Otis Elementary School New Construction

In October, 2025 Terracon Consultants, Inc. prepared a Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) of the Otis construction site. 

The purpose of a PEA Report is to assess the presence of hazardous substances or materials that exist at the project site that could pose a risk to human health or the environment. 

Areas of concern identified in the PEA Report will be addressed with the state Department of Toxic Substance Control.

The public is invited to review and make comment on the PEA from October 28, 2025 to November 27, 2025.

The Alameda Unified School District will receive written comments for thirty (30) calendar days beginning October 28, 2025, and concluding on November 27, 2025, for the consideration of the Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the construction of Frank Otis Elementary School as required by California Education Code Section 17213.1(a)(6).

• PEA report

The proposed timeline is: 

• Move to the temp campus: June – July 2026 
• Demolition of Existing Building: Summer 2026 
• Construction Start: Fall 2026 
• Completion of New Campus: Summer 2028 

The district will provide regular updates as the project advances through each stage of planning and construction. All dates are subject to change depending on various approvals needed before construction starts. 

The project is currently under review by the Department of State Architect (DSA). Additional approvals are also required from the California Geological Survey (CGS) and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). 

Otis students will attend school at the portable classroom campus located on the former Lum Elementary School site. That campus is currently serving as a temporary site for Wood Middle School (June 2024–June 2026). Beginning in August 2026, Otis students will relocate there until the new school building is complete in June 2028. 

The temporary campus includes 29 portable classroom buildings and is equipped with modern facilities. 

• Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in all classrooms, with MERV-13 air filters installed 
• Perimeter fencing for security 
• Dedicated blacktop and grass fields for recreation 
• Indoor and outdoor space suitable for both instructional and enrichment activities 
• Bike racks 
• Full integration with the district’s emergency broadcast system 

AUSD will provide a separate web page with photographs and detailed facility information during the summer of 2026, as well as opportunities to tour the campus before school starts. 

There is no shade structure at the temp campus. The site has approximately fifteen (15) picnic tables with umbrellas to provide shade. This provides a balance between open and shaded space.  Additional umbrellas can be installed if the need arises. 

The temporary campus does not include a traditional play structure. However, we are committed to making sure students still have fun, engaging, and safe opportunities for play. 

To support this, we are considering a variety of alternative play options, such as: 

• Large, creative building pieces that encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and imaginative play. 
• Portable play equipment from educational suppliers such as Lakeshore Learning and School Specialty, offering active play materials designed for school use. 
• Sports and recreation equipment such as balls, jump ropes, and other playground favorites. While the play experience will be different, these alternatives will provide opportunities to be active, social, and creative during the school day.  

Otis School will have access to a baseball field with natural turf that can be used for a variety of sports. In addition to the field, the blacktop will provide striping for:  

• 1 Volleyball Court  

• 2 Badminton Courts  

• 2 Basketball Courts  

• 5 Agility Ladders  

• 4 Four-Square Courts 

• 5 sets of Hopscotch 

The current classroom allocations allow for dedicated spaces for both a STEAM lab and an art room.  

There will be:  

(3) Girls restrooms (3 stalls and 2 sinks each) 

(3) Boys restrooms (2 stalls, 1 urinal, and 2 sinks each) 

(3) Single-use, gender-neutral restrooms (1 toilet and 1 sink each) for students and staff 

(3) Single-use restrooms inside each of the 3 kindergarten classrooms 

(1) Single-use staff restroom inside the Admin Building 

The seismic risk at Lum resulted from a combination of liquifiable soils and inappropriate foundations of the existing buildings.  The portable classrooms at the temporary campus have foundations that are appropriate for the soil conditions, as determined by the Division of the State Architect.  In addition, temporary classrooms are significantly smaller and lighter than permanent classroom buildings, which affects the seismic risk. 

To stabilize the soil on the site, the California Geologic Survey mandated that AUSD create a "geologic raft" comprised of layers of compressed soil and rock. You can read about that in this AUSD community bulletin. 

 In addition, two state inspectors were on site throughout construction to ensure safety and compliance. 

Yes. All students who live within the Otis attendance area will continue to be assigned to Otis during the construction period. Attendance zones will not change. 

Families may apply for an intradistrict transfer. Approval will depend on space availability at the requested school.  

No, TK will not be offered at the temp campus. Our current plan is to bring back TK to Otis after the school moves back to the new campus. The final decision to bring TK back to the new campus, however, will be based on student enrollment in the TK program for the 2028-29 school year. 

TK students will be assigned to a TK program at another school site. We do our best to enroll students at the closest school to the neighborhood in which the student resides. 

Yes. The district will provide after-school care at the temporary campus.  Currently, the after-school services are provided through Right at School. 

Yes. Private organizations, such as Alameda Island Kids and Alameda Arts, will be able to continue renting facilities from the school district to provide after-school programming at the temp campus. The district is in touch with the providers to ascertain their needs and assign appropriate space. 

This specific matter has not yet been formally discussed; it is an operational issue that the school will decide. Most probably, the district’s after school program will have access to the playground toys and replacement items that the school is purchasing. 

School lunch, on rainy days, will be eaten inside the classrooms. The principal will work with the teachers on the logistics of this.  

Yes. Depending on the event, the school will work with Wood Middle School to use the Wood School MPR or gymnasium for Otis special events. 

Yes! The temp campus will have blacktop space and audio equipment to hold our traditional Monday Morning Meeting, so we hope to continue that practice as a part of our school culture. 

Absolutely! As we get closer to our move-in date, we will be engaging with all members of our community (especially our students) to brainstorm ideas on how we can make this temporary campus feel warm, welcoming and inviting for all. 

Yes. Accommodations listed in students’ IEPs and 504s will be honored at the new site. 

Yes. The temporary campus is equipped with bike racks for approximately 150 bikes. These racks are all located within the school fence. 

The district will provide daily bus service between Otis Elementary and the former Lum site.  A parent/guardian survey regarding transportation needs will be distributed via ParentSquare on September 10, 2025. 

The bus service will be free. The district is providing it as part of the Otis Elementary construction project. 

We plan to implement a formal registration process. Students likely will need to scan a card before entering and exiting the bus so that we can account for their whereabouts. 

We will work with the bus company to identify the times for pick up and drop off.

Unfortunately, we will not have the capacity for family members. The bus will only be for students. 

Yes, the bus will be a proper, CHP-approved school bus. And we will provide bus transportation to all students who register for it. 

No. The existing Otis campus will be undergoing major demolition and construction. 

No. Our current plan is to provide transportation in the morning from the current Otis campus to the temporary campus and then back again in the afternoon.  Transportation will not be provided in the evening at the conclusion of afterschool programs.  Parents/guardians will need to pick up their students from the temp campus. 

Parents/guardians or their designated personnel will be able to pick up students from the temp campus, just as they currently pick up from Otis.  Logistics for those pick-ups will be arranged by parents/guardians, students, and the afterschool provider. 

Wood Middle construction is currently on schedule.  In the unlikely case of the Wood building not being ready for students for the 2026-27 school year, Otis students will stay at the current Otis School for another school year. 

Yes. Pile driving is required to build a deep, stable foundation at the school.   This work will create noise and vibrations in the neighborhood. We will explore noise-dampening measures with our subcontractors once they are selected. These measures may lessen but not eliminate the impact.  

These measures will then be evaluated in the context of the overall project budget and construction timeline. If implementing noise-dampening strategies has a budget impact, we will need to consider what elements of the project could be adjusted or removed to accommodate those costs.  

Our goal is to complete the Otis School project within two years.  If, for some reason, the project is not complete by August 2026, Otis students will be able to stay at the temp campus until the school is complete, and we have time to move the school to its new campus.  

It is too early to determine the exact timing of the Lincoln Middle School project or how temporary housing for that site will be managed. However, the district will provide updates well in advance to allow families to plan. 

Please note that Otis Elementary students will not experience construction at Wood, as that project will be complete by the time Otis students get to the temp campus.  

Krusi Park will not be affected by the Otis construction.  Krusi Park is managed by the City of Alameda and is not connected to the school for utilities. 

Wood and Otis start at different times. If traffic flow issues arise, we will work with the City on best strategies for directing traffic.  

If that additional space is needed, we can look into it for use during PE or other classes. However, please note that Rittler is not ideal for recess play, as it would be hard to supervise, and students would need to cross a street to get to it. 

We are unaware if ARPD will continue their program at Krusi after Otis moves to the temp campus. We will defer this decision to ARPD.