GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - For the last week, the section of Vermont Street between Sycamore and McKinley Schools has been the holding area for some of the new portable classrooms set to be housed on Sycamore Middle School’s campus.

The new portables will be replacing 5 units that pre-exist Principal McIntyre years’ of service with the Gridley Unified School District. “They are easily over 50 years old and were old when I started 35 years ago,” Mcintire says. He shares that the new units will be furnished with new custom cabinetry and all 5 new classrooms will have water and sinks. A majority of the classrooms at Sycamore do not have access to water, a luxury that has previously been reserved for the science rooms. Each portable classroom is comprised of three sections, making a total of 15 sections to be trucked in to fulfill the replacement of 5 classrooms.

Historically, Sycamore has battled with sewage and rainwater drainage problems, predominantly within the interior section of the school where the portables will find their home. The district is using this opportunity to address the drainage issues before the new classrooms are positioned permanently. After the new drainage system is completely installed, crews will begin to underground the exposed infrastructure and prepare for the redesign of the interior quad. Students and faculty will see the addition of new concrete pathways designed to accommodate higher student traffic and streamline flow. Additionally, more concrete bench seating throughout the Quad area will be installed.

Crews are nearing completion on the sub-infrastructure and once that has been completed, a large crane will transport and position the portables to their final resting place. Currently only 2 full classrooms are present and being stored on raisers on Vermont Street, but the community can expect to see more being trucked in within the next few weeks as the project finalizes before the beginning of the school year.