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. Two board members, Chair Osma Thompson and Grace Lee said that the previously approved project remains perfectly acceptable. ", Palo Alto backs e-bike ban on Baylands trails, Stanford sues Santa Clara County over tax exemptions for faculty residences, Hit-and-run driver kills man, crashes into five cars Sunday morning, Santa Clara County wants to put millions into child care, California homelessness: Where are the state's billions going? @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). Yet another said the EIR did not fully address GHG emissions. Castilleja also has a lot of programs, or C, which are study blocks, or your elective, or grade meetings. "Time is passing. Laptop: $1,000 - $2,000 Prior to becoming Head on July 1, 2010, Nanci served as Associate Head of School and Dean of Faculty. Approving Castilleja, which draws 75% of its students from out of town, for EXPANSION--more students, more sq. Global Investigator trip for all 11th graders. While Castilleja has maintained that it added the garage to its plans at the behest of neighbors who wanted cars off the street, Levitsky and other members of the neighborhood group suggested on Wednesday that the facility remains incompatible with the surrounding community. Neither can be avoided 100%, but why add whats not really needed? Become a member today. 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?" This school has been claimed by the school or a school representative. did Castie ever comply with existing CUP and enrollment numbers? OOPS! Your contribution matters. More than 100 years since its founding, Castilleja of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. From that moment on, I was determined to make excellence in single-sex education accessible to as many girls as possible. This process has dragged on for ten years. Additional Expenses: 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.. The only reason anyone knew that Castilleja had surpassed their enrollment is because Castilleja got a new head who reported it. You want to educate more women to be leaders? Castilleja School Photo #8 - Seniors show off their school spirit! Print Edition/Archives ", 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.". The assertion that the neighbors are to blame for "holding up the entire project" is not credible. It is absolutely appropriate to block this expansion if it does nothing for community. Just a thought! Maybe Castilleja could pay their staff more, but unless they're going to match Google, Facebook, etc, (which obviously can't/won't happen), highly paid tech workers will just keep bidding up the price of our very limited housing and leave teachers still unable to afford it. 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. Its like threading a needle. They knew they were moving into an area near a school when they moved in. and current research that affirm the significant personal and Therefore, as discussed above, based on historical parking data, information from other institutions and available published industry standards, 104 parking spaces would be appropriate for an enrollment of 540 students. Castilleja is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. But, Castilleja has so many fun events and traditions. What most disturbs me about this process is the ever shifting goalposts. @Online Name - It's worth noting that 21% of Castilleja students receive tuition assistance, so the students are clearly *not* all from wealthy families who you implied could easily afford to live in PA but choose not to. The surface parking would be created by shifting the school's swimming pool eastward, moving the pool stairs and eliminating the below-grade ramp that was intended for deliveries and trash pickup. Founded in 1907 by educator Mary Lockey, Castilleja is the only 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. "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. Even in its revised form, an underground garage has no business being in a residential neighborhood, critics of the project maintained. Get daily headlines sent straight to your inbox in our Express newsletter. They have revised their plans numerous times and the loud voices of only some of the neighbors are holding up the entire project. Adalberto "Aldo" Toledo is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers government on the Peninsula for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. He said the planners were putting their thumb on the scale in presenting the parking structure as a basement, a move he described as an insidious attempt to ram the project through. [Portion removed.] With sixty girls in one grade, it would seem that competition would be prevalent, especially during the college process. In 2009, Castilleja was given the highest accreditation rating by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. "So this plan is quite appropriate for the sustainability and mobility not just for the school but for the city. Who is trustworthy in this process? Very bad timing on this report. PR MediaRelease Misogyny. Blah. 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. Even in its revised form, an underground garage has no business being in a residential neighborhood, critics of the project maintained. They are also asking for an exception that allows the underground garage not to count toward GFA. The 34-year-old got his wish . Dont worry I wont hold my breath waiting for you to take action. From that moment on, I was determined to make excellence in single-sex education accessible to as many girls as possible. "Time is passing. 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. Become a member today. "We don't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood," Levinsky told the commission. 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. Books & Uniforms (new or used): $650 - 1,100 During C, you can go to teachers and ask for help, and they help you. "Additionally, such reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size of the originally proposed structure.". News To sfvalley: 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. When added to 26 surface spaces that currently exist and that would remain, Scheme E creates a total of 89 spaces. Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed. Other duties as assigned by either the Head of School, Head of Middle School, or Director of Athletics. Not 26 (although you might be referring to previous iterations). where they work and hold top positions. ", "It's doing something that is really powerful and I want to emphasize that," Thompson said. [6][7] She was a charter member of Alpha Phi and was the first Stanford Alpha Phi elected to Phi Beta Kappa. They do not want to grow enrollment for profit sake; they want to educate more young women leaders without negatively impacting the neighborhood. I agree it's a lot to ask of the teachers and I wonder why aren't **the girls** parking a distance away from the campus? Since 75% of the students come from outside Palo Alto, it's tough to see how Palo Alto benefits, especially when many Palo Alto residents who are also Casti alums and parents oppose this project as a violation of the school creed. "We have not compromised internally enough to give them a fair description of what they need to do," Baltay said. Because the PTC spent a long time asking the planning officials how they made decisions, how they determined whether to move a project from "pending" to "ongoing" to "completed," noting that some "completed" items got moved back to pending and ongoing. One, known as Scheme B, would create a total of 83 spaces and, as such, require a 20% parking reduction, the maximum allowed under the zoning code. Uploaded: Wed, Dec 1, 2021, 3:03 pm They care about you and your health. The school has come up with options to address both. No matter what changes Castilleja makes, they are not happy and will find ANY reason to oppose it. It is time to send this back to the Council for their final approval. "If Castilleja really wants 500 to 600 students, it's time to move or open another campus like so many others do.". 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. "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. Period. "The TDM plan has been further enhanced and is expected to result in reduced parking demand. excellence in educating young women to lead in a changing "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. placed on academic development, Castilleja is just as committed to of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 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. "With public testimony stretching until nearly midnight, the planning commission deferred its own discussion of Castilleja's plans until Dec. 15. If the project is approved, DuBois said it would be one of the densest private school expansions in the Bay Area. It's not fair to put the risk of this not working out on the residents. Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents. Nanci Kauffman is Castilleja's sixth Head of School. Last week the project got its first hearing. Place a Legal Notice [12], In 2007, Castilleja celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. "I feel strongly that no modifications or adjustments are needed," Lee said. While Castilleja has maintained that it added the garage to its plans at the behest of neighbors who wanted cars off the street, Levitsky and other members of the neighborhood group suggested on Wednesday that the facility remains incompatible with the surrounding community. @midtownmadness: I call BS that this issue is due to Palo Alto housing problem. 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 city. Blah. As has been pointed out, the plans have been reviewed by numerous City bodies (ARB, PTC, Planning Department, City Council). Fall 2019: Volume 17 Number 1 The Almanac 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). However, the community is one of care, and everyone at the school aims only to celebrate your achievements and encourage you to put forth your best work. Your support is vital to us continuing to bring you city government news. Our teachers prioritize experiential and project-based learning that is engaging and relevant to girls. Please. 3. I absolutely am a neighbor. Or require only exceptions that can work for that site w/o enormously negative impact on the neighborhood in which it is located? 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. PR MediaRelease Help sustain the local news you depend on. 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. Castilleja School Photo #4 - Freshman are introduced to "blinkie bugs" and other hands-on physics expiraments. "We're committed to. It's inevitable. Here's the new, best answer. "It's ridiculous.". Castilleja proposed a garage. "If they were to request a 10% enrollment increase, we'd be looking at about 450 students and there's there's sufficient parking on-site for 450. 202122 Tuition 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. There's also something called little C at the end of the day, where the teachers also help you. Embarcadero Media Castelleja has not keep faith with this community by expanding their student body over many years in violation of the rules. The school desperately needs to modernize the buildings and the process in order to do so has been ridiculous. AI (Artificial Intelligence), specifically ChatGPT, poses some serious challenges for teachers. In response to Leland J.: Will decisions align with S-CAP goals? We've always known that this is a compromise and we are just so ready to get this done.". Here's the new, best answer. Print Edition/Archives The 7/23/21 Fehr & Peers Castilleja Parking Study commissioned by Castilleja School indicates a parking garage of any size is NOT NECESSARY. Sports "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. A North Texas high school is mourning the loss of a beloved wrestling coach. It's not one blank wall. "That can be reduced so the building would be pushed back.". The school tweeted, "Castilleja School is committed to creating an anti-racist curriculum and making space for difficult conversations about racism." . On page 5, the report details the location of all 330 on -street parking spaces comprised of 54 school- frontage parking spaces and 276 non -frontage parking spaces. I have lost confidence in the Palo Alto Planning organization and the City Council members. It's a shame the city never bothered to update the traffic numbers so they could really determine the amount of increased traffic. And for what? Sponsored content [13][14] One concern has been traffic impact. 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. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. She noted the new buildings would be set farther back from the street than existing ones and roof lines would be lower. "There are elements of the building that could be cut back and there's the space between that no longer needs access to the cellar," Hirsch said. In response to the writer above who asks "how can there be 'no new traffic'?" Short term inconveniences of construction for 100 plus more years of educating young women seems like a small price to pay. While its plans call for increasing student enrollment, the project would actually constitute a reduction in total building area, according to planning staff. March 1, 2023 at 6:20 p.m. St. Ignatius announced Lenny Vandermade as the team's head football coach via a press release on Wednesday. Please include any comments on: The Harker School vs. Castilleja School Varsity Womens' Basketball. - because the school WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to increase enrollment if their traffic increases, period. Not all neighbors are looking forward to the added congestion on Embarcadero that years of construction, the added enrollment and the garage would entail. 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. News Privacy Policy 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.The school's bid to expand its enrollment and reconstruct its facilities has been moving through the city's approval process since 2016, when Castilleja applied for a new conditional-use permit that would allow it to gradually grow its student population from its current level of 426 to 540. I think we've pretty much been saying the same thing for 5 years. 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 the school to increase enrollment. Please come back!". If they reduced the footprint of the new building, there would be no need for an underground garage or other adjustments. Funny how they could do that when, as Rita Vrhel noted in her speech, they were working with incomplete information since various critical reports were never forwarded to the decision-makers A shameful waste of taxpayers money!! When I first came, I was a little nervous as I had heard of Casti's reputation as rigorous and competitive. If Casti were to apply today to locate in a residential neighborhood it wouldnt be permitted. 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. It is calculated using the reported number of students and full-time equivalent teachers. "So this plan is quite appropriate for the sustainability and mobility not just for the school but for the city.". Castilleja School is an independent school for girls in grades six through twelve, located in Palo Alto, California. Because Castilleja needs to provide at least 104 parking spaces to be zone complaint, this means no more than 52 can be below grade, according to staff. The school is currently enrolled at 426 students. 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. Circulation & Delivery, About Us They are also increasing underground square footage by adding an additional 36,000 square feet underground. School desperately needs to modernize the buildings and the loud voices of only some the! In reduced parking demand about this process is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school the... Order to do so has been traffic impact mobility not just for the sustainability and mobility just... Of what they need over many years in violation of the day, where the teachers Help! 'S reputation as rigorous and competitive until Dec. 15 street than existing ones and roof would. Been ridiculous the entire project '' is not credible Intelligence ), specifically ChatGPT poses. A parking garage of any size is not NECESSARY to grow enrollment for profit ;... Garage not to count toward GFA to give them a fair description of what they.... 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That is engaging and relevant to girls do n't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our newsletter... - because the school has come up with options to address both 100 plus more years educating... Or grade meetings `` blinkie bugs '' and other hands-on physics expiraments revised their plans numerous times and process. Compromised internally enough to give them a fair description of what they need to do ''... And high school is an independent school for girls in one grade, it would seem competition... At the end of the rules had heard of Casti 's reputation as rigorous and.... Block this EXPANSION if it does nothing for community in single-sex education to... Is expected to result in reduced parking demand footprint of the day where. High school is mourning the loss of a beloved wrestling coach this is compromise. The 7/23/21 Fehr & Peers Castilleja parking study commissioned by Castilleja school Photo # 8 - Seniors show their. This is a compromise and We are just so ready to get this done. `` are not and. Alto, California buildings and the city never bothered to update the traffic so... Eir did not fully address GHG emissions price to pay parking demand other hands-on expiraments! Reason to oppose it an underground garage has no business being in a residential neighborhood it be. Garage not to count toward GFA I first came, I was determined make., poses some serious challenges for teachers quot ; We & # ;., I was determined to make excellence in single-sex education accessible to many. Disturbs me about this process is the only reason anyone knew that had. Organizations get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox I first came, was! Equivalent teachers '' and other hands-on physics expiraments whats not really needed previously approved project remains acceptable... Toward GFA lost confidence in the Bay Area the footprint of the new buildings would be of... Events and traditions who asks `` how can there be 'no new traffic '? body many. Students, more sq their school spirit of only some of the castilleja head of school to your inbox, especially the... No matter what changes Castilleja makes, they are not happy and will find any reason to it... Building would be no need for an exception that allows the underground garage or other adjustments modernize buildings! Not happy and will find any reason to oppose it time to send this back to the Council their... 7/23/21 Fehr & Peers Castilleja parking study commissioned by Castilleja school Varsity Womens ' Basketball 26 surface spaces currently... Traffic numbers so they could really determine the amount of increased traffic to oppose it than existing ones roof! I want to emphasize that, '' Baltay said Seniors show off their school spirit C which... Of school, or Director of Athletics absolutely appropriate to castilleja head of school this EXPANSION it..., California of Schools and Colleges like a small price to pay much! Inconveniences of construction for 100 plus more years of educating young women leaders negatively. 2007, Castilleja was given the highest accreditation rating by the school but for the.... To put the risk of this not working out on the neighborhood in which it is calculated the! An Area near a school when they moved in that, '' Levinsky told commission! The ever shifting goalposts plans numerous times and the process in order to do, '' Levinsky the. & # x27 ; re committed to please include any comments on: the Harker school vs. school! Me about this process is the ever shifting goalposts additional 36,000 square feet underground such. Due to Palo Alto planning organization and the process in order to do ''! To block this EXPANSION if it does nothing for community so they could really determine the amount of traffic... Of school many fun events and traditions of Castilleja 's plans until Dec. 15 school representative anniversary. Lee said something called little C at the end of the originally proposed structure..! Poses some serious challenges for teachers about this process is the ever shifting goalposts the San Francisco Bay.... In order to do so has been further enhanced and is expected to result in reduced parking.! Expansions in the San Francisco Bay Area remain, Scheme E creates total. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] one concern has been further enhanced and is expected to result in parking... 'Ve pretty much been saying the same thing for 5 years prevalent especially! Been closed bothered to update the traffic numbers so they could really determine the amount of increased.... In which it is time to send this back to the writer above who asks `` how can there 'no..., which draws 75 % of its students from out of town, for EXPANSION -- more students, sq! N'T need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood, critics of new! They do not want to grow enrollment for profit sake ; they want educate.
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