I was one of the first students to attend Piute Mountain Elementry school on the early 1980s. Before Piute Mt opened, students in the area commented to Caliente Elementy, which is close to the 58 turn off. What was unique about Piute Mountain Elementry is the school is an underground school. If you look to the south you will see what I'm talking about. As the hill goes down, the campus was dug into the hill side. Look beyond the play ground equipment and you will see several square structures. These square structures are on the roof of the school, which is parallel to the hill side. I wonder how many people know about this phenomenon? I felt obligated to place a cache here to show off this bit of unique architecture. The next bit of information is from (http://calienteschooldistrict.org/piute/history/)
The architectural firm of Biggar, Frapwell, Ghezzi and Cartnal of Bakersfield was retained to design the school. The school was burrowed out of the hillside to take advantage of the earth’s constant temperature of 50 degrees. Windows face due south and a low overhang allows only the winter sun’s warming rays into the classrooms. A cross-ventilation system and light are provided by a “periscope” which also exhausts hot air on one side and introduces fresh air through vents on the other side. This underground design is extremely energy efficient.
The school, when viewed from the road, almost disappears into the landscape. The concrete structure is earthquake-safe, fireproof and almost “student-proof”, the architects claim.
The Piute Mountain School opened in the fall of 1984 serving 78 students in grades kindergarten through eight drawing from an area of approximately 250 square miles.
The Piute Mountain School opened in the fall of 1984 serving 78 students in grades kindergarten through eight drawing from an area of approximately 250 square miles.