Portola a year from opening

MEASURING: Miguel Cortez measures space for plumbing in a new science lab at Portola Middle School .

MODERNIZING: Crews renovate Portola Middle School. In addition to electronic upgrades, the school will gain parent/teacher meeting rooms, an upgraded administration building, cafeteria, athletic facilities and a more pedestrian-friendly parking lot.

LABOR: Juan Sanchez installs electrical boxes in a new science lab at Portola Middle School. Improvements to the campus electrical wiring and telecommunications infrastructure will allow eight more computers to be installed in each classrooms, ceiling-mounted LCD projectors to replace the outdated cart-mounted ones, enhanced lighting schemes and air conditioning.

FENCED IN: Portola Middle School's administration building sits behind a chain-link fence while construction crews labor on the interior.