As major construction projects funded by the Los Altos School District’s roughly $385 million bond program move forward, district officials are looking for smaller improvements that can be completed sooner and give residents a more visible sense of progress.
At a Sept. 28 school board meeting, district staff presented a list of potential “quick-start” projects at the district’s seven elementary and two middle schools, including painting, landscaping, signage, parking-lot repairs and removal of unused portable classrooms.
The district’s major current project, the future San Antonio campus, is progressing on schedule and on budget, district officials said, but much of the work is happening out of public view.
“It’s been going great. Demolition has started. We’re on schedule. We’re on budget, but it’s really kind of invisible to the community,” Erik Walukiewicz, assistant superintendent of business services, told the board.
The district has spent about three years seal-coating and re-striping playgrounds and parking lots, and has removed 12 portable classrooms – five each at Covington and Springer elementary schools and two at Almond Elementary.
Walukiewicz said additional portables that are no longer needed could be removed, reducing rental costs. Other projects could include minor pavement repairs, outdoor seating and gathering areas and improvements to school grounds.
The goal, according to the district, is to identify projects that require less planning and regulatory review than major campus renovations and could potentially be bid in spring for construction during summer 2027, with additional work considered for summer 2028.
Staff plans to return to the board in November with a list of potential projects and estimated costs, along with updated information on the bond program’s cash flow and other available funds. No specific projects were approved at the meeting.
The discussion comes as the San Antonio project moves through demolition and site preparation. The 11.65-acre property, purchased by the district in 2019, formerly housed a shopping center with Kohl’s, Jo-Ann Fabrics and 24 Hour Fitness. Demolition began this summer, and crews are crushing concrete and asphalt from the former shopping center for reuse on the site.
The campus will include a two-acre park for the city, an athletic field and new school facilities.
The San Antonio project is on schedule and on budget, with steel construction expected to begin around mid-January, according to the district.
Meanwhile, architects are beginning planning work for the district’s other major projects, including at three elementary schools and at Blach and Egan middle schools. The planning process includes evaluating existing buildings, roofs, lighting and heating and cooling systems, as well as determining how existing spaces could be repurposed.
Staff proposed painting permanent school buildings, some of which have not been painted in about 20 years, as well as developing more consistent and attractive school signage. Board members generally supported a districtwide signage approach but emphasized preserving individual school identities and historical features.
Landscaping was another potential priority. The district is working on updated landscape standards emphasizing drought-tolerant and native plants, while board members stressed that any new landscaping should account for ongoing irrigation and maintenance costs.
The district’s overall bond program is expected to total about $385 million, including $350 million from Measure E, along with remaining Measure N funds, transfer-of-development-rights revenue and lease revenue from the former Kohl’s property.
