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A two-story, 32,000-square-foot addition is coming to Canby High School. The structure, designed by Mahlum Architects and now being built by Bremik Construction, will be adjacent to one of the original campus buildings. A new open common area will connect the two spaces.

The new wing will consist of general education classrooms and specialized science classrooms with shared laboratories. Shared learning nooks and break-out areas will flank classroom pods.

Voters in 2020 passed a $75 million bond measure proposed by Canby School District. Officials sought a master plan that would outline work not only at the high school but other schools as well. Mahlum was hired to design that master plan and during the effort learned of aspirations for a strong community identity and flexible learning spaces to support a range of users. Inclusive environments became the primary focus for all district schools. That informed the high school project.

鈥淲e tried to put the addition in a place where we could maximize impact for the school,鈥� said Abby Dacey, Mahlum’s principal-in-charge. 鈥淭hey’re getting the new classroom space they wanted, the science classroom and general classroom, but we’re also adding in some space they just didn’t have in the (existing) building.鈥�

The wing will be very close to the school’s library and cafeteria. The common area could host a variety of events, such as a career fair.

鈥淭here are doors heading out toward the athletics plaza and connections to the cafeteria, connection to the library, connection back to the main entry of the building,鈥� Dacey said. 鈥淚t really brings a heart into the school.鈥�

To encourage interaction, the common area was designed to let students see classrooms upstairs. Below, there will be audiovisual elements, artwork and informational graphics.

Mahlum and Bremik are working with Canby High School administrators to plan student involvement during the construction phase, Dacey said. Plans call for presenting students with opportunities to use skills acquired in the school’s Career and Technical Education program, creating a summer internship opportunity with Bremik in 2023, sharing weekly construction updates through the school’s TV program, and offering a virtual reality experience.

鈥淲e’re planned to set up our virtual reality kit at the school and let students physically imagine what the space will be like,鈥� Dacey said.

One student at a time would engage in that VR experience and classmates would be able to watch the video on a screen.

鈥淚t’s been really great, I think, the way the district went about the project, which is they started with this master planning phase,鈥� Dacey said. 鈥淭hat let us really look at district-wide goals and the needs, which allowed us to really shape this (project) to meet those 鈥� as many as we could.鈥�

Ground was broken on the high school addition in June. The entire project includes upgrades at each building on the campus. The expected total construction cost is $35 million. Work is scheduled to finish in August 2023.

鈥淭he work also extends to lots of other smaller projects across the campus: roofing, ADA upgrades to restrooms, structural upgrades to the stadium, other things like that,鈥� Dacey said. 鈥淭hose things have to happen next summer.鈥�

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