Auburn High School groundbreaking ceremony is Sunday

Groundbreaking on the new Auburn High School facility is 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

The public is invited. Parking is available in the Auburn Performing Arts Center parking lot, 700 E. Main St.

The ceremony celebrates the community's support and commitment to provide 21st century teaching and learning environments for all students.

The Auburn High School Choir will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner." Featured speakers include Auburn School Board President Janice Nelson, Superintendent Kip Herren, Auburn High School Principal Richard Zimmerman, and Auburn High School ASB President Adam Luk.

Auburn School District voters approved the Auburn High School Modernization and Reconstruction Bond with a 62-percent supermajority on the Nov. 6 general election ballot.

Site construction begins Monday.

The school is expected to open in fall 2014.

"We're very thankful to our community," Herren said. "This will be a really good thing for the community that will create jobs and provide a real boost to the downtown area. And we are delighted that we have the opportunity to make this a special project that will make a difference in lives for many years to come."

Among the project design features are:

• A new and prominent front entry on East Main Street.

• Direct access to and easily visibility of the PAC and main gym from 4th Street Northeast.

• Expansion of on-site parking stalls from 315 to more than 600.

• A large parking lot adjacent to the main gym, the PAC and Auburn Pool directly across the street from Auburn Memorial Stadium.

• An off-street bus loading area.

• New synthetic turf baseball and softball fields.

• All buildings under one roof.

• Improved energy efficiency.

• New classroom and building technology.

• A large student commons.

• A modernized PAC with a new front entry plaza and drop-off area, a new lobby and delivery area, new theater seats, upgraded lighting and sound systems, improved access for the disabled, seismic upgrades, and more restrooms.

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Project updates will be available at www.auburn.wednet.edu/AHSProject.

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