During the next year, the school plans to construct a two-story building to replace the one-story that burned in the December 2003 fire. The new building will include classrooms, a library multi-media center and the school's administrative offices. The second floor of the facility will be used as a professional development center run by the San Jose Unified School District to train Gardner teachers and teachers from San Jose State University.

Total cost of rebuilding is estimated at $7.2 million, San Jose Unified School District construction manager Steve Adamo said. The majority of the cost is covered through insurance, and the remainder will come from the school's bond fund, Measure F.

The school district has selected architect BFGC Architects Planners and construction management service company PCM3 to plan and oversee the project. On Dec. 9, the San Jose Unified School District board unanimously approved PCM3's contract for $773,026.

The Dec. 9 move was an amendment to an April 22 approval for PCM3's original contract totaling $643,500. Adamo said that when the building's design was finalized after April, it prompted the construction company to increase costs.

The approval came as good news to Gardner Academy principal Mildred Arellano. The fire, set on Nov. 22, 2003 by two teenagers, destroyed 12 classrooms, the school's library and many of its computers.

"It's been a challenge this last year with space," Arellano said. Of the 12 classrooms lost, seven were used for instruction and five for after school programs.

Seven portables were constructed to accommodate the lost classrooms. But the after-school programs and the administration were crammed into a small space and portables.

Although the burned building's foundation will remain, the new building will be a welcome upgrade for Gardner. The old building had classroom pods--three classrooms to each pod that the school later separated by walls. The new building will have individual classrooms along the building's perimeter and a more user-friendly walkway, Arellano said.

In the main building, which will be 30,378 square feet, the school will also receive a brand-new multimedia center and library.

Contractors will bid on the project in early January. The building will be ready to use after 2005 winter break.

The new building will be equipped with observation areas, so that student teachers in the professional development school can observe classes without interrupting instruction. The professional development school will move into Gardner as early as July 2005.

Because the school has not met statewide Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) targets, it risks being taken over by the state. As an alternative, district spokesperson Karen Fuqua said that school could develop a special program. For Gardner, the district decided to install a professional development school. As a program improvement school, Gardner will also begin after-school tutoring on Jan. 3, 2005.

Despite its struggle to beef up AYP scores, Arellano is heartened by a jump in 2004 Academic Performance Index scores, leaving Gardner ahead of requirements in all areas but reading. As a result, the school is heavily focused on its literacy program.

"I'm really excited about all the positive things that are happening at Gardner," Arellano said.