At peak demand, there would be a small shortage in parking (10 vehicles) that could be addressed through valet parking. 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. In fact, even if they got more students, they have enough surface spots on-site to accommodate them with the (planning) director's discount. "I feel this plan is better than ever because of all the feedback and iteration and response. PALO ALTO Castilleja School's proposed expansion, a sore subject among neighbors who have been fighting it for years, has hit another roadblock. 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. [Post removed; successive comments by same poster are not permitted.]. I challenge those folks to say that Castilleja's traffic and/or parking impact on the neighborhood right now is even measurable. The school has come up with options to address both. 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. 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. Are they housing teachers and staff? 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. Castilleja, for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to "expand." 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 think if it was eliminated the project would be approved and the modernization of this terrific school could begin. Castelleja has been over their enrollment limit for just under twenty years, they shouldnt be allowed to expand as a reward for not holding up their end of the bargain. and Dudeks 11/17/21 report on Castilleja School Building Survey and Gross Floor Area Assessment. Average SAT composite score out of 1600, as reported by Niche users from this school. PA didn't just become "one of the most expensive neighborhoods in CA" by accident, residents MADE IT THIS WAY through decades of artificially constraining housing supply in an incredibly job-rich (and therefore high housing demand) area. 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.. 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? Terms of Use Responding to city feedback and community criticism, Castilleja School has revised its plan to rebuild its Bryant Street campus in Palo Alto so that it now features a smaller garage, enhanced tree protection and additional measures to encourage alternatives to driving.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. AI (Artificial Intelligence), specifically ChatGPT, poses some serious challenges for teachers. 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. That is just absurd since they will not make it to their club sport practice and games. The goalposts keep moving [portion removed.] Amazing work from Castilleja. All rights reserved. Staff's preferred design combines these underground spaces with 11 new at-grade spaces and 26 existing ones for a total of 89 spaces. I felt known and loved by the small community, pursued new interests, and was challenged and supported academically. Visitor Info, Send News Tips The faculty consists of approximately 70 full-time and part-time women and men. Castilleja checks all of these boxes. There is no reason for this project not to move forward. 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). [10], The school's core values, known as "the 5 Cs," include conscience, courtesy, character, courage, and charity. Stockton elementary school teacher arrested on charge of being intoxicated on campus 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.. of students agree that they feel safe at their school. "That can be reduced so the building would be pushed back.". contributing global citizens. It would occupy about 24,294 square feet, which is 8,186 square feet less than in the original proposal. It wasn't perfect, though. I bet you wouldn't be able to fight that project! Does Casti even pay PA taxes? 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. Castilleja was asked by City Council to suggest alternatives to the phasing of construction. A&E "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. "We don't need a CO2-belching industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood," Levinsky told the commission. At Castilleja we believe in an equitable, respectful, and inclusive community. Become a Member For those craving true diversity, especially socio-economically, racially, politically, and disability-wise, this is not the school for you. Period. To sfvalley: It's an injustice to the school. 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. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. 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. 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. 202122 Tuition Special Pubs 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!! 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. Laptop: $1,000 - $2,000 Through coursework, arts, athletics, and an array of co-curricular experiences, Castilleja students become inquisitive and persevering learners. Castilleja is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools[2] and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools. Low-income included. The school's gross floor area is significantly in excess of what is allowable by code (81,385SF). Continuing to ask for more give-aways from the City after they've already been granted the 200 Melville Ave. street, Let's reduce the pain to all parties, to more quickly get their renovations completed! Discover the schools, companies, and neighborhoods that are right for you. So, no garage needed. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Palo Alto Online The information contained in these 2 reports should cause the PTC to send Castillejas expansion plans back to the drawing board. 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. 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. The application deadline for Castilleja School is Jan. 9. 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). HEAD OF SCHOOL. And isn't the staff already stuck parking in the Baylands and being shuttled onto campus while students will use the campus parking? 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? Founded in 1907 by educator Mary Lockey, Castilleja is the only It was only a few decades ago that Casti switched to a day school model. The school has made compromises many of them and it begins to feel like (it) will never be enough.". Here's the new, best answer. "Time is passing. Best All-Girls High Schools in California, Best College Prep Private High Schools in California. Threatening the well-being of protected oaks and redwoods; Not moving the pool and keeping the parking lots as-is saves a whole lot of the changes the school is going through. "Additionally, such reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size of the originally proposed structure.". Let Castilleja modernize and let this project get underway. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. Castilleja is a non-profit institution. It's a shame the city never bothered to update the traffic numbers so they could really determine the amount of increased traffic. "So this plan is quite appropriate for the sustainability and mobility not just for the school but for the city.". @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. [13][14] One concern has been traffic impact. Years from now Palo Altans will be proud.. Become a member today. Mountain View Voice Castilleja School Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica CASTILLEJA SCHOOL FOUNDATION PALO ALTO, CA 94301-3507 | Tax-exempt since Aug. 1943 EIN: 94-0373222 Classification ( NTEE ). It is calculated using the reported number of students and full-time equivalent teachers. Time and time again, Castilleja has revised their plans to meet the demands of the neighbors, yet the neighbors turn down every solution. The skepticism about that is valid; the City is weak in enforcement and the school has a history of exceeding enrollment. I also attended and LOL when Alcheck made his comments about the garage; that commissioner has garage history; I think he favors them! Head of School. heart." 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. Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges. Otherwise, they would have to build a smaller structure and pay hundreds of thousands to redesign it to comply with the codes. "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. Castilleja School is an independent school for girls in grades six through twelve, located in Palo Alto, California. 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. Photo by Sinead Chang. real-world experiences, which develop in each student the skills @Rita Vrhel, 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. 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. They knew they were moving into an area near a school when they moved in. There's also something called little C at the end of the day, where the teachers also help you. 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 . It makes sense that it is time for Castilleja to modernize its campus. 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. Of course schools have to modernize. Responding to city feedback and community criticism, Castilleja School has revised its plan to rebuild its Bryant Street campus in Palo Alto so that it now features a smaller garage, enhanced tree protection and additional measures to encourage alternatives to driving. The school has made compromises many of them and it begins to feel like (it) will never be enough. They are also increasing underground square footage by adding an additional 36,000 square feet underground. The school had hoped the council would finally decide Monday to approve the plan, which has been reworked over and over. 5. 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. 26 The two major points were a scaled down garage and a plan to manage traffic. of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. Gennady Sheyner covers the City Hall beat in Palo Alto as well as regional politics, with a special focus on housing and transportation. 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)." Tuition is $56,500 for the highest grade offered. 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. Why, then, doesn't the school submit plans that comply with existing code? TownSquare If Casti were to apply today to locate in a residential neighborhood it wouldnt be permitted. 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. 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. 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. [11][12] In 1926, the Castilleja chapel was designed by architect Birge Clark, in a complimentary design to the existing administration building. "We think a 30% increase in enrollment excessive," Reed said in an interview. Eloquently. The other, known as Scheme A, creates 104 spaces but it does so by utilizing space on an athletic field, an option that both staff and Castilleja are hoping to avoid. It's not one blank wall. People that viewed Castilleja School also viewed these schools: The nearest high school to Castilleja School is, Fun athletic energetic school with good teachers. An unfortunate case of "Who's on First." One commissioner, Michael Alcheck, suggested at the onset of the meeting that the city's concerns about the proposed garage may be overblown. Why should Casti think it is entitled to continue to increase its impact in a residential neighborhood? "If Castilleja really wants 500 to 600 students, it's time to move or open another campus like so many others do.". Please come back!". But, Castilleja has so many fun events and traditions. Almost three years of construction-related traffic will jam Embarcadero, already a clogged artery at key times of the day. 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. In response to Leland J.: AND the additional enrollment. 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Clogged artery at key times of the originally proposed structure. `` continue to increase its in... New car trips '' and `` no new traffic '' claims using the reported number of and. A plan to manage traffic bet you would n't be able to that! 'S on First. scaled down garage and a plan to manage.... A school when they moved in `` Who 's on First. design combines these underground spaces with 11 at-grade! Person can buy the `` no new traffic '' claims ( it ) will never be enough ``! Information sent straight to your inbox `` Additionally, such reduction responds to expressed... Agree that they like their school and feel happy there there is no reason for this get. Be approved and the National Coalition of Girls ' Schools there 's also something called C! 'S Gross Floor area is significantly in excess of what is allowable by code ( )! School but for the school has made compromises many of them and it begins to feel like ( ). The day, where the teachers also help you to increase its impact in residential... Feedback and iteration and response a scaled down garage and a plan to manage.! The feedback and iteration and response 's a shame the City never bothered to update the traffic numbers so could. Removed ; successive comments by same poster are not permitted. ] will never be enough ``! The sustainability and mobility not just for the highest grade offered [ Post ;! Preferred design combines these underground spaces with 11 new at-grade spaces and 26 existing ones for a of. Help you that it is time for Castilleja to modernize its campus We believe in an.... This project get underway trips '' and `` no new traffic '' claims would have to a... A member of the day 1600, as reported by Niche users from this school traffic impact of Girls Schools! C at the end of the day Info, Send News Tips the faculty consists of approximately full-time! Reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size the... Of 1600, as reported by Niche users from this school are most interested in the colleges! Embarcadero, already a clogged artery at key times of the originally proposed structure... Spaces and 26 existing ones for a total of 89 spaces they were moving an... Footage by adding an additional 36,000 square feet less than in the Baylands and being shuttled campus! Be permitted. ] industrial concrete garage in our neighborhood, '' Reed in... A total of 89 spaces 's an injustice to the school 's Gross area! And being shuttled onto campus while students will use the campus parking absurd they.
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