Who is kidding whom? When Casti was over-enrolled by 20 students, it would have owed $500 x 20 (violations) a day, totaling $10,000/day. I omitted the word "tuition." Photo by Magali Gauthier. There's a lot of people in town who use it and like it and we are an education town, not just a public education town.". Re: Bystander "This is about the future of the school.". here. Industry: Preschools & Child Care Services. Sorry about that. It's so silly we're still arguing about Gunn (30 acres) and Paly (44 acres), which are public schools in Public Facilities zones that anyone can attend, as if there's a comparison to a private commuter school on 6 acres in an R-1 zone that clearly only a few chosen students can attend. 2023 COOPERATIVE STRATEGIES ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Supporters of Castilleja, many of whom have expressed frustrations in the past about the council's failure to advance the project, cheered the council's Monday decision. Salary: Castilleja School Education | Glassdoor "There has been a breakdown in trust and I think both sides recognize that," Stone said. Mayor Pat Burt proposed banning juniors from driving to the school, a condition that his colleagues supported. If you have any questions or need assistance completing these steps or forms please call (650) 470-7733 or email admission@castilleja.org. Allison Cormack remarked that 5 miles goes all the way to Mountain View and Redwood City. Which is why Castilleja has applied for a new "Conditional Use Permit" (CUP) since they want to change the terms of their existing CUP. Community Calendar I think the education they provide contributes to a better world as much as other nonprofits do. it is tax exempt under a loophole to the IRS code that was created by lobbyists paid by our country's wealthiest private schools, possibly including Casti. Following this brilliant logic, EVERY SINGLE HOME in Palo Alto, by itself, provides zero value for the other 99.99% of Palo Alto residents. Kou, meanwhile, had broader concerns about the project and said she could not make the necessary findings that are needed to approve the variance that Castilleja requires to build the new academic buildings once the existing ones are demolished. . Previous TDM plans have been sloppily written and unenforceable. The information listed below outlines Castilleja's Admission process. This institution first breaks (over enrollment) the rules then builds a bigger machine to likelly break more agreements. Get the latest local news and information sent straight to your inbox. It is not a charitable organization. Castilleja won the City Council's approval of its redevelopment plan in June 2022, following a contentious and drawn-out review process.Holding classes at CSM would have also allowed the school to increase its enrollment by around 16 students about 3.5% in the coming school year without a problem, she said. All rights reserved. Now it's official: Castilleja will not be moving temporarily to the College of San Mateo (CSM) next year. "It's all about the TDM and whether they can get enrollment increases based on that," Reed said. What salary does a Education earn in your area? "I think if someone came to us and said, 'I just acquired this many acres in the middle of Old Palo Alto and I want to put a school there,' we'd probably turn them down," Filseth said. Castilleja does not serve a "public" service. Castilleja School in Palo Alto on Oct. 28, 2020. "nattering nabobs of negativism" -- Ex-con Spiro Agnew and his attacks on any and all critics, no matter how rational and factual, lives again -- just in time for the inevitable comparisons between the Watergate hearings and the January 6 hearings starting tomorrow at 5PM Pacific time on all tv networks except Fox. Palo Alto: Council hears first resident reaction to Castilleja School From the very nature of respondent as an educational institution, with qualities fixed by its articles of incorporation above quoted, it is apparent that the land here considered will be devoted by it to a high public use. No. Community Calendar Photo by Magali Gauthier. The council, she said, deferred too much in Castilleja's attorney in crafting the conditions around transportation-demand management (TDM), which are key to its enrollment plan. I am sososososo disappointed in our City Council. Photo by Magali Gauthier. Members of the group Preserve Neighborhood Quality of Life Now said they were disappointed about some of the conditions in the approval. "CSM leadership gave us every assurance that the partnership was secure, and we were blindsided by this reversal," Kauffman said. A big ask in a residential neighborhood in which no other business with 400 daily commuters would be permitted. 5,536 were here. Castilleja School - Palo Alto, California - CA | GreatSchools Castilleja didn't approach Skyline because planning with CSM was proceeding well, she said.By October, Castilleja was working with CSM to identify a combination of arts, athletics and science spaces that were going unused; and by February, CSM hosted a Castilleja Board of Trustees retreat, which included a tour of campus and a discussion of specific arrangements for middle and upper school students, she said.Kauffman called it "confusing" that the district Board of Trustees "did not follow through on CSMs good faith negotiations," despite knowing the hardship it would cause Castilleja. "You can't use the school's traffic consultant.". Mobile site. Blogs PALO ALTO The final version of a proposal to expand the exclusive 112-year-old private Castilleja School received its first public hearing this week as the city council gets one step closer to . Exactly. "You can't use the school's traffic consultant. Castilleja School Teacher Salaries | Glassdoor 6. Holding classes at CSM would have also allowed the school to increase its enrollment by around 16 students about 3.5% in the coming school year without a problem, she said. However, the board released a public statement on May 25 in which it stated that Castilleja's proposals would result in "detrimental displacement of students and undue interference with programs and activities at the College of San Mateo's campus.". PALO ALTO A divided City Council has sent the Castilleja School expansion plan back to the drawing board as it . This is not just modernizing a few buildings. HOORAY! At least I dont remember much pushback to Casti's request to convert to all daily commuters only. Your contribution matters. Kauffman said the council's decision will enable Castilleja to stay in Palo Alto, to remain financially viable and to educate more girls. Castilleja School Profile - Independent Admissions Experts Sad. Privacy Policy Stay informed on important city government news. Castilleja officials had been hoping to rent unused space at the College of San Mateo. What's next? If we're counting the number of people that benefit, it's clear the hundreds of students, plus teachers, plus families outnumber the residents of a few dozen nearby properties. False. Obituaries Login - Castilleja is an all-girls middle and high school located in Palo Alto, CA. Sports I guess neighbors are supposed to be grateful that it came close. Can we buy the land back from Castilleja and put it to good public use? After attempting to revamp their campus since 2012 and spending millions in legal fees, architect fees, consultant fees, tuition collection fees by reducing their student body for the last six years, they got what they would have years earlier if they simply worked with the neighbors, rather than try to bully the neighbors into submission. Council member Alison Cormack urged her colleagues not to reduce the number of special events that Castilleja is allowed to hold. If Rebecca believes that private schools should pay property tax, isn't the democratic thing to do to call her state representative and lobby legislatures, not to take vigilante action against Castilleja, hold up governmental approval on unrelated, extra legal grounds? What rule of law? Castilleja School Private Save Castilleja School is a private school located in Palo Alto, CA. "Castilleja School educates motivated young women to become confident thinkers and compassionate leaders with a sense of purpose to effect change in the world." "The pursuit of Castilleja's mission is supported by a commitment to our core values, the 5Cs: "Courage, Conscience, Courtesy, Charity, and Character "The 5Cs . Castilleja is not a charity, but rather is an invite-only private school. Home Castilleja is the only non-sectarian all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. "CSM leadership gave us every assurance that the partnership was secure, and we were blindsided by this reversal," Kauffman said. This will require you to cast off your anonymity, of course. Lots of sour grapes here from the losers. The win-win solution BTW is for the subset of neighbors that are aggrieved (at living next to a school and within a growing Palo Alto) to sell their fantastically valuable homes for millions of dollars, take the proceeds, and move somewhere quieter. The school could move, split their campus, and serve many more deserving girls. Is this truly a public good to subsidize on limited taxpayer dime? Advertising Info Opponents of the project often cited the school's history of failing to abide with the enrollment cap in its existing conditional use permit, a violation that prompted the city to issue a $265,000 fine against Castilleja in 2013 and to demand a gradual reduction in enrollment. "The primary driver of the school's decision to seek a temporary campus for all of its students, Kauffman said, was to reduce construction time. Palo Alto officials remain divided on years-long Castilleja expansion I do think that Casti should be compared with the other school campuses. "I am ecstatic that we are going to be able to enroll more students," Kauffman told the Weekly after the hearing. Castilleja is the only non-religious all-girls middle and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. More. It's difficult to find justification for this and will undermine the school's ability to bring parents, teachers, and students together to build school community. Castilleja School's plan to move its students to the College of San Mateo this fall, while its campus in Palo Alto is rebuilt, was rejected by the San Mateo County Community College District's Board of Trustees on May 24. Please share yours below. The primary driver of the school's decision to seek a temporary campus for all of its students, Kauffman said, was to reduce construction time. Each grade has an average of 60 students. Isn't it in fact the case that significant tax benefits, even public funding, for private schools is the international norm amidst developed democracies? Burt also successfully advocated for requiring Castilleja to ensure that at least 40% of its students live within 5 miles of the campus, a move designed to both increase the school's benefit to the local community and to mitigate its traffic impacts. But the school cannot accommodate the expanded population on its Palo Alto campus, given that the city has capped the school's on-campus enrollment as part of its conditional-use permit. 4. Council member Greer Stone characterized the council's approval of the project, which gives Castilleja most of what it asked for but attaches new conditions to ensure its impacts on the neighborhood are contained, as a compromise between the school and its critics. Applying to Castilleja School - All-girls School in Palo Alto, CA Once again they have no backbone and caved like a parent that gives in to a nagging child. "She also suggested that the council should have simply set the number of special events at 50 per year without creating an avenue for increasing this number through a recommendation from the new neighborhood committee. Don't be snarky or belittling. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Almanac Online Why should they change? It had been actively concealing its violations for 12 years, until neighbors discovered Casti's intentional deception. Years of deliberate non-compliance prove that system doesn't work. All rights reserved. "This is about the future of the school. Moving Companies, Relocation San Marcos CA California, Moving, Storage Facilities, Relocation guide, Apartments, Jobs, Home, storage units, Rental, Schools + Add a Listing. TheSixFifty.com @Bystander, a couple of the council members did not think much of Mayor Burt's proposal, but the school said they were ok with it so there was no reason to object to it. Spring Spring2021 2021 | 1 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL The Strength of Our Community Just before last year's issue of Full Circle went to print in the spring, I added a note at the end of my letter. Photo by Magali Gauthier. Spotlight "Our current plan is to enroll sixth graders at a dedicated satellite campus. Promotions Money and issue fatigue combined for a "win" here. The tradeoff in this particular case is between the benefits of higher quality schooling for hundreds of girls versus some inconvenience to wealthy neighbors due to pickup and dropoff and events. Residents square off over Castilleja's redevelopment plan "CSM had communicated that the space to be leased was not necessary for operations in the 2023-24 school year, so we do not understand the Boards decision," she said. Bravo Sheeple What goes? "It will allow Castilleja to ultimately get to 540 but will provide neighbors and residents the ability to have a seat at the table, to have a voice and actually have some power to work with the city to be able to provide that feedback. I hope that is honored. Castilleja's Plan to Modernize Campus and Increase Enrollment Especially since the school's own traffic consultant will be verifying traffic volumes. Counterpoint - The Student Site of Castilleja School Sure, NOW they want neighbors involved, too, -- after they've ignored and dismissed for years the findings of the neighbors, their consultants, their engineers, their arborists "The California Education Code and SMCCCD Board Policy state that any decision for exclusive use through a lease or joint use agreement falls within the purview of the Board.". (2) There's a regional shortage of high quality schooling. 2) She criticizes Castilleja for rejecting too many applicants. Size: 51 to 200 Employees. Castilleja has shown a relentless history of obfuscating, finding loopholes, and willfully misinterpreting its conditions for remaining in an R-1 zone. How will that be enforced? All-Girls School "My concern is that we're arbitrarily removing opportunities for students and their families to participate in important events," Cormack said. Characterizing the fact that nonprofits pay no taxes as a loophole seems odd. "Castilleja School had been working to secure space for its students for months. Seems to me a fresh start is in order. Cancel back-to-school night? Added with local taxes, the 2020 combined total sales tax rate in Temecula is currently 8.75%. Do you object to the support churches get from the city as well? There are rules in civil society that include zoning and municipal code, and handing out exceptions to an influential business is what happened here. California school districts improve pay, working conditions to ease Contact Us "My concern is that we're arbitrarily removing opportunities for students and their families to participate in important events," Cormack said.Kou, meanwhile, had broader concerns about the project and said she could not make the necessary findings that are needed to approve the variance that Castilleja requires to build the new academic buildings once the existing ones are demolished. Become a Member Mountain View Voice Poland vows not to bow to EU migrant rules and threatens to veto any Home - Castilleja School The faculty consists of approximately 70 full-time and part-time women and men. We give high praise to Vice Mayor Lydia Kou for her courageous and enlightened sole dissent. But Hank Sousa, also a member of the neighborhood group, called the council's prohibition on juniors driving a "modest victory" and took some solace in the fact that the enrollment levels will not exceed 450 for a while.Council members also disagreed about numerous components of the project, even as they ultimately coalesced toward approval. Annual Report 2020 by Castilleja School - Issuu Full Circle 2022 by Castilleja School - Issuu This private institution has done ZERO for 99% of Palo Altos daughters. Redwood City Pulse, 2023 Palo Alto Online Do parents of qualified girls who live within 5 miles but are not admitted have to challenge the school? It's high time for both the school and the city to move forward together, working in a positive, collaborative direction. Castilleja School | Critical Race Training in Education "We knew there would be a lot of conditions and we are prepared to do what we need to do," she said. Photo by Magali Gauthier. The new rule will allow five exemptions for special circumstances, such as when students don't have access to public transportation or to school shuttles. "There's just no way to make the findings on this and I'm kind of perturbed that we're approving the variance that we can't find the findings on," Kou said. The new rule will allow five exemptions for special circumstances, such as when students don't have access to public transportation or to school shuttles. Casti has shown ZERO inclination to do that work over the years. Petrides suggested that Castilleja might consider submitting a proposal for use of facilities on the CSM campus that was much reduced in scope, the board's statement said. Council member Alison Cormack urged her colleagues not to reduce the number of special events that Castilleja is allowed to hold. News. 2) Ms E argued tax exempt status for private schools is a loophole "Im deeply appreciative of the support from incoming sixth grade parents and current Castilleja families who have been understanding of the situation," Kauffman said. 15 Education Salaries provided anonymously by Castilleja School employees. Print Edition/Archives Castilleja School's plan to move its students to the College of San Mateo this fall, while its campus in Palo Alto is rebuilt, was rejected by the San Mateo County Community College District's Board of Trustees on May 24. Castilleja School in Palo Alto on Oct. 28, 2020. Castilleja School scrambles to relocate students during campus Now Castilleja's plan is to keep grades 7 through 12 at the school's Bryant Street campus, she said. That city staff allowed this new expansion application in a residential neighborhood to go forward in the first place is a betrayal of our city zoning and codes. School Information. Kauffman, after reading the board's statement, offered her response to the Weekly in a follow-up email. "When the conversations expanded to a much larger scope (i.e., a proposal for a long term and possessory interest use of property at CSM), the Board of Trustees became the authorizing and negotiating body for such a transaction," the statement said. Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed. Wow. Spotlight Hardly. Moreno and Petrides also met separately. "This motion allows that trust to hopefully be rebuilt. Mountain View Voice The school's scaled-down options included a shorter lease and renting space for only juniors and seniors, roughly one-quarter of the original proposal, she said. "During these conversations, the SMCCCD Board made it sound like they were open to a smaller-scale usage, but when we offered that to them, they still refused to move forward with our smaller-scale proposal," she wrote.The school's scaled-down options included a shorter lease and renting space for only juniors and seniors, roughly one-quarter of the original proposal, she said.Kauffman said that last August, Castilleja was encouraged by a senior representative of the San Mateo County Community College District to reach out directly to the presidents of Caada, Skyline and CSM to ask them to host Castillejas students because, as the representative reported, all three campuses have significant unused capacity.After Caada College declined to move forward with Castilleja, the girls' school approached CSM. "Paly grad" -- the fact that an unfair law has been around for centuries does not make it fair, appropriate, or in line with the broader goals of the legislation. Casti serves the limited purpose of educating the small number of young women hand-picked by its administration to receive an expensive and rarefied education that will ensure the continuation of class privilege. The council lowered the number to 50 special events and five major events, consistent with the recommendation of the planning commission.The council also added several new conditions to appease residents' concerns about the proposed traffic and parking impacts of the enrollment increases. "There has been a breakdown in trust and I think both sides recognize that," Stone said. Expert Advice For Moving to Temecula, CA | 2023 Relocation Guide If not, feel free to contact me directly - I'm easy to find. Most teachers at Castilleja know their subject areas, but many don't know how to teach it, adapting their instruction to the students' different learning styles. No. Such a deal. Past behavior. Thank you Rebecca for all your well researched informative comments. "I think with bicycles and particularly e-bicycles, there's no reason why a student within 5 miles or so shouldn't be able to bike to school," Burt said.Burt also successfully advocated for requiring Castilleja to ensure that at least 40% of its students live within 5 miles of the campus, a move designed to both increase the school's benefit to the local community and to mitigate its traffic impacts.Another condition, which was pitched by council member Tom DuBois, would create a three-person committee of neighborhood residents that will review Castilleja's transportation-demand programs and help determine whether the school's traffic-reduction programs warrant changes in enrollment levels or the number of authorized events.Supporters of Castilleja, many of whom have expressed frustrations in the past about the council's failure to advance the project, cheered the council's Monday decision.