Clovis Municipal Schools outlines construction plans, summer athletics expansion and a proposed 20-mil GO bond levy

Clovis Municipal Schools officials reported facility updates, summer youth-athletics participation and plans for a multi-phase renovation of Clovis High School that the district would seek to fund with a proposed general-obligation bond.

District representative Mister Brady provided project updates: Berry Elementary is about 99% complete and expected to be cleared of construction trailers by the end of the month; Marshall Auditorium lighting and sound are complete; renovations at the high school (library and office conversions) are scheduled for completion by Aug. 8; and roof work is ongoing at Marshall and San Diego.

Brady and Derek Sherrod described a city-district partnership that expanded youth athletics and camps. Participation figures from last year cited by staff: flag football — 637 participants; volleyball — 519; basketball — 924 (with an average of about 693 participants across the school year). Summer camps averaged roughly 457 kids per week across sports and fine-arts offerings. The district said most youth programs are free to families and use high-school athletes and coaches as volunteer coaches.

On facilities, district leaders said Clovis High School (CHS) is past its expected life: average school facility age is 51 years and the oldest CHS building is nearly 70 years old. The board approved a resolution for a 20-mil GO (general-obligation) bond levy and the continuation of an existing 2-mil levy; district staff said the GO bond would serve as the local match for state funding where the district’s match ratio was described as 39 cents on the dollar. Brady described a three-phase plan that would begin with improvements to the lecture hall, band annex and related systems; then construct a two-story freshman academy (CHSFA) replacement; and then address additional buildings, locker rooms and systems over a decade or more. Brady said the phased work would aim to limit disruption by using portable classrooms and staging work across years.

Staff also described a set of traffic and parking changes tied to the high-school reopening: buses will be routed to the north side by the tennis courts, a new drop-off lane and electronic sign will be placed at CHSFA, and school flashers that served a closed school will be relocated to 20 First Street. Staff said the district and city will re-enforce residential parking rules near campus by issuing limited neighborhood parking permits to residents and tasking PSA officers to enforce permits.

Ending: District staff said they will pursue community outreach and tours to explain the bond and project phases; the committee heard the update and thanked district leaders for the partnership with the city.