This week, staff and administrators at John H. Francis Polytechnic High School in Sun Valley celebrated a major milestone in the campus’ $184 million modernization project.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho was all smiles as he oversaw the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, April 22, for new learning spaces and facilities. He was joined by the school’s principal Walter Rich, LAUSD Board Member Kelly Gonez and Chief Facilities Executive Krisztina Tokes.
“A leap forward in learning spaces at John H. Francis Polytechnic Senior High School with a new administration-classroom building, cafeteria, library, and gymnasium,” he said in a Monday morning statement on X. “Special thanks to Poly’s outstanding dance, band and cheer teams for adding to the celebration.”
The modernization project approved in 2016 is set to completely transform the aging campus, which was constructed in 1956 and is home to more than 2,500 students.
The project calls for 38 new classrooms, a library, gymnasium, auditorium, cafeteria, basketball courts, tennis courts, softball diamond, administration building and maintenance building. Existing classrooms and facilities will get a facelift with new paint, white boards, window blinds and roofing systems.
While the project was initially going to be completed by the second quarter of 2023, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now slated to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025.
