St. Patrick’s School Celebrates Soundproofing

Community leaders, parents and students gathered Thursday morning to celebrate renovations at St. Patrick’s School in North Hollywood.

After years of suffering intrusive noise from the nearby Burbank Airport, the Catholic kindergarten- through eighth-grade school was recently fitted with soundproofing.

During nearly three years of construction, workers insulated the roof and installed thicker windows, said Tom Henry of Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs’ office. New fire alarm and air-conditioning systems were also added, he said. A Federal Aviation Administration grant and airport authority funds paid for the $2.3-million renovations, Henry said.

The improvements were the result of a student and parent drive to decrease airport noise, said St. Patrick’s Principal Laurin Boadt. Parents led a campaign to gather signatures; students drew pictures of large planes flying over the school and sent them to local officials.

“The beginning of the takeoff is right over us,” Boadt said.

Airport noise often interrupted classes, forcing teachers to stop instruction until planes passed, she said.

The changes have made instruction smoother.

“You totally forget [the airplanes] are out there,” Boadt said. “You don’t hear them inside.”