Friday, Aug. 13, 2010

Students get a look at Pacheco High

The school opens Monday to freshmen and sophomores

Students and their families had the chance to look around the new Pacheco High School campus as well as pick up their schedules on Tuesday.

During Panther Pounce, students got a first look at their schedules, received ID cards and signed up for clubs and athletic teams.

Brett Lee, principal of the high school, said students likely came to Panther Pounce for more than just their schedules and IDs.

"For us this year, this is the first time these kids have been able to come and see the campus," Lee said.

Pacheco High, Lee said, has an enrollment of 794 students.

"I suspect we'll be 800 plus by the time school starts," Lee said.

The administration building, Lee said, and the 69 classrooms, each of which comes ready with an Liquid Crystal Display screen, have all been furnished and will be ready for the first day of school on Monday.

Lee, who this time last year was assistant principal for Los Banos High School, said aside from a few incomplete projects -- the stadium's bleachers, some library furniture and the agricultural complex -- the school is "ready to role."

Lee said the library is waiting on the delivery of 25 Apple iPads and the bistro-like seating for its juice bar. He said those items should arrive soon.

Some of the groups and clubs present at Panther Pounce to grab the attention of students included the National FFA Organization, Merced County Office of Education's Migrant Education, wrestling, girls tennis and both golf teams.

Daniel Vallejo, 14, and Brianna Magana, 15, got their first peek at the Ward Road campus on Tuesday.

"It's really big and nice," Magana said. "It looks like a college campus."

Vallejo said the cafe, or juice bar, was the feature he was most excited about. For Magana, it was the ability to check out iPads from the library.

Pacheco High, which will only have freshmen and sophomores this year, also has two rooms reserved for video-game-like fitness equipment called iTECH Fitness, an all-weather track, a stadium, two gyms and a pool that's about 10 feet shy of being Olympic-sized.

Enterprise staff writer Thaddeus

Miller can be reached at 388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.