HART HIGH GETTING FACE-LIFT TWO OTHER CAMPUSES ALSO TO BE WORKED ON STARTING NEXT SUMMER.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS 

Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- After months of emotional pleas Hart High will get its much-needed face-lift -- including a new science building and expanded music rooms -- and two local junior highs will also be renovated, with work scheduled to start next summer.

The Hart Union High School District board unanimously approved a $62 million modernization package Monday night for Hart High and Placerita and Sierra Vista junior high schools, after months of complaints from teachers, alumni and parents about deteriorating conditions.

"There's still a lot of work ahead but I am very happy that we are getting to do what we said we would do," said Hart's Superintendent Jaime Castellanos.

The renovation projects at the district's three oldest schools had been put on hold a few months ago when it was revealed that funds from the voter-approved Measure V bond were depleted.

But district officials said after much reorganizing the accounts were replenished and there is funding for other key projects.

"This does not tap out Measure V," said Rob Gapper, Hart's chief operations officer. "There will be a balance of $2 million left and that includes money for Castaic High School and the performing art centers at Saugus and Canyon high schools."

Hart High band and choir supporters were prepared to give the school board an earful if their classrooms, designed for about half the number of students these programs now have enrolled, were not included in the first phase of renovation at the campus.

But a last-minute revision, just days before Monday night's meeting, left everyone in the audience pleased.

"All my questions have been answered," said Shirley Pundt, Hart Band Regiment representative.

Other updates to the 60-year-old campus include a new 12-classroom science building -- where rooms average 1,500 square feet -- restrooms in the campus' portable Q village and modernization of buildings C, F, J, K and M.

Renovations also will include facilities to accommodate the disabled and updated fire-alarm systems.

At Sierra Vista the library and school office will be refurbished and at Placerita a new front entrance will be added that will help improve security and the gym will be expanded.

The district will be pulling $41 million from Measure V funds for the three projects, $3.5 million from state pupil grants, $3.4 million from state modernization funds and $9.5 million from developer fees.

An additional $5 million will come from other sources including the possible sale of district-owned property and contributions from the Santa Clarita Valley Facilities Foundation.

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