Castaniada's mountain district is small, with only 740 students—140 of whom are in the independent homeschool program. But what the district lacks in size, it makes up for by being situated in a truly spectacular location.

The feeling in Castaniada's office today is one of excitement. Outside, men in hard hats walk on school grounds between large Caterpillar earth-moving machines that rumble between earthen mounds.

C.T. English Middle School used to stand on this construction site, but the original buildings have been razed. Work began in May on the new facilities. All that's left of the original school is an old tennis backboard.

Renovations are expected to cost $4.6 million, paid for with a bond financed by a parcel tax. State matching funds and the school's general fund are supplementing the costs.

Construction is scheduled to be completed May 12, 2006, with the first classes in the new buildings starting Aug. 6, 2006.

"We are excited about our new school," Castaniada said. "I think Loma is an example of many fine communities in the Bay Area that actively support their local school community," he said.

Of C.T. English Middle School's original eight classrooms, four were unusable after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Portable classrooms were substituted; then 1 ¹/2 years ago all the middle school's students were moved into portables in preparation for the construction job.

"The kids hate the portables," said Tom Levenhagen, director of school services. "And they have another year to go."

For the last three years, Levenhagen has immersed himself in the myriad details involved in a project like this. From the bidding process to working closely with Zovich Construction, the general contractor, Levenhagen said even in his sleep he dreams about the project. "It's very exciting to see the actual physical thing started," he said.

Teachers complained about the original school's windowless, triangular classrooms, Levenhagen said. The new classrooms will be rectangular, which is more convenient for teaching, and they will have windows, which, considering the scenic setting, might cause even the teachers to have daydreams.

The new school will have eight classrooms, a library, art room and two science labs all situated around a central courtyard.

"It's a marvelous design," Principal Diana Hallock said. "There's no comparison [with the old design]."

Loma Prieta Elementary School, which once stood across Summit Road from C.T. English Middle School, was destroyed by the 1989 earthquake and rebuilt next to the middle school. Now it's the middle school's turn for rebuilding.

A year from now C.T. English Middle School students can say goodbye to their humble brown portable classrooms when they move into their new school in one of the most picturesque corners of America.

"We're very fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful place," Levenhagen said.