[nagdu] article: GDB Project

[Criminal Justice Major Extraordinaire]

Hi, all,
Just want to ask out of curiosity if GDB has confirmed this plan already?
*Just curious*
For those who have already seen this from the GDB newsletter, I appologize 
if you're seeing it twice.
Got this article from another list I'm on and thought it was worth sharing.
Bibi, husband Dale, retired Pilot Dogs
guide dog/medical alert service dog son Odie
and hopefully new four-legged furry mystery soon to be guide dog
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 6:08 PM
Subject: article
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2012 Client Training and Class Options
After much anticipation, we are delighted to confirm plans to build a new, 
state-of-the-art student residence building on our San Rafael campus, 
scheduled for completion in the spring of 2013.
The current dormitory is scheduled for demolition in early 2012. In order to 
provide a seamless transition and maintain our quality services during the 
fifteen months of construction all classes in California will
be hosted from a local hotel, Inn Marin, located a few miles north of the 
San Rafael campus in the town of Novato.
In 2012, during construction, the San Rafael campus will offer 20 classes, 
12 two-week classes for first-time students or retrains and eight three-week 
classes for first-time students or retrains depending on individual client 
preferences.
Two-week classes will consist of six students with a two-to-one 
student-Instructor ratio, while three-week classes will consist of nine 
students with a three-to-one student-Instructor ratio. Our Oregon campus 
will continue to offer 24 two-week classes with a two-to-one 
student-Instructor ratio for first-time and retrain students during this 
same time period.
Guide Dogs for the Blind will occupy 14 single rooms within a separate wing 
of Inn Marin, a beautiful, single story, ranch style hotel.
Amenities within each guestroom include: a bathroom with shower, a 
television, wireless internet access, refrigerator, and plenty of space to 
comfortably accommodate a guide dog. The front door of each room accesses a 
beautifully landscaped courtyard with aromatic fruit trees, walking paths, 
and a swimming pool. Each room has a backdoor that will access a parking lot 
that will be transformed into a safe, shaded, privately enclosed 
leash-relieving area that will facilitate a student conveniently stepping 
out of their room into the relieving area, very similar to how the new San 
Rafael student residence relieving area is designed.
Two of the 14 rooms will be transformed into a kitchen and a dining room 
where our current dormitory staff will prepare and serve the same 
high-quality meals. The hotel has also graciously agreed to allow our 
dormitory staff to assume responsibility for all housekeeping duties.
Additional rooms will accommodate the needs of our instructional, nursing 
and residence advisor staff.
In California, class training will continue to take place predominately in 
the same areas of San Rafael and San Francisco, and we will continue to 
customize our program to meet the individual needs of our students. Due to 
the success of our two-week program for first-time students in Oregon over 
the past 18 months, we are very pleased and excited to offer this option to 
first-time students in San Rafael starting in 2012.
Guide Dogs for the Blind will continue to have graduations following each 
class, the location of which will be confirmed soon.
Guide Dogs for the Blind and Inn Marin have enjoyed a close working 
relationship over the past several years and we look forward to this new 
association. You can visit the Inn Marin website at
www.innmarin.com