Salinas breaks ground on first public high school in 21 years

City leaders and school officials from the Salinas Union High School District gathered Friday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site for the city’s newest high school.

Rancho San Juan High School (1100 Rogge Road) will be the fifth public school in Salinas and the first public high school to be built in the city in 21 years.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, we caught up with Gary Mortensen, whose father bought the land that the new school is being built in 1939. Mortensen, a former Alisal High School teacher, sold the land in 2006.

“I think that it is just the best thing that could ever happen to the property,” said Mortensen.

The project is also one that Mayor Joe Gunter says will reduce classroom overcrowding.

“It gives a chance for one on one with the teachers and if people spread out a little bit you have less problems,” said Gunter.

The two story high school will house around 1,500 students and will feature a two-story classroom building with 49 classrooms, including eight science labs, three computer labs, a library, media center, textbook and storage rooms, and administrative offices.

It will also feature a main gym, small gym, and a wrestling room. In addition, it will have a weight room, boys’ and girls’ locker rooms, track and field area, varsity baseball and softball fields, as well as soccer and practice fields.

The school is also trying to be more echo friendly.

“We should see solar involved in the high school and we should see wind,” said Kathryn Ramirez, the president of the Salinas Union High School Board of Trustees.

The project is also being called the high school of the future.

“This a very sophisticated school and it has got all the modern technology and there is technology for workforce training as well,” said architect Peter Kasavan

Kasavan is a product of the Salinas Union High School District and he wanted to make sure the design of the school didn’t stray away from the influences of the salad bowl.

“We hope that this will bring people back and connect them with the historic background of the Salinas Valley,” said Kasavan.

The groundbreaking might be a trip down memory lane for Mortensen, but he can’t wait for young people to make new memories on the old farm.

“I really look forward to all the kids getting treasured moments from here when they go to school here,” said Mortensen.
The high school is being paid for from funds from the passage of B.

The project is set to be completed in 2018.