The Chawanakee Unified School
District Board has selected the architectural firm, Integrated Designs by
SOMAM, Inc. to design its new K-8 school that will serve the students in the
master-planned community of Tesoro Viejo located in Madera County.
The new elementary school is
expected to serve 600 students and employ up to 20 teachers plus nearly 50
additional support staff and will be located in the first village of Tesoro Viejo. Class sizes will be small and focused on
individual learning with curriculum tailored to match the community, allowing
students to learn about the land, its rich agricultural history, and green
technology.
“The selection process was
extensive and included information-gathering visits to other districts. Our
review committee included school board trustees, district staff, community
representatives, parents and teachers,” said Bob Nelson, superintendent of
Chawanakee Unified School District. “It was critical for us that the company
selected be local and have a vested interest in the community.”
Three finalists were chosen
from among the eight proposals received. Ultimately, the decision was made to
stay local.
“We are honored to design
the first school for Tesoro Viejo, creating a strong foundation for the future
growth of the school district. The
competition was tough and there were so many great ideas,” said Curtis Flynn,
project architect with Integrated Designs. “Our goal is to honor the
architectural integrity of Tesoro Viejo and provide an authentic aesthetic and
structural foundation for a sound cultural fit.”
A model of innovative design
and sustainable living, Tesoro Viejo will be a vibrant hub for southeastern
Madera County with housing and business opportunities, a walkable Town Center,
green living, thriving industry and neighborhood parks and schools where
residents can live, work and play.
The District plans to use
the community’s design and construction as learning opportunities for students,
and will also tie its curriculum to the new medical clinic at Tesoro Viejo and
possibly use the physicians as an educational resource. “The newest facility will be built upon the
principals of family, health and education. We want this school to serve as a
hub within the community,” said Nelson.
“We are a close-knit
community, and our new school will be no different. It will be developed around
the notion of supporting family, health and education. Our schools serve as a
nucleus for the surrounding residents and we want this school to also serve as
a hub within the community,” said Nelson.
Nelson added that the
District which has received national and state honors is driven by Project-Based
Learning where students learn by doing, which is based on the 21st century educational principles of the 4 C's:
Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, and Critical Thinking.
Chawanakee Unified School
District is an innovative project-based, 21st century school
district in the Sierra Foothills of Eastern Madera County, spanning the
communities of North Fork, O'Neals, Bass Lake, Coarsegold and Tesoro
Viejo. For more information visit http://www.Chawanakee.k12.ca.us.
Integrated Designs has an
extensive background in the design of educational centers within the Central
Valley. Their mission is to deliver
architectural and planning services assisting clients in every project phase
with a high level of innovation so that every project is delivered on time and
within budget. To learn more about the
firm visit http://www.integrateddesigns.com.