October 22, 2025
The SCUC Community Advisory Committee (CAC) convened its fourth meeting at Samuel Clemens High School, continuing discussions on district facility needs on October 22, 2025. Comprising parents, business owners, and stakeholders, the CAC explored safety enhancements, such as replacing chain-link fences with harder-to-scale barriers, implementing master keys district-wide, and relocating parking to control building access. The meeting set the stage for a comparative tour of Byron P. Steele High School on November 12, highlighting disparities across campuses.
The 2016 Bond significantly upgraded Clemens’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Fine Arts programs. Amy Massey, CTE Director, showcased the 5,000+ square-foot culinary arts kitchen, operational since 2018, noting, “When they did the bond, they did this space right.” The J-wing, housing programs like Agriculture, STEM/Robotics, and a greenhouse, further demonstrated these advancements. However, Massey pointed out that Steele’s single cooking space pales in comparison to Clemens’ five, underscoring inequities.
Fine Arts also flourished post-2016 Bond, with the Performing Arts Center (PAC), modern choir rooms, and ample storage transforming Clemens’ program. Beth Bronk, SCUC Fine Arts Director, praised the PAC as a vast improvement over the “dark and dingy” old auditorium, and highlighted the district’s only dedicated Orchestra space at Clemens. CAC member Kimberly Steindorf remarked, “It’s interesting to see the differences of other schools and it’s great to see we are ahead in certain areas.”
Despite these gains, athletic facilities at Clemens and across SCUC lag behind. Athletic Director Scott Lehnhoff described the stadium’s cramped concessions as a “mosh pit,” with inadequate seating for 6A games and outdated 1966 lightpoles unfit for LED upgrades. The weight room, unchanged since Lehnhoff’s student days in the 1990s, and the mold-prone varsity locker room highlight the need for modernization. CAC member Melva Rivera Perez emphasized, “The priority should be our kids and providing them with the facilities that they need.”
The 2016 Bond significantly upgraded Clemens’ Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Fine Arts programs. Amy Massey, CTE Director, showcased the 5,000+ square-foot culinary arts kitchen, operational since 2018, noting, “When they did the bond, they did this space right.” The J-wing, housing programs like Agriculture, STEM/Robotics, and a greenhouse, further demonstrated these advancements. However, Massey pointed out that Steele’s single cooking space pales in comparison to Clemens’ five, underscoring inequities.
Fine Arts also flourished post-2016 Bond, with the Performing Arts Center (PAC), modern choir rooms, and ample storage transforming Clemens’ program. Beth Bronk, SCUC Fine Arts Director, praised the PAC as a vast improvement over the “dark and dingy” old auditorium, and highlighted the district’s only dedicated Orchestra space at Clemens. CAC member Kimberly Steindorf remarked, “It’s interesting to see the differences of other schools and it’s great to see we are ahead in certain areas.”
Despite these gains, athletic facilities at Clemens and across SCUC lag behind. Athletic Director Scott Lehnhoff described the stadium’s cramped concessions as a “mosh pit,” with inadequate seating for 6A games and outdated 1966 lightpoles unfit for LED upgrades. The weight room, unchanged since Lehnhoff’s student days in the 1990s, and the mold-prone varsity locker room highlight the need for modernization. CAC member Melva Rivera Perez emphasized, “The priority should be our kids and providing them with the facilities that they need.”