Paul Bunton’s BCA Architects Exhibited at the 27th Annual Small School Districts’ New Superintendents Conference

Paul Bunton, AIA and the team at BCA Architects exhibited at the 27^th Annual Small School District Association’s New Superintendents Symposium which took place from July 25 – 26, 2012. BCA Architects has been a member of SSDA over the years and during its exhibit emphasized the benefits of effective master plans and the myriad ways they help school districts receive funding for their projects; maximize resources for their facilities; and ultimately create positive impact on student academic achievement. More than 70 school districts and private businesses attended the symposium.

The SSDA provides relevant information and proactive assistance to small school district governing boards and superintendents through legislative advocacy, collaboration, professional development, and support services. In California, the SSDA is particularly important because more than 75% of the school districts in the state are small.

• Hayward, Calif. – Based upon BCA Architects depth of experience in designing both public and private school facilities across the State of California, Paul Bunton and BCA Architects was recently commissioned by Mission Hills Middle School to begin design work on a new 400 student, 30-35,000 sq. ft. Pre-K through 8^th grade private school facility on a site in Hayward, CA. Mission Hills Middle School is currently leasing a portion of an existing public school in Union City and is excited to begin the process of designing and building their own home for their rapidly growing School. BCA Architects will begin the design process by evaluating the philosophical goals of the founders of Mission Hills Middle School to ensure the alignment of their vision with their educational facilities – Paul Bunton, President of BCA Architects stated “our schools are an important and essential part of the social fabric of our society. It is vitally important that we as architects design schools that allow the educators to deliver education to their students and prepare them for a fulfilling life in our society”. The initial phase of the project is estimated to cost between $12-15 million.
• Merced, Calif. – After a widespread architectural selection process across the Central Valley, BCA Architects was one of two firms selected by the Weaver School District to lead the implementation of the District’s long range facilities master plan. The initial projects will consist of a new 800 student elementary school and the modernization of their existing schools. Paul Bunton, AIA, President of BCA Architects stated that “I am thrilled with the selection of BCA Architects by the Weaver School District. We are excited to share our over 23 years of award winning educational design experience with this great Community”.

• Tuolumne, Calif. – After a lengthy architectural selection process, BCA Architects was recently selected by the Summerville Union High School District to prepare, and implement their Districts Facilities Master Plan upon successful passage of their Bond Measure this November. Paul Bunton, AIA, President, led the design team from BCA Architects along with Nik Sernande, BCA’s Project Manager. The scope of work is yet to be determined, but will likely be a $8 million facilities bond measure for various improvements at their High School (including synthetic turf at their football field) combined with other sources of State and Federal funding available to the District.

• Sacramento, Calif. – BCA Architects and Charter School Capital are co-hosting a workshop September 13, 2012 titled “The Future of Charter Schools: A Unique Approach to the Future of Funding and Facilities Improvements”. Panelists include Paul Bunton, AIA, President of BCA Architects; Stuart Ellis, Founder of Charter School Capital; and Branche Jones, Lobbyist and Statewide advocate for Charter Schools funding in California. Come join us to learn about a unique turn-key approach to financing the operational costs as well as financing new construction and modernization of facilities for Charter Schools. Hear about how New Market Tax Credits and other available funding sources are being utilized to build and operate Charter Schools. For more information, contact Rachel Del Fierro at moc.stcetihcraacb@dlehcar.

• Petaluma, Calif. – Following a detailed architectural selection process, Paul Bunton, AIA, and BCA Architects were recently selected by the Board of the Wilmar Union School District to provide Master Planning and comprehensive architectural services for the Wilson Elementary School. BCA Architects has already kicked off the facilities master planning process in support of a $4 million facilities bond measure that will go to the voters on the November 6, 2012 ballot. Paul Bunton stated that “BCA is privileged to have been selected by the Board of Education – we are excited about bringing our 21^st Century Learning Environment experience to this Community”.

• Guerneville, Calif. – The Guerneville School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved the schematic design prepared by BCA Architects for the modernization projects at the school – Paul Bunton, President of BCA Architects stated that “these facilities improvements focus on bringing the Districts aging facilities into compliance with the 21^st Century Learning Environments standards needed to keep their students competitive in the global economy”. Voters overwhelmingly passed the $6 million Measure F facilities bond last June that allows the District to proceed with design and construction of these exciting projects. The Schematic Design prepared by BCA Architects identifies three phases of construction projects that will be completed over the course of the next five years. All projects will be constructed during summer months to reduce disruption to classrooms and avoid interim housing costs.

• San Jose, Calif. – BCA Architects has begun schematic design work on a new 95 unit Assisted Living project in San Jose, CA. The new 4-story facility is being designed on a site within one block of Valley Medical Center and will provide an outstanding living environment for residents in need of moderate assistance in their daily lives. Common amenities will include many social gathering spaces such as a theater, physical fitness facility, a live entertainment venue, and outdoor gardens for the residents of the housing complex allowing them to live fulfilled lives amongst other residents in a supporting and stimulating environment. Paul Bunton, President of BCA Architects stated that “BCA’s design of this Assisted Living development is exciting, and goes beyond the traditional and historic approaches to these types of facilities. I believe that the current generation of residents entering their senior years want more than what is presently available in the marketplace. This generation is more active than past generations, and has different interests that need to be captured and expressed in their living environment“.

• San Jose, Calif. – BCA Architects has recently been commissioned to design the new corporate headquarters for Robert A. Bothman Construction in San Jose. Paul Bunton, AIA, President of BCA Architects is leading the design team consisting of Nik Sernande and Marcella Yee – BCA’s design converts a 1940’s era industrial building to an exciting sustainable office complex that will house the corporate offices of Bothman Construction for the foreseeable future. The roots of the design stem from BCA Architects own headquarters in San Jose which was presented with the award of the Green Building of the Year in 2011.

• Anaheim, Calif. – Construction is poised to begin next month on the new 20 classroom building at Edison Elementary School in the Anaheim City School District. This new $10 million 2-story building was recently approved by the Division of the State Architect and is currently being competitively bid out to subcontractors by Pinnar Construction through the use of the Lease Lease Back Delivery Method. BCA Architects design for the project will replace approximately 17 aging portable classrooms and provide sustainable, healthier classrooms for the students of Edison Elementary School. BCA’s design frees up much needed outdoor play area on the small school site while providing permanent housing for the student body to increase by approximately 200 students. Paul Bunton, AIA, President of BCA Architects was the master architect for the District in the creation of the Measure G program ($169 million bond measure passed in November 2010), and is the architect of record on many of the exciting new projects in the District.

· San Jose, Calif. – BCA Architects is hosting a Superintendents Consortium August 30, 2012 in their San Jose headquarters, named the 2011 ‘Green Project of the Year’ by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Panelists include recently retired Public School Superintendents, Manny Barbara and Rhonda Farber Ed.D, who collectively hold more than 30 years as sitting Superintendents in Santa Clara County. Topics to be discussed will include how to avoid media pitfalls, creating 21^st Century Schools, tips on communication with Board and District Constituents and how to update aging facilities. Paul Bunton, AIA, President of BCA Architects will discuss establishing collaborative and transparent processes in working with Communities to establish facilities master plans and successfully pass and implement bond measures in Districts. For more information visit our website http://www.bcaarchitects.com/