Agreements approved for Estancia doors, aquatics facility, academy classrooms

Agreements for three facilities projects at Estancia High School were approved by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board of education Tuesday night.

The trustees’ unanimous approval clears the way to develop construction plans for new walls and doors for classrooms that now have only iron gates.

The board also moved forward on planning classroom improvements for Project Lead the Way, a signature academy at Estancia that introduces students to engineering and design. Two classrooms will undergo construction to better accommodate equipment for the academy.

The district has agreements for both projects with Irvine design firm Studio + Architecture.

For the third project, PJHM Architects will offer design services for the school’s new aquatics facility and help determine where it should be built on campus. Trustees gave the go-ahead to start planning the $7-million facility in January.

Estancia currently has an L-shaped pool where one side is 25 yards long and the other is about 27 yards long.

A bigger facility with an Olympic-size pool would enable the school to host larger aquatics competitions and accommodate more students during practices, Estancia parents said in January.

The board approved a feasibility study for the classroom doors and walls in April. The study examined how the new enclosures would affect the school’s fire sprinklers and heating and cooling systems.

Estancia’s “open school” concept, which gives many classrooms large openings that feed into hallways and common areas, has led to noise and safety concerns, teachers said.

Years ago, the school installed gates to enclose the open rooms.

After the district submits the construction planning documents for the doors to the Division of the State Architect for approval, it will seek bids from contractors to install the new enclosures.

It has not been determined when Estancia will break ground on the aquatics facility or the walls and doors.

Principal Michael Halt could not be reached about when work will begin on the Project Lead the Way classrooms.