Almond School's youngest learners stole the show at the October 26 Board meeting with a presentation on their monarch butterfly study. Principal Raquel Matteroli introduced the kindergarten team, who explained how the project grew out of the science unit on what plants and animals need to survive.

Every morning, students checked on the live caterpillars in their classroom habitat and talked about the changes they noticed. One student observed that the caterpillars "eat a lot, and they're getting very chunky." Another spotted caterpillars hanging upside down in a "J" shape, which started a class investigation into when caterpillars are ready to form a chrysalis. When a student wanted to keep track of the chrysalis stage, the class tried X marks and check marks before settling on tally marks. That turned into a math lesson on counting by fives. Over the course of the unit, the study reached into science, reading, writing, math, and art.

Teachers said the unit gave students purpose, agency, and real tasks. They also connected it to the Six C's, especially collaboration, communication, and kinship through caring for the butterflies. The students finished by sharing the monarch life cycle, singing their butterfly song, and asking everyone in the room to help protect monarch habitat. As the teachers put it, "When students have joy, and they're excited about their learning, that's when it really becomes deeper."

Assistant Superintendent Walukiewicz and the project architects showed the Board the final design finishes for the new San Antonio TK–8 campus. The design began at the concept stage and moved through schematic design, and it's now at the point of choosing final colors and materials.

Inspired by Northern California: The palette draws on Castle Rock and Portola state parks, local waterways, and natural stone. It uses warm earth tones, greens like "Leaf Green," and blues like "Tahoe Blue." Each building has its own accent colors so students and visitors can easily tell where they are on campus. Natural wood canopies and plenty of glass mark a warm, welcoming main entrance.

Spaces designed for learners: Inside, the colors are softer and calmer. TK and kindergarten classrooms get brighter accents and more wall space for displaying student work. Carpet tile in classrooms keeps rooms quieter and is easy to replace. Art and science rooms have cleanable linoleum floors. The library, gym, and multipurpose room get bolder color, wood ceilings, and durable acoustic panels so these busy shared spaces sound good. Shaded courtyards with seating create outdoor spaces for learning and gathering across grade levels.

Trustee input: Trustees asked about durability, maintenance, and cost. They suggested a lighter floor color in some classrooms, more landscaping for privacy along Showers Drive, and gender-neutral colors in the restrooms. They also emphasized that savings from this project should help bring LASD's existing campuses up to a similar standard. The project is on schedule and on budget, and the design team is now seeking cost savings, so the Board's feedback comes at a useful time.