Mistral Elementary construction

Current Projects

Summer 2023 construction postcard (Spanish postcard)

Outdoor Greening and Learning Spaces

It’s important that our schoolyards are flexible and dynamic spaces that support equitable, diverse learning and recreational activities, which enhance the physical and mental well-being of students and promote a connection to  our natural world. In the 2023-24 school year, MVWSD is embarking on creating outdoor greening and learning spaces at each school that will provide shade, plants and outdoor areas for learning and play. Click here to learn more about the process, timeline and community input process.

Window installation
Needed to replace older windows, window work planned for June through August 2023. Work will take place during business hours in the summer.

Locks

Beginning Nov. 27, 2023, the field gates will be locked during the school day as part of a new perimeter controls system. The public will continue to have access to school fields in the evenings and on weekends through a system of automatic locking/unlocking gates. For student and staff safety, it's very important for our school to limit points of entry during school hours. Additionally, staff members will be able to access classrooms and offices using key cards, instead of keys. If gates malfunction, call (650) 526-3248 x1004.

Restroom Building
A prefabricated, standalone toilet building will be installed at the southeast corner of the field near the Latham Street tot lot in the fall.  The unit will be maintained by the City and may be used after school hours by the public; not by students during the school day. This is an important security measure to ensure adults are not mixing with children in student restrooms. The restroom design and placement were determined through a community input process held in Spring 2021.  This project is in process of being permitted through the City of Mountain View.

School Year 2022-23
Lighting
New lights and/or bollard style light posts were installed to illuminate pedestrians’ path of travel between campus and parking lots. The light locations were determined by photometric survey data. This additional lighting is an important safety measure for staff members and guests using the campus in the evenings and winter late afternoons. 

Security Cameras
Security cameras in public areas were installed at all school sites as a way to increase safety for students and staff members by deterring misconduct and preventing vandalism. Members of the schools’ communities were engaged in a series of feedback meetings in Winter 2022.

2022 Construction Projects

CASTRO Mistral postcard
Click here for a postcard describing Mistral's projects (English)
Click here for a postcard describing Mistral's projects (Spanish)

2020-21 Construction Projects

(Funded by Measure T)

link to postcard graphic
Click here for a postcard describing Mistral's projects
Click here for a postcard describing Mistral's projects (Spanish/español)

Measure T, the $259 million bond issue passed in 2020, included plans for a variety of projects that will increase safety, efficiency and provide for short-term growth at our schools. 

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Mistral Office Remodel
Mistral's aged and inefficient front office facing Escuela Ave was remodeled in Summer 2021. This delayed project was part of Measure G, a past bond. The project includes reconfiguration of the office, teacher work space, and nurse’s room. New bathrooms and a new conference room were added. Project timeline: Summer 2021. Click here for an office diagram. 
 
Solar
Castro/Mistral's two new new solar arrays near in the parking lot along Escuela Ave are complete. Not only will these structures support solar panels to save the district $600,000 annually in electrical costs, they will provide much-needed shade.  Some non-heritage trees were removed to make way for the arrays, but MVWSD will replant two native trees for every one removed.

Project start: Summer 2021. Click here for the map of solar areas.

Lighting
New lights and/or bollard style light posts to illuminate pedestrians’ path of travel between campus and parking lots will be added. The areas of need are determined by photometric data. The project includes refinements made as a result of feedback from residents during community meetings and Board of Trustees meetings.  This additional lighting is an important safety measure for staff members and guests using the campus in the evenings and winter late afternoons. Project start: Fall 2021

Public Restrooms
Castro/Mistral will purchase and install prefabricated, standalone toilet buildings. The units would be maintained by the City and may be used afterhours by the public. This is an important security measure to ensure adults are not mixing with children in student restrooms.
Click here for the restroom project presentation

HVAC
Replacement and improvements of HVAC equipment were completed this summer in mechanical closets and in classrooms, offices, MUR across the campus. Our schools’ HVAC systems have been updated to include MERV-13 filters, which is the highest-grade filter available for our units, or air purifiers with filtration ratings at least as high as the MERV-13.   Additionally dampers on all of our units are open to full capacity and will pull in outside air.

Security cameras 
One of the projects identified in the Mountain View Whisman School District's Master Facility Plan and the Measure T Bond was the need for security cameras in public areas at all school sites as a way to increase safety for students and staff members by deterring misconduct and preventing vandalism. Members of the schools’ communities will engage in a series of feedback meetings through Jan. 2022 before the plan for security cameras is finalized.

Security
Mistral improved perimeter fencing and added gates to completely enclose campus and fields in order to secure campuses and make COVID screening more efficient. Fencing and gates are ornamental metal to match existing at campus frontage and 6’ high chain link fencing and gates at property lines and back of campus.  The construction timeline for this project is Summer 2021.

The purpose of fencing is to control points of entry during school hours. It’s important to note that the public will have access to fields outside school hours. The intention is to secure campuses when students are present, and have gates open through a lock management system in the evenings and on weekends. 

Addition of self closing hinges to the two gates near the kinder wing/fire lane, and replacement six-foot ornamental metal fencing at the entrance to the right of the office building. Extension of the height of the field fence on Latham Street (runs from the preschool to Castro school) from 4 feet to 6 feet. This improvement to the existing fence is for the purpose of securing the Castro/ Mistral campus. It is separate from any future fence project that dedicates play area to the preschool. 

Click here for the perimeter fencing map (user friendly)
Click here for the Castro/Mistral Community Meeting Presentation

Window Replacement
The District will replace existing, older single pane windows at Mistral in 2023.

2018-2020 Classrooms Remodel, Kinder Building, Library and Playgrounds

(Funded by Measure G)

Castro/Mistral construction postcard, May 2018 (En español)

Summer 2020
Mistral Administration Building: The renovation of the Mistral Administration Office and the Preschool at Latham exterior walkway and fence projects has been delayed until 2021.

Summer 2019
Construction on the play structure additions is complete.

The school will get a new sign in the front, likely by the end of August. This sign, paid for with Measure G funds, will include accurate school and district names. Funding for construction and capital improvements, like school signs, come from restricted funds that can be used only for that purpose. The District used an innovative approach to piggyback on existing, competitive local government contracts to lower the sign cost and expedite installation.

Summer/Fall 2018
All of Castro and some of Mistral's teachers packed and moved to new classrooms over the summer. At Mistral, the District remodeled classrooms, and built new classrooms, as well as a new library and a multi-use room, shared with Castro. Three kindergarten classes moved into their new classrooms over the winter break for start of school in January.

Mistral's main entrance moved to the north. A new driveway was created, extending the loading zone.

The former Castro/Mistral multi-use room on Escuela was torn down to make way for the Mistral kindergarten wing construction. The new kinder wing is complete.

Additionally, Escuela Avenue in front of the school underwent construction as part of a separate City of Mountain View project. The Escuela parking lot was renovated to increase traffic flow and improve safety. 

Temporary portables out on the yard and field were removed. The asphalt was repaired and expanded to include a basketball court and large play structure. The grass area received new sod.  

Preschool area: There is new fence installed along the expanded sidewalk in front of the Preschool, to create a more secure area for the Preschool students/families. The Preschool will also get new play areas within the dedicated Preschool mini-campus.

Library conversion: The Library was converted to two Flex Rooms, with one of them being designated for YMCA.




Castro construction chart

The District has worked very hard over the years to do the work, funded by Measure G, to make facilities improvements and renovations at every school a reality. The results will be amazing. There will be new and updated classrooms, libraries and MURs. However, construction requires extra accommodations. We appreciate your support and understanding as we take one step closer to improving each of our schools for our students, staff and community.

During the 2017-18 school year
Construction on the new Castro School continued behind the construction fence. Castro school steel framing happened in the fall of 2017, and roofs were installed. 

Completed in 2016-17
A village of temporary housing portables was created in December 2016 for use for 18 months for classrooms, education areas and offices to be used during construction, the removal of the existing portables and the demolition of the back wing of classrooms currently housing transitional kindergarten and other classes.

In February 2017, demolition of the existing buildings occurred on the south-east side of the campus to make way for the construction of the new Castro Elementary School and shared Multi-Use Room and Library.

In February 2017, the Toft Street parking lot and turn-around was closed. There is no public access for parking or drop off to Castro/Mistral from Toft for the next 16 months.

Modernization of 16 existing classrooms is complete. The frame for the new Castro School has been walled in, and the MUR frame is erected.

Schedules are subject to change. Check back for updates here.

Phased construction maps
Phase 2 Phase 4

Castro construction postcard, Sept. 2016  (En espanol)

Castro construction postcard, Nov. 2016 (incluye Español)

Click here for the summer construction postcard update, May 12, 2017 (en español)

 

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