The Alameda Unified School District has release more details about the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for Encinal Junior & Senior High School’s new athletic field. The event at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 9 will include music, several short speeches and tours of the field along San Francisco Bay.
The field had long been in poor condition, with patchy grass that attracted flocks of geese, a beat-up dirt track and dilipidated bleachers. The new 47,000-square-foot stadium features a multisport turf field, an eight-lane track, event facilities, new bleachers, a covered press and announcer’s box, a new scoreboard and stadium light system and a state-of-the-art drainage system that will help avoid puddling on the field after storms. The project was funded with Alameda residents’ tax dollars from the city’s 2022 Measure B facilities bond.
“We are incredibly excited to have such a beautiful stadium for Encinal students,” says AUSD Superintendent Pasquale Scuderi. “These students deserve an opportunity to play on a safe, modern field. Given the importance of athletics for many high school students, as well as the importance of physical education, this is a magnificent addition to the Encinal campus.”
The AUSD Board of Education has approved plans to begin construction on a new stadium for Alameda High School in 2028 at the old Lum Elementary site. This will also be funded by Measure B.
“As a board, we are so grateful to the Alameda community for supporting Measure B,” says board President Ryan LaLonde, who also co-chaired the Measure B campaign. “In addition to allowing us to build this incredible field, Measure B is also funding new campuses for the Wood Middle and Otis Elementary schools, a new swim center for Alameda High School and upgrades to Kofman Auditorium. Our district is entering a whole new era with the construction of these gorgeous facilities.”
January reminders: Transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten information nights will be held Jan. 13 (TK for West End residents), Jan. 14 (for East End residents) and Jan. 15 (for kindergarten families). Online enrollment for all grades starts Jan. 26. You can find information about 2026-27 enrollment timelines and processes online at alamedaunified.org/departments/student-support-services/enrollment.
Also, the AUSD is taking nominations for its 2026 teacher of the year until 5 p.m. Jan. 5. Anyone can submit a nomination, for which forms are available online at tinyurl.com/AUSD-ToYnomination-2025.
Reach Susan Davis, the Alameda Unified School District’s senior manager for community affairs, at 510-337-7175 or SDavis@alamedaunified.org.