When school starts in Marysville on September 7, the Chargers will be reborn.

The student body at Marysville's new Getchell High School chose the Chargers mascot as a tribute to Pilchuck High School, which only operated for five years before being combined with Marysville HS in 1975.

Approximately 1,500 students from the International School of Communications (ISC), Academy of Construction and Engineering (ACE), School for the Entrepreneur and the Bio-Med Academy will christen the new school, perched high atop Getchell Hill on a nature-inspired campus.

The four independent school buildings housing the Small Learning Communities (SLCs) are similar in size and structure, but each sports unique color-coded panels on the exterior for easier identification. Students on campus will share a competition-sized gymnasium, along with sports fields and track.

Meanwhile, at Marysville-Pilchuck High School, the football field at Quil Ceda Stadium, which will be shared by teams at both schools, is getting a makeover to prepare for the coming school year.

In early August, crews from Field Tech USA were busy installing a carpet of artificial turf on the field at M-P while the track surrounding the field was being resurfaced with a fresh layer of permeable asphalt. The football stadium's visitors bleachers will also be replaced before the first home game, set for September 17.

Because of guidelines established by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), all varsity sports will remain at M-PHS for the 2010-2011 school year. When Getchell HS fields its own varsity teams the following year, the stadium's use will double, and school officials' decision to replace the grass with artificial turf was based on maintenance and safety factors.

"The field at M-P has a very high water table, so the ground doesn't drain very well," said capital projects manager John Bingham. "The drainage system there was installed many years ago when the facility was built, and it has failed in the past."

With increased use, the district decided to replace the grass surface with a 15-year turf covering. The improvements offer an added benefit-the local field will now meet WIAA standards for playoff game facilities, giving M-PHS the opportunity to host state tournaments.

The athletic field upgrades are estimated to cost $2 million, which was funded from the health and safety portion of the district's 2006 bond measure.