Cajon Valley Middle School

orchid
Out of a thoughtfully designed and executed master plan has emerged a place of pride in the El Cajon community. Cajon Valley Middle School is a successful campus-wide redevelopment that has had a profound impact on the surrounding neighborhood. This extensive project began in 2003, transforming an over-crowded campus in a densely populated neighborhood into a brand new school completed in September 2011. The entire campus was reconstructed in four phases which kept the existing school fully operational for the duration of the project. The rows of 30+ relocatable buildings and decrepit permanent structures were replaced with an array of buildings to meet the needs of 21st century students and educators. The metamorphosis began with the new Gym & Multipurpose Building designed for joint use with the City of El Cajon Parks and Recreation Department. This has created strong ties to the community in an area brimming with apartment blocks void of lawns and open spaces. Phase II delivered the flagship 20-Classroom Building, the 1st Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) certified building in San Diego County. This certification recognizes the sustainable aspects of the school that improve the learning environment for staff and students alike. Fundamental sustainable design techniques such as daylighting and light-shelves, as well as efficient MEP systems, make this a truly high performance environment. After this positive start a new Administration Building was added, reorienting the campus to face Park Street which is quieter and safer for pedestrians and vehicular school traffic. Prior to reconstruction the old campus was often a target for graffiti and illicit activities after dark, necessitating the school administrators to “sweep” the campus each morning to remove drug paraphernalia and other undesirable items. As a result of the school’s renovation illegal activities are almost non-existent and enrollment has increased since the project began. Phase IV’s Multi-Function Building houses the Library, Kitchen & Food Service Facility, Lunch Court and additional Classrooms needed for the growing campus. The bright two story atrium provides a central circulation and gathering space before branching off to its interior functions. The large building is brought to a human scale through its segmented façade and interior details such as alcoves and light wells. The four new buildings of the completed campus encircle a collegiate-style commons, made possible by the high capacity of the two-story buildings which reduce the footprint of the school. This left a significant portion of the campus for outdoor use with increased landscaping. It is used frequently for graduation ceremonies and other less formal gatherings. The trees and water-smart plantings are a much needed relief in the heat of East County. The circular quad surrounded by these modern school buildings is now the trademark of the campus and the wider community as a whole.
Project Information
Project Address: 
395 Ballantyne Road, El Cajon, CA 92020
Project Owner/ Developer: 
Cajon Valley Union School District
Owner Contact Name/ Email: 
Sharon Dobbins (DOBBINSS@cajonvalley.net)
Project Architect/ Designer: 
Sprotte + Watson Architecture and Planning
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Comments:

As an alumnus of Cajon

Submitted by Andrew Wright on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 03:14.
As an alumnus of Cajon Valley Middle School, I was so glad to hear of its renovation a few years ago. When I was attending CVMS in eighth grade, I remember having one of the school district members coming to my AVID class and talking about the issues involving our school. Since I wanted to be an architect even in those younger days, I remember asking the school district member about there being any plans to renovate the campus. Her answer was yes, although I must admit that I was a little bit skeptical at the time. My skepticism was obviously put to rest especially after doing a case study on the project in architecture school. The sustainable features that have been incorporated in the project are commendable, especially with Sprotte and Watson following the CHPS guidelines as much as possible. I must also say that I am proud to see that these design features are being implemented in to a community such as El Cajon, which is a community of San Diego County that I feel is severely lacking in contemporary design and sustainable features. Even though I believe this project does deserve an orchid, I must say that I am a bit uncomfortable with the circular plaza that was placed at the center of the campus. I have not experienced students actually using the space since I have not visited the campus after it was completed, but I am wondering whether or not the space is used to its full advantage. Children at that age usually do not need built spaces in order to "hang out," and their real goal is to just to be around everyone else, but I am still not sure if the large green spaces (and the concrete pathways for that matter) are used correctly. This of course is just a small criticism of the project, and I can't wait to see what else is in store for the campus, especially when all the older existing built parts of the campus are finally demolished. The scale of the buildings fit very well within the existing urban fabric, and having the parks and gym available to the public outside school hours is excellent, which shows that a good community plan and architecture can benefit a community in many ways.

As a former teacher and

Submitted by Don Hohimer on Fri, 09/09/2011 - 17:54.
As a former teacher and current Principal of Cajon Valley Middle School, I can unequivocally state that the learning environment has resulted in extremely positive student/staff disposition. The new campus is a source of "Cougar Pride" which is exhibited in all that we do here. The large circular green space, or quad, is the site for numerous school wide activities including an evening Luau Dance, and Promotion Ceremony in the round. My favorite use of the quad is hourly interaction with students during passing period, and as they enter/exit campus.

Cajon Valley Middle School

Submitted by Maryann Ostermeyer on Sat, 09/10/2011 - 00:43.
Cajon Valley Middle School has always been a big part of my heart. It is so nice to see such a superb school now after teaching in the portables and older sections of the school. CVMS definitely needed new structures. Often paint and cosmetic improvements to the old structures were superficial and did not last. When something is old, it is old. The new school is pretty, efficient and has added to the improved atmosphere on campus. It seems large but in reality, it is very collegial oriented. The students interact well with each other and the staff. My only desire would be to have the District realize the incredible potential of the area where the old buildings used to exist. It could be a future site of a joint project between the city and the school district. In this high density area, there is no large public auditorium or recreational center which is open to the public. This would be a wonderful venue for that purpose.