BY NATE NGUYEN
Staff Writer
Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) held a groundbreaking ceremony in anticipation of the opening of Portola High School in 2016 as Irvine’s fifth high school. The decision to develop this high school in Irvine arose from the concerns of overpopulation in other local high schools. The student population of Northwood is estimated to be around 3,500. That is well over 2400, the average student limit for Irvine high schools. Portola High would provide students in developing areas such as Portola Springs, Stonegate and Woodbury with a new local high school.
On Thursday, October 16th, Terry Walker (Superintendent, IUSD) introduced Portola High as a, “…high school [that] is going to be the greatest high school in the world” and went on to say that “the people responsible for making this school a reality …embody the same characteristics we aspire to cultivate in our students — courage and resilience and perseverance and grit, as well as thoughtful planning.”
Portola High will be developed in the Northeast part of Irvine near the Great Park and Heritage Fields. Portola is planned to be between Northwood and Irvine High (IHS) in a community also in development.
Portola High will also have a stadium capable of seating 2940 people and a 50 meter pool for the aquatics team. This will provide another sports venue for Irvine students besides those of University High and Irvine High.
With the growing numbers of students in IUSD, Portola High is a welcome addition for Irvine residents.