by Garth Meyer
The first Redondo Unified School District Measure S projects have been approved, with up to $54 million set to pay for new security cameras, buzzer systems and fencing, along with buildings’ basic network infrastructure to support classroom learning – in order to go from a room full of kids looking at the same website on their Chromebooks to all watching the same video.
The security buzzer systems and tripling the amount of cameras at each school site are expected to start with two schools, not yet decided, this summer.
“Most likely not until summer; it is fairly intrusive work,” said School Boardmember Dan Elder.
Susana Garcia, Redondo Beach Unified district I.T. director, gave details about the projects to the school board March 25 and April 2, the latter meeting when the board approved the expenditure of up to $54 million.
“We did this before tariffs went into effect, to lock in the pricing,” Elder said.
The network and security projects are first out of the gate for the $278 million bond – passed last November – because this work does not require approval of the Division of State Architects, as do construction projects.
As for the RBUSD bond construction work, the board approved four architectural firms March 25 to start the process.
The bond’s main elements are tearing down the two-room “bingo building” at the high school, in favor of a new structure with six classrooms for career and technical education; replacing 23 portable classrooms; new playground equipment and fall protection mats; turf replacement; general modernization, from water and sewer systems to windows, roofing and flooring (much of which is eligible for state matching grants), and the technology, safety and security upgrades. ER
