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. 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? The overall expansion wouldnt be nearly as massive as other school redevelopments on the Peninsula, she added. The 42-year-old was a teacher and the head wrestling coach at J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson. "Our plan now checks all the boxes," Kauffman told the planning commission Wednesday night. Very bad timing on this report. 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. 5. Its ridiculous that this is even being considered. of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. It includes five different designs for the garage, as well as new restrictions on the number of school events a source of consternation for some of the school's neighbors. of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. What sports does Castilleja School offer? 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. "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. 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 because Lew's term is about to conclude and he is not seeking another term, the ultimate decision about whether the new design passes muster could hinge on a board member who has not yet been appointed and who may have other ideas about the building's design. "We just want to be educating girls," Kauffman said. Castilleja School is a top rated, private, all-girls school located in PALO ALTO, CA. Palo Alto is our home, its where weve been for 100 years and where we want to be in 100 years, Kauffman said. There aren't many Black students, which my Black friends said harmed their experience. I also attended and LOL when Alcheck made his comments about the garage; that commissioner has garage history; I think he favors them! Vandermade, a graduate of Mater Dei-Santa Ana and the . "We're committed to. 2. It makes sense that it is time for Castilleja to modernize its campus. Adalberto "Aldo" Toledo is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers government on the Peninsula for The Mercury News and East Bay Times. The City Council concurred with some of the arguments from the project's critics in March, when it reviewed Castilleja's plans and directed it to reduce its proposed underground garage a target for project opponents and to further refine the design of its buildings to make it more compatible with the residential areas that abut its campus at 1310 Bryant St. Home & Real Estate Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. Here's a roadmap to finding the school you want. Thompson also suggested that the building, in its current iteration, "has a design intent. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. Mobile site. Surely environmental science is part of the curriculum. "We are looking at a successful program that has every advantage to perform and every element was reviewed: bicycle, walking, transit, carpool, the outreach, the monitoring and the penalty aspects," Hughes said. St. Paul's is a completely residential, co-educational, Episcopal, secondary school in Concord, NH, welcoming to all faiths. They applied for a variance to keep the same square footage, but they base it on having a large lot. 23 The city council landed on around 89 parking spaces required, which already exists on campus. This is not about education, it is about greed and hubris. Vice Mayor Burt co-chairs those meetings so he hears the communitys concerns. Ron DeSantis apocalyptic attack on higher education. 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. 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. All rights reserved. "We have not compromised internally enough to give them a fair description of what they need to do," Baltay said. [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. ""We have not compromised internally enough to give them a fair description of what they need to do," Baltay said.Both the architectural board and the planning commission plan to hold further meetings on the proposal before it goes back to the council next year for another hearing. 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.. After hours of discussion Monday night that lasted past midnight, the council voted 4-3 to resume the debate over basement versus garage at a later undetermined date, thus postponing a vote on the controversial expansion. "Additionally, such reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size of the originally proposed structure. And Online Name is right to be skeptical about the no new trips claim. Castilleja School Photo #9 - The Class of 2013 is all smiles at the splish-splash party! Castelleja has not keep faith with this community by expanding their student body over many years in violation of the rules. Otherwise, they would have to build a smaller structure and pay hundreds of thousands to redesign it to comply with the codes. [Post removed; successive comments by same poster are not permitted.]. Endorsements should be a few sentences in length. But Mary Sylvester, co-founder of PNQLNow, argued at the architectural board meeting that the revised design particularly, the garage continues to clash with the surrounding context. While emphasis is 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. Period. Uploaded: Wed, Dec 1, 2021, 3:03 pm Global Investigator trip for all 11th graders. Laptop: $1,000 - $2,000 Special Pubs Yet another said the EIR did not fully address GHG emissions. All rights reserved. Mobile site. 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!! Yes there will be construction inconveniences, but it's called progress. "The other two alternatives with 52 underground spaces have drawbacks that make them either less feasible or less desirable. [9] In its early years, some boys were allowed to take classes at Castilleja. The primary duties include: Leads and strengthens a Middle School athletics program that advances the mission of the school. And for what? Originally from New York, Nanci has lived in the Bay Area since 1997. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. TheSixFifty.com The other two members, Peter Baltay and Alex Lew, found themselves between the two camps, with Baltay suggesting that Castilleja should modify the buildings' cornice line and the middle portion of the building, as well add more variability to its window locations. 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. These activities, which would be relegated to the underground garage in the original proposal, would now take place in designated loading areas in the Emerson parking lot.When added to 26 surface spaces that currently exist and that would remain, Scheme E creates a total of 89 spaces. HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Castilleja Community, This summer, I reignited my fascination with a remarkable womanEleanor Roosevelta true woman learning, woman leading. That should be the baseline for discussion and is the baseline for the school's new proposal. "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. 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. Density, drop-offs on the streets, events that are out of hand. 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. I think you misunderstand my above post. Castilleja School Photo #4 - Freshman are introduced to "blinkie bugs" and other hands-on physics expiraments. 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. It would be great to somehow put both those issues to rest. @Staying Home - In PA, housing is effectively a finite resource. Here's the new, best answer. Sign up for our. Blah. 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. 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. 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. of students agree that they feel safe at their school. "We are looking at a successful program that has every advantage to perform and every element was reviewed: bicycle, walking, transit, carpool, the outreach, the monitoring and the penalty aspects," Hughes said. of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. Become a member today. Be careful what you wish for neighbors!! HEAD OF SCHOOL. ", "It's doing something that is really powerful and I want to emphasize that," Thompson said. of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 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. Terms of Use contributing global citizens. OOPS! $3.3 million in Tuition Assistance per year to 22% of student body. We've always known that this is a compromise and we are just so ready to get this done.". The fact remains that the footprint will be smaller than what it is now. Now they don't want 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. 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? [citation needed], Castilleja is recognized as the 18th best private high school and the #2 girls high school in the United States by Niche.com in their 2023 rankings. 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. When is enough enough ? For those craving true diversity, especially socio-economically, racially, politically, and disability-wise, this is not the school for you. Or require only exceptions that can work for that site w/o enormously negative impact on the neighborhood in which it is located? Castilleja checks all of these boxes. Andie Reed, one of the group's co-founders, noted that even the revised project includes elements that residents have consistently deemed to be problematic namely, an underground garage that many believe is incompatible with the neighborhood. 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 population has grown enormously, and blocking those new people from accessing nearby housing and education runs counter to the progressive/inclusive/climate-conscious values touted by everyone's yard signs. The other two alternatives with 52 underground spaces have drawbacks that make them either less feasible or less desirable. 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. Likely that is why Planning chose not to include the actual report only a link ARB's or PTC's packet. austin.hanson. Now Castilleja wants to wreck it all with this proposal. Provides auto-suggestions when entering text. 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. TownSquare The school's new plans include five garage designs, though only three comply with the council's request that underground parking make up no more than 50% of the total spaces on campus. PALO ALTO Castilleja School's proposed expansion, a sore subject among neighbors who have been fighting it for years, has hit another roadblock. Plain and simple. Please include any comments on: The Harker School vs. Castilleja School Varsity Womens' Basketball. In response to the writer above who asks "how can there be 'no new traffic'?" "So this plan is quite appropriate for the sustainability and mobility not just for the school but for the city. 4. I suggest that anyone wishing to comment start off by remembering the feedback from the council earlier this year Web Link as noted at the time on PA Online. Not all neighbors are looking forward to the added congestion on Embarcadero that years of construction, the added enrollment and the garage would entail. I absolutely am a neighbor. 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. of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. The pursuit of our motto, "Women Learning, Women Leading," has I challenge those folks to say that Castilleja's traffic and/or parking impact on the neighborhood right now is even measurable. 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. Uploaded: Thu, Dec 9, 2021, 9:43 am Sports 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? 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 are proud and humbled to bring together highly-motivated, intellectually curious young women from diverse backgrounds to collaborate within our community. Education | Embarcadero Media file photo by Magali Gauthier. Since when does Palo Alto enforce (or even pay sufficient attention) to such things? "There's a lot of breaks happening in its faade, there's a lot of void. -- on larger lots with 1-acre+ zoning Photo by Elena Kadvany. "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. This is Andie Reed. Roy, I'm well aware that the earlier discussion about PTC decision-making wasn't specifically related to Casti but to the "Planning" department's overall performance. Here's the new, best answer. Thanks for posting the specifics about the missing data. 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. When added to 26 surface spaces that currently exist and that would remain, Scheme E creates a total of 89 spaces. "They must take into account the impact they make in the health, welfare and quiet enjoyment of their neighbors.". 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. Their enrollment cap since 2000 is 415 students, but they've exceeded that number since 2002. I think if it was eliminated the project would be approved and the modernization of this terrific school could begin. ", 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.". world. There are currently 89 surface parking spaces on campus, see Fehr + Peers report, footnote 5 in the staff report. It's a game of pay-to-play musical chairs, with more people constantly being added, but basically the same number of chairs then only the wealthiest players can afford a seat and everyone acts surprised that prices keep skyrocketing. It's much more relevant to the Casti discussion than the long-winded speeches about how only Casti can end sexism, misogyny and discrimination when all those conditions have been and continue to be so blatant in Silicon Valley, Just follow the news for all the lawsuits and multi-million-dollar discrimination. Castilleja School Photo #6 - Sophomores tackle chemistry class. Castilleja Head of School GUIDING THEMES Each year, Ms. KauffmanHA carefully selects a theme for the school year and distributes a sticker on opening day: Belonging 2019-20, Justice 2020-21,. Castilleja is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools[2] and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools. The school has come up with options to address both. "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. - because the school WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to increase enrollment if their traffic increases, period. Why provide Castilleja. This plan is not excessive in any way. Home & Real Estate Nor is concrete. 202122 Tuition 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. PR MediaRelease News 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. 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). Once again, the school leaders have made significant changes in response to feedback. Privacy Policy Advertising Info 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? What do YOU think is in this community's best interests? Isn't Palo Alto already funding and developing a teacher's housing project? I bet you wouldn't be able to fight that project! The opposition to this project keep referring it to a large scale expansion and that Castilleja wants bigger buildings. And one member of the PTC is going out of his way to help this along. This time it's in the form of a planned. Climate change. heart." they remain out of compliance with. I also want to point out that there are underground garages in residential neighborhoods in Palo Alto. Why should Casti think it is entitled to continue to increase its impact in a residential neighborhood? The Casti supporters who spoke about the benefits of having an all-girls education were addressing the value that Castilleja provides to the community. While Castilleja has been here longer than the houses and I do not think they need to relocate, I like Leland's comment about selling the land to a developer! Schools deserve to be in neighborhoods. Sports If the project advances, the floor area would be 128,687 square feet, according to planning staff.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.

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