Solana Santa Fe School’s grand reopening

On a sunny and warm Oct. 4 afternoon, the Solana Beach School District celebrated a grand reopening for the refreshed Solana Santa Fe School. Students took on the duties of snipping the ceremonial red ribbon for the modernized campus that SBSD Superintendent Jodee Brentlinger said maximizes the learning experience for all students.

From the initial design team meetings in 2018 to the finishing touches placed last month, the project was a five-year “adventure”. The modernization journey was delayed by district attendance boundary decisions and weathered issues like a global pandemic, ever-rising construction costs, atmospheric rivers, supply chain challenges, labor shortages and a construction process that occurred over a two-year period on an occupied campus.

“I can say without hesitation, it was quite a ride,” Principal Matthew Frumovitz said.

Frumovitz believes the results were worth the journey, with the refreshed school entry, remodeled administrative offices, brand new kindergarten playground, enhanced child nutrition area, covered dining areas for students, revamped pick-up and drop-off area for efficiency and safety, and an “unbelievably fantastic” new two-story classroom building. The overhaul also included new carpet and furniture in all classrooms and new heating, ventilation, air conditioning and fire alarm systems throughout.

He was thankful for the teachers, staff, students and families who demonstrated flexibility, adaptability and patience over the past two years: “This was done all for the good and ultimately for the benefit of our most precious resource: our children.”

As SBSD School board Vice President Dana King noted with gratitude, the school’s $26 million “rebirth” was made possible by Measure JJ bond funds, passed by the community in 2016.

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“If it weren’t for our constructive citizenry and belief in great schools for great kids, we would not have this amazing new campus to celebrate and be so proud of,” said King, who served on the district’s bond oversight committee before joining the school board.

This year Solana Santa Fe is celebrating its 30-year anniversary—the school originally opened with 10 classrooms and eight relocatable buildings in 1993. Assistant Superintendent of Operations John Leeland shared the fun fact that the school’s 1991 groundbreaking was actually held at the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club due to a number of water issues found on the site during construction. Marsi Hays, a teacher who was at the school when it opened in 1993,remains at the school as a third grade teacher.

An additional classroom building was added in 1997 but the portables remained until this campus renovation took place, replaced with the two-story eight classroom building.

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Solana Santa Fe student Nivita Anand led a campus tour.

(Karen Billing)

Following the ribbon cutting, Solana Santa Fe students led campus tours of the upgraded facilities as well as the newly enhanced school garden, with a fence painted to look like colorful crayons. New signage placed before a flowering archway reads: “In our garden we plant seeds of kindness, dance with the butterflies, wish for sun and rain, pause to play in the dirt, learn from Ms. Barbara and enjoy the beauty”.

Student Nivita Anand led one tour with visiting VIPs such as SBSD board members Vicki King and Julie Union as well as Superintendents Holly McClurg, Andrée Grey and Jill Vinson from the Del Mar, Encinitas and Cardiff School Districts.

The new and improved school garden at Solana Santa Fe.

(Karen Billing)