The Umatilla School District will celebrate the completion of two major construction projects — a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building at Umatilla High School and the new Columbia Vista Intermediate School — with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and open houses on August 28th. Both events are open to the public.
The celebration will begin with the CTE Building Ceremony at 6:00 p.m. at 1400 7th Street, Umatilla, followed by the Columbia Vista Intermediate Ceremony at 7:00 p.m. at 251 Grant Street, Umatilla. Guests will have the opportunity to tour both facilities and see firsthand the investments made possible by the community’s support.
Attendees at the Columbia Vista event will also enjoy free frozen yogurt from Cuppa Yo, sponsored by MonteVista Homes. The district extends its thanks to MonteVista Homes for supporting this community celebration.
The new CTE building is a 16,238-square-foot facility with a total project cost of $13,453,000, which includes the addition of a new softball field ready for athletes to practice and compete on this spring. It houses programs in business, manufacturing, productions, art, and robotics, offering students hands-on learning experiences that prepare them for high-demand careers and post-secondary opportunities.
Serving students in grades 4–6, Columbia Vista Intermediate is a 64,650-square-foot facility with a total project cost of $33,712,000. The school features flexible learning spaces, technology-rich classrooms, a full-size gym, and a soccer field, providing students with a modern environment designed to support academic learning.
“Welcoming students into our new and updated facilities this fall is a remarkable time for our district. I am continuously in awe of these stunning facilities and am filled with gratitude. The community invested in our schools with the passage of the bond and we've worked to be strong stewards of taxpayer funds to show our appreciation,” said Heidi Sipe, Superintendent of Umatilla School District.
Construction for both facilities began in June 2024 and was completed in time to welcome students in August 2025. Funding was made possible through the passage of a local school bond, with project teams including Chervenell Construction, Design West Architects, and Alliance Management working closely with the district to ensure projects stayed on schedule.
“Chervenell, Design West, Alliance, and the entire project team—district and contracted, planned well and worked hard to make sure that this project remained on, and often ahead, of schedule and in budget. Their dedication and meticulous planning is evident throughout the buildings and I'm excited for the public to see their work. To complete projects of this scale, and remodel the other buildings, in just fourteen months is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Sipe.
Other projects funded by the bond during this same time frame include HVAC and control replacements at McNary Heights Elementary, completed in summer 2024 at a total cost of $1,650,000, and seismic upgrades at Clara Brownell Middle School, completed in summer 2024 at a total cost of $1,581,784. Projects still in progress include the remodel of the old high school CTE building for Clara Brownell Middle School, a science room remodel, and updates at McNary Heights Elementary to convert it to a K–3rd grade building.
“We are thrilled to welcome the public to tour our new facilities and look forward to completing our final few projects at Clara Brownell and McNary Heights in the months to come to serve our students well into the future with the investments made today,” said Sipe.