Board adopts TK–8 educational specifications to guide new campus design

The Western Placer Unified School District board voted Tuesday to adopt TK–8 educational specifications intended to guide future school design and modernization across the district.

Mike (district presenter) and Brian Myers, principal at HMC Architects, told the board the ed specs create the design framework connecting educational goals and facility planning — covering safety and security, learning 'academic villages' with collaboration commons, joint‑use spaces, career and technical education facilities, and multipurpose buildings designed for flexible community use. "First and foremost, safety and security is always at the forefront of every discussion that we have," Myers said during the presentation.

Myers and staff described the stakeholder process completed from July through January, including focus groups with site staff and district departments. Board members asked questions about estimated costs and room sizes; the presenter gave a ballpark finance note and said the plan assumed bond sales, developer fees and other capital funding sources. A rough estimate mentioned in discussion was "about a 100,000,000," described as an early planning figure rather than a fixed project budget.

Board members discussed classroom loading standards (district standard shown as 31 students per primary classroom with an overage allowance) and the feasibility of future campus growth. After questions, a motion to adopt the TK–8 educational specifications was made and seconded; the board approved the document by voice vote with no opposing votes recorded. The adopted ed specs will be submitted to the California Department of Education as part of future site and plan approvals.

The board did not simultaneously approve construction contracts; the ed specs are a planning document that informs future project‑level budgets, designs and timeline decisions.