LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - On Thursday evening, the Laguna Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Board of Education held a study session to review proposed updates to LBUSD’s 10-year Facilities Master Plan that address facilities needs at all school sites and expand the flexibility and mixed-use of all district-owned facilities to meet all existing and anticipated student and program needs, such as:
- the expansion of the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program,
- upgrades to outdated athletics facilities,
- outdoor learning environments,
- and the increased demand for comprehensive social-emotional support programs.
The 10-year facilities master plan, approved by the board in 2015, is updated annually with feedback from the board and community to ensure continuous alignment with district priorities. The pandemic delayed the annual update to the master plan as schools addressed the facility and operational issues associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 the board contracted with Ruhnau Clarke to conduct a feasibility study related to the remaining capital improvement projects, which now include the expansion of the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program as required by California law.
Another interest of the board in the feasibility study was to explore opportunities to expand recreational and mixed-use facilities for the broader community. The proposed projects include options for constructing an Olympic-sized pool (50 meters), a parking structure and a shared administrative building for district and high school staff that maximizes land use and creates mixed-use spaces for school business and student activities (i.e., flexible-use board room). The aquatic facility and parking structure would be available for community use, addressing citywide parking shortages and expanding recreational opportunities. You can view the proposed projects here.
|