Renovation plans for the Los Altos School District that include new permanent classrooms, revamped multipurpose rooms and two-story structures are in sight.
Parents reviewed school-site renovation plans a final time last week.
The Long Range Facilities Study Committee will present a master facilities plan to the public and school board on Monday.
A 40-member committee, appointed by the school board last January, has studied the impact of growing enrollment, space requirements for the class-size reduction program and the aging condition of school buildings over the past five months, while regularly meeting with community members to gather input.
At the May 21 school-site meeting at Bullis-Purissima School in Los Altos Hills, the architect presented conceptual drawings of the most recent renovation plans for Bullis that will be discussed at the June meeting.
Like other school sites, the Bullis plan replaces portable classrooms with permanent ones and includes a two-story structure, which features a library, a flex room and staff rooms downstairs and six classrooms upstairs.
Many parents at the meeting were pleased with the overall plans, saying the arrangement of buildings "provide a sense of community" and "more play space."
One questioned how a nearly 30-foot tall, two-story structure would fit into its Los altos Hills neighborhood.
According to Jim Mackenzie, senior planner for the city of Los Altos, provisions in state law allow school districts to be exempt from local zoning laws, because districts are considered separate governmental agencies. District renovations are, however, subject to environmental reviews, he said.
The architect said the structure "will have some impact, but it doesn't have to be that far from the residential scale." She assured parents that the structure would not look like an "army barracks."
Board member Gerri Carlton said the architectural drawings were just concepts to help the district estimate renovation costs. Carlton said there is still enough time for "a lot more community input," before any plans materialize.
Parents also discussed the possibility of asking the Town of Los Altos Hills to help fund the costs of raising the ceiling and putting in a new floor in the mutipurpose room, which could be used as a community facility.
School officials plan to put a bond issue on the ballot in November or next spring.
The Los Altos School District serves children from kindergarten through grade eight at six elementary schools and two junior highs located in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills.
The Long Range Facilities Study Committee will present a facilities plan to the public and the board of trustees from 7:30 to 9 p.m. this coming Monday in the Multiuse Room at Almond School, 550 Almond Ave., Los Altos.