Pleasant Valley High School’s $30 million construction project nears completion as the cafeteria work enters its final stages.
The two-phase expansion began in March 2024. It began in order to address overcrowding from the school’s growing enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. Phase 1, featuring 27 new classrooms and visitor upgrades to Spartan Stadium, opened on track as scheduled for the first day of school in August 2025.
Phase 2 construction focused on expanding the cafeteria, visible from the front of the building. The district initially projected November 2025 completion for the new dining space. In the meantime, students have eaten lunch in the nine first-floor classrooms intentionally left without center walls while construction progressed.
The new cafeteria is set to be open on Dec. 8, with additional tables arriving Dec. 4. Principal Mike Hawley explained the transition timeline for the building. “After they move us to the cafeteria, they will finish the rooms that we are now using for eating lunch, and those will be done by second semester,” said Hawley. “The social studies classrooms will move to the current cafeteria. That change will be done sometime Jan. 5, 2026.”
The completed project intends to address critical space constraints at the high school. Teachers previously shared classrooms, moving between spaces throughout the day, while the cafeteria accommodated over 400 students at one time during lunch periods.
The expanded space will eliminate overflow in the dining area that required students to eat outside the cafeteria. “Now, everybody can fit in the cafeteria so that nobody eats outside of the cafeteria,” said Hawley.
Some students say the temporary lunchroom setup in the unfinished classrooms offered unexpected benefits. “So far, I’ve actually liked the new cafeteria being smaller,” said senior Alex Larsen. “It feels a lot more relaxed to be in a smaller room. It’s quieter and I notice less people throwing food, which makes eating lunch more enjoyable. However, it does look like the new cafeteria has sound-dampening panels on the wall, so I’m interested in how well they work.”
The district prioritized cost-effectiveness when furnishing the new space. “We tasked ourselves with keeping as many of the old tables as possible,” said Hawley. New furniture similar to pieces in the school’s common area will be added to complement existing seating.
The current expansion follows Phase 1 construction completed in January 2019, which added a freshman tower, lower D gym and office spaces for nearly $20 million to help accommodate the growing student body at PV. The additional classroom space provides flexibility for the building’s future needs. “We have more classrooms than we need,” said Hawley. “Now, some classrooms can be used for other purposes.”
When the cafeteria opens, students and staff will return to a unified dining space after months of temporary arrangements. The completed expansion will support daily routines, reduce congestion and prepare Pleasant Valley High School as enrollment increases in the coming years.
