Early Architecture in Palo Alto

It’s almost the end of class and towers of cardboard cover the tables and floor. Students have been learning the importance of a wide base to have a waist-high structure.

 

That may not seem like a tall order for most of us, but these students are five to seven years old. The class is Architectural Design for Kinders offered by Palo Alto’s Community Services Department as part of the summer program.

 

German native Anja Blum is an incredibly patient and encouraging instructor. A few parents stick around and help their child. An architectural designer herself, this is her first year teaching Kinders. Architectural Design for Kids (7-12 years old) is in its third year.

                         

Through drawing and model making, Kinders learn concepts such as floor plan, elevation, stability, and interior design. The Kids class adds concepts such as scale, three-dimensional design, and designing furniture.

 

The most important goal is that they have fun working with the materials as they manipulate small boxes, construction paper, pipe cleaners, yogurt containers, toilet paper rolls, craft sticks, wire, strawberry baskets, scissors, tape, and glue.

 

It’s not be the Magic School Bus, but with these hands-on experiments, they certainly get to “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”

Kids get their “greens” with Child Care Center upgrade

What did you do during your summer vacation? PACCC’s Neighborhood Infant Toddler Center was treated to a makeover. NITC is in a 50 year old adobe stucco house in Old Palo Alto a few blocks from Bowden Park.

Gratitude was appropriately heaped upon the parents, staff, and contractors for their support during the structural and cosmetic upgrades. Bob Davis and David England of Spectrum Fine Homes listed in the thanks. I know these guys and with their dedication to green construction, you can be sure that NITC has become greener.

Also thanked for their “quality and tireless hard work” were RJ Leonard Painting of San Jose, Economy Hardwood Floors of San Jose, Western Exterminator, Art-Craft Carpet and Linoleum Shop in Palo Alto and Timothy Andrew, aka “Handy Andy.”

In case you are not familiar with PACCC (Palo Alto Community Child Care), it’s one of the numerous options for preschool and after school care in Palo Alto. Not limited to Palo Alto residents, it’s a non-profit corp originally created out of Palo Alto’s desire to provide comprehensive child care covering ages two months to fifth grade.

My family gives special thanks to Cara Whaley and her staff at Barron Park Children’s Center, to Mary McCalister and Linda Jackson at Sojourner Truth Child Development Center in the Ventura neighborhood, and to Infant/Toddler & Preschool Coordinator Lisa Rock, who was always helpful and easy to talk to. Additional thanks and congratulations to Lisa Lewis who was Center Director of STCDC when we started and has been promoted again, this time to be PACCC’s Associate Director.

 

Lines Being (re)Drawn for Los Altos Schools

Schools are a pillar of real estate value. So when a school district redraws boundaries, it’s going to raise a lot more than eyebrows.

 

Los Altos is in that situation. Anyone who is planning to purchase a home in this city, needs to make sure that they are up to date on the new Los Altos School District attendance boundaries that were adopted on June 18, 2007. They will go into effect during the 2008-09 school year. Families already enrolled have already received a letter from the board.

 

School overcrowding is frequently a problem when choosing a new home. An incoming family may turned away from the neighborhood school due to maxed out enrollment.

 

Since 1999, Los Altos School District has been dealing with this problem by renovating and modernizing existing buildings, replacing the ninety leased portable classrooms with new buildings, and to reopen Covington School.