The Girls and Boys of Summer
There are two things that keep VPCS busy this time of year: baseball and the summer jam.
The first is self-explanatory and comes as no surprise to anyone who’s ever met any of us. We are crazy about baseball, in particular the San Francisco Giants. (Although, as we expand VPCS’s reach up and down the state, we admit that we need to open ourselves up to other California MLB teams.) The photo shown here was taken the other night at beautiful Oracle Park on a perfect late-spring evening. As we gear up to launch our busiest season of the year, it was the ideal way to relax and enjoy one another’s company.
The second thing that occupies our time is the summer jam. This is the six- to eight-week stretch of time when PreK-12 campuses are typically closed for the season. While students and staff take some much-deserved time off, we move at full speed to accomplish as much construction and modernization work as possible before the start of the coming school year in the fall.
Here are a few things that we’ll be “jamming” on during the summer of 2025:
Coordinating moves around the state. VPCS is known for the care we take when managing classroom moves. Before and after any school construction work takes place, teachers and faculty can rely on us to put their things back just as we found them. This year, we are coordinating moves for the Pleasanton Unified School District, Napa Valley Unified School District, Santa Rosa City School District, Lemon Grove School District, and elsewhere.
Building up and out in Pleasanton. After nearly two years of planning, programming and design, we’ll begin construction in June on the new $70 million Athletics and Performing Arts Center at Foothill High School in the Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD). This is one of three large design-build projects that are in the works at PUSD. We’re also excited to help get two brand new transitional kindergarten buildings off the ground in Pleasanton – one at Donlon Elementary and the other at Fairlands Elementary. Plus, we’ll be overseeing improvement and modernization projects at numerous other campuses throughout this district. All of these build-up efforts have gone very smoothly, thanks to our strong and long-standing relationship with this great client. “Being organized and staying focused on our goals helps us manage our busy summer season, as does constant communication all year long with every member of the team,” said Senior Project Manager Mary Fitzpatrick. “The VPCS philosophy of doing whatever it takes really applies to the work we do for PUSD. We’re incredibly dedicated to doing a great job and never letting the district down.”
Guiding sweeping changes in Napa. We’ll be on numerous Napa Valley Unified School District (NVUSD) campuses, executing nearly $60 million worth of (primarily modernization) projects, all funded by bond Measures A2 and B. Our to-do list includes roof, HVAC and fire system replacements; painting work; track and field improvements; and a new multi-purpose room at Donaldson Way Elementary School. “While it seems like a lot of work (and it is), these projects are spread out among our team and we all pitch in as needed, so we can make it through even the craziest summer schedules. Plus, we have great project partners, which will help all of these project progress,” said Napa-based Assistant Program Manager Jennifer Kerr.
Bringing comfort and light to Redwood City. The Redwood City School District (RCSD) will receive HVAC and lighting system upgrades to the tune of $19 million and $17 million respectively. In addition, VPCS will spend the summer working on the Measure S implementation plan based on the recently updated facilities master plan. According to Program Manager Nicholas Olsen, the VPCS team in Redwood City has taken a strategic approach to preparing for the busy season. “Our tactic for summer work is to plan as early as possible and always have a backup plan (or two) to be sure we’re ready for the start of the school year. We have a great team and we are all committed to the same set of goals,” he said.
Preparing for competition in Marysville. Our team at the Marysville Joint Unified School District (MJUSD) will be busy completing the Marysville High School track and field project, a $6 million effort that will deliver a new running track, field interior, softball/soccer field, scoreboard, bleachers and areas for new sporting events (including long jump, shot put, etc.). Having served this district for more than two years, we’ve established strong relationships with local partners to ensure the most efficient delivery of school buildings and associated site work, particularly during the summer jam. “The single most unifying practice of the VPCS team is to communicate early and often, which helps us address issues directly as they come up,” said VPCS Assistant Project Manager Daniel Stevens. “This approach saves time and ultimately results in a better product,” he added.
Making big strides in Marin. We’re helping the San Rafael City Schools (SRCS) prepare for many exciting summertime projects and we’re ready to navigate the tight schedules that are part of this season. For the district’s elementary schools, we’ll begin the summer with the closeout of the $24 million transitional kindergarten classroom project involving four school sites. We’ll also be modernizing playgrounds and fields at three campuses and prepping to complete $11 million worth of HVAC, electrical and fire system modernizations at several sites. Plus, we’ll be embarking on a second phase of modernization projects at Terra Linda High School, budgeted at $6.6 million. We’re looking forward to a productive summer in San Rafael.
We’re as eager to dive into the bustling summer season and serve our fantastic district clients as we are to root on our favorite teams. Go VPCS and go Giants!
May 27, 2025