The school board will delay action on the placement of portables in preparation for the 2011 construction of two new buildings until Jan. 12.
There are two viable options for portable relocation, both of which call for portables to be moved starting in spring 2010. The first would install 16 portables in the center of campus, and would finish construction on the media arts and combined math and history building in two years. The second would only involve nine portables, but would require four years to complete the two new buildings.
In both plans, portables would move from the courtyard behind the foreign language building and the space between Embarcadero and the 200 building into their new locations at the center of campus.
Chief Business Official Bob Golton and school board member Camille Townsend both emphasized the Paly community’s anticipation of the new state-of-the-art classroom buildings.
“People really do want this to be done sooner rather than later,” Townsend said.
“We’ve gathered input from multiple groups on campus,” including ASB, Site Council, Ed Council, the Facilities Committee, the PTSA and groups of teachers, Principal Jacqueline McEvoy said. “Hands down, the support is for the two-year plan.”
Construction would place new portables in three clusters near the center of campus. One group of five portables would be situated in the central quadrangle currently bisected by diagonal paths. A second group of eight would be located in the adjoining space between the math and science buildings. The third cluster of three portables would be located between the pool and the science building.
The estimated cost for relocation of the portables is $900,000, according to Golton.
“We were initially going to take action tonight, but have received emails related to two topics: the memorial area at Paly and the placement of these portables,” Golton said.
The “memorial garden” refers to the section of the quad currently planted with young trees and bisected by diagonal paths. The two-year plan calls for the garden to be moved to another location, most likely the grassy area on the side of the Tower Building near the Haymarket Theater.
Other board members agreed that it was important for the community to have enough time to respond to the available options regarding such a significant change in the school’s campus.
Board member Melissa Baten Caswell emphasized the importance of involving the PTSA in the relocation of the memorial garden, given the sensitivity surrounding the issue.
Golton said that several community members had voiced the concern that for some students, Paly would be under construction for their entire time at the school. However, Golton pointed out that the entire Paly campus will be under construction for much longer because of the projected renovation of the theater and various other construction projects.
“We almost need a three-meeting rule [before making significant decisions],” Superintendent Kevin Skelly said. “The staff didn’t have time to react after the last round of questions and concerns.”
However, Skelly acknowledged the difficult decision before the board.
“The board is still going to have to make a choice between less-than ideal solutions,” Skelly said.