Table of Contents

BACKGROUND

On October 13, 1998, the Amador County Grand Jury School Committee conducted a routine agency review of the Pine Grove Elementary School. Pine Grove is a K-6 school established in 1950. At present there are 330 students attending.

The school principle led a walking tour of the facility and described some of the recent improvements

• Most of the wiring is in place to connect all school computers to the GoldenNet system, a network system that will eventually network all school administrative offices and classrooms within the county school system.

• There are three new portable classrooms in place.

• There is a strong parent-teacher association that has raised money for various improvements, i.e., new playground equipment, picnic tables. It was noted the playground needs to be fenced to prevent student access to adjacent, thickly wooded areas. It was also noted there was only one boys' toilet in the boys restroom area to accommodate over 140 boys.

There is no unloading/loading area for students who are dropped off from private vehicles and these students must walk through the bus drop off area to access the campus.

FINDINGS

1. Playground is not completely fenced and allows easy student access to adjacent thickly wooded area.
2. Inadequate boys' restroom facilities.
3. The parking and bus loading/unloading area is inadequate and potentially dangerous for children who are dropped off by private vehicles.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Continue fence around playground.
2. Install portable restroom facility for the boys.
3. The access area for busses and private vehicles should be widened to allow additional parking. A safe walking area out of the traffic flow and a crosswalk area should be provided for children dropped off from private vehicles.