BOND UPDATES - Hughson Unified School District

Board Approves Plans for New Ag Complex, Science Building and Stadium Improvements

September 18, 2025

The Hughson Unified School Board voted to approve plans for the Ag Complex, Science Building, and Stadium on September 9. Funded by Measure B, each project represents a major step forward for Hughson High School.

The Ag Complex includes the original shop, dated back to 1953, the automotive classroom built in 1975 and the woodshop added in 1995. With roughly half the student body using the building each day, the oldest building on campus no longer meets the demand in this agricultural town.

Undersized and outdated, the complex has no air conditioning and only one shop, limiting hands-on learning to one class per period. “The two classrooms are small, storage is limited, and they are just not conducive to learning,” Principal Loren Lighthall said. In contrast, “The new Ag Building will have four separate classrooms and two shop areas. The spaces will be bigger and state-of-the-art. In addition, the new science building will host a fifth class right next door so the teachers can easily collaborate and share students when necessary.”

The new Ag Complex will be a 13,800 sq. ft. with eight modern welding booths, central fume ventilation, multiple storage rooms and wall cabinet storage in every classroom, a covered outdoor work area for cutting, grinding, and large projects, and a redesigned Ag yard with raised garden beds and outdoor learning spaces.

“Agriculture is at the heart of Hughson. This project ensures students have modern, hands-on spaces that reflect our community’s values and prepare them for careers tied to our local economy,” Director of Maintenance, Operations, and Transportation, Andrew Fontana, said.

“These kids deserve the type of facilities that match their performance. There will be more space, more opportunity with expanded offerings, and state-of-the-art equipment to learn on,” Lighthall said.

Groundbreaking for the Ag Complex is scheduled for June 2026. Instructors will be relocated into portable classrooms set up on the outdoor basketball courts beginning December 2025, the same portables being used to house teachers displaced during the 10-Wing modernization in early 2026.

The Science Building will be a new construction to replace the outdated, undersized classrooms spread out over the campus that lack modern lab safety features, adequate sinks and electrical outlets.

“This new Science Wing will provide safe, flexible, and inspiring spaces that bring science education up to 21st-century standards, preparing Hughson students for future STEM pathways,” Fontana said.

The new facilities will house three classrooms, a full-width central storage room, and a floral classroom at the north end overlooking the garden areas.

Classrooms will have gas, sinks, outlets coming down from the ceiling, vent hoods, and everything teachers and students need to do labs and hands-on learning safely. “The teachers will be together to collaborate and work on lessons together,” Lighthall said. “The new building will also house our fifth ag teacher and the floral program. There will be more storage, and the flower cooler will be connected to the classroom.”

The design has been a collaborative process to maximize workflow, efficiency and meet the academic needs. After a productive meeting to discuss the building layout, “we had more or less completely rearranged the interior of the building and the result was very satisfactory to everyone involved,” Science Teacher Joel Bernard said. “When I walk by the schematic diagram of the building posted outside of Mr. Lighthall's office, I take pride in knowing that we all worked collaboratively to create something really good that will outlast all of the current staff here at HHS.”

The third project approved at the September 9 meeting is stadium improvements, the centerpiece of Hughson athletics and a gathering place for families. The home and visitor bleacher seating is several decades old. The ramp access is steep, the press box outdated, without air conditioning and sporadic WiFi, and the restrooms are undersized and regularly get backed up. The Snack Bar has heavy window covers; the scoreboard is aging, and worn-out turf is maintained with poor irrigation, while the long/triple jump areas interfere with the field.

According to Lighthall, the stadium is used for graduation, football, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, track and field, and off-season conditioning for all sports, as well as our PE classes.

But after the conclusion of the 2026 football season, all this is set to change.

The plans include new aluminum seating for 2,350 home spectators and 465 visitors, all fully ADA-accessible, with a modern press box and a new, larger snack bar and restroom building will be built in the location of the current restroom building, with expanded restroom capacity. The old snack bar will be renovated into a team room. There will be a new digital, multi-sport scoreboard installed at the east end facing west for clear visibility across the complex. The natural turf will be replaced with hybrid Bermuda grass and a new irrigation system. The long jump and triple jump events will be relocated to new D-zones with a rubberized surface matching the track.

This will open the main field for soccer matches under the lights, which will be replaced by new energy-efficient stadium lights, making it possible to move the current 3:30 p.m. games to later in the evening so more working parents can attend.

Existing standards will be relocated to the practice football and soccer fields. And the Soccer Complex Parking Lot will be newly paved with drainage, lighting, sidewalks, and safe pedestrian access.

“All of these problems will get fixed, as well as new lighting and a scoreboard that faces the incoming crowd,” Lighthall said. “It will be much safer for our older population, and soccer will move from the sports complex to the stadium where there are lights and video recording for relatives in faraway places.”

The changes have been long-awaited and are now possible through Measure B. “We are incredibly grateful to the community for approving the bond,” Lighthall said. “We take the fiscal responsibility associated with these funds seriously. It will be very easy for the community to see the results when we have finished everything. We are excited to have our kids go to school with a facility that matches their achievements.”

40-Wing Modernization Takes Off

August 29, 2025

The 40-Wing of Hughson High School was built in 1965. With funds available from Measure B, the building is getting its long-awaited upgrade. By 2024, the roof and HVAC had reached their end‑of‑life, the restrooms were outdated and undersized, and the layout no longer met instructional needs.

For years, the stretch of classrooms has been a hodgepodge, with three classrooms and small office or storage spaces in the building, oddly configured, where students took Photo, Math, and special education classes. About 80 students used the 5,500 sq ft. building each day.

Last summer, in August 2024, a new roof and HVAC were installed, prior to the bond passing. The need was immediate, and Hughson Unified School District knew it was too important to wait.

At the start of the school year, Photography Teacher Jack Bland, Math Teacher Paul Michaelis, and Special Education Teacher Nicole Mayo moved their classes to Room 50, Room 8 and Room 25.

“Everyone has been understanding and recognizes we will have some short-term pain for a long-term gain,” Principal Loren Lighthall said. “The temporary bathrooms are actually nicer, thus the need for the upgrade. We do have one teacher without a dedicated classroom and a few others sharing space, but they are making it work.”

This month, demolition and the build-out began. Fences are placed, setting off the 40-wing with walkways for students to reach the Ag Shop and Fitness Center.

The interior was sealed off for asbestos abatement and reopened the last week of August.

This fall, restrooms will be rebuilt with new plumbing, tile finishes, fixtures, and accessibility upgrades. Carpet and paint will be selected and finalized.

And throughout the winter, the interior of the building will be reconfigured into five modern classrooms, featuring new walls, flooring, efficient lighting, larger windows, and updated fixtures.

With these changes, and exterior paint to follow in Summer 2026 during the completion of the other wings, the building and surrounding area will be safer and more accessible to all. “The concrete outside of building 40 is very uneven and has been a hazard,” Lighthall said. “And students will have more restroom facilities so they can get in/out quicker and back to class or spend time with their friends.”

Lighthall believes that with these upgrades, “Students will feel a sense of pride when their school on the outside matches all the amazing things going on inside the classes.”

New Makeover Complete in Hughson High School, Ella Webb Theater

July 22, 2025

When the theater was built on the Hughson High School campus in 1991, its construction included elevated seating with industrial gray carpet, gray metallic stair treads and gray metal theater seats with burgundy cushions. With time and use, the cushions faded, the screws wobbled, and the carpet began to fray.

The space, named the Ella Webb Theater in 2022, was fast on the list of projects to be tackled with the funds now available from Measure B, a $46 million construction bond approved by Hughson voters in 2024.

The theater acts as one of the central spaces of Hughson High School. According to Brad Thompson, who retired in 2025 after 40 years of teaching drama and music, each production by the drama class welcomes more than 3000 people into those seats. The theater is used for high school assemblies, for classes, for guest speakers, for county music festivals, school board meetings, and district staff meetings. “It is thrilling to share the theater with so many people. Our theater is a jewel of the community. People from other schools come and see what we have and are envious of this beautiful facility. The school board, principal and superintendent have all been so supportive in making sure the facilities stay in great repair,” Thompson said.

The first phase of the makeover began on June 9 when American Seating began the removal of the original 264 seats. Andy Fontana, the district’s director of maintenance, operations and transportation, had his staff clean and polish the understructure until it looked brand new. No longer a dull, industrial gray, the treads shine as with a polish.

June 16 to 18, Turlock Flooring installed new carpet in the theater, and in the surround area, hallways and offices from July 8 to 9. Fontana’s staff returned to touch up the work until it was “absolutely beautiful,” one teacher said. The carpet is a warm, variegated gray and black.

New seating installation began on June 30. The seats, fully installed as of July 3, have black bases with fully stuffed, dark, warm gray cushions. The tone pairs well and harmonizes with the cream walls and laminate. The colors, although neutral, offer a bolder, more definite look in a well-used and well-loved space, while still keeping the show the main focus. “We added some gold accents in the carpet under the chairs on the decks, but for the most part, we kept it neutral for both aesthetic appeal and easy upkeep,” Fontana said.

Seeing the first project of many, Thompson reflected, “Brenda Smith, our superintendent and Andy Fontana, who has served so faithfully and diligently as head of maintenance, take that bond vote as a vote of trust. They are living up to the trust the community has placed in them and are making sure that every dollar is stretched to maximum use and that the funds are used wisely. They make a great team.”

The theater seating is the first project to be completed. There is much more to come. Planning stages are underway for several Measure B projects:

30 Wing HVAC Replacement and 30 Wing Roof Replacement: Set to begin in early September 2025.
40 Wing Phase 1 Modernization: Scheduled to start on August 4, 2025.
30 Wing & 10 Wing Phase 2 Modernization: Planned for 2026.
New Ag Science Center: In the planning stages with an expected start in June 2026.
Athletic Facilities Upgrades: Set to begin December 26, 2026.

Hughson’s sells $9 million in bonds to fund first phase of high school construction project

March 28, 2025

The initial bond sales to fund the first phase of a multi-year renovation at Hughson High School have gone better than expected, Superintendent Brenda Smith said, meaning construction is on track to begin later this spring.

First up for upgrades are three classroom buildings – the 40 wing, the 30 wing and the 10 wing – plus the installation of new seating and carpet at the campus’ Ella Webb Theater. Phase 1 also includes new roofing, heating and air conditioning, as well as new blacktop and storm drainage improvements.

In total, the work is estimated to cost about $9 million. It will be paid for from the $46 million school construction bond Hughson voters passed in November.

“It’s super exciting for the community,” Smith said. “Hughson High has very old classrooms. Some are like when I went there 35 years ago.”

Work on the 40 wing – just west of the old gym – will begin in July and should be done by winter break. Three odd-shaped classrooms will be reworked to create five standard-size classrooms, Smith said. There will be new flooring, walls and paint. Bathrooms will receive new fixtures and paint, and stalls will be added.

The 30 wing just west of the campus office is second in line. Four classrooms will be modernized with new windows, flooring and exterior paint. Two other classrooms in the same wing already have been upgraded. Work should start next January and take three to six months, Smith said.

The 10 wing just east of the main office will be the final part of the first phase. There, 10 classrooms and the bathrooms will be modernized. Work is expected to start in the summer of 2026 and go into winter break.

During the work, the construction zones will be fenced off. Teachers and their students will temporarily relocate to other vacant classrooms.

Boyer Construction of Sonora is the general contractor for Phase 1. TPH Architects of Modesto is the designer.

Phase 2 of the overall project is expected to start in January 2026 and cost about $28 million. The highlights include the complete renovation of Husky Memorial Stadium and the construction of ag and science buildings that will include eight classrooms, two shops and bathrooms. That work should be done by the fall of 2027.

The $10 million third phase is projected to begin in July 2027 and take a year. It includes moving the district office and Maintenance, Operations and Transportation Department to district farm property to open up space for Ross Middle School and Hughson Elementary School. Also part of Phase 3 are new animal pens and bathrooms on farm property, additional student parking at the high school and upgraded lighting at the sports complex.

Smith said the initial bond sales have gone well. Because of the district’s strong financial position and consistent enrollment growth, Moody’s credit service upgraded Hughson’s bonds to “Aa2” from “Aa3.” That’s good news from Hughson’s landowners, who will pay slightly less on their property taxes to service the debt on the new bonds.

Smith called the improved bond rating a “significant achievement, particularly in today’s challenging environment where many California school districts are facing rating downgrades due to declining enrollment and financial pressures.”