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Pacific Beach Middle School Topping-Out

Steel Beam Inscribed with Mandarin Messages of Hope Marks Milestone for Pacific Beach Middle School
Posted on 01/21/2021
Drone Still of the Final Steel Beam at PBMS

SAN DIEGO - While Pacific Beach Middle School staff and students are teaching and learning online, construction milestones are being reached on their new state-of-the-art classroom building.

The final steel beam was hoisted into place in late October on the new two-story classroom facility, which will include 26 classrooms with modern technology and designated collaborative spaces.

"We want to continue high quality teaching and learning while providing our students with state-of-the-art schools that will allow them to excel when they can safely return to campus,” said Dr. Mike McQuary, Board of Education Trustee for District C.

The new facility replaces two aging buildings at Diamond and Ingraham streets, which were demolished in July 2019.

The project also creates a safe and secure campus main entry by moving the student services offices from Ingraham Street to the new parking lot along Felspar Street. The parking lot was part of a previous project that also constructed a new field and student drop-off/pick-up loop.

 PBMS Admin BuildingPBMS Rendering
Pictured: Aerial Rendering of Upcoming Classroom Building (Colors Subject to Change) and Newly Renovated Student Services Building

WATCH: A Virtual Topping-Out Ceremony for Pacific Beach Middle School’s Whole Site Modernization

 

The existing library/media center has been renovated to include three new classrooms and innovative workspaces.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) will be upgraded in the existing science classroom building, athletic building, and auditorium.

Because COVID-19 prevented Pacific Beach Middle students, staff and alumni from gathering to participate in the ceremonial signing of the final steel beam, construction crews and school administrators found a way to honor the students in a safe and distant way.

With the support of Principal Kimberley Meng, a construction manager fluent in the Mandarin Chinese language drew Han (Chinese) characters of hope onto the beam before it was hoisted.

“This pandemic has been nothing short of life changing,” Meng said. “Through it all, our students have remained resilient and courageous. They deserve to be part of this milestone, even in a distant way.”

PBMS Students Virtual Thank You
Pacific Beach Middle Students in a Zoom Class

An International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Pacific Beach Middle offers Mandarin Chinese language classes, and one-of-a-kind partnerships with the University of Zurich in Switzerland and the University of San Diego.

“IB students at PB Middle School are persistent, courageous, and competent learners as evidenced by these positive messages of hope and great expectations that have been written on the final steel beam,” said McQuary.

Mandarin Signing PBMS
Pictured: Mandarin Message Written on the Final Beam to Honor Students

To read more about this project, and other bond projects, visit http://fpcprojects.sandi.net.

BACKGROUND:

San Diego Unified’s capital projects are funded by San Diego Unified School District’s Propositions S, Z and Measure YY, which are local bond measures approved by San Diego voters to repair, renovate and revitalize neighborhood schools.

RELATED LINKS:

 Pacific Beach Demolition Begins

 Inter Baccalaureate Brochure

MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Jamie Ries, Facilities Communications Liaison, [email protected]

Samer Naji, Facilities Communication Supervisor, [email protected]