Mission Accomplished : New Elementary School Finally About to Open in East Camarillo

After five years of effort and despite two failed bond initiatives, Pleasant Valley Elementary School District administrators are about to open a new elementary campus to ease overcrowding in Camarillo.

The 710-student Tierra Linda School, located off Woodcreek Road in the Mission Oaks area, is set to open Sept. 6, drawing primary-grade students from several crowded campuses in the eastern part of the city.

Because financing the $6.3-million project was so difficult--voters narrowly rejected two bond measures in 1991--the new school lacks a multipurpose room. And in that room’s place sits a temporary trailer that provides the additional bathrooms required by state law for a school of that size.

Still, district officials say they are thrilled that the school is finally opening.

“This is going to be a great place to teach students and a great place for them to learn,” said school board President Jan McDonald. “We’re playing catch-up in terms of our building program, but I’m so glad we have reached this point.”

Even with the new site, the growing 13-campus district still needs to build two more elementary schools in the next 15 years, Supt. Shirley Carpenter said.

“By having Tierra Linda operational, we will be able to cut down on the amount of busing we’re doing and lessen the crowding,” Carpenter said.

Because of the bond failures, Carpenter said the district paid for the new school by selling bond-like certificates, borrowing money from banks and using developer fees.

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This week, as construction workers put final touches on the school, officials are hoping its design will help students learn. The school is composed of six oversized classrooms with movable walls surrounding a large common area for group activities.

The carpeted buildings are wired for fiber-optic lines and heavy computer use. The school also features natural lighting and special kid-sized equipment and furniture--from desks to cabinets and even sinks.

District officials and building designers said the school, atop a hill on 5 1/2 acres, is itself “smart.” Electronic monitors are programmed to start and stop cooling and lighting systems as people leave or enter rooms, saving on energy costs.

Other features include sinks with fold-away doors to allow wheelchair access and classroom storage cabinets with angled tops to prevent the stacking of objects that could fall and hurt students during earthquakes.

The school is beige with red Spanish-tile roofs. It has two sets of brightly colored playground equipment, mounted on thick rubber matting for safety. Doorways and window frames have been painted bright green.

“It was our goal to design a building that would fit with the character of the neighborhood, but would have a sense of self too,” said Dave Cartnal, whose architectural firm designed the school.

“We strive in our designs to get away from institutional looks. We want to design places that are cheerful, that actually fit kids and which promote learning.”

Dianne Quinby-Anders, Tierra Linda’s new principal, said a committee of teachers, administrators and maintenance workers met for more than four years to recommend design features.

“While we obviously couldn’t afford all of the suggestions, a great deal of them were incorporated into the final design,” Quinby-Anders said. “It’s been a very exciting time for us. We can’t wait to get the school open.”

FYI

Tierra Linda Elementary School, 1201 Woodcreek Road, is set to open Sept. 6. On that first day, parents are welcome to attend with their children for orientation and informal tours. Pleasant Valley School District officials have set formal dedication ceremonies at the site Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. For more information, call the district at 482-2763.