PALOMA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Paloma Elementary School District consists of a small rural school campus saddled with outdated buildings wedged between freight trains and Interstate 8.   The site is long and narrow, with security, insects, dust, and noise challenges. SPS+ worked directly with the Superintendent & School Board to fully redevelop the occupied campus over ten years, using many different phases of design, demolition, and construction while working within the district’s limited funding sources and budget. The safety of the students and maintaining school operations were paramount, and school operations were never interrupted, with the rebuilt campus being completed in January 2024. Noise mitigation was designed for the project so that the noise of 65 mph freight trains 100 feet away is nearly silent within the learning and administrative environments. The heart of the campus is protected by new security fencing with a single point of public entry at the secured lobby. Collaborative breakout space doubles as student circulation between classrooms, and each building is secured with card access control. A new media center, multipurpose building, and technologically equipped classrooms help to facilitate inquiry and collaborative learning, while outdoor spaces promote social learning and play.

New fields, courts, fitness equipment, and playgrounds serve the students and the greater community, making the new campus an oasis for all within this rural agricultural setting.

Client: Paloma Elementary School District