Planning & Design Meetings Ohlone Kick-Off 11/19/2008 - Minutes
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Meeting Notes
Project:
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Meeting Subject: Ohlone Kick-Off
Meeting Date: 11-19-08, 11:30 AM
Location: Ohlone ES
Those Present: Susan Charles Principal, Ohlone ES
Bob Golton PAUSD
Ron Smith PAUSD
Paul Stickney PAUSD
Tom Hodges O’Connor/PAUSD
Lisa Gelfand GPA
Chris Duncan GPA
Steven Korovesis GPA
The following new items were discussed:
New Items Action By ITEM
2.1 Capacity fyi Capacity for Ohlone is projected to be 600 students. 520 is the maximum
enrollment for the campus. Current traffic infrastructure cannot support that
capacity. Ohlone is a commuter school, not a neighborhood school, and 75%
of student population is driven to campus.
fyi Susan, Bob, to meet with Kevin Skelly on 11.21.08 to discuss enrollment
capacity. Options are to either add 6 new classrooms for the Mandarin
immersion program and replace portables (12 total) or general expansion of
Ohlone with 9 new classrooms and portable replacement (15 total).
2.2 Program fyi Ohlone has a Mandarin immersion program. It was originally intended to be
housed at Ohlone for 3 years, but now is a permanent program. It is an
integrated part of the school.
fyi Ohlone is the most sought after, ‘choice’ school in the district.
fyi Ohlone is a development approach school:
-All classrooms are multi-grade.
-Respect is emphasized. First names are used to respect people, not titles.
-There is no specific discipline policy, students learn to be accountable for
their own behavior.
-Individual approach is preferred over a broad policy
-Collaboration is encouraged across grades and classrooms.
-Teachers do not use worksheets.
fyi Ohlone has one lunch time for the whole school. Teachers do not supervise
lunch period; outside help is hired. Teacher staff room is reserved as retreat
space, free from work. A teacher work room is not a priority.
fyi On rainy days, students either stay on red top or watch a movie / play games
in a rotating classroom.
fyi Classroom desks are not arranged in rows facing front.
2.3 Buildings fyi Ohlone is a collaborative place, more transparency is preferred in the
buildings. Currently, high windows face the campus interior with low windows
at the exterior. The reverse would work better for Ohlone to encourage
transparency within the campus.
Ohlone ES
0819
November 21, 2008
Meeting Notes 2 of 2
fyi Susan mentioned a preference to have doors between classrooms. Students
“take breaks” by sitting in on neighboring classes.
fyi GPA suggested L shaped classroom layout to encourage collaboration
between classes, areas for student activity, and a collaborative teacher area.
fyi GPA suggested a range of spaces inside and outside for children to
encourage creativity.
GPA GPA to look into way to make farm more visible and less disconnected from
campus.
fyi Classroom white boards can be used as a reference point, but not a focal
point for the teaching lesson.
GPA GPA to investigate ways site planning can differentiate areas of campus.
2.4 Site Council fyi Susan to arrange members for site council. GPA to meet with site council
after first week of December.
GPA/PAUSD GPA to arrange site visit to Los Altos schools.
End of Meeting Notes
These notes will be considered substantially correct and complete unless otherwise notified in writing within five working days of receipt.