Friday, December 16, 2011

NEWS RELEASE -- Patrick Henry Performing Arts Center Full Funding Approved by Board of Education

NEWS RELEASE from Board of Education Member Kevin Beiser, Dec. 16, 2011

PATRICK HENRY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FULL FUNDING APPROVED BY BOARD OF
EDUCATION

SAN DIEGO -- Trustee Kevin Beiser's proposal to fully fund Patrick Henry
High School's new $9.7 million performing arts center from voter-approved
Prop. S bond funds is on track thanks to unanimous approval by the San
Diego Unified School District Board of Education on Dec. 13.

The new center will not only provide a venue for the school's
award-winning band, orchestra and drama programs, but is also envisioned
as a performing arts center for the neighborhoods of Del Cerro, San
Carlos, Lake Murray and Allied Gardens. The school is located at 6702
Wandermere Dr. (92120).

"The Patrick Henry Performing Arts Center is an essential academic and
community building that will benefit the students in the Henry Cluster for
generations to come," said Board Member Kevin Beiser, who represents the
area. "I will continue to advocate for Visual and Performing Arts
facilities and educational programs that enrich live academic and artistic
lives of our children."

The project will be funded through voter-approved Proposition S bonds,
with $6.3 million allocated to the school and an additional $2.9 million
coming from other schools in the cluster -- middle and elementary schools
who feed into Patrick Henry. At its Dec. 13 meeting, the Board approved
shifting approximately 4 percent of the Prop. S funds from other schools
in the cluster.

The project will replace a combination cafeteria and auditorium at the San
Carlos area school, which opened in 1967. School officials have criticized
the facility for years as not only inadequate for high-school level
performances, but too small to hold even a half of the student population.

"I am thrilled that my proposal to build the Performing Arts Center was
approved unanimously by the board of education so that this important
project can move forward," said Beiser. "Construction projects like this
will create much needed local jobs and help provide a stimulus to our San
Diego economy."

Project boosters and alumni hope to raise an additional $1 million. For
more information on the project, go to the school's website at
http://www.phame.us/

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CONTACT: Kevin Beiser, Board of Education member, 619-838-5274 cell;
KevinBeiser@yahoo.com


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