Solar Project Complete and Online

Dec. 26, 2023

Dear San Benito High School District parents, students, staff and community:

The rooftop solar panels on top of the Career Technical Education building and the groun-mount solar farm on the southwest side of campus are connected and operating, San Benito High School District Chief Business Officer reported to the district Board of Trustees at its Dec. 12 meeting. PG & E performed an infrastructure upgrade, allowing for the full generation of power from the panels. Since the implementation of campus energy efficiency projects in July 2017, San Benito High School District has achieved savings of more than $2.1 million as of October 2023, prior to the full connection of the south campus solar panels. That decrease in energy consumption translates to the following green equivalencies: removing 355 cars off the road; preserving 46,284 trees from deforestation; and powering 201 American homes.

Softball Bleachers, Press Box Installed

The bleachers and press box at the Ray Barragan Softball Stadium, funded by a donation from the Barragan Family, were assembled and installed this month. The stadium project will double the seating capacity of the complex by adding bleachers, and also add a press box, sound system and lighting controls. The sound system and fire system was recently tested and the district is awaiting signage that will be installed upon its arrival. The $428,000 project is the latest in more than $1.2 million of campus projects funded through the generosity of the Barragan family, including covering the full cost of adding lights to the softball stadium.

Student Union Construction Continues

Blach Construction continues site work on what will become an 8,500-square-foot Student Union Building on Nash Road near West Street. It will include a cafeteria, kitchen, indoor and outdoor assembly spaces, room for students to hang out or study, and provide room for staff and community gatherings. Approximately 400 yards of concrete for footings and grade beams was recently poured and the site was winterized ahead of the recent rain. Steel is scheduled to arrive by Friday, December 29th.

The $14.3 million building is being funded in part by approximately $8 million in state matching funds that the San Benito High School District applied for though California’s facility program funded by a state bond. The District is also receiving $5 million from the state through a line item in the 2023-24 budget, with the remainder of the cost covered by restricted district funds.

The student union, which has a planned completion date of October 2024, will be located in the center of campus to create a safe and vibrant facility that is larger and more easily accessible than the current cafeteria, located on the north side of Hollister High School. A larger kitchen and dining facility will meet the needs of our continually growing campus population, which currently hovers around 3,500 and is expected to increase to approximately 3,900 students in the next four years. The student union is the final project in Hollister High School's Facilities Master Plan, which has used a combination of voter-approved general obligation bonds, state matching funds, district funds, and the state budget allocation this year to complete construction and modernization projects throughout campus.

Second High School Community Town Halls Scheduled For January

Public Engagement Report

For the past several years, the San Benito High School District has been engaged in dialogue with the San Benito community about how to navigate the growing enrollment at Hollister High School. Throughout the Fall of 2023, the district met with students, parents, community members and employees to hear the community’s priorities for a second high school. Town Hall sessions in English and Spanish kicked off this campaign in August, followed by weekly elementary site visits over a 10-week period from September to November. Feedback was also collected from the district’s administrative team, the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, and the Neighborhood Advisory group. This report provides a summary of the feedback the district received, and highlights the key themes the community has identified for a second high school in San Benito County.

Second High School Frequently-Asked Questions

We receive many questions from parents, teachers, local leaders, and community members, about the need for a second high school. Please visit our Continuing Excellence page for answers to these frequently-asked questions:

FAQ Page

District Facilities Master Plan

With nearly three dozen projects finished to date, San Benito High School District’s Facility Master Plan is nearing completion, the culmination of years of work from a dedicated team devoted to continually improving the learning and teaching environment.

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Together We Can, Together We Will, Build a Brighter Future

San Benito High School District, 1220 Monterey St. Hollister, CA 95023