Blah. Coach one after school team each season and fitness classes during the . Low-income included. Circulation & Delivery, About Us Education | @midtownmadness: I call BS that this issue is due to Palo Alto housing problem. Move the school out of one of the most expensive neighborhoods in CA and lower tuition. 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). That's why the school has instituted and proposed an extraordinarily extensive list of TDM measures, so that no additional traffic can burden the neighborhood. austin.hanson. The projects density isnt relevant, Kauffman said, adding that whats relevant is its impact. Castilleja School is an independent school for girls in grades six through twelve, located in Palo Alto, California. Sports For me, the bottom line is education, accessible in our community, and respectful of the neighbors. [13][14] One concern has been traffic impact. Castilleja School would see its floor area reduce to 128,687 square feet under its revised modernization plan at its Palo Alto campus. Castilleja School Photo #6 - Sophomores tackle chemistry class. 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. Castilleja is a dynamic, diverse, and intentional educational community for students in grades 6-12 that believes in the power of women learning and women leading. "Time is passing. Bill Burch fell squarely in the latter camp. Castilleja supporters far outnumbered the critics. INDIANAPOLIS (WNDU) - A bill passed by the Indiana Senate on Tuesday aims to help parents and perhaps prosecutors get "bad books" off the shelves of K-12 school libraries. Neighbors would love to support a less massive project and reasonable enrollment increase. This project has been under consideration SINCE 2016 - likely the longest project in Palo Alto history - because the demands keep shifting. Every single one of my classmates will become amazing women when they grow up, and Castilleja has been instrumental in developing our confidence, poise, ability to express ourselves, and compassion for others. Short term inconveniences of construction for 100 plus more years of educating young women seems like a small price to pay. Whats interesting is that when this goes to CC it will be reviewed by 5 council members who, in 2019, were part of a unanimous 7-0 vote to NOT build the promised downtown garage. 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. It's not one blank wall. remains true to its mission to give each young woman an "educated Surely the large contingent of supporters of Castilleja could pitch in to help them find an alternate location for a temporary campus in existing buildings or in temporary mobile classrooms (ie as now planned on their athletic field) . Palo Alto: Castilleja School expansion plan, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, Palo Alto: Castilleja School expansion plan held up by parking garage debate, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, Exactly what I needed: Los Gatos teachers move into affordable units, Teacher at California high school arrested after recording devices found in restroom, California high school scheme used fake documents to get basketball players on team, report says, Stockton elementary school teacher arrested on charge of being intoxicated on campus. One commissioner, Michael Alcheck, suggested at the onset of the meeting that the city's concerns about the proposed garage may be overblown. News "I feel strongly that no modifications or adjustments are needed," Lee said.Thompson also suggested that the building, in its current iteration, "has a design intent. Terms of Use Sign up for the Peninsula Foodist newsletter. Elizabeth Hughes, a consultant who developed the transportation-demand-management plan for Castilleja, assured the commission and the public that the programs in the plan will keep traffic levels steady. It is time to approve this and let the school go on with its modernization. And here we go again. On page 1 this report indicated Alternative 4, the Disbursed Circulation/ No Garage Alternative-would meet the Citys Municipal Code requirements providing 104 parking spaces, which is based on the number of teaching stations. Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. He said other schools that wanted to grow have moved to places with more acreage or created two locations., He added that if staff had come to us and said they have this issue about underground structures in (a residential neighborhood), maybe council couldve weighed in earlier., Castilleja Head of School Nanci Kauffman scoffed at the idea that the proposal came as a surprise, saying it was iterated multiple times based off feedback from city staff., She said she didnt understand why the council wouldnt support educating more women when were talking about not adding traffic and building a sustainable project.. The 7/23/21 Fehr & Peers Castilleja Parking Study commissioned by Castilleja School indicates a parking garage of any size is NOT NECESSARY. It sounds like this time they have given city boards different choices, and I have to believe that this time there must be one that will finally suffice. Embarcadero Media The goalposts keep moving [portion removed.] It's an injustice to the school. Even more important than numbers was the message. "We don't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood," Levinsky told the commission. PR MediaRelease I have been following Castilleja's modernization project for the past 4 years. Mobile site. Casti families are hardly impoverished; 75% come from wealthier communities than Palo Alto with more expensive housing -- Los Altos Hills, Woodside, Portola Valley, Atherton, etc. Education | and Dudeks 11/17/21 report on Castilleja School Building Survey and Gross Floor Area Assessment. It has 416 students in grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1. of our extraordinary faculty and staff, we are dedicated to The school's gross floor area is significantly in excess of what is allowable by code (81,385SF). Castilleja is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. Community Calendar Students from Gunn and PALY are voicing their concerns. Now back to the Casti specifics. Any proposal that has a garage entrance or exit on Bryant should be immediately discarded. Sports Blah. Whether you are a prospective student, a current parent, a colleague, or an alum, this website is designed to provide you with the news and information you need to understand who we are. This is a wonderful neighborhood, but it simply isn't practical to block all new development in an attempt to pretend it's still 1990. 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. Despite Monday nights setback, Kauffman said she will continue fighting for a project that is on the right side of history. In response to DuBois comments, she said the school isnt going anywhere. 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. This process has continued to devolve, as each time Castilleja changes its plan in deference to the naysayers, those [portion removed] pivot to some other minuscule detail to complain about. "We think a 30% increase in enrollment excessive," Reed said in an interview. Yes, misogyny and discrimination are blatant here in Silicon Valley. 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. "Barring intergenerational wealth or a very high-earning spouse, I struggle to see how teachers (or most families in the bay area) could afford to live anywhere near Castilleja. Neither can be avoided 100%, but why add whats not really needed? "We just want to be educating girls," Kauffman said. Nanci Kauffman, Castilleja's head of school, assured both panels in recent meetings that the school has already made many compromises with neighbors and urged them to approve the project and allow . 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). Recently, 2 extremely important reports were released to the public: Fehr & Peers 7/23/21 Castilleja Parking Study commissioned by Castilleja School Its on Casti to prove its case. Nanci Kauffman, head of Castilleja, said Monday that the school is prepared to reduce its proposed square footage in accordance with the council's direction, but said she hopes this "minor change . "Time is passing. When is enough enough ? Really? I invite you to explore these pages, to visit our campus, and to learn more about how we are preparing the next generation of women leaders. You want to educate more women to be leaders? Just a thought! "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. [10], The school's core values, known as "the 5 Cs," include conscience, courtesy, character, courage, and charity. It's not one blank wall. Castilleja School Photo #9 - The Class of 2013 is all smiles at the splish-splash party! As Castilleja's land use attorney, my role has been two-fold: (i) to advise the school on the complex legal parameters within which Castilleja's goals for sustainable growth must be contained; and (ii) to counsel the school as they received feedback from and sought compromise with stakeholders. The school has changed the building designs, changed the garage, increased TDM measures beyond what anyone else is doing anywhere in the bay area, moved the pool, moved deliveriesand is NOT expanding. Castilleja's 6th through 12th grade program offers opportunities for girls across all grade levels to develop a keen sense of self and an unbridled zeal for exploration, innovation, and friendship. In both cases, the public hearings are intended to solicit early feedback and will not include any formal action.Among the biggest differences between Castilleja's prior plan and its current one is the size of the proposed underground garage. 2023 Palo Alto Online. 5. The Middle School Athletic Director reports to the Athletic Director and the Middle School Division Head and works closely with other Fitness teachers and the Wellness Department, as well as grade level colleagues. Alcheck asked his colleagues.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. He and others suggested that Castilleja's project is being unfairly held up by a small but vocal group of opponents who are continuously moving the goal posts. The faculty consists of approximately 70 full-time and part-time women and men. Castilleja was asked by City Council to suggest alternatives to the phasing of construction. Yes there will be construction inconveniences, but it's called progress. Elizabeth Hughes, a consultant who developed the transportation-demand-management plan for Castilleja, assured the commission and the public that the programs in the plan will keep traffic levels steady. While emphasis is Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. While this would require a 14% reduction in the parking requirement, Planning Director Jonathan Lait suggested in a report that staff would be amenable to adjusting the parking requirements, given Castilleja's suite of measures that discourage driving to school. Become a member today. It seems fair to assume any family in a position to receive significant tuition assistance probably can't afford to live near Castilleja at current prices. 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. Are they housing teachers and staff? Why provide Castilleja. courtesy, character, courage, and charity - which set the standard PALO ALTO The final version of a proposal to expand the exclusive 112-year-old private Castilleja School received its first public hearing this week as the city council gets one step closer. Before joining the Palo Alto Weekly/PaloAltoOnline.com in 2008, he covered breaking news and local politics for the Waterbury Republican-American, a daily newspaper in Connecticut. Print Edition/Archives Nanci Kauffman, Castilleja's head of school, told this news of organization that the school believes its new plans "check all the boxes" when it comes to addressing concerns from residents, city commissioners and the council. Just a few important points: Kauffman said she worries that people are choosing not to hear the facts because of something that happened eight years ago.. Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. Mayor Tom DuBois agreed, saying in an interview Tuesday that there have been severe contortions to make this comply with zoning and get the yes vote from the council. $3.3 million in Tuition Assistance per year to 22% of student body. The school makes a proposal, objections are raised, and the school responds to the objections, then new objections are raised. Suddenly, from being a reasonably quiet residential neighborhood, 75% of its students are commuting daily into the neighborhood and the school begins its continual expansion creep with an increasing number of disruptive evening and weekend events. Mask stepped down as the head coach at Pell City High . Another member of the public said a garage would invite more traffic. [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. "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. Also, just as Casti continues to conflate the schools stellar ability to educate young women, which NO ONE disputes, with land use entitlements, neighbors continue to question the likelihood that terms of the CUP and TDM program will be enforced. To sfvalley: It makes sense that it is time for Castilleja to modernize its campus. Why can't the students park in the Baylands and shuttle in just like their teachers rather than inflicting all the construction disruption and what will be ongoing traffic problems on Palo Alto? Many of the parking/traffic remediation plans are intended to reduce car use among staff, and these likely wouldn't be required if staff could actually find moderately priced housing nearby. This plan is not excessive in any way. Castillejas supporters made sense, which is easy for them because the project makes sense. No one could answer the questions on managerial process. What do YOU think is in this community's best interests? The mess resulting from the expansions will represent a major hit to the city's quality of life, particularly for the several thousand residents living in the neighborhoods closest to the school. After graduation, 100% of students from this school go on to attend a 4-year college. "It's ridiculous.". Are you suggesting that Palo Alto's 25K taxpaying household provide/ subsidize housing for a private school whose students are 75% commuters? 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. Follow Palo Alto Online and the Palo Alto Weekly on Twitter @paloaltoweekly, Facebook and on Instagram @paloaltoonline for breaking news, local events, photos, videos and more. Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. Your contribution matters. Contact Us When is the application deadline for Castilleja School? Compare Castilleja School to Other Schools. He is a Venezuelan-American raised in Texas with bylines in the Champaign, Ill. News-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Dallas Morning News. Years from now Palo Altans will be proud.. Nanci enjoys travel, concerts, theatre, tennis and golf. Castilleja has been around before any of the neighbors. The naysayers are hopelessly dug into their negative position, but in my opinion really don't have a leg to stand on. 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