October 7, 2020

ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING AND DESIGN WORK BEGINS FOR SIMON SANCHEZ HIGH SCHOOL

The Guam Department of Education (GDOE) has awarded the second phase of procurement in the project to rebuild Simon Sanchez High School (SSHS). The newly awarded architectural, engineering and design for the Yigo campus was awarded to Taniguchi Ruth Makio Architects (TRMA) and was announced to GDOE stakeholders on Wednesday.

The Guam Department of Education received authority to take the lead in handling the procurement for the reconstruction of the new Yigo campus in 2018 after several protests contributed to the project’s delay. The first phase of the procurement, land surveying services, was awarded and completed in 2019. The $5.7 million architectural and design services contract was awarded to TRMA this week. The next and final phase of the procurement will involve both finance and construction services.

"I want to thank the faculty, staff, students and parents of SSHS for their patience and for their leadership in fighting for a new school,” Guam Education Board Chairwoman Maria Gutierrez said. “It has been a long journey, but now that GDOE has been put in charge of this project it is finally moving forward. Despite the budget cuts our department has seen, we will continue prioritizing SSHS.”

"We are excited to begin this next step to rebuild the Home of the Sharks and to give our students and faculty a new campus that is safe and conducive to learning,” GDOE Superintendent Jon Fernandez said. “We look forward to the ideas and insights of our students, faculty and staff to help ensure that the new school meets their needs now and in the future.”