NEW PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX AT HELIX CHARTER HIGH TO BE DEDICATED ON TUESDAY

January 12, 2014 (La Mesa) – Grossmont Union High School District will hold a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, January 14 at 2 p.m. for a new, $15.2 million Performing Arts Complex at Helix Charter High School.  The event will include tours of the facility, a ribbon cutting, student performances in the theater, and music by the Helix Highlander bagpipers.

Presenters will linclude Ralf Swensen (GUHSD Superintendent), Dr. Mike Lewis (Executive Director, Helix Charter High School), Gregg Osborn (Chair, Helix Performing Arts Dept.), Richard Sutton (Chairman, Helix Board), Dianne Jacob (Chair, San Diego County Board of Supervisors), Art Madrid (Mayor, City of La Mesa) and Robert Shield (GUHSD Board President).

The new 34,194-square-foot facility replaces an old, tiny theater and the former band/choir building on the nearly 60-year-old campus.       

The new Performing Arts Complex features include:  dramatic two-story glass entry; 410-seat theater with a full-fly loft; orchestra pit; 112-seat black box theater-in-the-room; theater lobby with tickets, concessions and restroom facilities; dance classroom with dressing rooms; digital arts classroom; choral classroom and recital rooms; instrumental classroom; instrument and uniform staging areas; stagecraft area; costume design and storage area; backstage dressing rooms.

The project was paid for with Proposition U bond funds approved by voters. 

The project, though welcomed by students and faculty at Helix, has not been without controversy.  Parents in the Alpine area have argued that building a 12th high school in Alpine was the top priority listed in Prop H and Prop U bond measures, and should have taken precedence over  arts projects.