Mill Valley Middle School Project On Track as Rain Season Nears

Mill Valley Middle School students should be able to move into their temporary campus by January as planned, according to the school district.

In addition, contractors have raised classroom floors to above the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood levels to offset high tides and heavy rain expected during the El Niño winter, said Elizabeth Kaufman, the Mill Valley School District superintendent.

Kaufman provided the update during a joint meeting of the district trustees and the City Council on Oct. 19.

“We’re working closely with our construction team to prepare for winter weather and other contingencies, minimize disruptions and give people advance notice of work that may affect their day,” Kaufman said.

Kaufman said the interim campus is 65% complete, with the rest of the work to be finished in time for the start of the spring semester. The move to the temporary campus will free up the main middle school campus so contractors can begin the permitting process for renovations and upgrades, she said.

Kaufman added that over the summer, construction crews also completed accessibility, restroom, playground and building upgrades at Park and Old Mill elementary schools. In addition, two new playground structures and play surfaces were installed at Strawberry Point Elementary School.

Improvements at Edna Maguire Elementary School will take place over the summer, she said. Upgrades at Tam Valley Elementary School were completed earlier.

Natalie Katz, president of the board of trustees, said residents “made this work possible through Measure G,” the $194 million bond measure that voters approved in 2022.

“It’s exciting to see the improvements at our elementary schools and the interim campus coming together,” Katz said.

Mill Valley Councilmember Stephen Burke said he is impressed with the high level of efficiency, professionalism and organization by the construction contractors on the projects. He said he has not received any complaints from residents.

“The overall middle school project is on schedule,” Burke said on Friday. “It’s very well run. There was minimal disruption in the summer and this fall as they conducted the first phase of the work.”

Burke said he lives near Old Mill Elementary School and was able to monitor the renovations at the campus over the summer.

“It’s so beautifully done,” Burke said. “It’s so vibrant and well thought out.”

“It’s been a great investment,” he said. “With both sets of projects, the investment of all the taxpayer dollars are being well spent.”

Kaufman’s remarks at the meeting detailed the interim campus preparation over the summer. The work included removing asphalt and landfill waste, installing utilities, raising the grade and placing concrete over the site.

“We know construction affects students, families and neighbors,” Kaufman said. “The spaces where students learn matter.”

The middle school project got off to a rocky start in 2022-23 after a series of unsuccessful efforts to find a different site to build a new campus. District officials hoped to find a new location to avoid complications from the current campus, which was built above a former municipal landfill.

Despite an extensive search, including an option to demolish and rebuild the school at the current site, officials concluded that a renovation plan at the existing building was best for the environment and for keeping the project’s construction budget under $95 million.

The district trustees certified the final environmental impact report last December. An addendum to adjust for the renovation plan option was approved in May. The district broke ground on the middle school interim campus and renovation work in June.