Plumas Charter School Breaks Ground on Quincy Facility
After six years of anticipation Plumas Charter School broke ground on their new facility site in August. Located at 1425 E. Main Street in Quincy, the property is bordered by the Caltrans yard to the right, Pioneer Park to the back, and the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds at the back as well. When completed, the building will serve TK-12th grade Quincy students as well as the school’s main office staff.
“The building plans are finalized, the loan is approved, and the work has begun,” said PCS Executive Director, Taletha Washburn. In the coming weeks, Modern Builders Inc, with the help of subcontractors including Wilburn Construction, will be working on the foundation, sidewalks, and drain and sewer systems before winter weather arrives. The partially prefabricated metal building is projected to arrive between January and April 2022, although supply-chain delays could affect the timeline. PCS hopes to start the 2022 school year in the new building.
Currently, Quincy students and staff occupy four different buildings in the downtown area. But, prior to the past three years they have always been together under the same roof. “I am excited about coming back together and rebuilding our school culture. Being fragmented makes leadership and maintaining cohesive school culture difficult,” said Washburn. She commented that the school is always evolving and while staff and students have enjoyed their time in downtown Quincy; they’ve never had a building of their own. “This is our opportunity to see what we can do when we are truly anchored, without the challenge of moving often,” said Washburn.
The new building, designed by Modern Builders Inc based in Chico, CA features the elementary classrooms on one side and the Jr/Sr high school classrooms on the other. The design offers a controlled flow of entrances allowing for collaboration and autonomy between all grades. “Having students and staff together again will improve the flow of communication, collaboration and school processes,” said Quincy Site Director, Patrick Joseph.
The school’s new location also presents partnership potential with Central Plumas Recreation and Parks District as well as the fairgrounds. “We like the idea of utilizing existing resources and for our students to be stewards in the community,” said Washburn.
The Quincy facility project has been in the works since 2016. Originally, the site was located at Kelsey Lane and Quincy Junction Road. However, a 2019 engineering survey revealed that the earthwork would exceed the project budget and make construction at that site infeasible. PCS started exploring different location options which lead to purchasing the East Quincy property from Central Plumas Recreation and Parks District in 2021.
Plumas Charter School also operates learning centers in Taylorsville and Chester. Learn more in the About tab.
By Rachel Goings, Public Relations Specialist
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