The Umatilla School District celebrated the completion of two major facilities projects – a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building at Umatilla High School and Columbia Vista Intermediate School – with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and open houses on August 28.
The evening began with a ceremony at the UHS CTE building, where guests gathered to tour the newly completed 16,238-square-foot facility. The building, a $13.4 million project, includes updated spaces for business, manufacturing, productions, art, and robotics programs, as well as a new softball field for athletes.
At 7:00 pm, the community turned out in large numbers for the Columbia Vista Intermediate ribbon cutting, with hundreds of attendees filling the school’s new gym to celebrate the opening of the 64,650-square-foot building, a $33.7 million project that will serve students in grades 4-6. The facility includes technology-rich classrooms, flexible learning spaces, a full-size gym, and a soccer field. Guests also enjoyed frozen yogurt by Cuppa Yo, sponsored by MonteVista Homes.
Several local leaders joined the celebrations, including representatives from U. S. Senator Ron Wyden’s office and Oregon Representative Greg Smith's office, Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer, Mayor Caden Sipe, and city council members Katie McMillan, Corinne Funderburk and Bruce McLane.
These projects were made possible through the support of the community with the passage of a local school bond and the leadership of the Community Engagement group, district staff, and school leaders, who worked closely with project teams Chervenell Construction, Design West Architects, and Alliance Management. With careful planning and collaboration, the projects were completed in just fourteen months from groundbreaking, remaining on time and on budget.
“An achievement of this magnitude is never the work of just a few. It is the result of a shared vision and unwavering commitment from so many. I want to extend a huge thank you to our incredible school board for their leadership and dedication. To the community members who served on our facility planning committee, your tireless work and invaluable input shaped this building from a concept into a reality. Thank you to the voters, thank you for entrusting us with the opportunity to build this incredible space,” said Superintendent Heidi Sipe.
She also expressed her gratitude to the design and build team for their exceptional work and to the McClanahan family, whose generous land contribution made Columbia Vista Intermediate possible.
Other bond-funded projects include HVAC and control replacements at McNary Heights Elementary ($1.65 million), seismic upgrades at Clara Brownell Middle School ($1.58 million), and ongoing projects such as the remodel of the old high school CTE building for Clara Brownell, a science room remodel, and updates at McNary Heights Elementary to convert it to a K-3rd grade school.
Board Chair Lesly Claustro emphasized the long-term impact of these facilities with her remarks at the new Career Technical Education building, “We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to discover their passions, hone valuable skills, and walk out ready to make a real impact. The advanced equipment and cutting edge programs housed within these walls will empower our students to do just that – to become the skilled innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders of tomorrow.”
To view more photos of the celebrations, please visit this link.