New North Tahoe Schools Taking Shape--February '06

Anna Klovstad is the Project Manager. The floor plan of the new schools will have classic lines with a long, wide corridor heading east-west and classrooms off both sides of the hallway. In the middle of the building, between the Middle and High Schools, there will be another hallway leading north-south. It will lead to the central core of the old schools, including the library, auditorium, eating areas, and both gyms. The portions of the old schools that are to be kept will be upgraded and modernized to match the new schools.

When the two new schools are opened, the classroom wings of both of the old schools will be demolished. The new school will be bright and light with wide, open entrances lit by high windows. Classrooms also will have many windows to provide plenty of natural light. Each school will have its own parking lot and separate driveways for buses and parent drop-off.



Following are a few of the features of the new buildings:
--State-of-the-art heating and cooling system that will sit on metal springs so that it will operate quietly and efficiently. The entire building layout was designed for energy efficiency. For example, the computer lab was put on the colder, north facing side of the building because in the colder months the computers will help heat the room; in the warmer months the computers will not make the room too warm. Another advantage to putting the computer lab on the north facing side is that there will be less glare on the computer screens.
--Lighting will be activated by motion sensors and natural light detectors so lights will be on only when they need to be and off when they are not needed. The lighting is primarily indirect. While the new schools will be over 20,000 square feet bigger than the previous schools, the plan is to have lower utility bills because of the more efficient heating and lighting systems.
--Enlarged (over old schools) library and auditorium.
--Oversized science classrooms that are located next to each other with a workroom in-between. This arrangement will allow students to leave experiments and projects in the workroom, without taking up valuable space in the classroom.
--The band classrooms are located away from other classes and have extra sound insulation. There are also small, individual practice rooms and a large percussion room.
--A separte teachers' and administrators' separate entrance and corridor leading to their offices and workrooms. This was designed to allow teachers and administrators to work together more easily.
--High-tech projectors in each classroom, suspended from the ceiling. The projectors will take a media feed of any type from any computer.
--"Self-healing" wall coverings that are tough and can be pricked and poked without showing any damage.
--A monitoring system for staff to monitor corridors.

Timetable
At the end of this school year, teachers will move from their old classrooms into the new. During the summer months the portions of the old schools to be removed will be demolished and the process of remodeling and updating the sections of the old schools that are to be incorporated into the new will begin.

Students will attend the new school starting fall '06 and by the spring of '07 almost all of the renovations will be complete.

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