Building a Better Future One Beam at a Time

M-A faculty, donors, and members of the M-A Foundation for the Future, as well as the design and construction team for the new M-A buildings, came together on Monday, May 9, for a ceremonial signing of the final steel beam that will be added to the structure of the G-Wing building.

IMG_8714
Matthew Zito, Chief Facilities Officer of SUHSD and Cindy Folker, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Future.

The G-Wing is projected to be completed in December 2016, so it will be available starting the second semester of the 2016-2017 school year. This addition to M-A will increase the number of classrooms and bathrooms on campus.

Former M-A principal and current Chief Facilities Officer of the Sequoia Union High School District, Matthew Zito, highlighted how the new buildings will help accommodate the projected enrollment growth and improve campus life.

Zito shared, “Over the twelve years I worked at M-A the bathrooms had a life of their own, so this will add two new sets off bathrooms, alleviating one of those sore points for the students.”

IMG_8772
Principal Simone Kennel signs the beam.

Beyond an increase in restrooms and classrooms on campus, attendees of the event hope that the new buildings will foster community growth.

Principal Simone Kennel is excited about the expansion. She cannot wait for students to hang out in the new courtyard of the G-Wing and for student to use “the cool furniture and collaborative spaces, which you might find in high tech company’s office these days.”

IMG_8809
The Class of 2016 forever immortalized in the new building

Kennel also explained that the building will add “a nice flow to the center of campus which we don’t really have right now” and “each wing will feel like a part of the campus.”

Essentially, the new buildings are meeting more than just the needs of the campus; they are marking a time of change and growth at M-A. Attendees of the event signed their names and well wishes on the beam to commemorate the buildings and the evolution of the M-A campus.

[slideshow_deploy id=’58030′]

Photographers: Sana Sheikholeslami and Lauren Bruce

Hi! I’m Sana Sheikholeslami, and I’m a senior at M-A. I'm excited to be working with the M-A Chronicle for the first time! I love learning about the world around me and I believe that journalism is one of the best mediums for doing so. I hope to foster an environment that celebrates learning and promotes positive change within our community. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends!