Irvington High School, as an overall campus, has remained relatively unchanged since it was built in 1964. Since then, discussions regarding repairing or rebuilding the school have repeatedly cropped up over the years. Measure M, passed in November of 2024 by Fremont voters, aims to address these discussions by renovating neighborhood schools. Thanks to Measure M, Irvington is now preparing for a major construction project that will significantly reshape the campus over the next few years. The project aims to update technology, replace outdated portables with permanent classrooms, amongst other major reconstruction.
According to Principal Hicks, the primary reason for the construction effort was that“if you look at our school, it’s falling apart.” The most recent addition was the construction of the Math & Sciences building, more commonly referred to as the “new building.” Since then, Irvington has not received any major updates, making the upcoming renovation a priority within the district. The project is slated to start in June, where construction will occur through summer break and two or three additional school years. Because it will continue through the school year, areas of the school will be fenced off.
Construction plans may include new roofs, a covered eating area, a new gym floor, and updates to the pool, as well as the track and field. The “new building” is scheduled for an additional floor, making it a three-story building. The primary change for the school is the addition of 67 new classrooms, a dramatic expansion that will require the elimination of several pre-existing classrooms, portables, as well as the current library in the ‘first phase’ of construction. As a direct result of these destructions, teachers and classes will have to be rearranged based on department for the foreseeable future.
The tearing down of current buildings in order to construct larger new buildings, while overwhelming, is not extreme. The reason most of the buildings have to be torn down rather than being fixed, as Ms. McAuley explains, is because of how long they’ve gone without any repair.
“At a certain point, it’s not worth fixing,” says Ms. McAuley, who used to be part of the District Facilities Commission, noting in particular the broken HVAC system and lightning issues within the library. “The price of repair exceeds the cost of construction.”
When asked about personal thoughts on the renovation, teachers had mixed opinions. “On one hand, it’s necessary,” said Ms. McAuley. However, due to the library’s unique dome-like structure, she does feel disappointed that students in the future will not be able to see it.
The working of Irvington’s library structure, as the old library is removed, will cause issues for the foreseeable future school years. This is especially true regarding services that the library may no longer be able to provide, such as access for projects during lunchtime, computers, or certain books. During boxing and storing, outdated and torn books will be removed from the school’s collection and placed into donations. Other books will be unavailable during the school year. Of course, the library does aim to keep as many books as necessary for student availability, such as for regulated and recurring class projects.
When asked if the construction project could increase school enrollment, Principal Hicks noted he hoped for that to be the case. When faced with a more dilapidated learning environment, parents tend to shy away from enrolling their kids. When faced with a school that is newer and better maintained, however, “that always attracts.”
Some parts of campus that will not be heavily impacted include the “new building,” Room 101, the band room, and the culinary wing.
While specific details are still underway, the eventual construction efforts in Irvington will play a large role for future school life. Although aspects of the construction may deprive students of certain experiences, it will grant them additional comforts—especially in the long run. The overhaul to the school campus introduces itself as an ambitious yet necessary change to the school, staff, and students. Ideally, it is a change for the better.
