By Kathy Feist
Thanks to several benefactors, Barstow Schools has been busy lately with major school improvements with the promise of more for the 2023-24 school year.
Athletics – In March Barstow completed its newly turfed baseball field which also featured new dugouts, batting cage and scoreboard. Last summer, the soccer field received new turf. Both fields helped produce a district winning soccer team and state finalist baseball team.
This fall, construction will begin on the Knights Athletic Building. The $3.5 million athletic building, will be equipped with golf simulator hitting bays and a practice putting green, dance studio, team meeting room, team locker rooms, spectator restrooms and a concession stand. The two-story building is expected to open in the fall of 2024.
A $500,000 renovation of the PE locker rooms included digital combination lockers, new showers, equipment storage and contemporary space for team meetings.
Early Childhood Center – Renovation is underway to provide more space and a partial canopy for students in the early childhood program. The pergola-style canopy will provide shade during sun-drenched afternoons. The “old town” playground equipment that resembles old buildings will be removed, allowing for more space for movement.
Traffic Congestion – On July 28, Barstow celebrated the groundbreaking of a second driveway that leads to the middle school. It will be located south of the current one, following the fenceline of the baseball field. Having a second access point off of State Line Road will alleviate congestion at 8 am drop off and 3 pm pick up. The $2.3 million project raised by the Barstow community will include more parking spaces as well.
Campus Safety: Barstow enhanced its campus safety procedures by purchasing a new two-way radio system and equipping every faculty and staff member with a radio.
Maintenance – Phase two of the roof replacement was completed and improvements to the HVAC system are underway.
Dan & Cassidy Towriss IDEA Space – The IDEA Space which is available to all schools in the metropolitan area, has seen a 152% increase in attendance since opening last year. This year the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) center is offering after-school classes every Tuesday afternoon. Open to grades K-12, the classes include sewing, engineering, coding, drone building, 3-D printing and visual arts. New equipment includes a CNC router to program and design software and new VEX robotics equipment.