Castilleja School's revised modernization plan is set for hearings before two Palo Alto city commissions this month. We are proud and humbled to bring together highly-motivated, intellectually curious young women from diverse backgrounds to collaborate within our community. Blogs News He graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in print/digital reporting and a minor in political science and German. Obituaries Since 2015, the 112-year-old private girls school in Old Palo Alto has been planning to rebuild its aging facilities and construct a parking structure beneath an old playing field on the six-acre campus. It is absolutely appropriate to block this expansion if it does nothing for community. Stockton elementary school teacher arrested on charge of being intoxicated on campus The average private school tuition in Palo Alto, CA is $29,717 for elementary schools (read more about average. "Every year spent in process negotiation and compromise has resulted in scores of young women being shut out of joining the Castilleja community," Burch said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Express / Weekend Express This is AMAZING. An unfortunate case of "Who's on First." PALO ALTO Castilleja School's proposed expansion, a sore subject among neighbors who have been fighting it for years, has hit another roadblock. remains true to its mission to give each young woman an "educated - because the school WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to increase enrollment if their traffic increases, period. In a statement, Castilleja Head of School Nanci Kauffman said "there is much to be done in the coming months," but they reiterated that they will work to get the project done. Castilleja has 75% of the students coming from outside of Palo Alto and I continue to be so confused as to why they cannot move somewhere where this is much more space for them to continue to expand. I recently started as a 6th grader, and so far, my school experience has been..out of this world. 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'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. Vandermade, a graduate of Mater Dei-Santa Ana and the . "Every year spent in process negotiation and compromise has resulted in scores of young women being shut out of joining the Castilleja community," Burch said. Set aside the rhetoric and focus on the practical issues. Frankly, I am surprised that we arent hearing objections to the garage and tree removal from the smart young women who attend Castilleja. The school has made compromises many of them and it begins to feel like (it) will never be enough.". Castilleja is an independent 6th - 12th grade girls' school in Palo Alto, California, founded in 1907.. world. On Wednesday night, as Castilleja held its first hearing in front of the Planning and Transportation Commission on its new plan, the panel heard from more than 50 residents, who in some cases pooled their allotted time to make longer presentation. Castilleja also remains true to the 5 C's - conscience, 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. What sports does Castilleja School offer? Even in its revised form, an underground garage has no business being in a residential neighborhood, critics of the project maintained. 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. Otherwise, they would have to build a smaller structure and pay hundreds of thousands to redesign it to comply with the codes. You judge: 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.Bill Burch fell squarely in the latter camp. and current research that affirm the significant personal and Exactly what I needed: Los Gatos teachers move into affordable units 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. Castelleja has not keep faith with this community by expanding their student body over many years in violation of the rules. I challenge those folks to say that Castilleja's traffic and/or parking impact on the neighborhood right now is even measurable. 1. Schools deserve to be in neighborhoods. Tuition is $56,500 for the highest grade offered. HEAD OF SCHOOL. Castilleja School is an independent school for girls in grades six through twelve, located in Palo Alto, California. They are creating a need that is already satisfied with current conditions. 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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. Building an unnecessary underground garage that isn't needed, is a threat to the environment and sets a dangerous precedent for other neighborhoods. ", Baltay suggested that by failing to reach a consensus, the board is "doing the applicant a disservice by not providing the applicant with a solution.". One commissioner, Michael Alcheck, suggested at the onset of the meeting that the city's concerns about the proposed garage may be overblown. Stay informed on important city government news. "They just want to have less parking on-site so that they can have a bigger more massive building. Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. Density, drop-offs on the streets, events that are out of hand. The two major points were a scaled down garage and a plan to manage traffic. Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges. Years from now Palo Altans will be proud.. 3. In previous meetings, PNQL members have stated that they're fine with the enrollment increase as long as the garage isn't built. Neighbors and some council members have been distrustful of the school since learning in 2013 that it had been violating its 415-student enrollment cap for decades. 4. However, they made their site large when they got the city to give them the 200 block of Melville in 1992, and merged 6 residential lots into the school, so they can't use size to qualify for a variance. On Wednesday night, as Castilleja held its first hearing in front of the Planning and Transportation Commission on its new plan, the panel heard from more than 50 residents, who in some cases pooled their allotted time to make longer presentation. Castilleja School Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica CASTILLEJA SCHOOL FOUNDATION PALO ALTO, CA 94301-3507 | Tax-exempt since Aug. 1943 EIN: 94-0373222 Classification ( NTEE ). is the city committing to enforcement? Now they propose that the building be 3 feet taller and even more massive than the previously approved design. Castilleja School offers 11 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Water Polo. 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. and Dudeks 11/17/21 report on Castilleja School Building Survey and Gross Floor Area Assessment. "Additionally, such reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size of the originally proposed structure. The Casti supporters who spoke about the benefits of having an all-girls education were addressing the value that Castilleja provides to the community. TheSixFifty.com Castillejas supporters made sense, which is easy for them because the project makes sense. One commissioner, Michael Alcheck, suggested at the onset of the meeting that the city's concerns about the proposed garage may be overblown. 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. contributing global citizens. 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. 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? Surely environmental science is part of the curriculum. The goalposts keep moving [portion removed.] The opposition to this project keep referring it to a large scale expansion and that Castilleja wants bigger buildings. Average ACT composite score out of 36, as reported by Niche users from this school. Its like threading a needle. "Staff conceptually supports a parking adjustment for the project given the Council's direction to reduce the size of the garage and Castilleja's robust TDM plan," Lait wrote. "They must take into account the impact they make in the health, welfare and quiet enjoyment of their neighbors.". Our teachers prioritize experiential and project-based learning that is engaging and relevant to girls. Large parking structures are not environmentally friendly. Because of its aggressive transportation-demand-management program, which includes shuttles, carpool programs and a requirement that staff drive no more than twice per week, Castilleja would also receive a 14% reduction in parking requirement from the cityThe planning commission, which had already reviewed and approved an earlier version of this plan, is expected to dive into the details of the current one at its upcoming meeting. A shuttle would then bring them to the campus.While project critics, including members of the group PNQLNow, have advocated for such a program, the revised plans are unlikely to satisfy all their concerns. "We think a 30% increase in enrollment excessive," Reed said in an interview. "With public testimony stretching until nearly midnight, the planning commission deferred its own discussion of Castilleja's plans until Dec. 15. Photo by Elena Kadvany. 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) . While its plans call for increasing student enrollment, the project would actually constitute a reduction in total building area, according to planning staff. 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. I'm pretty sure no neighbor that's not a parent has ever agreed with proposed enrollment increase. When I first came, I was a little nervous as I had heard of Casti's reputation as rigorous and competitive. "They just want to have less parking on-site so that they can have a bigger more massive building. The projects density isnt relevant, Kauffman said, adding that whats relevant is its impact. Thank you, Lorraine, I appreciate your bringing that up. Have you checked out Casti's tuition lately? 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. Once again, the school leaders have made significant changes in response to feedback. We explore the importance of teaching students how to attribute the work and ideas of others. Isn't Palo Alto already funding and developing a teacher's housing project? [Post removed; successive comments by same poster are not permitted.]. It speaks volumes that your tactic is to accuse someone who disagrees with you of not living here - rather than make a logical argument for your position. There aren't endless acres of undeveloped, properly zoned/approved PA land, just waiting for more single family homes to be built - we need to build many more duplexes, triplexes, apartments, etc, on the finite amount of land we have. The fact remains that the footprint will be smaller than what it is now. Tuition is for the highest grade offered and may have changed for the current school year. [9] In its early years, some boys were allowed to take classes at Castilleja. 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. Just a few important points: Tuition Insurance (optional): $325 Castilleja School Photo #8 - Seniors show off their school spirit! Promotions Science evolves. These including new shuttle and bus routes, a bike-share program, a "guaranteed ride home" program for employees who don't drive but who need may need to leave the school for an emergency (they would be reimbursed for the cost of transportation) and a new Castilleja Lyft program that will provide free midday rides for faculty and staff, according to the plan that the school released last month. 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. "Our plan now checks all the boxes," Kauffman told the planning commission Wednesday night. And they sure haven't bothered to consider the impact of a possible Churchill Ave. closure will do to an already-jammed street, one of only 3 direct access roads to/from 101. Please include any comments on: The Harker School vs. Castilleja School Varsity Womens' Basketball. The three other members requested changes but had no consensus about what needs to be changed. PR MediaRelease Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. With sixty girls in one grade, it would seem that competition would be prevalent, especially during the college process. Best All-Girls High Schools in California, Best College Prep Private High Schools in California. 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. 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. Why are people who dont live on the street moving against the wishes of people who do? "Castilleja operates under a CUP (conditional use permit) which is a privilege and not an entitlement," Sylvester said. of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. What do YOU think is in this community's best interests? And for good reasons. Place a Legal Notice There's also something called little C at the end of the day, where the teachers also help you. Three of Castilleja's proposed designs include 52 underground parking spaces, while two other options have 57 and 69 underground spaces, respectively. Nanci Kauffman, head of school at Castilleja, said after the hearing that she is very grateful to all the supporters who came out to speak in favor of the school's proposal and to the. Castilleja, for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to "expand." I have spent my career in girls' education, and I am proud to carry on the legacy started by Mary Lockey. Staff's preferred design combines these underground spaces with 11 new at-grade spaces and 26 existing ones for a total of 89 spaces. 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. Average SAT composite score out of 1600, as reported by Niche users from this school. 202122 Tuition Based on the $3.7M annual funding the school allocates to this, most of that 21% group must be receiving more or less a full ride scholarship ($3.7M is enough to cover 16% of students at the full $54k each). [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. Endorsements should be a few sentences in length. Endorse Castilleja School. Were really digging to see how we could get to yes, but I fear the conclusion may be no. "It's ridiculous.". There are currently 89 surface parking spaces on campus, see Fehr + Peers report, footnote 5 in the staff report. Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom The revised plans, which seek to respond to the council's direction, are now set to undergo a series of reviews by the Architectural Review Board, which will consider them on Dec. 2, and the Planning and Transportation Commission, which will review them on Dec. 8. Mountain View Voice She was a bold and opinionated . As a bunch of us joked last night, the Palo Alto process is "Portlandia with extra whine.". If some people thought those speeches are unnecessary, they are probably against having the school in Palo Alto in general or else they don't understand the point of the school's proposed modernization. That is just absurd since they will not make it to their club sport practice and games. I also want to point out that there are underground garages in residential neighborhoods in Palo Alto. When is enough enough ? Please come back!". Express / Weekend Express Technology evolves. 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. Lee and Thompson, however, felt that the building is fine the way it is, having already gone through years of refinements and public hearings. Continuing to ask for more give-aways from the City after they've already been granted the 200 Melville Ave. street, 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. 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. "The TDM plan has been further enhanced and is expected to result in reduced parking demand.". At least the Churchill proposal is to save lives. 6th to 12th Grade Tuition & Fees are $54,000. With the support I have been following Castilleja's modernization project for the past 4 years. I don't agree that it doesn't matter the size of enrollment, because more student bodies means more parents and cars and staff, teachers, volunteers and event attendees. 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 . $3.3 million in Tuition Assistance per year to 22% of student body. Yet another said the EIR did not fully address GHG emissions. 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