Schools Get a Spring Cleaning in Huntington

It was a do-it-yourself project of gigantic proportions.

Nearly 1,000 students, parents, teachers and other residents rolled up their sleeves Saturday, wielding hoes, brooms and paintbrushes for the first-ever cleanup of Huntington Beach Union High School District’s nine schools.

“It was like an old-fashioned barn-raising,” said Susan Roper, superintendent of the school district, noting that the school system couldn’t afford to make the improvements without volunteers.

By morning’s end, the elbow grease had gone a long way: Edison High School had new work benches for the auto shop, Westminster High’s windows sparkled and all the bubble gum had been removed from the sidewalks of Huntington Beach High School.

Organizers hope “School Pride Day” will not only make the campuses sparkle for about 14,000 students come Monday morning, but that it will also draw attention to the district’s larger fix-its that can’t be remedied with a fresh coat of paint.

Some of the schools have rotten pipes, antiquated electrical systems, cracked foundations, termites and, in a few cases, even sinking buildings.

In fact, major repairs are so great that district officials hope to place a bond measure--estimated at $123 million--before voters, perhaps this fall.

“Most people drive by and think things look good from the surface,” Roper said. “Not many can see what age has wrought over the years.”

Officials hope the event will raise awareness of the problems and encourage residents to support the proposed bond issue.

The last time the district tried a bond measure was in the 1970s, and it failed.

While volunteers knew Saturday’s work would only scratch the surface, they were enthusiastic nonetheless.

Kids and the kids-at-heart helped out, including 71-year-old Jim Marshall, a 1945 alumnus of Huntington Beach High School.

“I can see the high school needs help,” he said between swings of a hammer. “We can achieve a partial goal--not a whole goal.”

The idea for Saturday’s cleanup came after a community task force--composed of architects, business leaders and parents--toured the schools and assessed the needs. Consultants said they saw some pretty bad stuff.

At Westminster High, the same roofs leak water every year, according to Audrey Carson, a community resource coordinator. “We have lots of needs,” she said, including earthquake retrofitting, upgrading electrical wiring and replacing worn-out plumbing.

At the 75-year-old Huntington Beach High, classrooms have heating and air-conditioning problems, drains are clogged with tree roots, and bathrooms need renovations.

Maintenance problems have worsened because of neglect. As school districts tightened their belts, they tried to focus as many resources as possible on education programs.

Infrastructure and maintenance often moved to the back burner, officials said.

“They’ve made cuts as far away from the classroom as they could,” Huntington Beach High Principal Jim Staunton said. “But that meant maintenance, maintenance personnel and cleaning equipment” were pared back.

David Somers said his 10th-grade daughter, Erika, hasn’t complained but that the condition of Huntington Beach High surprised him after moving from New Jersey three years ago.

“My wife and I noticed that the schools here are not as well kept,” he said.

On Saturday, Somers was doing what he could, painting the administration building. Algebra teachers were raking, parents were picking up trash and kids were everywhere with window cleaner in hand.

“We’re helping to make our school a better place,” said student Monica Eremita, 16.