Planning & Design Meetings Programming Meeting #3 5/21/2009 - Minutes05/26/2009 12:38 FTP
PALO ALTO HIGH SCHOOL
Palo Alto Unified School District
PROGRAM MEETING NOTES
DATE: 21 May 2009
� E IM 001/013
SUBJECT: Program Meeting No.3: New Classroom Building
Joint Meeting with Math and Social Studies
ATTENDEES: See sign -in sheet attached
The purpose of the meeting was to jointly review the development of the plan diagrams for
the new classroom building with the math and social studies departments. The following
are the highlights of the meeting:
1. Plan diagrams, Schemes A -I, were briefly reviewed to give context to the three options
that were previously selected by the math department for further development. The
two departments occupying the building, one on the first and the other on the second
floor, have a mutual interest since the two floors will be similar.
2. Plan diagrams, Schemes F, H and I, were presented with conceptual layouts of what
the central common area might be like. Each scheme was also shown in the context of
a partial site plan.
3. It was noted that in Schemes H and 1, the corridors are exterior, non -conditioned
spaces.
4. Scheme F has 12 classroom on the first floor and 13 on the second floor (25 total)
Scheme H has 12 classrooms on each floor (24 total)
Scheme I has 13 classrooms on the first floor and 14 on the second floor (27 total)
The difference between the first level and second level classroom count is due to the
student restrooms located on the first floor. However, there are staff restrooms located
on both floors.
5. The concern was stated that due to the change in course requirements in math, that 14
math classrooms are required in lieu of 12. Since we are building new, the math
department felt that it only makes sense to build 14 new classrooms so that everyone is
on the same floor with easy access to the central common math area. Building 12 new
classrooms and using 2 at one of the existing buildings to reach the 14 total would be
short sighted. Jacquie indicated that the goal is to bring everyone together under one
roof and that building should be designed with 28 classrooms.
6. Erwin indicated that as the number of classrooms increase, the footprint of the building
increases and begins to encroach into the District's corporation yard. The issue of
encroaching into the corporation yard has come up before and may not be a huge
obstacle.
Joint Program Meeting with Math and Social Studies Departments
Palo Alto High School
21 May 2009
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05/26/2009 12:38 FTP � E IM 002/013
7. Both departments noted that the staff rooms should not be directly accessible to the
students and that the offices should not open directly into the resource room (such as
the current math department configuration).
8. The question was asked if the central common areas of the two floors need to be the
same. Erwin indicated that there is flexibility and that they could differ as long as the
main structural elements remain the same. That is, the nonbearing partitions can be
configured differently to address the individual department's program needs.
9. The social studies department would like as many rooms directly adjacent to the
resource room as possible. With a limited number of classrooms opening directly to
the resource room, it was suggested that those who want direct access could select
particular rooms. Another suggestion was to create two smaller resource rooms in lieu
of a single larger one. This would create additional perimeter and allow more
classrooms to be directly accessible to a resource room.
10. Some social studies instructors indicated that outdoor space adjacent to the classroom
is desirable. This desire would suggest a first floor location.
11. Acoustical attenuation between classrooms, both through walls and floor/ceilings, are a
concern. It was noted that the existing classrooms have very poor acoustical isolation
and that one can hear classroom discussions through the walls.
12. Next Steps:
Jacquie will confirm that the classroom count will be 27-28 classrooms in lieu of 24.
Once confirmed, Erwin will adjust the schemes to reflect the 27-28 classroom count
and present revisions for the next meeting.
Schedule:
Next Meeting
Joint math/social studies meeting is Monday, 8 June at 1:O0pm.
Attachments:
Sign -in sheet
Plan diagrams of Schemes F, G and H
Partial site plans
END
Prepared by Erwin Lee of Deems Lewis McKinley. Please advise in writing if you feel that any of the above
items are inaccurate.
cc: Attendees
File
Joint Program Meeting with Math and Social Studies Departments
Palo Alto High School
21 May 2009
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