Demonstrates Bowman’s Ongoing Commitment to Expand Learning Opportunities for Students

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bowman School, an internationally recognized, Montessori-accredited school located in Palo Alto for more than 20 years, hosted a community-wide groundbreaking event on April 22, 2018 to debut their new “Learning Village” site located on Arastradero Avenue.  The new site is located within 300 feet of the current school at 400 Terman Avenue and will create a three-acre campus providing new and innovative learning opportunities to help students succeed.

Bowman Alumni attend the groundbreaking event and lend support for the school’s new Learning Village. Pictured here are several former students with Mary Beth Ricks, Head of School at Bowman. Veena Shyam, 1st grader at Bowman School, helps plant flowers at the school's Learning Village groundbreaking event.

At the groundbreaking event, Mary Beth Ricks, Head of School at Bowman School, spoke to the more than 300 attendees that included current and alumni families, community guests, friends and Palo Alto Council Member Lydia Kou. She highlighted the impact Bowman has had for more than twenty years in the lives of students, as well as the community and the world, and the opportunities for success that the new campus will provide the next generation of students. There was also a special video presentation including a personal message from Stephen Curry, an NBA Golden State Warriors basketball player and Montessori advocate. Tours of the new site location were available and children were invited to create painted tiles that will be used in the new buildings.

“Knowing the Learning Village site will soon be a reality is exciting, but the groundbreaking event was also an important reminder of the incredible work and support given to this project the past several years by our Bowman families, Board of Trustees, community neighbors and government officials,” said Ricks. “We are thankful for their commitment to expanding the learning opportunities for Bowman students, preparing each one become an innovative thinker in an ever-changing and globalizing world.”

Learning Village Features
The new site will include:

• IDEALab for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) activities and enrichment programs with a woodshop, art room and science and media lab
• Gymnasium/multi-purpose building where students can stay on site for sports practices, host school events, and have indoor space for school wide activities
• Outdoor space for school gatherings, lessons and gardening to include a sunken learning circle, science garden and greenhouse
• Stage for the school’s multiple performing arts events including theater, band, and orchestra
• Preschool classrooms with features specific to younger students and allowing for the Montessori primary class model of multiple ages in each class

Capital Campaign Funding
Bowman School is a non-profit organization raising funds for this building project and has currently secured $2.5M out of a $10 million goal. The “Discover.Create.Become.” capital campaign focuses on Bowman’s mission to inspire children to love learning in an academically challenging and internationally-aware program that promotes leadership, respect, responsibility, and independence. For more information, or to make a donation to the new campus, please contact the school at (650) 813-9131.

Construction on the new site is scheduled to begin in May 2018 with a completion date of June 2019.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/71c34ea5-c354-4824-85f1-47b70305c189

http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/7f6cecdc-24d7-46d4-9e95-8bfdfcc4e781

Press Contact:
Erika Powelson
erika@powelsoninc.com
408-781-4981