Lincoln School — one of the oldest elementary campuses in the Manteca Unified School District — is about to get an $11.9 million makeover.
It is part of the first wave of $56.4 million in Measure G bond projects. Other school modernization projects in the first wave are Sequoia School, Golden West, Shasta, and Lathrop Elementary. The Sequoia project will also use $981,792 in unspent Measure M bond money. Some $60 million in Measure G bonds are scheduled to be sold this summer to finance the initial projects
When it is completed, the 1950s era school will have a new front entrance while the current entrance along Yosemite Avenue will be restored to its original look.
The new entrance along Powers Avenue is designed to improve security and significantly increase the safety of children going to and from school as well was reduce traffic congestion on Yosemite Avenue.
A new multipurpose room will be built where the playground along Powers Avenue is now located along with an administrative office. The existing circular driveway will be removed and replaced with a larger one that will allow for a less congested drop off of students as well as establish one entrance to the campus for security purposes.
The use of Powers Avenue will significantly improve traffic flow given that across the street is a sound wall for the Curran Grove neighborhood and school playing fields and a city park are to the south and a preschool and service station to the north. The current Yosemite Avenue entrance besides being on the city’s second heaviest traveled east-west street is surrounded by commercial ventures.
The existing main entrance door will be accessed only by teachers with keys plus will automatically close after it is opened. The same is true for other exterior gates on the campus.
Existing classrooms will be reconfigured where needed to maximize space. The project will include modernization of everything from the electrical service to the flooring.
The existing cafeteria structure will be reconfigured as classrooms while a kitchen facility that is currently in a portable building will be replaced.
The five schools picked to go first were selected based on being the oldest and most in need of modernization as well as the fact they are eligible for state funding when it is available to help offset some of the costs.
The school board in the coming months is expected to decide whether to proceed with the Lincoln School project.
Work could start later this year.
