Del Mar school district invites public to site ‘brainstorming’ meetings

The Del Mar Union School District has set the dates for its school site team meetings as it seeks input on developing a prioritized capital improvement plan to guide the work implementing $186 million in Prop MM funds.

The district moved away from creating a district-wide facilities task force and decided instead to hold site specific meetings to allow for a more open process that allows for the most community engagement possible, said Chris Delehanty, director of capital programs.

“We are very pleased to have received the support needed to pass Measure MM,” said Superintendent Holly McClurg. “Our district will be working with Eric Hall and Associates to gather input from our parents, community, and staff members through ‘School Site Brainstorming Sessions’ that will help district staff to prioritize work and when it will be completed.”

With the brainstorming meetings, the public will be invited to help provide suggestions about their school’s needs, set priorities and recommend timing for district projects such as improved safety and technology infrastructure, classroom renovations and repairs district-wide, as well as new construction at Del Mar Heights and the ninth school in East Pacific Highlands Ranch.

Meeting dates (all meetings to be held from 6-7:30 p.m. in the school’s Multi-Use Room):

Jan. 14: Torrey Hills School, 10830 Calle Mar De Mariposa, San Diego, 92130

Jan. 24: Carmel Del Mar School, 12345 Carmel Park Drive, San Diego, 92130

Feb. 5: Ashley Falls School, 13030 Ashley Falls Drive, San Diego, 92130

Feb. 6: Del Mar Hills Academy, 14085 Mango Drive, Del Mar, 92014

March 5: Sycamore Ridge School, 5333 Old Carmel Valley Road, San Diego, 92130

March 6: Ocean Air School, 11444 Canter Heights Drive, San Diego, 92130

March 12: East PHR School (held at Sycamore Ridge School)

March 18: Del Mar Heights School, 13555 Boquita Drive, Del Mar, 92014

March 19: Sage Canyon School, 5290 Harvest Run Drive, San Diego, 92130

For more information, go to the District’s website at www.dmusd.org and click on the Measure MM tab at the top of the page.

RSVP information will be posted on both school and district websites and can be accessed at this URL (please note the web address is case sensitive): https://bit.ly/DMUSD-Facilities

All members of the school and neighborhood community are invited and encouraged to participate in these meetings.

At the Dec. 12 meeting, the board approved a pool of five pre-qualified architectural firms. As the district moves forward with facilities projects, it will be able to match the project with one of the firms, without having to go through a request for proposal for each project.

To establish the pool of architects, DMUSD issued a request for proposals and received 22 submittals, interviewing eight firms to narrow the pool to five that include: Baker Nowicki Design Studio, Lionakis, obr Architecture, Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects and Westberg+White Architects. The firms have completed many local projects—as examples, Lionakis designed Pacific Trails and Earl Warren Middle Schools and Westberg+White Architects designed Ocean Air School as well as multiple projects in the San Dieguito Union High School District.