Orinda Schools are due for a major makeover, and this summer, Glorietta, Del Rey and Orinda Intermediate School (OIS) will have their turns.
Using the majority of the remaining funds from the $105 million Measure E and I bonds, a long list of improvements will begin implementation on May 31, with construction continuing through summer 2026.
Preliminary work is already under way on several campuses.
Glorietta was built in 1949, Sleepy Hollow and Del Rey opened in 1953 ands OIS launched in 1960. Even though they were regularly maintained, the buildings have accumulated maintenance issues and considerable wear and tear.
HVAC and electrical systems have become inadequate for current needs and no longer meet code. Doors, windows, plumbing and technology have outlived their usefulness and regulatory requirements for accessibility, safety and security have significantly changed.
Anyone who has undertaken a remodel of a home or business knows it takes time to plan, budget and negotiate contracts for such significant projects. Since the passage of the bond issues, the district has completed several new construction projects, while preparing for systematic upgrades at each campus that will take place in the next two summers.
In the phase beginning May 31, Del Rey and Glorietta will install all new windows and doors, and half of those at OIS will be replaced. Glorietta and Del Rey exteriors will be repainted, and ADA accessibility upgrades will be made to paths and walkways (OIS will complete its already-initiated ADA upgrades).
Using developer fees, a special education classroom will be added at Del Rey, and a major remodel of the TK/Kindergarten yard will take place – fully funded by the Del Rey Parents’ Club.
Meanwhile, parents’ clubs will fund a garden project at Sleepy Hollow and an asphalt resurfacing project at Wagner Ranch, closing the latter down from July 1-11. The Wagner Ranch gym floor will be refinished with funds from the Orinda Parks and Recreation Department’s rental program.
Orinda Union School District Superintendent Aida Glimme said that Measure E & I modernization projects at Sleepy Hollow, Wagner Ranch and the other half of OIS will take place in the summer of 2026.
Although a number of community and youth organizations use the schools’ sports fields and other facilities, the construction is expected to have minimal impact, according to Todd Trimble, director of the Orinda Parks and Recreation Department.
The department reached a deal with the school district a few years ago to maintain the fields in exchange for using them for its own purposes and renting them to the public during non-school hours.
While the construction will prevent use of the Glorietta and Del Rey playgrounds, the sports field at Del Rey – used by OBA baseball – will still be accessible, as will the OIS upper and lower fields. Rental requests are still being accepted for these facilities.
Voters who approved Measures E and I in 2018 undoubtedly will be happy to see them put to good use.
In addition to the projects slated for this summer, the bond revenues have paid for electrical upgrades, installation of HVAC systems in all instructional areas, a new OIS Student Services Building and a new Sleepy Hollow Multi-Purpose Room.
