2 temporary classrooms placed at Thurston

To help with increased enrollment, crews have placed two temporary portable classrooms at Thurston Middle School.

The additions will make it so two teachers will not need to move from room to room throughout the day.

Each structure, 24 feet by 40 feet, were placed outside the softball field to minimize the impact on physical education classes, Ted Doughty, Laguna Beach Unified School District facilities director, said in an email.

Each portable can house up to five classes a day and 34 students at a time, Principal Jenny Salberg wrote in an email.

Enrollment at the 6-8 school has increased every year since 2006-07, including a jump to 806 children from 722 two years ago.

The school board approved the portables Oct. 22 and awarded a contract with Mobile Modular Management Corp. for $26,620 on Dec. 10.

The cost covers set up, tear down and rental fees and will be paid from developer fees — previously earmarked funds set aside to cover such district projects.

The district hired a company to research whether enrollment will continue to grow, Doughty has said.

If the study forecasts more growth, the school district may consider more-permanent solutions than the portables.

The temporary classrooms are to remain on campus no more than two years, Dougherty said.

Classrooms should open to students and teachers the week of Jan. 13.