At the board meeting on May 21 the Board of Trustees approved phase one of McNeil’s building construction to begin summer 2016. Previous to the board meeting, a group of 40 parents, teachers and students, known as the Team of Board, met several times to discuss the master plan.

“Each time we met with the architects at Perkins and Will, they would tell me how amazed they were that everyone was on the same page, that we all had a clear vision of what we wanted McNeil to be and how it could represent us as a community,” Principal Courtney Acosta said.

The planning of phase one started in the fall semester when McNeil received a bond of $28 million and the team began to dream big.

“Though our students reach incredible levels of success and test the limits of what a high school student can and should be able to do, imagine how much further they could go with a building that truly represented their potential,” Acosta said.

In phase one, the renovations being done include a new front entry, expanding visitor and faculty parking, relocating the marching field, large group lecture spaces, dedicated courtyard space for special education, an upgrade to the girls’ locker rooms, and updating a portion of the agriculture complex.

“When we met as a bond committee the issue of rebranding McNeil was one of the first topics that emerged as a committee consensus, we all agreed that the community does not get the opportunity to see the real McNeil,” teacher Erin Balfour said. “Our bond committee worked with the architects to create a McNeil that would showcase our successes, welcome our parents and visitors, and present a school dedicated to academic, artistic and athletic achievement.”

The renovation of the school will show the community what McNeil is, not only with phase one but also with phases two-four. In the remaining phases there will be new science labs, athletic upgrades, theater arts spaces, and much more.

“The proposed exterior upgrades to our school will help enhance the spirit and comradery between faculty, staff and students,” senior Cara Chin said. “In passing this bond [the board is] allowing students to be a step closer in being up to date to prepare for the competitive world we live in; so I encourage [the board] to make our vision of a much needed makeover into reality.”