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Pleasanton school officials gather for ceremonial groundbreaking at Amador Valley High School on Aug. 24, 2026. (Photo courtesy PUSD) 
A rendering shows what the new Amador Valley High School gym will look like once finished. (Rendering courtesy of PUSD) 
A rendering shows what the new Amador Valley High School gymnasium lobby will look like once completed. (Rendering courtesy of PUSD) 
A rendering shows what the new Amador Valley High School theater will look like once finished. (Rendering courtesy of PUSD) 
A rendering shows what the new Amador Valley High School weight room will look like once finished. (Rendering courtesy of PUSD) 
A rendering shows what the new Amador Valley High School music classroom will look like once finished. (Rendering courtesy of PUSD)
Pleasanton Unified School District leaders and administrators from Amador Valley High celebrated the ceremonial groundbreaking of the school’s campus renovation project Monday, which aims to build new athletic and performing arts facilities.
The $102.8 million project, which is mostly being funded through the $395 million Measure I bond, is expected to be complete toward the end of 2028.
“This project will create exceptional new spaces for Amador students to perform, compete, learn, and come together,” Amador principal Malcolm Norrington said in a press release. “We know construction of this scale requires flexibility, and I’m incredibly grateful to our students, staff, and site leaders and for continuing to keep teaching, learning and the student experience at the center throughout this transformation.”
Four years ago, the Pleasanton school board approved the district’s Facility Master Plan, which identified key facilities across the district that needed to be renovated or replaced. The list included the athletic and performing arts facilities at both Amador Valley and Foothill high schools.
In order to fund these and other similar improvements, the district placed Measure I on the 2022 general election, which voters ultimately approved. Since then, the district began planning and designing the Amador project — the board approved the final design back in January 2025.
According to the district, the facility renovation aims to provide “modern, high-quality performing arts, athletic and instructional facilities that expand opportunities for students and create a welcoming new presence for Amador Valley High School and the broader Pleasanton community”.
“This is a flagship project for Pleasanton Unified and a major transformation of Amador Valley High School,” assistant superintendent of business services Ahmad Sheikholeslami said in a press release. “Having seen the project develop from its earliest planning stages, it is especially exciting to reach this milestone and see years of thoughtful planning begin to take shape for students.”
The Amador renovation includes a new performing arts theater, a new competition gym, a new pool deck and plaster, and a newly modernized kitchen. The project will also modernize the locker rooms, repair the roof and dry rot, refinish the floor and upgrade the air conditioning and heating systems for the existing gym — the locker rooms have already been finished, according to the district.
“This is a significant investment in the future of Amador Valley High School and in generations of Dons to come,” said PUSD Board of Trustees President Kelly Baehr, who recently changed her last name from Mokashi back to her maiden name.
“We are deeply grateful to Pleasanton voters and our broader community for making this transformation possible through Measure I, and we take seriously our responsibility to ensure that investment is carefully overseen and delivers exceptional facilities for Amador students and the broader community,” Baehr added.
During summer break, PUSD officially began razing several structures, including the small gym and the historic Amador Theater. The demolition of the theater, which was originally a point of contention after residents voiced concerns about getting rid of its historic facade, quickly gained attention online as construction crews were seen tearing the building down on July 31.
But as PUSD Superintendent Maurice Ghysels pointed out, tearing down the 94-year-old structure was important because it now makes way for future students who will greatly benefit from the new performing arts facility.
“The Amador Theater was built nearly a century ago because this community believed in investing in young people,” Ghysels said. “That same belief guides us today. As we begin this next chapter, we are carrying its spirit forward by creating new spaces where students can discover their voices, talents and dreams for generations to come.”
Nimarta Grewal, assistant superintendent of human resources and former Amador principal, also said she knows how much that space meant for the community.
“The Amador Theater holds generations of memories for students, staff, families and the broader community,” she said. “As a former Amador principal and a parent of two Amador graduates, I know firsthand how deeply that space was woven into the life of the school.”
However, she said she is excited to see what the new facility will bring for the future.
“I am so pleased that its story will continue to be honored as we create new opportunities for future generations,” Grewal said.
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