Brittani Lusk

In the year and a half since voters approved millions of dollars in bonds for projects in Alpine School District, buildings are up, but students are still crowded and learning in portable classrooms.

In 2006 voters passed a $230 million bond and leeway to pay for new buildings, additions and remodeling projects. In the first two phases the district is funding 12 projects, including a new elementary school in Eagle Mountain that is nearly complete, a new high school in Saratoga Springs and substantial renovations to Pleasant Grove High School. There are several projects that are still just concepts.

David Holdaway, Alpine School District's director of physical facilities, said the district has more than 300 portable classrooms throughout the district, but recently completed additions to Highland and Eagle Valley Elementary schools should ease congestion there.

"[Eagle Valley Elementary] is only about three years old and the growth out there ... went well beyond our expectations," Holdaway said.

Even with the millions in new buildings and additions, portable classrooms cannot be eradicated.

"We don't have the money to do that," Holdaway said.

The new Eagle Mountain elementary school has been christened Hidden Hollow. Holdaway said it is about 75 percent complete and will be ready to open for more than 800 students in August. The new high school in Saratoga Springs will ease congestion at Lehi High when it opens in fall of 2009.

Renovations at Pleasant Grove High School, which include 30 new classrooms, a new entrance and a new main office, are underway.

"You can see that that is quite the little project," said Alpine District spokeswoman Rhonda Bromley .

The facade of the new addition is visible but surrounded by a chain link fence.

A blue and white sign marks the school's working entrance on the northwest side of the building. The second phase of projects is just beginning with the rebuilding of Orem High School. Bromley said students will continue attending class in the old building while the new building is being built in the parking lot.

Holdaway said students will have fewer places to park, but lots will be built on the east and west of the school to help ease the problem.

On Wednesday, fencing had been put up around the school, the parking lot was roped off with yellow tape and heavy machinery was resting on the front lawn.

Debbie Taylor, president of the Alpine school board, said the board is excited to see the new buildings go up and is hopeful that the district's five-year plan will help meet growth needs.

"We bonded so that we wouldn't have to bond really quickly. We know there will have to be another bond down the road," Taylor said.

• Brittani Lusk can be reached at 344-2549 or at blusk@heraldextra.com.