Measure M passes, foreshadowing possible renovations to Davis High

By Lili Ma,
BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–

While students under the age of 18 might be apprehensive of the effect midterms results will have on them, there is a measure on district level voting that will directly affect the infrastructure on Davis Joint Unified School District schools, including Davis High .

Measure M is a 150 million dollar bond measure that passed overwhelmingly last night; 72.3 percent of voters voted yes to the measure, according to the Yolo County Elections Office.

The funds will be used to to improve school security and keep schools up to date. This will include updating classroom and athletic facilities to meet academic and safety standards, redoing plumbing and electrical systems and making schools both accessible and inclusive for those with disabilities.

All school district sites are in need of some level of improved infrastructure and will be getting their own set of renovations. School buildings will be replaced or remodeled to become safe to outside forces according to district plans.

For DHS this will mainly mean new facilities.

Part of the new design is a more open counseling office that will be more inviting and provide a safe environment for students who are seeking help.

Classrooms will also be changed to match new methods of learning. District plans outline that classrooms will be designed to foster discussion and allow for spaces that can foster critical thinking as well better lab and work areas.

Athletic facilities will be seeing a makeover with the possible addition of a school aquatic center and team rooms. The purpose is to have a “home turf” that will create school pride and a sense of team interconnection.

“Our students and staff deserve the best facilities possible to meet 21st century learning needs. My department is committed to using our resources wisely and driving safety enhancements and facility modernizations, prioritized by our Trustees after broad input from community stakeholders through the facility master plan process,” said David Burke, director of facilities operations and maintenance for the DJUSD.

However, new facilities will depend on how the funding will be prioritized. Each school in the district has its own master plan. For all the master plans to be completed, an estimated 450 million dollars will be needed.

The Measure M funds will not be able to cover all of this.

The DJUSD, as a public school district, offers many sources on their website on specifics of the bond measure.

Current Davis High students, while they most likely will not see the physical results of Measure M, have varying opinions.

“I think it’s a very important step to take to reinvigorate our school’s infrastructure and create the best possible learning environment for our students,” junior Ben Skinner said.

Other students have questions about what exactly the funding will be used for and what the district is going to prioritize.

“I appreciate the idea that the school will be funded but I don’t like what the school prioritizes for funding,” junior Zoe Poppenga said.

Poppenga believes that the priority should be “something that we don’t already have or that we absolutely need.”

“I think something that would just benefit a wider array of students in probably a more impactful way would be a better use of money,” junior Gavin Pinnow said.