With public testimony stretching until nearly midnight, the planning commission deferred its own discussion of Castilleja's plans until Dec. 15. I am one of the Casti supporters who stayed up way too late to speak at the meeting last night. Short term inconveniences of construction for 100 plus more years of educating young women seems like a small price to pay. "With public testimony stretching until nearly midnight, the planning commission deferred its own discussion of Castilleja's plans until Dec. 15. A North Texas high school is mourning the loss of a beloved wrestling coach. At peak demand, there would be a small shortage in parking (10 vehicles) that could be addressed through valet parking. Castilleja School Photo #9 - The Class of 2013 is all smiles at the splish-splash party! There is no reason for this project not to move forward. It also dragged because of the lengthy speeches on how Casti could end misogyny right here in our own times. and self-confidence to reach her full potential. That should be the baseline for discussion and is the baseline for the school's new proposal. Now Castilleja wants to wreck it all with this proposal. People who live on Kellogg have stated at open hearings that they dont want a break in the building there because the building creates an effective barrier between life inside and life outside of campus. We may remember differently the outcome of that discussion. I can't describe the wonderfulness of this school in this character limit, but I can tell you that the teachers are so amazing and caring; they really care about your sleep, and don't force you to do homework late in the night. "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. Print Edition/Archives No matter how many times Castilleja goes back to the drawing board and comes up with a new solution, the neighbors shut it down. "They must take into account the impact they make in the health, welfare and quiet enjoyment of their neighbors.". 6. Visitor Info, Send News Tips Blah. "I feel this plan is better than ever because of all the feedback and iteration and response. I know the value of this education, as my daughter was fortunate enough to have gone there for 7 years. They are creating a need that is already satisfied with current conditions. Enough is enough. "That can be reduced so the building would be pushed back.". Us 6th graders won the tug of war for Spirit Week, and I'm so excited for the Haunted House on Monday! 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)." It has 416 students in grades 6-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 7 to 1. 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. I'm pretty sure no neighbor that's not a parent has ever agreed with proposed enrollment increase. 26 4. [12], In 2007, Castilleja celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding. Laptop: $1,000 - $2,000 And for what? Education | Just a thought! Castilleja is an independent 6th - 12th grade girls' school in Palo Alto, California, founded in 1907.. The school had hoped the council would finally decide Monday to approve the plan, which has been reworked over and over. 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. [5] Originally from Montana, Lockey graduated from Stanford University in 1902, where she majored in English. 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?" News and current research that affirm the significant personal and St. Paul's is a completely residential, co-educational, Episcopal, secondary school in Concord, NH, welcoming to all faiths. Are they housing teachers and staff? Founded in 1907 by educator Mary Lockey, Castilleja is the only Your contribution matters. This project has been under consideration SINCE 2016 - likely the longest project in Palo Alto history - because the demands keep shifting. Jul 2010 - Present12 years 7 months. I have lost confidence in the Palo Alto Planning organization and the City Council members. Based on recent reviews by an independent consultant, the city determined that Castilleja has an existing gross floor area of 138,345 square feet. Yes there will be construction inconveniences, but it's called progress. Even more important than numbers was the message. This time it's in the form of a planned. [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. Become a member today. of students agree that they feel safe at their school. ""It's doing something that is really powerful and I want to emphasize that," Thompson said. But as two recent public hearings on the Castilleja project showed, these moves have done little to make Castilleja's project less polarizing. Speakers forget that for most of its existence Casti was a boarding school with some local day girls, and very low impact on the neighborhood. Palo Alto: Castilleja School expansion plan, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, Palo Alto: Castilleja School expansion plan held up by parking garage debate, Santa Rosa high school student stabbed to death in classroom, Exactly what I needed: Los Gatos teachers move into affordable units, Teacher at California high school arrested after recording devices found in restroom, California high school scheme used fake documents to get basketball players on team, report says, Stockton elementary school teacher arrested on charge of being intoxicated on campus. If the project is approved, DuBois said it would be one of the densest private school expansions in the Bay Area. contributing global citizens. Embarcadero Media 2023 Palo Alto Online. Teacher at California high school arrested after recording devices found in restroom The Almanac 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. We've always known that this is a compromise and we are just so ready to get this done.". When I first came, I was a little nervous as I had heard of Casti's reputation as rigorous and competitive. 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. The primary duties include: Leads and strengthens a Middle School athletics program that advances the mission of the school. Place a Legal Notice It may be limited to public school teachers. 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. "Castilleja operates under a CUP (conditional use permit) which is a privilege and not an entitlement," Sylvester said. I think we've pretty much been saying the same thing for 5 years. Best All-Girls High Schools in California, Best College Prep Private High Schools in California. Blogs @Rita Vrhel, "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. Based on recent reviews by an independent consultant, the city determined that Castilleja has an existing gross floor area of 138,345 square feet. 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. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Become a Member Fehr & Peers have monitored the peak period generation, on- site parking, and on-street parking adjacent to the school since 2012. 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. If traffic increases, they will not be allowed to increase enrollment. Spring 2020: Volume 79 Number 3. 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. Castilleja School offers 11 interscholastic sports: Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Water Polo. The city council landed on around 89 parking spaces required, which already exists on campus. Mask stepped down as the head coach at Pell City High . Even in its revised form, an underground garage has no business being in a residential neighborhood, critics of the project maintained. Castilleja checks all of these boxes. We explore the importance of teaching students how to attribute the work and ideas of others. Sign up for our. Thanks for posting the specifics about the missing data. Here's the new, best answer. Castilleja was asked by City Council to suggest alternatives to the phasing of construction. With sixty girls in one grade, it would seem that competition would be prevalent, especially during the college process. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. 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. I challenge those folks to say that Castilleja's traffic and/or parking impact on the neighborhood right now is even measurable. Selecting a category below will take you to another page. Bill Burch fell squarely in the latter camp. 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. The Almanac Thank you Castilleja! Downtown parking garage. It's an injustice to the school. The school's gross floor area is significantly in excess of what is allowable by code (81,385SF). Place a Legal Notice 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. 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