New science wings, fields and more: Modesto schools begin reaping bond benefits
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Modesto City Schools uses voter-approved bonds to fund major campus upgrades.
- Projects include new science labs, athletic fields, CTE spaces and solar panels.
- Measure X funds large multipurpose spaces at elementary schools starting in 2025.
Modesto City Schools is beginning to reap the benefits of voter-approved bond measures, with major upgrades underway at campuses across the district.
District leaders gave a guided tour of six sites aboard an electric school bus, highlighting how Measures D, E and L are being used to fund new science wings, career technical education classrooms, stadiums, multipurpose rooms and kitchen upgrades.
“If you live in our district boundaries and you own a home or a business, a portion of your property taxes are going to what you see today,” said Tim Zearley, associate superintendent of business services, who led the tour. “So it’s an opportunity for us to show you that we are good stewards of this support that the community has given us.”
Superintendent Vanessa Buitrago and several school board members joined the tour, which included stops at Davis and Beyer high schools, Elliott Alternative Education Center, Muir, Wright and Enslen elementary schools, and the district’s Nutrition Services Center.
“Our students and families feel tremendous pride in the transformations happening around them,” Buitrago said in a press release. “It wouldn’t be possible without the support of community members who decided to invest in today’s students — and those to come. We’re deeply grateful for our community’s continued support.”
One of Buitrago’s goals as new superintendent is to visit every school site. After Monday, she can check six off the list.
Voters have approved four bond measures in recent years to upgrade MCS campuses.
Measures D and E, passed in 2018, authorized $131 million to modernize aging elementary and junior high schools. Measure D directed $74 million toward health and safety improvements at 22 elementary and four junior high sites, while Measure E provided $57 million to renovate classrooms and science labs.
In 2022, Measure L focused on high schools, funding upgraded athletic facilities, modern learning environments and new CTE spaces.
Most recently, voters approved Measure X in November to support long-overdue improvements at elementary schools. The measure will fund the construction of larger, more functional multipurpose facilities for dining, assemblies, performances and community events. The district is in the early stages of planning, including site selection and design.
Enslen Elementary, one of the tour stops, is slated to receive a new cafeteria under Measure X, according to Zearley.
Tour highlights
Completed upgrades include:
- A new Health Services Academy at Davis High
- A synthetic turf field and upgraded all-weather track at Beyer High
- A redesigned, single-level floor in the forum building at Beyer High
Coming soon:
- A new aquatics complex at Davis High
- An expanded and modernized science wing at Beyer High
- A new 7,200-square-foot multipurpose building with a kitchen and restrooms at the Elliott Alternative Education Center
- A new 5,280-square-foot shop building and classrooms at Elliott
- New cafeteria/multipurpose facilities with a stage, modern kitchen, and updated restrooms for students and staff at Muir and Wright elementary schools
Many campuses are adding shaded outdoor lunch areas to give students a cooler place to eat during hot weather.
Solar panels also have been installed over parking structures and lots across the district, offsetting between 65% and 85% of each school’s energy use, according to Zearley.
At Beyer High, science classrooms are undergoing renovations. In the meantime, science teachers will be temporarily relocated. Restrooms at Beyer also have been upgraded for the first time.
To improve campus safety, the district is also remodeling front offices at schools to create a single point of entry. At Enslen — home to one of the district’s oldest buildings — visitors previously could enter campus, bypassing the front office. Rather than relying on a buzzer system, which the district felt could feel unwelcoming, the new entry design offers a balance.
Every school also has received a fresh coat of paint since 2019, though that cost comes out of the district’s pocket. Zearley said the district got some heat from neighbors over the bright red and white paint chosen for Enslen Elementary, which contrasts with the surrounding residential neighborhood.
Once MCS finishes painting each school, the cycle begins again.
“The old saying is, ‘How do you paint the Golden Gate Bridge?’ Well, when you’re done, you start over, and that’s what we’re going to do, with or without a bond program,” Zearley said.
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM.
