supports," a facilities staff member said during the informational update. Staff said the change required deleting the planned upper gable glass and framing the wall to meet load‑bearing standards; the district expects a schedule delay of a few weeks for submittal reviews plus a typical 21‑day stucco cure, which staff estimated would push visible closures and finishes out by "a couple of months."
Other site work:
- John Gutierrez Middle School (JGMS): six new portable classrooms are on concrete perimeter‑pier foundations; stucco work is in the brown coat stage and the blacktop surface had been rejected twice and is under remediation. Staff noted a rat slab and drainage under portables to limit moisture problems.
- Gavilan View: directional boring saved time for utility runs; crews are potholing and rerouting utilities around deep treatment for new foundations.
- La Jolla: the district is planning a portable restroom installation during the winter break; plans will go to the Division of the State Architect (DSA) for seismic checks.
Measure R bond update: Rosa Zamudio reported that voters authorized Measure R for $24,900,000. The district sold Series A for $9,000,000 in 2023–24 and has been pursuing Series B and C sales to lock current construction prices. Staff described a strong credit rating and good interest rates during the sale process; they said the action helps keep projects moving as construction prices rise.
Board members noted the facilities committee's ongoing work and upcoming public outreach: a KSBW filming day is scheduled to show bond work in progress and to highlight playground and shade structure projects that are funded separately from Measure R. Staff said they would include playgrounds and shade structures in upcoming communications.
What it means: staff said the district is managing both planned maintenance and unexpected construction challenges while using bond proceeds and other facilities funds to keep projects on track. No new bond authorization or board vote was requested at the meeting.