Trustees OK preschool special ed site plans Trustees OK preschool special ed site plans (October 01, 2004)

Services will come together under one roof at Harvest Park
by Teresa C. Brown

With a consolidation goal in mind, the Pleasanton Unified School District board approved a design plan Tuesday that will relocate the district's preschool special education program to Harvest Park Middle School.

Currently the district's special education services for preschool-aged children have been housed at Valley View Elementary and Pleasanton Middle schools.

The plans also have room for future expansion, said Hugh Anton, district Architectural Planning and Management director.

With a $775,000 price tag, the four-portable building project is expected to be complete in January. The district's Capital Facilities Fund will pay for the project.

Sandra Lemmons, assistant superintendent of Business Services, told the board trustees that the district has $600,000 more than projected in developer fees.

"I was extremely conservative," she said of her earlier projections.

"I'm all for this project but if we have money to spend in Capital Facilities, I think there are things our high schools need," Trustee Kris Weaver said.

She added that she did not want to spend all of the money "in just this area."

ATI Architects and Engineers developed the design plans presented at the board meeting.

The project consists of relocating four portables, owned by the district, to the middle school campus on Valley Avenue and installing them on a concrete foundation.

Housed in the portables will be four classrooms, a parent waiting room, a conference room, three rooms for speech therapists and one for a psychologist; three restrooms - for boys, for girls and for staff - will also be installed at the site.

The preschool children in the program are from 3-5 years old, said Kent Rezowalli, senior director for PUSD's special education, and nearly up to 99 percent are Pleasanton residents.

Their ability range is "all over the map," Rezowalli said. There is a wide level of ability, he said, adding that one class is for autistic students.

Besides the special education preschool programs, others that will be moved to the new site are a special day class for the developmentally delayed that is currently at Donlon Elementary; two skills development programs from Valley View Elementary; and a language and social skills program from Vintage Hills.

Preschool designated instructional services provided at Lydiksen Elementary and Pleasanton Middle will also be served from the new site.

The preschool diagnostic team, a psychologist, speech therapist, adapted physical education teacher, nurse and program specialist/behaviorist, will also relocate to the new facility.

During the 2003-04 academic year, the team assessed more than 100 students, staff reported.

The vote was 4-0 to approve the design, with Trustee Pat Kernan absent. The next regular board meeting is Oct. 12.

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