The Duarte Unified School District Board of Education approved Amendment No. 1 to lease–leaseback documents with Balfour Beatty Construction LLC, setting a guaranteed-maximum price of $14,420,152 for the Beardsley Dual Language Academy modernization project.

Board members voted 4-1 to approve the amendment after a discussion that included multiple public comments from Beardsley teachers, students and staff who said parts of the campus garden and outdoor green space — described repeatedly in testimony as a student safe space and learning area — would be lost or substantially reduced by placing new classrooms and portables on that site.

Why it matters: The board’s action commits district contract authority to a defined GMP and moves the modernization project forward on a timeline district staff said is tied to approvals by the Division of the State Architect (DSA). Board members and public speakers said reversing or reworking the plans at this point would likely require reapproval by DSA and could add six to eight months to the schedule.

Details of the approval: The motion to adopt Amendment No. 1 to the lease–leaseback documents was made by Board Member Diaz and seconded by Board Member Holguin. The roll-call vote was Diaz — yes; Finley — yes; Holguin — yes; Hasso — yes; Reyes — no. The motion carried 4-1.

During discussion board members asked for cost detail and site logistics. District staff stated the GMP is $14,420,152. Staff described a plan to relocate multiple portable classrooms from another district site (the transcript records varying spellings of that origin site: “Andrus,” “Andres,” and “Andersen” in different places). District staff said the portables will be refurbished and placed at Beardsley; two of the portables will have water access. Staff also said that if the plans are changed after DSA approval, the project would need to return to DSA for reapproval, which staff estimated would take six to eight months and affect a November start and a projected completion around March 2027.

Public testimony and school staff concerns: Teachers and students spoke during the request-to-address-the-board period. Sherry Johnson, a teacher at Beardsley and a DUEA executive-board member, said the garden is “a haven” for students, including several special-needs students, and asked that teachers be consulted about classroom design and storage needs. Vanessa De Arcos, an eighth grader and ASB vice president, told the board the rose garden “is one of the few calm shaded spots we have” and urged board members to visit the school during break and lunch to see how students use the space. Heather Mesner, speaking as a DUEA member, said teachers and staff had helped pass bonds with the expectation of collaborative planning and asked the board to pause and allow teacher input and to consider waiting for the new superintendent to review plans.

Board and staff responses: District staff and board members acknowledged the community’s attachment to the garden. Staff said they had walked the board through the site and that the project includes a district preschool hub and will not increase TK–8 classroom capacity. Staff also said the garden’s back three-quarters would be affected by placement of three classrooms; some front areas near a large tree would remain. Board members said they would pursue options with the city and the district’s joint-use agreement to identify ways to retain or replace green space for students.

What was not specified: The transcript does not include a formal, consistent name for the other district site that will provide portables (transcript spellings vary). Exact counts of students added to Beardsley because of relocated programs were not provided; staff said total TK–8 capacity for the site remains unchanged and that current enrollment is “just under 500, including pre-K SCC.” Specific contract identifiers (contract number) were not specified on the record.

Next steps and implications: With the GMP approved, staff said the project timeline calls for construction work to begin in November and to finish roughly in March 2027, assuming no design changes that would trigger DSA reapproval. Board members and commenters requested continued engagement with teachers, staff and the community to minimize loss of student green space and to identify replacement or mitigation options.

Ending: The board approved the amendment 4-1. Several board members said they would seek ways to restore or replace green space for students if the modernization proceeds.