The Ceres Unified School District is planning to make upgrades to various school campuses, including some new school marquees, football and gym scoreboards, shade structures and baseball diamond improvements.
The district went out to bid for work to possibly start in May but actual starting dates are contingent upon approvals from the Division of the State Architect. Bids were due yesterday.
CUSD wants to replace the football score boards at both the football fields at Ceres High School and Central Valley High School’s stadium. Work will include removing the current scoreboard and installing a new scoreboard structure, LED flat screen monitor and truss arch. New power lines will be provided to the press box.
At more than 20 years old, the football scoreboard is technologically outdated and in need of modernizing to current standards.
For both schools, the integration of a video monitor will enhance the game day experience, said Beth Jimenez, CUSD’s communication specialist.
Also at Ceres and Central Valley high schools, the basketball scoreboards in the large gyms will be replaced and also equipped with an LED flat-screen monitor.
Basketball scoreboards at both CHS and CVHS were installed when CV opened in 2005. They are deemed technologically outdated and experiencing issues such as timer lags, horns not sounding and intermittent outages.
CUSD expects the costs will be approximately $150,000 per gym.
Another project will be to improve the varsity baseball field dugouts at Central Valley High School to standards consistent with other area high schools. The project calls for increasing the width of the dugout to provide adequate space for players and bat bags which are currently staged outside the dugout. The addition of a roof and concrete slab will protect players against exposure to the elements and prevent the flooding and mud that occur during rain and sprinkler use. The project is expected to cost approximately $100,000.
Another project will include installation of turf “halos” around home plates at Central Valley and Ceres High School baseball fields. The artificial turf borders will be placed around the home plate circle extending down the first and third base lines.
According in Jiminez, turf halos help maintain the area around home plate and batter’s boxes by reducing wear and tear to the field, block weeds, and enhance player safety by preventing lip buildup. They also brand the fields with school logos. The additions are expected to cost about $75,000 per school.
The district plans to install a new basketball scoreboard and LED flat-screen monitor in the Central Valley High School gym.
New marquees will be installed at Don Pedro and Virginia Parks elementary schools. The project, expected at $200,000 per school, will consist of removing the existing sign structures, install new ones and landscaping.
Shade structures, at approximately $350,000 per school, will be added to the campuses of Don Pedro and Sam Vaughn elementary schools. The district has yet to determine placement of those structures.
Westport Elementary School will be given a new property line boundary chain-link fence with man gates and vehicular access gates.
Various school sites will be receiving security gate modifications or replacements for perimeter fencing. They are Argus High School, Adkison Elementary, Patricia Kay Beaver Leadership Magnet, Carroll Fowler Elementary, Caswell Dual Language School, Central Valley High School, Ceres High School, Blaker-Kinser Junior High, Don Pedro Elementary, Hanline Elementary, Hidahl Elementary, La Rosa Elementary, Lucas Elementary Dual Language Academy, Mae Hensley Junior High, Sam Vaughn Elementary, Sinclear Elementary, Walter White Elementary, Westport Elementary, and Whitmore Charter.
