Carlsbad Unified School District completed a $30.2 million overhaul of Aviara Oaks Middle School in time for the 2026-27 school year. The rebuilt campus on Ambrosia Lane serves 991 students in grades 6 through 8.

The project's centerpiece is a new administration building constructed from the ground up, the North County Daily Star reported, citing a district press release dated Oct. 6. The building houses four upstairs classrooms and two STEAM labs for hands-on work in science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

Six existing buildings also received new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and new roofs. The campus got fresh landscaping and exterior paint.

Measure HH, a bond Carlsbad voters approved in 2018, funded the work. Construction began in December 2024, with Lusardi Construction Company as contractor and HMC Architects handling the design. The project wrapped in September 2026.

Superintendent Andrea Norman said in the district's Oct. 6 statement, "We are grateful to Carlsbad taxpayers, whose investment of Measure HH in our schools made this possible." She said the new STEAM labs and modernized buildings provide an updated learning environment for students and staff.

The school also has new leadership.

The Carlsbad Unified Board of Trustees voted 5-0 on May 27 to appoint Jesse Mindlin as principal and Charles Threatt as assistant principal, both effective July 1, according to board meeting minutes. At the same meeting, the board extended the terms of three Measure HH oversight committee members, Kevin Slebioda, Stephanie Wells and Craig Bishop, through June 30, 2028.

Families who want input on what comes next can attend Long-Range Facilities Master Plan community meetings: Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Carlsbad High School library, or Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Sage Creek High School cafeteria. The Oct. 14 session covers Aviara Oaks Middle School among other campuses.