School History

 

The Building of a New School

  
In 1980, under the direction of Bob Wilson,
plans for a school in the Twin Oaks/Walker Basin area
were started. A school was needed in the area to avoid
the long trip over the mountain to Caliente.

The architectural firm of Biggar, Frapwell, Ghezzi and
Cartnal of Bakersfield was retained to design the school.
The school was burrowed out of the hillside to take
advantage of the earth's constant temperature of 50 degrees.
Windows face due south and a low overhang allows only
the winter sun's warming rays into the classrooms. A cross-ventilation
system and light are provided by a "periscope" which also
exhausts hot air on one side and introduces fresh air through
vents on the other side. This underground design is extremely
energy efficient.

The school, when viewed from the road, almost disappears
into the landscape. The concrete structure is earthquake-safe,
fireproof and almost "student-proof", the architects claim.

The Piute Mountain School opened in the fall of 1984 serving
78 students in grades kindergarten through eight drawing from
an area of approximately 250 square miles.