Quattrochi Kwok Architects (QKA), the design firm behind the modernization of historic Alameda High School and the redesign of Encinal Junior & Senior High School, unveiled schematic plans for the Measure B Otis Elementary School Project during the September 24 meeting of the Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Board of Education.
The project, funded by the Measure B facilities bond passed by Alameda voters in 2022, would bring “much-needed repairs and upgrades” to Otis School, in large part by replacing the main classroom building. In a series of ten meetings held earlier this year with Otis School staff and families, QKA developed guiding principles, space and programming needs, and design considerations for the $67 million project.
The new site plan reimagines the school layout for improved circulation, safety, and a sense of community.
“We started working on diagrams that showed the classrooms grouped more closely together, to create that communal feel,” explained QKA’s Joel Williams. “There was a priority to have all of the students on this site feel like they belonged to a community.”
At the cornerstone of the site plan is a new, two-story classroom building that will house approximately 15 classrooms for all grade levels. Both floors will have inclusive, gender-neutral restrooms featuring private, individual toilet compartments and shared hand-washing stations. The project would also construct a new administration and media center in tandem with a front gate and perimeter fencing to control entry and enhance school safety.
Outside, the upgraded academic quad includes tree plantings and shaded seating areas that can double as flexible space for outdoor learning. Two new on-campus playground structures eliminate the need for students to share the adjacent Krusi Park playground with the public, resolving a longstanding safety issue.
Katie Honegger, Alameda PTA Council President, expressed her appreciation for everyone who worked and gave input on the project.
“I especially appreciate the architecture team taking our feedback to heart and updating every single time they heard our words,” Honegger said.
Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026 and last for two years. In the meantime, QKA will finalize classroom placements and submit detailed designs to the Division of the State Architect. Work will begin following the completion of the Wood Middle School modernization project, which will allow Otis School to temporarily relocate to the same portables on the former Lum Elementary School site where Wood students have currently relocated.
Other notable items
- In a follow-up to her presentation in August, Kirsten Zazo, Assistant Superintendent of Education Services, provided an update on enrollment as of the 20th Day of the school year.
- Zazo also presented an update on the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), the three-year plan intended to support positive student outcomes. Principal Tri Nguyen highlighted ongoing targeted intervention and student support efforts at Paden Elementary School.
- The Board authorized the hiring of four individuals on provisional internship permits (PIP) to fill vacancies at Maya Lin, Wood Middle, and Alameda High schools, in response to an ongoing teaching shortage in hard-to-fill subject matters.
Ken Der is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Ken-Der.
