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closeNew home for culinary arts, automotive courses
Chris Albert
The new Puyallup High School building that will house automotive technology, digital photography, video productions and culinary arts programs should be ready to open by the fall of 2009.
Community leaders, faculty, students and district leaders took the first step by turning some dirt at a ground breaking ceremony June 20 at the school.
“We want to provide our students and staff the very best working conditions available,” said Superintendent Tony Apostle.
“I really appreciate all of the community’s support and the district’s support in getting this done,” said Puyallup High School Principal Jason Smith.
The $15 million project is part of the capital facilities bond package approved by voters in 2004.
“That’s the great news,” Apostle said.
But to continue to phase two of the facilities project, which would add two additional floors to the building, voter approval is needed on an upcoming bond measure, he said.
The new facility will be located on the tennis courts, which will be relocated to a lot by the swimming pool.
The facilities are designed as a Career and Technology Education building, said Lee Fenton, architect with BCRB who designed the building.
The building will be a single story structure. The first phase is separate from the main building, but the additions would include a sky bridge between the two buildings.
In between the two buildings there will be a courtyard to provide an outdoor element to the facility, Fenton said.
The first phase of the project has been designed and the construction bid for the project was awarded to Commercial Structure, which has worked on other school district projects, such as Carson Elementary school and Glacier View Junior High school.
The 22,000 square foot space will be made up of lab space, as well as other elements, Fenton said. For example, the culinary arts program will have additional space, like a cafe for products.
“It’s not just the production but it’s also delivery and the retail aspect of it,” Fenton said.
“We’re the magnet school for culinary arts and automotive,” Smith said. “This is going to provide brand new facilities for those programs.”
It’s crucial that the programs get new facilities, he said.
“Our classes are filled,” Smith said.
Smith credits the teachers of the programs for drawing a wide variety of students into the programs.
“Right now our program is teaching to capacity and it’s the facilities that are at capacity,” said Larry Turner, automotive teacher.
This last school year, the automotive program saw an average of 125 students per day, he said. Of the upper level courses the vast majority of them go on to either a technical college or an industry training program in the automotive field.
The programs provide a strong path to a technical college or even right into the industry, he said.
“They are absolutely essential in providing the introductory skill and core training for students who may choose to go to a technical college,” Apostle said.
With new facilities, students in the automotive program will be able to work more closely with technology that is a mainstay in the industry.
“It’s not just changing the oil,” Smith said, “It’s the full meal deal.”
Student’s need to work closely with more advanced tools, such as running diagnostics, Turner said.
“It’s heavy on the technology,” he said. “It’s not mechanical any more.”