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Board hears educational specifications for new Samuel M. Gantner School; community raises K–6 vs. K–8 and space concerns
Summary
Lodi Unified presented educational specifications for the new Samuel M. Gantner TK–6 school on an 11.5‑acre district site, including phased capacity plans and optional expansion to grades 7–8; community members asked the board to plan for music, STEAM and larger multipurpose spaces and to consider future growth.
District facilities staff and the board’s architects presented the educational specifications for the new Samuel M. Gantner School and asked for board feedback before returning for final approval.
Presenters said the district‑owned Westside site is about 11.5 acres and that the plan is phased: the initial phase will accommodate up to 450 students with a full TK–6 buildout for 650 students. The design includes flexibility for technology, classroom clusters intended to integrate SDC classes with grade clusters, outdoor learning areas, and an option to plan for grades 7–8 later—an expansion that would raise capacity to roughly 850 students. The ed specs are intended to support the district’s request for state matching funds and to guide architecture and DSA approvals.
Community members and board members asked several substantive questions. Speakers asked whether the school will be TK–6 or K–8 (staff replied the initial plan is TK–6 with the option to expand to middle school later); raised requests to include guaranteed music and art rooms, maker spaces and flexible collaboration areas; urged planners to build multipurpose rooms sized for future growth rather than minimums; and requested shade structures and other outdoor‑learning infrastructure be included in initial phases.
Architects confirmed that the cluster model includes SDC integration and that outdoor learning areas will be designed adjacent to classrooms with shade and cover; they acknowledged budget and site‑size constraints but said multiple options for lactation rooms, makerspaces and music spaces are on the radar for further planning. The board directed staff to continue stakeholder engagement and return with refined specifications and cost estimates.
The presentation concluded with a public Q&A and requests that the planning team consider capacity-flexible designs and forward‑looking amenities so that the facility does not require near‑term retrofits.
