IUSD officials break ground on a permanent home for Portola Springs Elementary

A little more than 15 months after breaking ground on Cypress Village Elementary School, IUSD officials were at it again on Thursday, ceremoniously kicking off construction of the new Portola Springs Elementary campus. This time around, the celebration included dozens of children, many wearing red and black Portola Springs T-shirts. It was a genuine display of school spirit, attributable to the fact that Portola Springs has already opened and is serving an inaugural class of 240 enthusiastic students at an interim site just a few miles away. Against a backdrop of dirt and earth-moving equipment, Principal Heather Phillips welcomed many of those students -- along with parents, teachers and staff members -- and delivered the day's opening remarks before turning the mic over to IUSD Superintendent Terry Walker, who in turn introduced Board of Education President Sharon Wallin. Then it was the students' turn to take the stage, dutifully singing "America the Beautiful" under the direction of their teachers. Other local dignitaries were on hand, including Board of Education members Paul Bokota, Lauren Brooks and Ira Glasky; Irvine Mayor Steven Choi and City Councilwoman Christina Shea; Irvine Company Senior Vice President Mike LeBlanc and Vice President of Community Affairs Robin Leftwich; and IUSD assistant superintendents John Fogarty, Eamonn O’Donovan and Cassie Parham. [Update: You can watch highlights of the ceremony here.] At a cost of about $33 million, the new Portola Springs campus is on track to open in August 2015 at the address of 12100 Portola Springs in Irvine. It took a little imagination to envision the completed school near the intersection of Portola Parkway and Portola Springs on Thursday, but its layout will mirror IUSD's other new elementary school, Cypress Village, which opened its doors on Sept. 2.

Principal Phillips told the gathered crowd that Portola Springs Elementary will embrace Irvine Unified's traditions while establishing many of its own. “We gather today to celebrate not just the groundbreaking for a new school, but the beginning of a new chapter in the story of IUSD,” she said. Superintendent Walker followed, introducing the board members, district staff, city leaders and Irvine Company executives in attendance and offering praise for those who made the project possible. He also noted that the presence of Portola Springs students added a new level of energy to this type of ceremony. “What strikes me as very uniquely great and wonderful about this event is that you’re here,” Walker said. “You’re going to be here from the beginning to see this grow, and I agree with (Principal Phillips) that there isn’t anything more exciting than to watch something that’s going to be so profoundly important in the lives of our community, our students and our families.” Board President Wallin said Portola Springs is just the second school built from the district’s educational specifications. Approved in 2011, ed specs spell out desired instructional activities and the physical spaces needed to support those activities. “But the ed specs and the state-of-the-art facilities alone do not make a successful school,” she said. “It takes talented teachers, involved parents, a dedicated staff and engaged students to breathe life into a campus, and fortunately we have all that right here.” After the speeches were over, board members and district staff were presented with white hard hats and silver shovels to pose for a few photos, symbolizing the start of construction. Others joined in as well. “To those who will be working and learning here a year from now, I have three requests,” Board President Wallin shared a few moments earlier. “Love your new school, make it your own, and set the bar high for those who will follow in your footsteps.” Picture above, from left to right: Assistant Superintendent Cassie Parham, Portola Springs Principal Heather Phillips, Board of Education member Paul Bokota, Board of Education member Lauren Brooks, Superintendent Terry Walker, Board of Education President Sharon Wallin and Board of Education member Ira Glasky.