Merced city schools modernizing security and classrooms

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Merced City School campuses are getting upgrades thanks to a 60 million dollar bond.

"What we're taking here is our old 1957 school, and basically re-building it from the ground up," MCSD Facilities Director Ken Testa.

Measure M funding is helping pay for a multi-million dollar modernization project across several campuses.

At Fremont Elementary, the windows are higher and will be tinted. There are new doors that automatically lock on the outside. The elementary school will also have new fencing.

By the end of this year, there will be nearly 400 cameras across all MCSD campuses.

"These measure m projects are all about modernization and improvement, so we're so excited when our kids come back, they'll have better facilities than when they left," MCSD Public Information Officer Sara Sandrik said.

Classrooms at Fremont Elementary will have magnetic whiteboards, allowing for more 21st-century teaching.

Hoover Elementary school is getting a new student commons. Wright Elementary will have a new cafeteria, and several schools will have a new air conditioning system.

"Electrical capacity was under what we needed. Our air conditioning was antiquated and just did not support kids and teacher's needs. We'd like to think that the home values will increase, the recreation will be better, the traffic will be more controlled," Testa said.

The classroom remodels are expected to be finished by the start of the new school year. Several other outdoor projects, like replacing portable classrooms, will be done during the fall.