Saratoga News Sacrifice school trees for community gain By Nancy Calderon and Sue Nakaji Those of us who are parents and friends of Saratoga School make education our priority. We, along with the planning committee, have spent tireless hours trying to make the best school remodeling decisions for the future of our children, the school, and our community. We take these decisions seriously and realize the legacy we are creating for years to come. Within the context of preserving the character, charm and historic significance of the buildings and site, our primary objective is to create the best possible learning environment for a growing student population within the confines of a limited budget and space. In the past, when 100 children in grades K-8 attended the school, the small quaint playground may have been adequate. Today we face the reality of accommodating a projected 500 children in grades K-5 and have the challenge of optimizing the design and layout of the school grounds. With the fourfold increase in students, the existing playground provides an 84-square-foot hardtop area per child, with no flat playground or usable grass field. By comparison, the Argonaut and Foothill facilities will provide over 150 square feet of hard surface play area per child, plus a minimum of 175 square feet of grass field area. There has been much public attention given to preserving two particular eucalyptus trees on the playground. Doing so would not only limit improving the play space and layout, but would also require installing an extensive and costly drainage system. These eucalyptus globulus are the second most hazardous eucalyptus species in terms of unpredictable branch failures (limb drops), especially on warm or windy days, and the potential for hazard will grow as they age. Additionally, it remains unclear how the heavy construction around the trees will affect their stability and lifespan. It is important to understand that we are preserving the overwhelming majority of the old as well as planting new trees on the school grounds. One recent letter that was printed in the Saratoga News stated that "27 beautiful trees would be destroyed with the money we approved from the Saratoga School bond." The facts of the approved initial plan include: 36 new trees planted plus additional landscape trees, 17 trees relocated to other locations on the school grounds, 11 trees removed, some due to disease. The current plan for the school grounds will provide approximately 115 square feet of hard surface and play field area per child and was approved unanimously by the Saratoga Union School District board. Additionally, 196 parents and residents of Saratoga signed a petition for the removal of the trees. Those parents and friends were in favor of removing the trees because they believe it is the safest and best alternative for the children. Finally, every consideration has been given by the planning committee to preserve the architectural style of the school. Some of the design suggestions contemplated (i.e., arched Mission-style windows) were outside the guidelines of seismic compliance or cost prohibitive. We have given careful consideration to all aspects of this plan. We have made proposals that have been approved by the school board. We cannot afford the time nor expense of going to the drawing board yet again. Now we want to begin creating a future for Saratoga School and our children. The children are our priority and the longer the approved plan is challenged the more our children lose. We implore you to choose to join together with us and create an environment that will move us forward as a school and community. Nancy Calderon is a Saratoga business executive and the parent of a student at Saratoga School. Sue Nakaji is Saratoga School's PTA president. Ten other residents of Saratoga signed their names to this commentary. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, January 27, 1999. ©1999 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.