PALO ALTO, Calif. —August 13, 2026 — A new chapter begins today at Herbert Hoover Elementary School as students and teachers return for the 2026–27 school year in their new TimberQuest campus in Palo Alto.
While the Hoover community had the opportunity to move into their new facility for several months during the spring, today marks the first, first day of school of the new academic year in the completed TimberQuest building, bringing the campus to life for a full school year of teaching, learning and community.
The new prefabricated mass timber facility represents a significant investment in the future of Herbert Hoover Elementary and provides students and educators with a modern learning environment designed around the needs of today’s learners. The school has the first-of-its kind, 37,500 s.f., mass timber two-story Department of State Architect (DSA) approved main classroom building, a new 4,500 s.f. one-story kindergarten classroom building, a library and administration building, and a new multipurpose building with servery. Altogether, the 60,000sf campus is built for forever with flexibility at its core, cutting edge technology and a humbleness to the design choices that make a choice public school look like a private school. The new campus redesigned the drop-off and pick-up areas and incorporated safe bike drop-offs in cooperation with Palo Alto’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee. With it’s adjacent location to Mitchell Park, JLS Middle School and a Magical Bridge Playground this campus is set up to thrive for its future years.
Built with a mass timber prefabricated superstructure, the TimberQuest building brings the warmth and natural character of wood into the learning environment while providing the performance and durability required for a permanent educational facility.
For teachers, the first day represents more than settling into their classrooms for a full year. It is the beginning of experiencing how a thoughtfully designed environment can influence the daily experience of teaching and learning. Teachers were thrilled with the calming environment the timber brings to their classrooms, along with the floor to ceiling windows, a rarity in many schools, and teachers have been surprised at how the two-story facility has brought the staff together more than they ever expected.
The new campus also offers an opportunity for students to experience a school environment designed to support collaboration, flexibility and a sense of belonging. Collaborative areas like it’s grand wooden staircase allow classes or speaker programs to be held in there or in it’s Multipurpose Room, which has already held a 5th grade graduation in the spring.
For the District, Hoover represents the future of construction in the district, honoring the area’s Eichler design aesthetic, delivering sustainable buildings that are beautiful, with biolphilic benefits, meeting project deadlines, and delivering greater community satisfaction. Utilizing TimberQuest’s prefabricated mass timber buildings allowed the school to meet their budget using public funds.
“Schools are more than buildings, it’s a second home for kids,” said Aaron Rhodes, TimberQuest Vice President of Business Operations “Seeing Hoover students and teachers begin a new school year in their new campus is incredibly rewarding. This is when the building stops being a construction project and becomes what it was designed to be: a place for learning, connection, and community.”
As students settle into their new classrooms and teachers begin the 2026–27 school year, the Hoover campus enters its next chapter, a place where the school community will learn, teach and grow for years to come.
About TimberQuest
TimberQuest delivers high-performance educational facilities using a mass timber prefabricated superstructure. With DSA Pre-Check-approved building designs and experience delivering educational facilities throughout California, TimberQuest helps school districts pursue modern, permanent learning environments while exceeding schedule expectations, meeting programming needs, and solving challenges associated with traditional construction.
Mae has more than 26 years of experience in structural design. She has designed and managed various structures, including custom residences, public and private school buildings, and community centers. She has a special interest in sustainable design and construction and follows LEED certification updates and sustainable practices, making her a natural thought leader for mass timber projects. Mae is thoughtful in coordinating teams to ensure that solutions are efficient and sensible.
During his career spanning 38 years, Doug has managed and directed the structural design of many technologically innovative and diverse projects, including new building design, seismic evaluation and strengthening, performance-based design (including base isolation), and sustainable design. Placing great attention on important project details while executing broader project goals pertaining to construction, budget, schedule, and constructability, Doug has consistently helped owners and architects develop innovative design solutions.
Afsha has successfully led teams for both new construction and major renovations for various types of projects throughout the Bay Area. She sees every project as an opportunity to enhance the well-being of its users and create a positive impact on the whole community.
Joe has led all aspects of planning, design, and construction. He is well known for his thorough knowledge of projects, positive client interaction, management skills, and understanding the large picture for his clients.
Aaron Rhodes brings a lifelong connection to construction and development to his role as Vice President of Operations at TimberQuest. Having grown up in the construction industry and worked in the field from a young age, Aaron developed an early appreciation for the craft and the people behind successful projects. Throughout his career, he has worked with forward-thinking teams embracing new technologies and project-centric design, combining business fundamentals with construction expertise to re-engineer processes, evaluate costs, improve designs, and deliver successful outcomes for a wide range of stakeholders. His experience spans projects from individual building additions to full campus replacements.
At TimberQuest, Aaron leads organizational strategy, financial performance, operations, team growth, and business planning as the company expands its prefabricated mass timber solutions into the market. He is focused on creating cost-effective solutions for clients while empowering TimberQuest teams with the resources, processes, and strategic direction needed to deliver exceptional service and successful project outcomes. Through early planning, prefabrication, and collaborative project delivery, Aaron is helping TimberQuest transform how educational facilities are delivered, creating high-quality, sustainable spaces that can be built faster and designed to last.
As Senior Vice President, Steve Winslow drives corporate initiatives for XL on prefabrication, efficiency, and culture. With 30+ years of industry experience, Steve provides high-level stewardship and drives change for XL in large corporate issues. He is a thought leader in the industry and brings people together to effect change. With Steve’s specific expertise in design phase management, he has helped hundreds of progressive Owners get their projects designed and constructed faster and more cost efficiently. Steve is a LEED and DBIA Accredited Professional.
Bryan has completed over 30 DSA projects. He provides executive oversight during both the preconstruction and construction of the project, making sure that the project-specific work plan and the scheduling are all accomplished to meet client needs. He makes sure that XL’s on-site management team has all the resources to successfully deliver each TimberQuest project.
Matt Larson brings more than 20 years of construction industry experience to his role as Vice President of Product at TimberQuest, where he leads the development and delivery of innovative prefabricated mass timber solutions for educational facilities. Throughout his career, Matt has been involved in mass timber projects ranging from 20,000 to 315,000 square feet, building deep expertise in scalable, sustainable construction. At TimberQuest, he leads lean practices and R&D, oversees fabrication and procurement strategies, and provides executive-level project support. Under his leadership, TimberQuest’s flagship prefabricated classroom solution has been approved by the California Division of the State Architect (DSA) for over-the-counter review, helping accelerate delivery for K-12 and community college facilities. The company’s first project went from notice to proceed to students occupying the classrooms in less than five months, demonstrating what is possible when prefabrication, thoughtful design, and disciplined execution come together.
For Matt, improving educational environments is more than a professional pursuit, it’s personal. His mother was a teacher, giving him a firsthand appreciation for the impact schools and learning environments can have on students, educators, and communities. That connection drives his commitment to helping school districts deliver modern, sustainable, high-quality spaces faster and with less disruption. At TimberQuest, Matt is passionate about leveraging mass timber and prefabrication to create better places to learn while transforming how educational facilities are designed and built.
