[6][7] She was a charter member of Alpha Phi and was the first Stanford Alpha Phi elected to Phi Beta Kappa. 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. [15] In June of 2022, the Palo Alto City Council approved the school's permit to expand the school's enrollment, renovate its campus, and build a parking garage. We are proud and humbled to bring together highly-motivated, intellectually curious young women from diverse backgrounds to collaborate within our community. Why, then, doesn't the school submit plans that comply with existing code? 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. Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. 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. Are you suggesting that Palo Alto's 25K taxpaying household provide/ subsidize housing for a private school whose students are 75% commuters? 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. 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. Home & Real Estate 4. and current research that affirm the significant personal and 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. Rob Levitsky, who lives near Castilleja, sees the situation differently. Its like threading a needle. 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. This is a wonderful neighborhood, but it simply isn't practical to block all new development in an attempt to pretend it's still 1990. Special Pubs Why did the meeting drag on so late? Were really digging to see how we could get to yes, but I fear the conclusion may be no. 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. "Castilleja operates under a CUP (conditional use permit) which is a privilege and not an entitlement," Sylvester said. 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. Last week the project got its first hearing. 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. Castilleja School. 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? "We are saving more trees in the newest version and we're actually reducing our footprint," Kauffman said. "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. 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? Castilleja has demonstrated that they are consistent and responsible with traffic management. 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. This project is worth fighting for. 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? Time and time again, Castilleja has revised their plans to meet the demands of the neighbors, yet the neighbors turn down every solution. The revised proposal includes five garage designs, though only three of them meet the council's March direction of the underground facility to include no more than 50% of the required on-site parking, which amounts to 52 spaces. Advertising Info The application deadline for Castilleja School is Jan. 9. Time to read: about 5 minutes. Contact Us As a bunch of us joked last night, the Palo Alto process is "Portlandia with extra whine.". They are also increasing underground square footage by adding an additional 36,000 square feet underground. "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. ""It's doing something that is really powerful and I want to emphasize that," Thompson said. 2023 Palo Alto Online. If the project is approved, DuBois said it would be one of the densest private school expansions in the Bay Area. "I feel this plan is better than ever because of all the feedback and iteration and response. "We think a 30% increase in enrollment excessive," Reed said in an interview. Education | Spring 2020: Volume 79 Number 3. 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. This is all at a time when accommodations such as Castilleja is seeking need to be made for "overriding public needs" such as affordable housing, which the Castilleja property would be an excellent home for! It also includes measures that require Castilleja to prove that its transportation measures are effective before it can gradually increase enrollment from the current level of 422 students to 540.But as two recent public hearings on the Castilleja project showed, these moves have done little to make Castilleja's project less polarizing. Castilleja is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools[2] and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools. I had an amazing experience in middle school at Casti. Here's a roadmap to finding the school you want. Circulation & Delivery, About Us 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. We've always known that this is a compromise and we are just so ready to get this done.". "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. However, if you tackle it methodically, you will get good results. 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. Sign up to be notified of new comments on this topic. I also heard that a non-Black student said the n-word, and there were complaints that this was not dealt with severely enough. Two board members, Chair Osma Thompson and Grace Lee said that the previously approved project remains perfectly acceptable. Obituaries Stay informed on important city government news. Castilleja School Photo #6 - Sophomores tackle chemistry class. It makes sense that it is time for Castilleja to modernize its campus. Castilleja School Photo #9 - The Class of 2013 is all smiles at the splish-splash party! In 1907, Mary Lockey opened the doors to Castilleja School to pursue a revolutionary ideato provide young women with the educational opportunities needed to seek a college education. Sponsored content As a first-year teacher at an all-girls school, I was immediately impressed by my confident,decisive eleven-year-old students, who had acquired strengths and skills many of us work a lifetime to master. No objective person can buy the "no new car trips" and "no new traffic" claims. 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. Sign up for our. After graduation, 100% of students from this school go on to attend a 4-year college. [8] She was encouraged by Stanford's first president, David Starr Jordan, to start a school that would offer girls a comprehensive, college preparatory education. Christian high school basketball team forfeits tournament rather than play against transgender player, Opinion: Gov. I have been following Castilleja's modernization project for the past 4 years. All rights reserved. The school's gross floor area is significantly in excess of what is allowable by code (81,385SF). Print Edition/Archives Lee and Thompson, however, felt that the building is fine the way it is, having already gone through years of refinements and public hearings. All rights reserved. Here, however, the split occurred between the five board members, who were charged with further refining the building's faade. Very bad timing on this report. In response to the writer above who asks "how can there be 'no new traffic'?" Staff's preferred design combines these underground spaces with 11 new at-grade spaces and 26 existing ones for a total of 89 spaces. But just to be clear, the plans proposeto move a pool to make room for one large building that replaces 5 older buildings, which takes away 60 currently existing surface parking spaces. Prior to becoming Head on July 1, 2010, Nanci served as Associate Head of School and Dean of Faculty. Continuing to ask for more give-aways from the City after they've already been granted the 200 Melville Ave. street, Everyone in Palo Alto will be affected, including emergency responders. There's also something called little C at the end of the day, where the teachers also help you. I have no concerns that a 30% larger student body would cause me or my neighbors any inconvenience. 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. This is Andie Reed. 5,490 were here. $3.3 million in Tuition Assistance per year to 22% of student body. contributing global citizens. "Castilleja, for its part, has consistently rejected the notion that it is looking to "expand." It is time to send this back to the Council for their final approval. Director of Operations Castilleja is a private, all-girls school located in Palo Alto whose mission is to educate motivated young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world. Sexism. "Time is passing. And Online Name is right to be skeptical about the no new trips claim. There aren't many Black students, which my Black friends said harmed their experience. "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. of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. Castilleja School offers 11 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Water Polo. "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. Sponsored content If they were, this whole long mess could have been avoided. Terms of Use [16], Castilleja is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools, the National Coalition of Girls' Schools, and the College Board. 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. What do YOU think is in this community's best interests? 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. The school makes a proposal, objections are raised, and the school responds to the objections, then new objections are raised. He said the council did the right thing in continuing the discussion to a later date. The naysayers are hopelessly dug into their negative position, but in my opinion really don't have a leg to stand on. 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. Castilleja also remains true to the 5 C's - conscience, Please include any comments on: The Harker School vs. Castilleja School Varsity Womens' Basketball. But Vice Mayor Pat Burt resented the strategy and city planners apparent willingness to go along. 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). AI (Artificial Intelligence), specifically ChatGPT, poses some serious challenges for teachers. 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. "I feel this plan is better than ever because of all the feedback and iteration and response. 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. You judge: Not 26 (although you might be referring to previous iterations). Otherwise, they would have to build a smaller structure and pay hundreds of thousands to redesign it to comply with the codes. Maybe Casti should pay its staff more so they can live closer? Castilleja School is a top rated, private, all-girls school located in PALO ALTO, CA. 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. Maybe the Casti parents could start addressing it in their own companies, law firms and vc firms?? Going on record as accepting the lies and deceptions of Castilleja about their enrollment, which to this very day What sports does Castilleja School offer? "Time is passing. The City Council, ARB & PTC members have had YEARS to consider the schools many proposals, each of which has sought to compromise in ways that responded to neighbors concerns. with Embarcadero and a part of Melville shutdown for months; They do not want to grow enrollment for profit sake; they want to educate more young women leaders without negatively impacting the neighborhood. 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. In 2019, the school submitted plans to rebuild most of its campus, which calls for demolishing and rebuilding three buildings on its campus, relocating the swimming pool and adding an underground parking structure. Thank you, Lorraine, I appreciate your bringing that up. The assertion that the neighbors are to blame for "holding up the entire project" is not credible. It has 416 students in grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1. 1. It's not one blank wall. 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. The opposition to this project keep referring it to a large scale expansion and that Castilleja wants bigger buildings. This time it's in the form of a planned. AND the additional enrollment. From that moment on, I was determined to make excellence in single-sex education accessible to as many girls as possible. News Are they housing teachers and staff? "Additionally, such reduction responds to concerns expressed by some community members about the size of the originally proposed structure. We were glad to see city council land on a 450 max enrollment to start, which most neighbors would support, and then entertain further requests down the road. Coach one after school team each season and fitness classes during the . A shuttle would then bring them to the campus. Nielsen Buchanan opposed the garage due to its impact on climate change. Will the decisions about Casti be consistent with the decision about the downtown garage? Surely environmental science is part of the curriculum. 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. For me, the bottom line is education, accessible in our community, and respectful of the neighbors. We explore the importance of teaching students how to attribute the work and ideas of others. Kauffman said she worries that people are choosing not to hear the facts because of something that happened eight years ago.. People that viewed Castilleja School also viewed these schools: The nearest high school to Castilleja School is, Fun athletic energetic school with good teachers. 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