Planning & Design Meetings Math Department, Schematic Design Meeting 10/7/2009 - MinutesMath Department
Gunn High School
7 October 2009
Page 1
GUNN HIGH SCHOOL
Palo Alto Unified School District
MEETING NOTES
DATE: 07 October 2009
SUBJECT: Math Dept: Schematic Design Meeting No. 1
ATTENDEES: Jeanne Beck, Gunn Aimee Lopez, OCMI
Erwin Lee, DLM Chris Ades, DLM
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the schematic design needs of the Math
Department. The following are the highlights of the meeting:
1. Jeanne Beck (JB) showed Chris Ades (CA) around the current resource and office
rooms, and explained how the office area is split into two rooms and this is not ideal.
They have a large staff room with a kitchenette which is useful and they have a secure
copier room which she’d like to have in the new facility.
2. Erwin Lee (EL) presented a new enlarged floor plan with interior elevations. The
primary change to the floor plan since the last meeting was the reconfiguration of the
office area.
The Conference Room and the IS Office was reconfigured into two smaller
conference rooms adjacent to the IS Office. Since the teachers’ share a large
open area, the additional small conference room will provide another place for
private conversations and meeting. JB indicated that the reconfiguration was
good and that an IS office was necessary.
The staff restrooms were relocated so that they are accessible without
circulating through the Resource Room. EL noted that the Paly HS classroom
building was getting a shower in one of the staff restrooms and asked if it was
something that Gunn should have as well. JB said a shower was necessary for
the same reasons that Paly requested it.
The Workroom was moved south next to the Electrical Room.
Teachers’ desk and file cabinets were shown in the General Office area to
illustrate the size of the space. Twenty desks were shown with future expansion
for 6 to 8 more.
Math teachers currently use cubicles and JB asked that the existing cubicles be
measured and shown on the floor plan in lieu of the desks. DLM will layout the
cubicles in the next plan iteration.
EL asked JB if the location of the Staff Room and Work Room was acceptable
or if she would prefer the locations switched in order to have better supervision
of the Resource Room. JB answered that the layout as shown was better as it
provided more privacy for the Staff by separating it from the Resource Room.
JB asked for a secure storage space for two computer carts. EL noted that a
room can be located next to the Resource Room with access from the Work
Room. This was an acceptable solution to JB.
3. The next focus of the discussion was the interior layout of the classrooms. The major
points discussed:
Math Department
Gunn High School
7 October 2009
Page 2
A 24ft. long marker board at the front of the classroom and a 16ft. long at the
back of the classroom was desirable.
JB liked the band of tackable wall surface where there was no marker board.
There should be tackable wall surface above the counters.
JB noted that currently there are 10 classrooms with “Smart-boards” and that
the new classrooms should include “Smart-boards” as well.
JB pointed out that some existing classrooms have back-to-back teaching walls
and teachers often hear the neighboring teacher clearly. She would prefer not to
have back-to-back teaching walls unless the sound isolation is adequate.
EL noted that the Computer Lab is located in CR 11. JB said it needs to
accommodate 32 desktop or laptop computers and that secure storage units
should be added to contain the laptops. JB also noted that currently they share
a Lab and she questions whether the required 14 classrooms are supposed to
include a Lab or is the Lab in addition to the 14 classrooms.
EL pointed out two options for the windows along the walkway. Option 1 has full
(view) windows and option 2 has high windows with one full corner window at
the entry. JB liked option 2 better with a small corner window next to the door.
4. EL explained that the windows would be operable and that there are different types of
window operation each with positives and negatives.
Due to walking areas adjacent to the windows, project-in or project-out windows
are limited in the distance that they can open unless they are above 7’-0”.
Hopper windows (project-in) that are hinged on the bottom and pull-in from the
top are the most common for schools. High windows will require a pole to pull
open and push close.
Hopper windows allow for fixed insect screens.
An inconvenience of hopper windows is that they must be closed in order to
operate window covering such as blinds or shades.
EL suggested that roller shades be used because they can block out light and
views from outside while still maintaining views to from the inside. They typically
can dim the room sufficiently for LCD projectors.
Aimee Lopez indicated that the School District would only consider shades on
non-operable windows. In rooms with no shades, projectors are slated to have
high-intensity lamps.
5. EL indicated that the casework or cabinets in the room would consist of base cabinets
some with open shelves for books and others with doors, and a tall wardrobe cabinet.
The final design, how many of each type, what order, drawers, can be determined at a
later date.
6. EL pointed out that the storage room at the end of the walkway was appropriate for
book storage but needs to include shelving on both walls.
7. A follow-up meeting will be scheduled to review the modification discussed today..
END
Prepared by Christopher Ades of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise in writing if you feel that any of the
above items are inaccurate.
cc: Attendees, File