The Grauer School Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Phase III of Campus Construction

ENCINITAS, Calif. - Aug. 29, 2014 - PRLog -- The Grauer School celebrated groundbreaking on Saturday, August 23, 2014 for Phase III of campus construction that will become the updated home to 10,000 square feet of eco-friendly classrooms, including new spaces for the English and Mathematics departments. Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar, Former Encinitas Mayor Theresa Barth, Encinitas Deputy Mayor Tony Kranz, and Director of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, Bob Gatinella were among the over 150 attendees.

The Grauer School is a small school by design, with approximately 150 students in grades 7-12. The update to the 1500 South El Camino Real campus is not an expansion; rather, it is a conversion of temporary facilities into permanent structures. The Loewy Family Foundation has already funded the Loewy-Linz Innovation Lab, which will house The Grauer School’s award-winning FTC Robotics Team, Shockwave Robotics. Naming opportunities still exist, among which is the opportunity to incorporate sustainable design elements that will go toward achieving the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standard by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Architect Scott Thomas of Zagrodnik and Thomas Architects looks forward to incorporating green elements as well as special features into the campus. “We are planning for LEED Gold certification. Specifically, we hope to include solar panels, recycled materials, and energy efficient lighting and mechanical systems. The new buildings will include 13 new classrooms, including four seminar rooms,, and new restrooms and locker rooms.  Outdoor elements include a water element in a new central courtyard, a gazebo gathering space, and a new entry trellis/arbor to help identify the main entry to the campus.”

San Diego-based Pacific Building Group (PBG) is providing preconstruction and general contracting services. This summer PBG took the initial steps of assisting with the relocation of the existing portable, temporary classroom structures to The Grauer School’s field, so classes can remain in session throughout the construction of the new permanent facilities.

The anticipated completion date is Spring 2015. The school’s community of current and alumni families has internally fundraised over $2.35M. The $4M project will be funded by a combination of naming opportunities, internal and short-term financing, or an angel gift.

The Grauer School, located in Encinitas, CA in North County San Diego, is a grades 7-12 private college preparatory school balancing academic rigor with expeditionary learning. Grauer focuses on relationship-driven education and Socratic-style teaching and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), and the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).  The Grauer School is the only school in the region to be honored as a designated UNESCO school.