LA JOLLA – Bird Rock Elementary School will begin a major renovation this summer to modernize its 75-year-old campus and meet the long-term needs of students. The $25 million project is scheduled to start in June 2026 and is expected to finish by March 2029.
“Bird Rock School just turned 75 years old. We’re celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, and we want the campus ready and prepared for the next 75 years, so the modernization is important,” said Principal Dr. Eric Banatao.
The school has long served as a hub for the Bird Rock community, hosting events and activities that extend beyond the student body.
Banatao said the renovation reflects both the school’s role as a neighborhood anchor and its educational mission.
“We held conversations with staff, parents, and community members to gather feedback on their hopes and needs for the school,” he said.
Community input guided several key aspects of the plans, including a more visible front entrance, consolidated classrooms for younger students, and expanded spaces for arts, music, engineering, and maker activities.
“The community wanted a more welcoming front entrance and better organization for our youngest learners, like TK and kindergarten. The new plans give us a clear front entrance, more classrooms for lower grades, additional restrooms, dedicated spaces for music and art, and new areas for engineering and maker activities,” Banatao added.
The renovation will remove eleven portable classrooms and two older buildings across the school’s 4.3-acre campus. In their place, a two-story building with nine classrooms and a learning deck, and a one-story building with six classrooms, will be constructed. The administration building will be relocated closer to the front of campus to provide a clearly marked main entrance and improve accessibility.
Construction will proceed in phases to limit disruption to students, staff, and the community.
“Disruption will be minimized by phasing the work. The first phase will remove five temporary classrooms, and a new nine-classroom building with a learning deck will be completed within 12 to 15 months. Once that building is ready, students and staff can move out of other areas to allow additional construction,” Banatao said.
He added that safety and careful coordination are top priorities.
“The construction teams will handle the bulk of heavy demolition, noise, and trenching during the summer months. Security fencing and careful scheduling will keep students and staff safe, and we’ll work closely with the project team throughout the year to ensure success for the community and the kids. We’ll coordinate around testing, school schedules, and other daily operations to minimize disruptions as much as possible,” Banatao said.
Other planned upgrades include new playground equipment, additional restrooms for students and staff, and modernized electrical, plumbing, and solar systems.
The renovation will also update the school’s original 1951 building, including improvements to the auditorium, and create new staff lounge spaces, further enhancing the campus environment for educators and students alike.
Banatao said the community has responded positively to the plans. “The community was impressed by the plans and is looking forward to the new designs,” he said.
The modernization represents the most significant update to Bird Rock Elementary since it opened.
Hence then, the article about modernization to begin for 75 year old bird rock elementary was published today ( ) and is available on Times of San Diego ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Modernization to begin for 75-year-old Bird Rock Elementary )
Also on site :
- Valve will face that £656m UK lawsuit accusing them of overcharging Steam customers, as tribunal rules it can go ahead
- Mimi Rogers Turns 70 and Stuns on the Red Carpet Alongside Her Beautiful Lookalike Daughter
- Macy’s $27 Cubic Zirconia Halo Stud Earrings Have Shoppers Raving About the ‘Quality and Sparkle’