East Whittier board approves updated facilities master plan, prioritizes three campuses

The East Whittier City School District Board of Education on a 5-0 vote approved an updated facilities master plan and a draft project list that prioritizes Orcharddale, Mulberry and East Whittier Middle School for initial Measure C work and state matching funds.

The plan, presented to the board by district staff, updates a 2019 master plan and lays out a program of projects across the district. Superintendent Patterson told the board the update reflects changes in costs and priorities since the district’s earlier bond work. “With this new facilities master plan, the projected totals, if we were to do everything in that master plan, would total about $223,000,000,” Patterson said, comparing the figure to an earlier estimate in the plan.

District staff said the update also accounts for state-level funding opportunities. “We do believe that there’s about $30,000,000 of state matching dollars now that Prop 2 has finally passed,” a staff presenter said, and said the district expects to pursue state matching funds for Measure C projects. Staff recommended starting work at Orcharddale, Mulberry and East Whittier Middle School to test scope, costs and schedules; the presentation said the three sites together could be covered by roughly $27,000,000 in early Measure C drawdowns, subject to design estimates.

The plan lists six categories of outstanding work that remain across campus sites: exterior painting, HVAC replacement, roofing at two sites, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) updates and restroom work, windows/doors/cabinetry/technology and interior flooring. The presentation included sample cost benchmarks staff will use for early budgeting: exterior painting cited at about $250,000 and a typical HVAC replacement estimate near $1,250,000, with the caveat that those figures require updating during design and bidding.

Board members asked how single points of entry and campus safety lobbies would be handled at East Whittier Middle School; staff said one consolidated public-facing entry would be created and other gates would remain used for arrival and dismissal but could be closed during the school day. Staff also said camera and safety-system pilots have been installed at several sites and will inform future priorities. The district said it has an existing memorandum of understanding with the city governing field and facility use and that the MOU will be reviewed as part of field and athletic planning.

The board voted to accept and approve the updated facilities master plan and the staff-recommended project list. Board members voting yes were Miss Carrera, Miss Hernandez, Miss Staps, Mister Tiago and Mister Aparicio.