INTL* is excitedly anticipating the start of Phase One of the Expansion for Innovation, which will include a 1,000 sq. ft. addition to the Cohn Campus building. The addition, to be constructed over the summer, will add 2 classrooms and 4 offices to the second floor.
This is very exciting news for the three teachers who will be teaching in the new classrooms next year, ESL teacher Pascal Parra, 5th Grade Chinese teacher Cindy Chiang, and 5th Grade English Teacher Erin O’Rielly.
Currently, we are using the classroom space on Cohn to its maximum capacity. Smaller classes like ESL do not have a permanent home, and have to make do with meeting in the library or hallway. Assistant Head of School Kate Lussen is delighted that with the additional space, “smaller classes will have a much deserved space of their own.” ESL teacher Pascal Parra will get a permanent classroom instead of having to juggle students in classrooms all over the school. He will be able to display ESL materials on his own walls, and will be able to arrange his classroom to best support his students’ learning.
The new classrooms will be designed for the learning needs of the 21st century. They will showcase the classroom updates that will be extended throughout the school in Phase 2 of the Expansion for Innovation. These updates will include elevated desks with adjustable footrests that will be more comfortable for students and will allow students and teachers to be at eye-level. Cindy Chiang reports, “I am really looking forward to the bigger space and new furniture, which will allow students and teachers to move around and better utilize the space.” Erin O’Rielly is equally excited to use the new space, and anticipates that “collaborative learning will be much easier with the increased flexibility of the learning environment.”
A second important part of the Cohn Campus expansion will be the construction of four new offices. The new offices will allow more flexibility for teachers and learning specialists, giving them additional space to meet with students and parents. Lower Elementary Principal Donna Wood reports that this additional space for one-on-one meetings with students is much needed and “very important for meeting the needs of our students.” The extra 1,000 sq. ft. addition "will give us more flexibility for classroom use throughout the school, freeing up space for special projects," said Donna.
The addition will be added at the front of the building, on the second floor only. The second floor expansion will completely transform the look of the school’s façade. Adding to the excitement of returning to school in the fall, students will also feel like they are entering a brand new building!
The 1,000 sq. ft. addition to Cohn is only possible with generous gifts from parents. Please consider making a gift to the Expansion for Innovation Capital Campaign. Contact Patricia Colin if you would like to give a gift or make a pledge, and visit www.ISTP.org/capitalcampaign to learn more about the campaign.
*In 2020, the International School of the Peninsula (ISTP) formally changed its name to Silicon Valley International School (INTL) to better reflect its bilingual programs, location, and international values.
