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Volume 63, Issue 7
Homestead High School 21370 Homestead Rd, Cupertino, CA 95014
District, school plan to replace aging C, L buildings
April 30, 2026
Prom goes technicolor at The Tech Interactive ASB plans, improves prom from feedback, emphasizes accessibility
Photo by Ethan Xue
To ensure the quality of improvement, the buildings will be reconstructed rather than renovated, Nurnberg said
Jason Lai and Olivia Levesque Ouellette
Original buildings to be revamped, modernized
The joint junior and senior prom will take buildings, narrow entrances and exits and reconstruction is capable of the same. place at The Tech Interactive in San Jose on “I felt much more comfortable learning a vision to safely connect the new buildMay 2, with food, beverages and activities, ing with the fire alarm system drove the in this place. It felt like I belonged to HHS, Ivy Guo, Krist Ferreria and ASB adviser Hector Almendarez said. like I belonged [in] the community,” Haldar change, superintendent Graham Clark Alan Zhang Deciding on a Technicolor theme, ASB said. “When I talk to my underclassmen said. aimed to give students a chance to dress Additionally, Nurnberg said the school in my photography class, in my chemiseither colorfully or more classic black and try honors class, I understand that they Plans are in place to demolish the C and has struggled with white, senior class officer Arcus Foo said. feel like HHS isn’t giving L buildings and replace them with a sin- keeping up with “The main reason we chose Technicolor is enough for them. gle modernized building, principal Denae HVAC’s requirements the venue is the Tech Museum, and it’s a fun With these renovaNurnberg said. The construction is set to because of the poor Hopefully, we will have pun that highlights the wonder and vibrant tions, we can hopebegin by the end of next school year and quality of the buildnature of the location,” Foo said. “We picked newer technology in the fully get prestige is scheduled to be finished by the start of ings. the decorations and amenities, including and pride for un“The noise associthe 2028-29 school year, Nurnberg added. classrooms, and that will photo booths, with this theme in mind, so derclassmen and “The C building is very old, incredibly ated with the HVAC is provide an opportunity you can expect a colorful and striking dance rejuvenate school costly to renovate, and we’ve run into a terrible, and it makes it for a feeling of something atmosphere with multicolored lights.” spirit.” number of issues with the A and B build- really hard to teach and clean and new. When construcing when they were renovated instead of learn in that building. See Prom planning, page 2 tion starts, C and rebuilt,” Nurnberg said. “The decision was But, replacing them is —English teacher L building teachmade a while ago to rebuild the building [expensive], you might Sara Moreno ers will have to because it’s almost the same cost to reno- as well replace the adapt to a comvate, but you don’t get as good of a prod- whole building,” Nurnpletely new enberg said. “New units reuct.” The cost of the project will be around quire a great deal of engineering, and any- vironment, English teacher Adrian McMa$30 million to $40 million, paid for by time you touch a part of the building, you hon said. “We’ll be moving to portables, or somethe bond program that funds upkeep and have to do the whole thing per [Division of times, you share classrooms,” McMahon maintenance throughout the district, the State Architecture] requirements.” The state of these buildings has wors- said. “It’ll probably be different for evFUHSD operations manager Faith Carrillo ened the learning environment for stu- erybody, and they’re going to fit us where said. Following reconstruction, the number dents, especially when compared to the they can. It’ll be tough for a couple years, of classrooms across both buildings will more recently renovated buildings, senior [but] I’ve done it before where I’ve shared classrooms.” be cut down from 34 to 24, Nurnberg said. Kedar Haldar said. Due to the reduced size of the new “You go from A and B [buildings] to this “We don’t have the funding left in the bond [program] to make a 34-classroom decrepit and old C building or L Building. building and classrooms, many teachers Competitors participate in building,” Nurnberg said. “We also don’t It breaks the mood down, you feel like you will have to completely reorganize their need 34 classrooms, but the plan is to don’t want to learn,” Haldar said. “I’m a classroom layouts, English teacher Sara business events, earn points make the most flexible arrangement of the sucker for ambience and lighting, so when Moreno said. for chapter based on “The takeaway right now is we know building. So, over time, should the popula- I walk into these buildings [and] there’s no placement tion and enrollment change or be project- natural lighting coming from outside, it we’re going to have to rearrange the way we have our seating arrangements,” Moreed to change and go back up at HHS, we [feels] all old and shabby.” Ivy Guo and Aashka Nagarkar After the A and B buildings were reno- no said. “We’re going to have to be more would be able to build a building in addivated, Haldar said he felt a strong sense of judicious about the materials we have tion to what is existing.” FBLA attended the California State LeadThe lack of modern technology in both pride and home from the school, and the around the room. I look at it as an opporership Conference in Anaheim from April tunity to do some spring cleaning. I have a 9-12, winning first place and continuing lot of things, and I’ve been in this room for their streak, vice president of technology many years, so this is a great opportunity competitions, junior Alessandro Monteto do an inventory of the things that are si said. Competitors who performed sufnecessary and the things that could perNew features ficiently well at states advanced to the nahaps find a new home.” 24 new classrooms replacing 34 old ones tional conference in San Antonio, Texas from Ultimately, Moreno said she is excited ~840 occupant limit June 29 to July 2, Montesi added. for the plans and hopes that the chang“It’s a great opportunity for high school es will contribute to a more productive Projected timeframe students, especially, to do something outlearning environment. side the classroom,” Montesi said. “[SLC] is “New things are pretty, and they are End of the 2026-27 school year to beginning of 2028-29 school year a great experience for anybody in general. clean and fresh, so I think that part of Even if you’re not interested in business, it’s it is going to be amazing,” Moreno said. Cost a great chance to meet new people, to hear “Hopefully, we will have newer technolo$30 million to $40 million from districtwide upkeep bond program their perspectives on different things, to gy in the classrooms, and that will provide compete. It’s a lot of fun.” an opportunity for a feeling of something Temporary changes clean and new, and that’s always fun to be Teachers move to portable classrooms or share classrooms See FBLA SLC, page 2 around and to have. It’s like walking into Infographic by Aashka Nagarkar, Malar Raguraman and Alan Zhang a freshly painted room: It’s a new start.” PAGE DESIGN BY AASHKA NAGARKAR AND ALAN ZHANG
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FBLA wins 27th consecutive state championship