SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Hundreds of Mira Loma High School students, staff and community members took a moment to sign their name onto a steel beam that was installed onto the frame of the school’s future science building.

The excitement for Mira Loma’s signature project was buzzing throughout the day as students penned their names to the beam, and iron workers continued working to frame the new building piece-by-piece a short distance away.

“I think it’s nice that we get to sign this beam, and then all the students will have their name in this building forever,” said sophomore Andy Chittenden. 

San Juan Unified Assistant Superintendent of Facilities, Maintenance & Transportation Frank Camarda said the Mira Loma science building is right on track to open by August 2020, in time for the next school year. Passersby that have noticed the steel work going into place will soon start to see a roof go up, and work on solar-paneled car parts in the parking lot area will begin in the next couple of months.

“It really is a great thing for our campus to actually see it being built,” said James Hill, science department chair. 

The two-story science building will include “next-generation” classrooms and labs for all of the sciences including chemistry, physics, physical and earth science. An outdoor observation deck and flex space are also included in the design. 

“It’s really exciting to see the project come to life. We’ve spent a lot of time doing site work, so this part, where you see the vertical construction is really exciting,” Camarda said.

The signed steel beam is the final piece installed and celebrated by the construction crew with what is known as a “topping out ceremony” where it is swung into place with an American Flag attached to it. 

Staff and students at Mira Loma are indeed excited for the future, not only for the science building but for the trickle-down effect of how the building will affect other programs as well.

“I’m impressed that science gets its own separate building and then (other) teachers that don’t have a classroom can move into the other classrooms,” sophomore Melissa Moskvych said.

Mira Loma’s science building is funded by Measure N and is being built by DPR Construction and was designed by Lionakis Architects. Construction Management firm ICS is overseeing the project in conjunction with San Juan Unified staff.