GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT UNVEILS NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART SCIENCE BUILDING FEB. 1

El Cajon Valley High is 1st of 8 East County campuses to get new science buildings through Prop H

January 29, 2010 (El Cajon) Say goodbye to portable buildings and science classrooms built during the Eisenhower administration. Grossmont Union High School District ushers in a new era for its East County high schools with opening of the first of eight new state-of-the-art science classroom buildings.

The science buildings are part of Phase 3A of the $274 million Proposition H construction bond program, which will deliver a total of 72 new science classrooms and laboratories to area students. Most of the buildings will wrap up this spring with the final building to be completed in September.

A ribbon cutting and dedication will be held for a new science building at El Cajon Valley High School, 1035 E. Madison Ave., on Monday, Feb. 1 at 7:30 a.m. Speakers and special events will include GUHSD superintendent Robert Collins, principal Paul Dautremont, science department chair Franz Ruiz, Kristie Grover, director of BIOCOM, and Sandra Slivka, Ph.D., director of the Southern California Biotechnology Center at Miramar. A chemistry experiment and demonstration of “elephant toothpaste” will be included.

Proposition H was approved by 62 percent of voters in March 2004 to fund repairs of aging schools in the district as well as the construction of a new school. It was the first bond passed by voters in the East County in 37 years. The $274 million program includes student safety improvements, upgrades and expansion of technology and other infrastructures, renovations of outdated classrooms and the construction of new science classrooms.