Building starts for new elementary school

$78 million project hopes to open in July 2024

By Chris Campos Staff Writer

BRENTWOOD The shovels have started digging. Next up will be Brentwood’s newest elementary school.

Officials of the Brentwood Unified School District gathered at the site off Smith Lane between Lone Tree Way and Big Basin

Drive last week to mark the groundbreaking ceremony for the $78 million project that they hope to see open in July 2024.

Superintendent Dana Eaton said this week, “As our community continues to grow, it is important that we add schools for growth. This new school will offer the same great programs and opportunities as our other eight elementary schools. We are so excited to get started on building another wonderful educational community.”

The unnamed school will join the district’s existing eight elementary schools and three middle schools.

The funding for the project came from the passage of Measure B, which authorized the issuance of $158 million in bonds to pay for the modernization of all 11 schools in the district and to build a new elementary school. It was approved by 57% of voters in the June 2016 election.

The projected enrollment of the school is 700 students. The district will first open next year with about 500 students up to grade 5. The finished school will cover 90,000 square feet of space and feature 38 classrooms; a multipurpose room; gymnasium; kitchen; two science labs; locker rooms, two sports fields; upper grade and lower grade play structures; and a library.

While new schools are being developed and constructed, the school district is working with the city on improving the surrounding areas. That entails making corresponding road improvements, widening of nearby streets, and possibly the addition of traffic signals.

Brentwood Director of Public Works and City Engineer Miki Tsubota told the Press earlier, “We are also working with the Brentwood Union School District to widen Smith Road…The proposed street improvements include widening of Lone Tree Way between O’Hara Avenue and Tilton Lane, relocation of overhead utilities, and a new traffic signal at the Lone Tree Way-Smith Road intersection.”

For more information: https://www. brentwood.k12.ca.us/

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FCC order hinders California seniors’ ability to communicate

Editor:

I recently learned that last August, the FCC approved deregulation that allows telecom companies to shut down their copper wire landline phone service, and replace it with internetbased phone service.

This decision affects California’s most vulnerable groups. And if the federal government won’t look out for their interests, the state government should step in.

According to the FCC order, because landline service requires infrastructure that’s expensive to maintain, its use is preventing us from transitioning to the next generation of communication technology.

Explain that to my parents, or to the 4.5 million seniors in California who still rely on landline service. My parents can barely use their cell phone, and the internet in their home often cuts in and out. I can’t imagine tying their primary means