MUS Improvements

Just days before school goes back in session following summer break, Montecito Union School is busy getting classrooms rearranged in order to accommodate what will ultimately be two years of construction in order to modernize campus infrastructure. 

The project, which is 15 years in the making, includes improving infrastructure and accessibility in Building D (over 100 years old) and Building E (over 70 years old). Because the campus is eclectic, the topography includes multiple levels, which means that there are multiple sets of stairs and non-compliance with ADA regulations. Two elevators will be added to the main building; new bathrooms will be added and existing ones will be brought up to code; thresholds will be modified to accommodate wheelchairs and walkers; truncated domes will be added where necessary for the visually impaired; ADA signage will be added; new built-ins will be installed where old ones are torn out during construction; and new equipment and some furniture will be purchased. Both buildings will also be outfitted with air conditioning, which the rest of the campus already enjoys. Newly-installed solar panels will generate the power necessary for the new HVAC systems.

This project will occur in five phases. Phase 1 is nearly complete, and included moving everything out of Building D, and bringing in eight, full-sized portable classrooms. A temporary office has been set up in one of the fifth-grade classrooms, and other classrooms have been shuffled around. Fourth-grade classes, as well as music and one Spanish class, will be located in the temporary portable classrooms. 

Superintendent Anthony Ranii, who gave us a tour of the campus earlier this week, wants the community to know that the gate created in the fencing above the school on San Ysidro Road, is not permanent, and is not a new entrance to the school. “We had to bring in the portables through this temporary access,” he said, adding that the portable classrooms, located on the field, could not be placed via School House Road because of the road’s narrowness. 

Phase 2 will take place this school year, and includes all upgrades to Building D (the main building). From the outside, the building will look the same, but there is fencing up to secure the area during construction. Phase 3 includes completing the elevators, which Ranii says is the most complex part of the project. 

Next summer the campus will be shuffled around again, with classes and administration going back to a newly-renovated Building D, and work beginning on Building E in Phase 4, which will displace TK, Kindergarten, and first graders to the portables. The final phase, Phase 5, which is anticipated in the summer of 2024, includes removing the temporary classrooms, renovating the field and hardscape, and moving everyone back to their original location. 

Ranii says that safety is the primary concern during construction. “There will be physical barriers between construction areas and students, and all equipment and materials will be in a lay-down area enclosed by fences. We are fingerprinting construction staff members and meeting daily to discuss how to mitigate and minimize any disruptions due to noise and dust,” he said. Questions and concerns can be directed to Mr. Ranii at: aranii@montecitou.org.

The $14M project is being self-funded by the school and includes a $3M grant from the State of California. MUS has been aggressively putting aside money for this project, adding $700K-$1.5M per year to a special fund for the last five years. Earlier this year the School Board approved a bridge loan in order to secure the rest of the funds before lumber and construction costs inflate further. 

Also happening on campus, a new school breakfast and lunch provider, NuCuisine Catering, is under contract for the upcoming year. Ranii said food service at the school has consistently scored low on parent and student feedback surveys, and that NuCuisine was chosen with the enthusiastic recommendation of a panel of teachers, staff members, parents, and students. Longtime executive assistant Autumn Noe has been instrumental in helping to transition to this new provider, which has created a food program that meets the needs and values of MUS. 

NuCuisine Catering, owned by chef Koji Nomura, has been providing school lunch programs in Santa Barbara for 13 years. They currently serve lunch and breakfast at Riviera Ridge (formerly Marymount) and have also provided lunches for Bishop Diego High School and Hope School. Mr. Nomura has owned and operated Santa Barbara restaurants including Piranha Sushi Bar, Rocks Restaurant, California Noodle Kitchen, Miso Hungry, Santa Barbara Tennis Club, and was the Executive Chef at Oku Restaurant. The food program will be free to all students. 

Two new projects are also ongoing on the other side of campus, at the school’s Nature Lab. The Outdoor Learning Pavilion is in progress, with four learning counters currently being constructed, which will have student sinks and electrical outlets. This pavilion will allow for science, art, and the preparation of fruits and vegetables from the Nature Lab, and is expected to be completed by October 1. Plans for bathrooms for the Nature Lab have been submitted, and once complete, they will allow for greater use of the facility for younger students, as well as community events. 

For more information, visit montecitou.org. The campus is located at 385 San Ysidro Road.