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Planning & Design Meetings Program Meeting No.4: New Classroom Building 6/8/2009 - MinutesJoint Meeting with Math and Social Studies Department Palo Alto High School 08 June 2009 Page 1 PALO HIGH SCHOOL Palo Alto Unified School District PROGRAM MEETING NOTES DATE: 08 June 2009 SUBJECT: Program Meeting No.4: New Classroom Building Joint Meeting with Math and Social Studies Department ATTENDEES: See attached sign-in sheet The purpose of the meeting was to review three conceptual plan diagrams and determine which plan diagram the Math and Social Studies Departments would jointly recommended to the Facilities Steering Committee to take to the School Board. The following are the highlights of the meeting: 1. Architect Erwin Lee welcomed the committee. He summarized the last meeting and explained that the three schemes that the committee selected for further development had increased in area due to the inclusion of additional classrooms. The current schemes have 14 classrooms on the second floor and 12 or 13 on the first floor. 2. Lee presented three revised versions of the previous schemes. In order to accommodate the additional classrooms and minimize the increase in overall building footprint, area was reallocated from the central resource/office area. The central area is still larger than what they currently have but is smaller than the first generation. The committee was asked to comment on each of the schemes as they were presented. The schemes are as follows: Scheme F (rev.1) – This layout has 12 classrooms on the first floor and 14 classrooms on the second floor. The plan was square in shape, with a notch in the northwest corner that forms a courtyard. A large stair is located in the courtyard that provides easy access. There is a light well in the center of the building that brings natural light into the staff and conference rooms on the first floor, and the resource and work rooms on the second floor. The classrooms are located at the perimeter and accessible from the central resource/office area. On the first floor, there are two smaller resource rooms in lieu of one large room, which allows more classrooms to be directly accessible to a resource room. Scheme H (rev.1) - This layout has 14 classrooms on both floors. The plan is triangular in shape, with the hypotenuse of the triangle facing northwest forming one of the edges of a courtyard. The hypotenuse of the triangle is a row of five, 30’x42’ classrooms, accessible by the exterior walkways and central resource/office space. Lee explained that the standard classroom is 30’x32’ and that the total square footage is 960. In Scheme H (revised), the 5 classrooms that form the hypotenuse of the triangular shaped footprint are 24’x40’ (also 960 SF), which is the dimension of the current relocatable classroom buildings. Joint Meeting with Math and Social Studies Department Palo Alto High School 08 June 2009 Page 2 Scheme I (rev.1) – This layout had 13 classrooms on the first floor, and had 14 classrooms on the second floor. The plan has the resource rooms as the main entry to the central resource/office area. This scheme reverses the orientation of the previous Scheme I by locating the open area in the front in lieu of the back and creating a more inviting entry. This configuration allows for long, diagonal views through the building. Six classrooms are not directly adjacent to the central resource/office area and must be accessed via the exterior covered walkways. Lee marked up the drawing of this scheme as suggestions were made to capture the input and comments. After a lengthy discussion of the pros and cons of this scheme, it was unanimously preferred by the Math and Social Studies departments that Scheme I was the preferred scheme that should be recommended to the Facilities Steering Committee. 3. With Scheme I being the preferred scheme, Lee asked if there were any features from the other schemes that they felt should be incorporated. Features that were liked from the other options were noted on the mark-up plan and would be incorporated in the next iteration. 4. Lee asked the committee for any questions or comments about what had been presented, and the key elements that they agree on. The highlights are as follows: • Could the stairs and entryways be covered to keep weather out? o Lee stated that it would be and that there are probably many ways to accomplish that. • How big are the proposed offices? Can the offices hold two people? o Lee stated that the proposed offices are 9’x10’, but they can be reduced in size if necessary. The existing offices for the Social Studies department are 7’x9’. The individual staffs need to decide how many offices are required and if offices are shared. If shared, what size would be acceptable? • Is the proposed central resource/office space bigger than the existing? o Yes. Lee suggested that it was and that areas, such as the resource rooms, could be reduced (and still be larger than the existing) in order to create room for other program areas. • How many stalls are in the proposed girl’s restroom? o Approximately 5 stalls and 3 lavatories. However, the actual fixture count will be determined as the plan becomes more detailed. I.S. Radu Toma reiterated that there is a desire for a staff shower, and suggested that the shower(s) be adjacent to the restrooms either on the first floor or second floor, or both floors. Joint Meeting with Math and Social Studies Department Palo Alto High School 08 June 2009 Page 3 • If we make a recommendation to the Facilities Steering Committee and School Board, could the inside layout of the plan be changed? o Yes. At this time, the recommendation is only for the conceptual design and the general plan configuration. The central resource/office area still needs much thought, consideration and input. 5. Next Steps: • DLM will revise Scheme I and distribute via email for review and comment • The three schemes will be presented to the School Board, so that the thinking process is shown. Scheme I (rev.1) will be presented as the recommendation of the Math and Social Studies departments. 6. Schedule: TBD DLM will continue to develop the plan diagram and regroup in August. Attachments: Sign-in sheet Plan Diagrams of Schemes F (rev.1), H (rev.1), and I (rev.1). 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