Castilleja School

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Castilleja School is a private college preparatory school for girls located in Palo Alto, California. "Casti", as it is nicknamed, has roughly 485 students in grades 6 through 12. The school was founded in 1907 by Ms. Mary Ishbel Lockey at the urging of the first President of Stanford University, Dr. David Starr Jordan. Miss Lockey herself was a Stanford alumna, and Dr. Jordan convinced her of the immediate need for a college preparatory school for young women in the Bay Area.

The student to teacher ratio is 8:1, and one hundred percent of Castilleja graduates go on to attend a four-year college or university, with a significant number typically matriculating to Stanford. Castilleja is a member of the California Association of Independent Schools [1].

The Castilleja Mascot is an Alligator (the Casti Gators).

1 Traditions
2 School Spirit
3 Uniform
4 Facts and Features
5 Extracurricular
6 Curriculum
- 6.1 Upper School Required Courses
- 6.2 Middle School Required Courses
7 Sports
8 External links

[edit] Traditions

Castilleja School retains a number of traditions: Junior-Senior Rivalry, "Ringing," and the annual Founder's Day ceremony complement the academic year and build a strong sense of community. Other traditions include Spirit Week ending with Gator Gathering, Cookie Thursdays, Grandparents' Day (the Wednesday before Thanksgiving), having the Yearly Guest Speaker, and the Father-Daughter Dinner-Dance.

Also among Castilleja's heartwarming trademarks are the ever-popular school song, boasting such touchingly communist lines as "Earnest workers, happy-hearted, loyal to the name we bear," and the famously original list of qualities beginning with the letter "C": conscience, courtesy, courage, charity, and character.

[edit] School Spirit

Although the all-girls environment means that Castilleja lacks a football team, school spirit is not lacking. In fact, in this tight-knit community, school spirit becomes even more prevailent as entire grades compete against one another during school organized spirit weeks. Each grade, six through 12, is assigned a color which is often used during spirit weeks to show school pride. For example, during Junior/Senior Rivalry week, the whole school is decked out in red (by the seniors) and purple (by the juniors). Although the class color changes each year, it is accepted as a matter of pride for each grade. Sixth graders are yellow, seventh graders are sky blue, eigth graders are navy, freshmen are green, sophomores are orange, juniors are purple and seniors are red.

School spirit becomes a more individual tradition as each incoming sixth grader is paired with an eight grade "big sister" and each freshman is paired again with a senior. This allows the Castilleja spirit and traditions to be passed on each year. The "big sister" acts as a friend, mentor and guide and is a meaningful part of the Castilleja social structure.

[edit] Uniform

[edit] Standard Uniform

The school uniform typically consists of either a navy blue or white collared shirt with no logo, or a red shirt with a Castilleja logo. Short Pinfeather blue skirts are the norm, though girls may also wear navy blue pants that do not have elastic lining on the bottom. Jeans are not permitted. As for shorts, girls must wear Castilleja shorts. Solid-color navy blue or white socks and any variety of closed-toe, closed-heel shoes are allowed. Sweaters must be either Castilleja-themed, or solid-color logo-free white or navy blue. The policy on jackets is quite flexible, and any accessories are acceptable. Nothing, not even shirts may have even a tiny logo (excluding non-uniform days). On your birthday, you may wear non-uniform.

[edit] Dress White Days

For the majority of formal occasions, girls wear the "Dress White" uniform. The dress white uniform consists of a pleated white skirt, white sailor shirt, and a tie whose color corresponds to the girl's academic year. The girls usually wear the Dress White uniform when they have the yearly Speaker at Castilleja. Grandparent's Day and Class Day are other examples. Soon, however, the dress whites will be changing as they celebrate the 100th year of the school. There is a contest for designing the new dress whites.

[edit] Free Dress Days

On occasion, girls have free dress days where they may dress as they like. These days occur every so often, and girls may also earn them. Seniors have an entire quarter of free dress.

[edit] Spirit Days

About twice a year, each grade has a spirit day. These may include pajama day, blast from the past, or "guy" day, where the girls dress like boys. There is also a spirit week that the whole school participates in, which is themed so that each grade receives a different theme in a certain genre. Different grades compete in a friendly manner against each other. Themes may include class color day, decades day, or global day. These days are often great opportunities for the whole school campus to be decorated in many different colors.

[edit] Facts and Features

Castilleja does not take any standardized tests, such as Star Testing. However, the students do take finals at the end of each semester, during which they can have free dress. The students can also vote for their leaders for the government. There is a different government for every class, but there is also a government for the Middle and Upper School. Middle School is called MSSG, for Middle School Student Government, and Upper School is ASB, for All Student Body.

[edit] Extracurricular

In addition to a rigorous academic workload, Castilleja students participate in a diverse range of extracurricular opportunities including sports, theatre, music, arts, community service, and an abundance of other activities.

[edit] Athletics

Athletics are popular, both in Middle School and in the Upper School. In the upper school, sports are offered at both the varsity and junior varsity levels. Girls in Fall participate in Cross Country, Tennis, Volleyball, water polo, and golf. In the winter, they play basketball and soccer. In Spring, softball, swimming, track and field, lacrosse, and gymnastics are the sports of choice.

In the middle school, sports develop skills, responsibility, and confidence while increasing physical ability. In fall, there is softball and swimming. In Winter, there is soccer and basketball. In spring, there is tennis, volleyball, water polo, and track.

[edit] The Arts

Performing and visual arts are also an important part of Castilleja. Every year, the Upper School students may audition for the Fall Play and Spring Musical; past productions include A Midsummer Night's Dream, She Stoops to Conquer, and Dames at Sea. The Middle School musical was introduced in the 2005-2006 school year to replace the traditional 8th grade musicals and 7th grade production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The premiere MS musical was The Music Man, and the following year, Anything Goes was performed. Middle School students participate in the acting, while upper school students run the technical aspects of the show.

In February, the entire school puts on "Arts with a Heart," a charity show with emphasis on dance. In the past, Eastside Prep has helped with the production as well. Formerly, this was called "Dancing for a Difference." Students may also participate in the Castilleja Chamber Orchestra and the Upper School student-run theater group, Foolwise Players.

Art courses include chorus, theater, drawing & painting, design & sculpture, film, and photography.

[edit] Student Government

Many students also participate in student government, both at all-school and grade levels. They attend weekly meetings, and help plan and bring to life school-wide events. New officers are elected each semester. The officers are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Service Committee, Athletic Committee, Birthday Committee, Social Committee, and Arts Coordinator. There are two main governments, one for middle school and one for Upper School. Each grade also has a government of their own.

[edit] Publications

Counterpoint, the upper school newspaper, publishes weekly and monthly versions.
Castilleja Free Press (CFP), the counterpoint to Counterpoint, publishes a few times a semester.
Mochuelo, the upper school literary and art magazine
Paintbrush, the yearbook
The Flame, the middle school newspaper, is intermittently published depending on staff enthusiasm.

[edit] Clubs

A bevy of clubs serve a multitude of student needs-some of the most unique clubs include the Rainbow Alliance, an intramural Quidditch league, Physics Club, the Friends (The Sitcom) Club, Chinese Club, the Sumerian Philosophy and Cheesetasting Club, a Junior Equestrian Club and a gardening club which tends to school foliage. A strong emphasis on community service has produced the Peer Tutoring club and the Ecumencial Hunger Program. A math club, a speech and debate club, and robotics club also represent Castilleja's competitive side, and regularly compete with successful results. There is a Kitchen Witches club, a lacrosse club, and a Imternational Fun Food and Movies club to name a few more.

[edit] Curriculum

There are 7 periods in the Castilleja schedule, up to two of which may be free periods (for upper schoolers only). Each period meets three times one week and four times the next (depending on whether it is an "A" or "B" week. Each period has one long period per week which is 75 minutes instead of the standard 55 minutes. Long periods for AP science courses are 105 minutes to provide ample time for labs. While students, and upper school students especially have plenty of choice in what they take, they nevertheless work very hard, often experiencing something akin to Stanford "duck syndrome".

Curricular requirements may vary from year to year at Castilleja.

[edit] Upper School Required Courses

4 years

English

3 years History

Cultures and Civilizations Course
The American Political System Course
The Individual and Society Course
US History Honors or AP US History

3 years Mathematics

Through Algebra 2/Trigonometry

3 years Modern or Classical Language

Through year III of French, Japanese, Latin, or Spanish (see notes below)

3 years Science

Physics, Chemistry, and Biology

2 years

Physical Education and Health and Wellness or Dance (see notes below)

3 semesters Visual & Performing Arts

Introduction to the Arts Course
1 full year in a single arts discipline

Students have plenty of choice in regard to what they wish to learn. Juniors and Seniors especially may choose a large range of English, science, history, math, arts, language, interdisciplinary, AP and non-AP electives, as well as independent study. Most students take at least 3 Advanced Placement (AP) credits.

Notes
- Castilleja is currently phasing out its Japanese program and introducing a Chinese program
- Dance may count as a Physical Education credit or an Arts credit, though not both.

[edit] Middle School Required Courses

3 years

English (6, 7, 8)
History
- Ancient Civilizations
World History
American History
Math
Language
- French, Latin, or Spanish
Science
- Earth, Physical, and Life Science
Physical Education and Health and Wellness
Visual & Performing Arts

1 year

8th Grade Speech

[edit] Sports

Castilleja offers many sports for both middle and upper school.

Middle School Sports

Fall

Softball
Swimming

Winter

Soccer
Basketball

Spring

Tennis
Volleyball
Water polo

Upper School Sports