Rancho Del Paso K-12 pg. 5
San Lorenzo High School Campuses pg. 13
Rio Del Sol K-8 STEAM Academy pg. 15
El Monte Union High School District Facilities Master Plan Update pg. 21
Rowland Unified School District Facilities Master Plan pg. 23
Alhambra Unified School District Facilities Master Plan pg. 25
Master Planning serves as the cornerstone for developing sustainable, well-organized campuses that cater to both immediate needs and future growth. A comprehensive Master Plan offers a visionary roadmap, ensuring that facilities evolve in harmony with their surrounding environment and community. These plans emphasize flexibility, adaptability, and the integration of cutting-edge infrastructure, creating vibrant campuses where learning, collaboration, and engagement flourish.
At A4E, our expertise in Master Planning shines through our collaborative approach with educational institutions. By prioritizing thoughtful, future-proof designs, we have successfully partnered with numerous districts to develop strategic, customized Master Plans that not only guide current development but also pave the way for growth and innovation for years to come.
Gateway Community Charters| Sacramento, CA
Since 2003, Gateway Community Charters has been dedicated to serving Sacramento area students, providing a challenging and inspiring educational program for those in need. The Rancho Del Paso campus marks a significant milestone as GCC’s first newly constructed school, uniquely designed to unite K-12 students from three different campuses. This innovative facility harmonizes diverse student populations while celebrating their distinct identities.
The learning experience at Rancho Del Paso is further enriched by theme-based work centers that cluster around each classroom. Every space is thoughtfully designed to promote learning, using structural elements, building materials, and systems as integral components of the educational process.
More than just a school, the Rancho Del Paso campus serves as a neighborhood beacon, highlighting the high-quality educational environment and programs offered by GCC. It has evolved into a vital Community Center in an area of Sacramento that had long been underserved by public and local agencies. The K-12 model at Rancho Del Paso exemplifies engaged, integrated learning, showcasing the powerful combination of effective programs and thoughtfully designed environments.
BUILDING FORM RELATES TO DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// KG TO HIGH SCHOOL
WINDOW SIZE INCREASES WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// SMALL PUNCHED OPENINGS TO CURTAINWALL
MATERIALITY & CONSTRUCTION TYPES CHANGE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// WARM TRANSFORMS TO INDUSTRIAL
COLOR THEORY BASED ON DEVELOPMENTAL AGE
// BRIGHT TO DARK
MASTER PLAN - FUTURE BUILD OUT Scale : 1" =100'-0"
Lorenzo Unified School District| San Lorenzo, CA
In 2004, the San Lorenzo Unified School District (SLZUSD) took a bold step forward by passing Measure “E,” a transformative bond that secured $49 million for vital facility improvements. A dedicated task force, appointed by the District, prioritized the most pressing needs, engaging the community through public polling, campaigning, and fundraising efforts. Thanks to this grassroots initiative, the bond garnered overwhelming voter support, marking the first local bond passed in 40 years—a remarkable opportunity to embark on a journey of transformation that benefits every student in the district.
With the funds from Measure “E,” SLZUSD has set its sights on a range of modernization and new construction projects across its high school campuses. Key initiatives include replacing portable classrooms with permanent structures, creating state-of-the-art science labs, and renovating existing facilities to enhance the overall educational experience. This ambitious plan promises to provide students with an enriched learning environment, paving the way for future success.
Rio Unified School District| Oxnard, CA
Rio Del Sol’s educational environment is thoughtfully designed to accommodate a diverse array of learning and teaching styles. During the planning phase, classrooms were reimagined as “Learning Labs,” and educators embraced the title of “Learning Guides.” Each teacher’s training manual empowers them to personalize their teaching spaces, fully leveraging the flexibility inherent in the design.
The innovative layout promotes collaboration and adaptability, featuring vestibules— affectionately referred to as “mudrooms”—equipped with shared sinks that encourage student interaction, facilitate hands-on demonstrations, and reinforce hygiene practices. Sliding doors that double as dry-erase surfaces make it easy for teachers to combine classrooms, fostering a seamless collaborative environment. With flexible furniture, mobile AV equipment, and writable magnetic surfaces on every wall, these spaces can transform throughout the day, evolving alongside the curriculum and inspiring students to select their preferred dynamic learning methods.
CHUMASH NATIVE PLANTING BIOMES
CAMPUS ENTRY
PLANTING
HERB GARDEN & CITRUS GROVE
MIDDLE SCHOOL ENTRY
“THE RIVER OF KNOWLEDGE” CARVES INDOOR & OUTDOOR MAKER SPACES
THIS SCHOOL WAS CREATED THROUGH COMMUNITY, TEACHER, AND STUDENT INPUT. ENVISIONED AS A ‘SCHOOL OF CHOICE,’ A ‘NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL,’ AND A ‘STEAM SCHOOL,’ IT WAS COLLABORATIVELY PLANNED TO DRAW KIDS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE DISTRICT. -Dr. John Puglisi, Superintendant Rio School District
The design team engaged the Stakeholder / Planning Committee – comprised of teachers, community members, parents and students, and District staff – in a series of collaborative activities. All in all, the Stakeholder / Planning Committee participated in a pre-bond ideation meetings, 5 visioning sessions, a full day of tours, and 5 workshops over a 6-month period.
Since 2014, A4E has been a dedicated partner to the El Monte Union High School District, providing a wide array of planning and architectural design services. Our journey began with an exciting project: delivering Conceptual and Schematic Design Services for a cutting-edge Multipurpose Gymnasium and Fitness Center at Fernando Ledesma High School.
In 2016, we took our collaboration a step further by conducting comprehensive Facilities Master Planning for the District, aimed at identifying essential facility improvements across all eight campuses. Our A4E team organized interactive workshops and stakeholder meetings to gather valuable input and build consensus on the most effective use of future bond measure funds.
The resulting Facilities Master Plan provided a thorough assessment of each campus’s facilities in relation to current and future needs. We identified deficiencies in existing buildings, compiled a prioritized list of necessary improvements, and estimated preliminary costs. Additionally, we explored various funding sources and developed a detailed implementation schedule, ensuring a clear path forward for the District’s growth and enhancement.
A4E is proud to have partnered with Rowland Unified School District to deliver comprehensive facilities master planning services, culminating in a detailed roadmap for facility improvements and investments over the past five years. This strategic plan effectively addressed both short- and long-term goals, enabling the Board of Education to prioritize projects and make informed decisions about facility upgrades.
The Facilities Master Plan successfully identified the District’s current and future needs for additional facilities based on existing capacities and projected enrollment. Our team conducted an extensive assessment of all District facilities, pinpointing deficiencies in buildings, utility systems, telecommunications, and health and safety conditions. Additionally, the plan outlined policies for effective long-range facilities management, detailed the capital investments necessary to support evolving educational programs, and explored joint-use partnerships with governmental and community organizations. A clear implementation strategy was established, aligning the scope of work with available funding resources and setting a timeline for successful completion.
A4E successfully delivered comprehensive master planning services for the Alhambra Unified School District (AUSD), paving the way for future growth and development. Our efforts included thorough facilities assessments, space planning, enrollment projections, conceptual design, cost estimating, and cost-benefit analyses for new construction, site acquisition, and remodeling projects. Throughout the process, A4E collaborated closely with District staff, neighborhood organizations, and administrators to ensure the plan aligned with long-term goals. The completed Facilities Master Plan outlines key projects focused on repairs and upgrades to create safer, well-maintained schools. It also includes technology improvements and energy-efficient enhancements that contribute to cost savings. A detailed project schedule was established to guide implementation, ensuring a strategic and organized approach to realizing the District’s vision for a modern educational environment.
