We may remember differently the outcome of that discussion. The skepticism about that is valid; the City is weak in enforcement and the school has a history of exceeding enrollment. More than 100 years since its founding, Castilleja National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), top 20% of private schools in California for most sports offered, private school tuition across the country, Editorial: Veenker, Lauing, Lythcott-Haims for Palo Alto City Council (2022), Castilleja School claims Palo Alto's move to reduce proposed garage is illegal (2022), On the eve of graduation, high school seniors celebrate with a car parade (2021). The Almanac IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Home The City Council, ARB & PTC members have had YEARS to consider the schools many proposals, each of which has sought to compromise in ways that responded to neighbors concerns. Their enrollment cap since 2000 is 415 students, but they've exceeded that number since 2002. TownSquare Now Castilleja wants to wreck it all with this proposal. They care about you and your health. DuBois said the schools plan would lead to increased density in one of Palo Altos oldest neighborhoods, a proposition that the slow-growth council isnt likely to support. I doubt these families are rushing to downsize into cheaper homes on much smaller lots and give up their staff, cars and other amenities so their daughters can bike to school. Photo by Sinead Chang. Of course schools have to modernize. This makes no sense in my opinion. Well have to continue to deliberate.. In 2019, the school submitted plans to rebuild most of its campus, which calls for demolishing and rebuilding three buildings on its campus, relocating the swimming pool and adding an underground parking structure.The school's modernization plans have polarized the Professorville and Old Palo Alto neighborhoods, with some residents panning Castilleja's construction plan as a colossal overreach and an affront on the surrounding single-family neighborhood, and others calling a sorely needed upgrade for an acclaimed institution dedicated to educating young women. Schools deserve to be in neighborhoods. California high school scheme used fake documents to get basketball players on team, report says 5. The school's "transportation management plan" includes, among other features, shuttles, carpool programs and a 2015 policy that requires staff to rely on alternative modes of transportation at least three times per week. Place a Legal Notice Density, drop-offs on the streets, events that are out of hand. I am a former employee of Castilleja and an almost lifelong resident of Palo Alto, and continue to strongly support the school's plans to modernize the aging campus and offer enrollment to more high school students. The assertion that the neighbors are to blame for "holding up the entire project" is not credible. Tuition Insurance (optional): $325 Stanford also used the same old "no new car trips, trust us" claim while dramatically growing its enrollment, the number of campuses, number of housing units, the whole Hospital / health care complex etc. This is AMAZING. Castilleja checks all of these boxes. Our teachers prioritize experiential and project-based learning that is engaging and relevant to girls. Everyone in Palo Alto will be affected, including emergency responders. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. Mobile site. It also includes measures that require Castilleja to prove that its transportation measures are effective before it can gradually increase enrollment from the current level of 422 students to 540.But as two recent public hearings on the Castilleja project showed, these moves have done little to make Castilleja's project less polarizing. The Almanac Adalberto "Aldo" Toledo is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers government on the Peninsula for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. Misogyny. St. Paul's is a completely residential, co-educational, Episcopal, secondary school in Concord, NH, welcoming to all faiths. [Portion removed.] contributing global citizens. Who is trustworthy in this process? You cannot convince me that Embarcadero traffic will be worse with a hundred more students using the transportation measures Castilleja has imposed. And if it is accurate that Casti added the garage to the plan only b/c neighbors requested it, why not remove it now so that the modernization can begin? Head of School. Coach one after school team each season and fitness classes during the . where they work and hold top positions. Obituaries Castilleja School's polarizing bid to rebuild its Bryant Street campus and construct an underground garage will return to the spotlight this week, when Palo Alto's two main land-use bodies start reviewing the school's plans. But with enough housing to reduce these insane prices (or at least slow increases), many more staff/students could live close enough to walk or bike, and there'd be far less need for parking (and fewer complaints about traffic). They have revised their plans numerous times and the loud voices of only some of the neighbors are holding up the entire project. The average private school tuition in Palo Alto, CA is $29,717 for elementary schools (read more about average. Mountain View Voice Jul 2010 - Present12 years 7 months. intellectual advantages of all-girls education. Interesting that this report makes it seem like last night was a balanced showing from the public. The three other members requested changes but had no consensus about what needs to be changed.Board member David Hirsch urged significant revisions to the layout of the project, including setting the building's further back and creating a drop-off and pick-up area for students on Kellogg Street. "They just want to have less parking on-site so that they can have a bigger more massive building. "It's often called an 'expansion,' but the footprint would be smaller. Castilleja School Photo #10 - Our multi-story athletics center includes spinning, a yoga studio, rock climbing wall, cardio room, and dance studio in addition to two full-size gymnasiums. OOPS! This is Andie Reed. At peak demand, there would be a small shortage in parking (10 vehicles) that could be addressed through valet parking. Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods that are right for you. However, if you tackle it methodically, you will get good results. "Castilleja operates under a CUP (conditional use permit) which is a privilege and not an entitlement," Sylvester said. What do YOU think is in this community's best interests? Recently, 2 extremely important reports were released to the public: Fehr & Peers 7/23/21 Castilleja Parking Study commissioned by Castilleja School "We take cars off the street, we save additional trees, we reduce our footprint, we exceed Palo Alto's sustainability goals and we educate more girls. led us to infuse our curriculum and progams with relevant, Thanksfor the article on Castilleja'sexpansion. with Embarcadero and a part of Melville shutdown for months; Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. Average ACT composite score out of 36, as reported by Niche users from this school. Why did the meeting drag on so late? In theory the free market would solve this by building enough housing to meet their demand, but when you strictly enforce single family zoning (and make any possible exceptions go through a long and expensive bureaucratic maze), that isn't possible. Castilleja School 5.00 (1 review) 1310 Bryant St Palo Alto, CA 94301 Tel: (650) 328-3160 www.castilleja.org REQUEST INFO SAVE SCHOOL Castilleja School educates motivated young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world. [5], In 1910, the school moved to its present location at 1310 Bryant Street, and the first structure was the administration building, designed by architect Roy C. Heald in American Craftman style. True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. TheSixFifty.com Other saw it differently and emphasized the project's impact on everything from groundwater pumping to carbon emissions. Kauffman said Castilleja has followed the citys process every step of the way and been working with staff for quite a long time. She said there appears to be a lack of trust between the council and staff and wondered whether this process would be a lot less challenging if there were more trust to the work that has been done.. Science evolves. Just so sad that the City has really allowed this to drag on. Set aside the rhetoric and focus on the practical issues. One commissioner, Michael Alcheck, suggested at the onset of the meeting that the city's concerns about the proposed garage may be overblown. of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. I hope that Palo Alto City Council will press for safety over the desires of the elites who want their cozy Palo Alto location. Not moving the pool and keeping the parking lots as-is saves a whole lot of the changes the school is going through. 1310 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301. From that moment on, I was determined to make excellence in single-sex education accessible to as many girls as possible. [8] She was encouraged by Stanford's first president, David Starr Jordan, to start a school that would offer girls a comprehensive, college preparatory education. The application deadline for Castilleja School is Jan. 9. Short term inconveniences of construction for 100 plus more years of educating young women seems like a small price to pay. Your contribution matters. I also heard that a non-Black student said the n-word, and there were complaints that this was not dealt with severely enough. "We just want to be educating girls," Kauffman said. People who live on Kellogg have stated at open hearings that they dont want a break in the building there because the building creates an effective barrier between life inside and life outside of campus. Another area Casti lacks in is advanced songwriting or music production offerings, though a student wanting to pursue these would surely be supported in trying to get that class made. I remember the theoretical discussion about "if enrollment was increased to 1000 and there were no impacts or increase in traffic, would that be OK?" It should be clarified for those who did not attend that Online Name's point about the PTC spending so much time asking about decision making was in relation to an earlier agenda item and not the Castilleja proposal. This school has been claimed by the school or a school representative. A&E Climate change. Its like threading a needle. Based on recent reviews by an independent consultant, the city determined that Castilleja has an existing gross floor area of 138,345 square feet. The message from the Head of School reads, in part, "Understanding the importance of actively teaching and learning antiracism, our leadership competencies prepare Castilleja graduates to lead . of students agree that they feel safe at their school. Education | Students from Gunn and PALY are voicing their concerns. Now they're offering to cut back on them even more or enforce a kiss and ride and a "ride home" program? The school has been allowed to grow over the past many decades without going through the normal processes (some buildings were built pre-code, some built after code, but apparently not reviewed for GFA). [Post removed; successive comments by same poster are not permitted.]. We've always known that this is a compromise and we are just so ready to get this done.". This time it's in the form of a planned. In this article, Andie Reed states that she's most concerned about the enrollment proposal. [9] In its early years, some boys were allowed to take classes at Castilleja. It would be great to somehow put both those issues to rest. Frankly, I am surprised that we arent hearing objections to the garage and tree removal from the smart young women who attend Castilleja. 2023 Palo Alto Online. He said the council did the right thing in continuing the discussion to a later date. I felt known and loved by the small community, pursued new interests, and was challenged and supported academically. As such, it is "anticipated to have fewer impacts on protected trees and construction-related disturbances," according to a new report from the Department of Planning and Community Environment. Because a 4,000-square-foot parking garage would be considered too large to meet city building codes, school officials hoped that designating it a basement instead would allow the square footage to count as part of the overall school buildings. As a first-year teacher at an all-girls school, I was immediately impressed by my confident,decisive eleven-year-old students, who had acquired strengths and skills many of us work a lifetime to master. TownSquare I think if it was eliminated the project would be approved and the modernization of this terrific school could begin. Castilleja School Photo #8 - Seniors show off their school spirit! Bryant is a bicycle boulevard and care has been taken over many years to create a street that is hospitable to bikers of all ages and genders. They applied for a variance to keep the same square footage, but they base it on having a large lot. "To assuage the community's fears about the traffic impacts of its expansion, a key area of concern for council members and project opponents alike, Castilleja is now proposing several new policies to discourage driving near the campus. The school, which charges an annual tuition of $52,000, has 426 students and hopes to enroll 540 once the expansion is finished. [5] Originally from Montana, Lockey graduated from Stanford University in 1902, where she majored in English. A veteran teacher and administrator, Nanci has worked almost exclusively at all-girls schools. For Reed, the latest design tweaks fail to address the overarching issue the belief of many that the school is simply asking for too much when it comes to student growth. And Online Name is right to be skeptical about the no new trips claim. [17], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}372620N 1220906W / 37.4388N 122.1517W / 37.4388; -122.1517, Last edited on 30 December 2022, at 00:15, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Independent Schools, "As Castilleja plans its expansion, city seeks firm assurances on traffic impacts", "City offers compromise in controversy over Castilleja expansion", "Exclusive Palo Alto school redevelopment plan would cause significant traffic issues, report says", "Council approves Castilleja's expansion plan after years of controversy", "Commerce Secretary Pritzker: On Diversity, Silicon Valley Can Learn From Washington", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Castilleja_School&oldid=1130397858, This page was last edited on 30 December 2022, at 00:15. That speaks to negligence; WHY they weren't given the complete set raises ethical questions and as well as the long-standing question about staff's seemingly consistent bias in favor of the big-money projects. [3][4], Castilleja was founded in 1907 by Mary Ishbel Lockey. I fail to understand why Castilleja school advocates insist on keeping the location on a busy thoroughfare of Embarcadero when like other schools, they could relocate to another, safer location where they could expand. In response to Leland J.: If approved, the underground garage would have 24 fewer spaces than the structure that was previously proposed. Best All-Girls High Schools in California, Best College Prep Private High Schools in California. Continuing to ask for more give-aways from the City after they've already been granted the 200 Melville Ave. street, With sixty girls in one grade, it would seem that competition would be prevalent, especially during the college process. I also want to point out that there are underground garages in residential neighborhoods in Palo Alto. "That can be reduced so the building would be pushed back.". He was one of many residents and Castilleja supporters who told the commission on Wednesday that the review process has gone on for long enough and that it's time to approve the project, which includes reconstruction of three academic buildings, relocation of the school's swimming pool and construction of a garage. If the school fails to meet its trip cap numbers, it would also establish a "Kiss n' Ride" program that allows parents to drop off and pick up their children at an off-site location about 15 minutes before school starts. It's a shame the city never bothered to update the traffic numbers so they could really determine the amount of increased traffic. He and other members of the group Preserve Neighborhood Quality of Life Now (PNQLNow) argued that it is the school and planning staff who are responsible for the process taking so long. and Dudeks 11/17/21 report on Castilleja School Building Survey and Gross Floor Area Assessment. I have participated in some of the S-CAP meetings. Why should Casti think it is entitled to continue to increase its impact in a residential neighborhood? Quality of academic programs, teachers, and facilities, Availability of music, art, sports and other extracurricular activities, Castilleja School Photo #3 - Middle School English. Castilleja School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for: Highest average SAT score, Highest average ACT score, Largest student body, Most sports offered, Oldest founding date and Largest endowments. Come on, the teachers deserve better than that. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? One option they suggested was to find a temporary campus, although no location was now known. and self-confidence to reach her full potential. Sexism. I just wanted to mention, regarding goal posts, that although all the neighbors don't speak with one voice, because we sit in different positions vis a vis the school and don't have a PR machine, I would say neighbors wish the school would rebuild and modernize, but reconsider the massing. "It's just a pusillanimous City Council members and commissions who are allowing this to proceed as if this is good government and it's not," Deborah Goldeen said. What are your favorite school events or traditions? As in the past, the public was split between those who believe Castilleja is still asking for too much, particularly when it comes to its proposed underground garage, and those who argued that Castilleja's project is worthy of approval and that the city's process has already dragged on for too long. The revised proposal includes five garage designs, though only three of them meet the council's March direction of the underground facility to include no more than 50% of the required on-site parking, which amounts to 52 spaces. Finally, one question about the massing on Kellogg. But Vice Mayor Pat Burt resented the strategy and city planners apparent willingness to go along. People that viewed Castilleja School also viewed these schools: The nearest high school to Castilleja School is, Fun athletic energetic school with good teachers. @Online Name - I get that this school targets higher income families who may be less responsive to housing prices, but fair to assume the teachers and support staff aren't paid enough to live in Palo Alto (at least at current prices). Become a Member A related question to massing of the Kellogg building is Why did the ARB reverse its decision of early this year to approve the Kellogg building design, when NO changes had been made to the design since then? I cant but help think that if Casti truly feels it is so important to increase the number of young women benefiting from their education, Casti would want to move to a location where they can grow and not limit this wonderful opportunity to only 540 young women. "The project encountered a similar division at the Architectural Review Board hearing on Dec. 2, which focused less on transportation and more on the design of the building. Three of Castilleja's proposed designs include 52 underground parking spaces, while two other options have 57 and 69 underground spaces, respectively.So far, planning staff is leaning toward what's known as "Scheme E," which combines a 52-space underground garage with 11 new at-grade parking spaces. 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