Construction Updates
Channel Islands is a beautiful school that has faced many challenges. It’s amazing how much this school has developed over the years. But, it is far from done, that’s why we’re here to shed some insight on how the construction at the school is progressing and how much work there still needs to be done.
As we all know, C.I. is beautifully built and everyone who has worked on this school has worked hard. Ms. Marianne Ramos, our principal here at Channel Islands, has shared some information with us about the developments of the construction here which includes what is already finished on the Islands. Ms. Ramos informed us that both the B and C wings are finished and that her next project is the D wing. All teachers that reside in the buildings that need construction will be transported to the X wing while they finish.
Buildings aren’t the only projects planned for the future here at the Islands. Ramos stated that her main priority is the pool, which was promised to students a while ago, but later explained they would need an influx of money to fund this project. Next will be the 90’s room area; after that the art and special education buildings; and lastly the administration building. Ramos has stated that she wants to prioritize areas where students will be learning. Later on, she wished to incorporate new lighting, HVAC, new windows, air conditioning, updated flooring, new teaching boards, new T.V. ‘s, freshly painted rooms and updated camera systems. In order to be able to complete all of these requests, they need to hire a company who will be compliant with finishing the initial construction.
Currently, Ramos does not have a timeline for these projects to start or finish, but she would like to start by the end of the year so that we can see how much they progressed by the time we come back for next year. Some minimal projects she would like to get done are new fencing, updating the drainage, and reducing class sizes. Ramos also wants to make improvements for the culinary rooms.
Some wishes she has for the future of our school is that she wants to add a performing arts center here at the Islands. Ramos wishes for it to be a place for performances, awards, and places to welcome the community.
The school’s most recent project here at Channel Islands was installing the long awaited air conditioning. Before the A/C was installed many students and teachers were dreading the heat in classrooms. Sophomore English teacher, Ms.Dominique Rousseau stated, “During the summer was definitely one of the hardest times for us because we have no AC, so students would be complaining about how hot it was and how the fans weren’t effective enough, or they wouldn’t be giving fresh air in each direction. Which made it difficult for me to teach because it felt like everyone was just so distracted by the heat.”
Sophomore, Elianna Bashor, expressed her views on how life at CI without A.C. has affected her. “I felt like leaving school because of how intense the heat was and that I felt like I was going to suffer a heat stroke.”
When it comes to the pool situation, Jocelyn Fuentes, who is a part of the girls water polo team here at CI, has felt some frustration about the fact that she has to go to Hueneme high school just for their practices in the morning. This is because CI has not delivered on their plans to build a pool on campus. Fuentes hopes that they finish building the pool at CI before she graduates, and wishes to compete here against other schools. This school has many great plans for the future and our administration and staff here hope that the future generations will be proud to be a student at CI.
