In recent weeks, Verrado High School has undergone several upgrades, including the installation of synthetic turf on the football field’s grass; the raising of metal barriers to increase security; and a restructuring of the bookstore that has allotted an additional classroom.

In July, contractors from Hellas, a construction company based in Austin, were hired to replace the grass on the football field with artificial turf. The field was completed just days before the Verrado Vipers were set to play their first football game against the Fairfax Stampede last month.

Synthetic turf is generally regarded as more water-efficient than natural grass, and it is expected to save 16 million gallons of water per year, according to school administrators, as Arizona faces a water crisis. But critics contend that artificial turf reaches higher temperatures than grass and increases injuries.

Verrado began relocating the bookstore into the cafeteria around the same time, removing an administrative lounge and constructing an adjacent classroom. Mrs. Summers, an English teacher and adviser to student government, was moved into the bookstore’s former location.

As part of a broader security initiative, the Agua Fria Union High School District began installing metal barriers surrounding the baseball field and several entrances in September. On Thursday, contractors began removing an adjacent fence to the east entrance.

The upgrades were funded through a $197 million bond override primarily intended to support the district’s ten-year strategic plan and the construction of a high school in Goodyear. Installing artificial turf cost $2.3 million, according to district administrators.

In November, voters are set to decide the fate of a $138 million bond initiative that will include funding for building improvements. Agua Fria Union has approved several other renovations using funds from last year’s bond, including heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems at Millennium and Agua Fria High School.