On March 3, 2020, Measure L, a bond intended to improve and upgrade facilities within the San Mateo Union High School District, was passed with 57.45% voters supporting its implementation district-wide.
“[Measure L] is a $385 million general obligation bond that was passed by the voters of the district,” said Chief Business Officer and Associate Superintendent Yancy Hawkins. “It’s an eight to 10 year construction program with projects at six [SMUHSD] high schools.”
The projects of Measure L will be stretched throughout the coming years. One ongoing project at Aragon is the encapsulation of the transite panels, which will provide the school with a new exterior skin. Estimated to cost a little less than $20 million, this upgrade is currently in its developmental phase and is expected to be completed by January 2023.
Hawkins believes the transit panel upgrade will improve Aragon’s overall appearance.
“I think [the new campus skin] is going to look really nice,” Hawkins said. “It’s going to be more inviting [and] … lead to a better overall look of the campus. It’s going to do a lot for Aragon, as well as Hillsdale and Mills, where they are also implementing this project.”
“I think that will bring in more pride and lead to more connection within the community”
Another Aragon project is the replacement of the school’s public address system, a feature that alerts students of campus-wide news or threats. Upgrading the PA system will enhance school safety and communication, as well as keep Aragon up to date with new technological systems.
Additionally, there can be expected changes regarding the boilers, which are slated for upgrade by August 2025. There is also a planned upgrade for the Wi-Fi bandwidth at Aragon, which will likely occur in the late 2020s.
SMUHSD Board Trustee Ligia Andrade Zúñiga believes that schools’ physical appearances are important.
“Measure L will help students know that they go to school in a place that is well maintained,” Andrade Zúñiga said. “I think that will bring in more pride and lead to more connection within the community.”
Measure L may also reduce the District’s carbon footprint.
“Making sure that we are [environmentally] sustainable is very important,” Andrade Zúñiga said. “Some [of our students] have come and spoken with us about sustainability. As a board, we take that seriously. We want to make sure that … we are consciously doing things that will bring positive changes to the environment and to the future.”
“[These] opportunities help students grow and have better futures”
For example, Mills High School and Cappuccino High School replaced grass fields with turf to reduce the amount of water they use and to make maintenance more convenient. This also eliminates factors such as potholes, which can make sports games dangerous.
Upgrades in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are being made at Burlingame High School, San Mateo High School and Mills High School to follow health and safety regulations.
According to sophomore Giuliana Mendez, Measure L will be beneficial for students across the District.
“I think that [Measure L] is really good because better updated facilities and resources will help students in many ways,” said Mendez. “[These] opportunities help students grow and have better futures.”
Ultimately, Measure L is meant to improve the schools within the SMUHSD in aspects such as modernity, appearance and environment and boost students’ academic experience. The $385 million bond has already allowed for several changes and many more are planned to come.
