Planning & Design Meetings Math Department: Program Meeting No.2 5/12/2009 - MinutesMath Department
Palo Alto High School
12 May 2009
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PALO HIGH SCHOOL
Palo Alto Unified School District
PROGRAM MEETING NOTES
DATE: 12 May 2009
SUBJECT: Math Department: Program Meeting No.2
ATTENDEES: Radu Toma, Paly Kathy Himmelberger, Paly
Suy Antink, Paly Scott Friedland, Paly
Charlotte Harris, Paly Paul Stickney, PAUSD/OCMI
Maria Rao, Paly Erwin Lee, DLM
David Baker, Paly Dean Schmitz, DLM
Judy Choy, Paly
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the math department’s program and the
program needs in the new classroom building. The following are the highlights of the
meeting:
1. Radu Toma, I.S., reviewed the items that Arne provided and gave a summary of the
department’s decisions:
• The department prefers to be located on the second floor
• Whiteboards, in lieu of chalkboards, are to be used in all classrooms
• All classrooms will be carpeted (carpet tile)
• No wall-hung, upper cabinets in the classrooms
• One wall of locking base cabinets, including a 3’-wide wardrobe in all classrooms
• Office walls are to be full height, because privacy is a must
• 18 offices are preferred
2. Toma requested at least two additional classrooms to be included in the programming
for the department because the A-G requirement change will increase the number of
students required to take math classes.
3. Architect Erwin Lee presented nine different plan diagrams for the second floor. These
diagrams included various building footprints within the same location on the site. The
layouts consisted of interior and exterior classroom entries, as well as hybrids of both.
4. Three schemes were preferred by the department. These schemes were F, (plan with
all exterior circulation) H and I (hybrid plans with exterior and interior circulation). The
highlights of each scheme were:
Scheme F. (Exterior) – This plan was square in shape, with a large cutaway in the
southeast corner that forms a courtyard. One of the two stairways is located in the
courtyard, adjacent to an elevator. The other stairway is adjacent to a light well on the
west side of the building. The classrooms are located at the perimeter in rows of two
and three and are accessible by the central interior space, as well as the exterior
walkways around the building. There is a large space in the northwest corner of the
building, ideal for a staff lunch or conference room.
Math Department
Palo Alto High School
12 May 2009
Page 2
Scheme H. (Combination) – This plan was a triangular shape, with the hypotenuse of
the triangle facing the southeast to form a courtyard space. The hypotenuse of the
triangle is a row of three classrooms, accessible by the exterior walkways and interior
central space. The two stairways and elevator are located on either side of the
hypotenuse, adjacent to a single classroom, accessible only by the interior walkway.
The other classrooms are located on the north and east sides in two rows of three.
These are accessible by the central interior space. There is a 30’x32’ space in the
northwest corner of the building, ideal for a staff lunch or conference room.
Scheme I. (Combination) – This plan was a polygonal shape, with a small cutaway in
the southeast corner that forms a courtyard that exposes the main stairway of the
building. There are two other stairways on the north and east sides, adjacent to a group
of two classrooms, with a single classroom that shares the interior walkway. The other
classrooms are located on the west and south sides and are in two rows of three. They
are accessible by the exterior walkways at the perimeter. The elevator is in the center
of the building’s entrance, adjacent to the interior central space. There is a large space
in the northeast corner of the building that is ideal for a staff lunch or conference room,
adjacent to a large light well.
5. Next Steps:
Revise the drawings of the three preferred schemes and present them to the Social
Studies Department
END
Prepared by Dean Schmitz of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise in writing if you feel that any of the above
items are inaccurate.
cc: Attendees
File
attachments: sign-in sheet
layout diagrams, schemes F, H, I.