| “Choose Perris First” is the district’s motto, and we were tasked with designing a school that would deliver. Before the opening of Clearwater Elementary School, parents were choosing other surrounding schools and districts. Other Perris Elementary School District schools had responded to growth needs by using modular, cookie-cutter designs. The district observed that the modular designs did not produce inspiring learning environments for the students, and decided to go an entirely different direction with Clearwater Elementary School. They decided to create a school that inspires students and promotes the idea that learning happens everywhere, not only inside classrooms.
The campus features an agrarian aesthetic, which is a reflection of the region’s history and context. Perris is known for its agricultural roots, and the use of raw, durable materials fits the surrounding area well. Long, thin overhangs clad in simple metal finishes are supported by exposed structure that creates pockets of shade to make outdoor spaces useful. All of the classrooms feature vaulted spaces supported by beautiful, exposed Alaskan yellow cedar glulam beams. Wood beams continue to the outdoor covered walks through large expanses of glass reinforcing the indoor/outdoor nature of the classrooms. The post and beam structure is repeated in the media center, tech lab, and multipurpose buildings. All of the educational spaces are intentionally designed to garner respect and pride in the facility by the community, students and staff.
With California facing one of the most severe droughts on record, it was only natural that water conservation became a concentration for the design of Clearwater Elementary School. Our team pulled out all the stops—bioswales, rain water collection, and above-grade cisterns for watering raised garden beds. But when the time came to fund these sustainable features, Perris Elementary School District’s budget had run dry. So, our team stepped up to partner with the district to find a solution to fund the school’s storm water capture strategies and create a learning environment that’s a model for water conservation.
We spearheaded a successful grant proposal for Clearwater Elementary School that awarded the school district with $982,138 as part of the Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools (DROPS) from the California State Water Resources Control Board. The grant directly supports the implementation of storm water capture strategies by creating a system on site to restore, renew and revitalize local water sheds. It’s also expected to improve groundwater revitalization through enhanced filtration, reduced runoff volume and storm water pollutants. These strategies flow into the school’s curriculum along with access to high quality environmental education resources and experiences through partnerships with the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC), Inland Empire Water Keeper and Wild California.
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