Change is in the air for Buena, as well as for the rest of Ventura Unified School District’s educational facilities. Money received through the Measure E grant is being used to improve and update all schools within the district. Projects such as new sports facilities, safety features and solar panels are scheduled to be installed between now and the end of 2025.
“We want to create a more pleasant learning environment,” school board president Jerry Dannenberg said in a phone interview, “We want to address the health and safety needs of our students and staff.”
Most of the improvements in this coming year will affect student athletes, but will also be visibly noticeable to the rest of the school. The reason for all of these changes is to update and improve the functionality of Buena High. One major project involved in this theme are solar panels which will be installed at the elementary, middle and high schools alike. Buena’s solar panels will be installed in the circle parking lot and the first half of the student parking lot. The entire process will take about three months. This will impact staff and student parking, but plans are already being discussed to address this.
In addition, Buena recently installed a new heater in the pool, after having the previous one not working for a large portion of last year. Aquatic athletes will also be happy to know that a brand new pool entirely is on the plans as well, but will not happen for some time.
“Students want to go to a school that is clean, safe and visually appealing,” Principal Audrey Asplund said, “These things increase school pride and help students feel good [about] being at Buena.”
Measure E, which is funding these projects, is a bond that was passed by the community of Ventura in 2022. It grants $434.5 million to Ventura Unified, intended specifically for updating and improving the school district’s aging schools.
One of the projects for the elementary schools is installing new playgrounds, in that the current playgrounds are between 20-30 years old and can pose safety risks down the line.
A safety feature that has already been installed at Buena is the addition of security cameras, to better help administration keep everyone safe and accounted for. New roofing will also take place, but is not scheduled to happen in the next year.
Buena will also be getting a new track and football field for its various sports, as well as a new football scoreboard that has an attached sound system and stadium lighting, which can help bring life to games not seen previously. The scoreboard will now connect to the command center, and includes graphics and sound.
While these changes may seem scary and unexpected, especially to students and staff who have grown accustomed to how their schools look, the important thing to remember is that in the long run, these changes will only enhance the school experience for pupils and will create a more pleasant environment for the school as a whole.
For more information on Measure E and what it entails, visit venturausd.org/about/measure-e.
“We want clean, healthy places for people to learn and [for] teachers to teach,” Dannenberg said. “That is our ultimate goal.”
