Frequently Asked Questions

Hide All

What is the Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide

The Campus Enhancement Plan (Plan) is a master plan to renovate and enhance the Buckley campus. The Plan will be completed in three phases:

Phase I
• New Middle and Upper School Main Academic Center
• New Outdoor Basketball Court
• Dedicated Athletic Facilities in Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion
• Two-story underground parking structure

Phase II
• New Library and Technology Center

Phase III
• Renovated Quinn Martin Building
• New Academic Building West
• New Outdoor Aquatics Center

How was The Campus Enhancement Plan conceived? Hide

To address the school’s needs a dedicated team of administrators, teachers, Board members and parents have spent the past five years conducting research and developing the Campus Enhancement Plan. The plan provides facilities which will give our students access to new programs and creative outlets, an expanded and enriched curriculum, technology and other tools that will leverage the best offerings in education so that all Buckley students reach their full potential. The plan will also ensure that Buckley sustains an enjoyed competitive advantage with other schools in our area who are also working to improve their facilities to meet the needs of their families.

Why renovate the campus now? Hide

There have been almost no major renovations to the campus in more than 40 years, and the last new building--Disney Pavilion--was constructed nearly 30 years ago. Larger classrooms are needed to support project based learning and enable students to work in small groups.

When the Stansbury campus was built in the 1960s, curricula were largely one-size-fits-all. Today’s curriculum offers many more options to tailor student schedules to their abilities and interests through greatly expanded options within our core subjects, such as honors and AP sections and four languages, as well an array of electives ranging from Brain and Behavior to Technical Theater to Advanced Journalism. Expanded offerings have created a need for more sections, more classrooms and more flexibility in scheduling.

Over the years, performing arts has become a hallmark of our school. Unfortunately, our current performing arts facilities do not equal the level of our program. Performing arts classrooms are spread throughout the campus; the award-winning Upper School choir has outgrown its room and practices in the foyer; the dance room is space constrained; and our theatre productions are staged in the multipurpose gymnasium with less than optimal acoustics and seating.

Currently our students and teachers are in cramped classrooms, foyers and shared space. Our classrooms are too small and do not allow our teachers to easily organize classes into smaller groups for work, study or activities. The Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion does double and triple duty, many times during overlapping time periods, supporting athletics, physical education and performing arts. Buckley’s exceptional faculty create exceptional programs in our current facilities—but imagine what they will accomplish when their teaching spaces can inspire their vision.

Additionally, most of our peer schools have either completed, are undergoing or beginning major construction projects to upgrade their campus facilities. In order to remain competitive and continue recruiting and retaining the best students and faculty possible we need to improve our campus facilities.

How much does the Campus Enhancement Plan cost? Hide

The current estimate for Phase 1 of The Campus Enhancement Plan is $72 million. The budget may be adjusted once final construction documents and bids have been completed. Construction costs for Phase 2 and 3 are still at the very initial estimate stage and information will be available as we get closer to more detailed planning for these phases.

How will the Campus Enhancement Plan be funded? Hide

For Phase 1, The CEP will be funded with a $50 million capital campaign with long-term financing for the rest. The new Conditional Use Permit allows Buckley to add 80 more students for a total enrollment of 830. These students will be added to grades 6-12 and the additional tuition revenue allows the school to service the debt without increasing tuition beyond the normal annual increases which have historically averaged 5-6%.

What will the school gain? Hide

Construction for Phase I is scheduled to begin in May 2010. Highlights of the plan include

• New Middle and Upper School Main Academic Center with 65% more instruction space, and vastly improved and expanded classrooms
• Non specialty classrooms will increase from an average of 472 square feet to an average of 654 square feet
• More than 18,000 square feet of new performing arts facilities and classrooms that support and celebrate our students’ outstanding musical and dramatic talents. Large, specialized rooms for drama, dance, band, choir and orchestra accommodate performance practices, work areas and storage for classes
• A new 390 seat performing arts theater which will also serve as the main venue on campus for special events, lectures and division meetings for students
• Five state-of-the-art Middle and Upper School science classrooms with laboratories for life science, physical science, biology, physics and chemistry
• New spaces that allow greater faculty collaboration, including shared science preparation areas, centralized performing arts classrooms and a faculty lounge
• Greatly improved indoor athletic space in Disney Pavilion
• A new outdoor basketball court
• State-of-the-art technology integrated throughout the new facilities, including Smart Boards in every classroom
• Dedicated student space for casual student interaction, gatherings and relaxation in the foyer of the Roy E. Disney Pavilion
• A parking facility on two levels beneath the new Main Academic Center that minimizes hardscape and blacktop areas on campus for a greener campus and additional parking spaces for daily use and special events
• An improved Conditional Use Permit that accomplishes two major priorities: expanded hours and access to campus; and the addition of 80 students spread evenly throughout grades 6-12. These additional students still maintain Buckley’s hallmark small class size and low student-to-teacher ratio but provide improved critical mass for things such as athletics, extra-curricular activities and new class offerings
• Beautifying the campus with courtyards, gardens and water treatments, including a Gatehouse and landscaped entry area that will lead to a tree-lined entrance road

This square footage table shows the dramatic changes as a result of Phase 1.

Phase I Total Square Footage

	Today	After Phase I
Science Classrooms	4,343	5,966
Performing arts and Visual Arts classrooms	6,002	9,218
Performing arts theater	1,668	9,575
General classrooms	12,608	15,943
Conference rooms	224	446
Administrative Space	4,202	6,261
TOTAL	29,047	47,409

What are the pro-environmental features of the plan and what are the sustainable design elements in the facilities? Hide

The Campus Enhancement Plan facilities will be designed to achieve the maximum practical sustainability. The plan establishes a thoughtful and efficient academic community primarily within the center of Buckley's beautiful 18-acre campus building on existing footprints where possible and minimizing hardscape. Green building techniques and sustainable features include

• Integrated building control system to manage and monitor building systems efficiently
• Energy efficiency through compact fluorescent light bulbs, other low energy light fixtures and lighting control systems, natural lighting, low water flow devices in restrooms, Low-E windows and enhanced building insulation
• Equipment improvements including new chillers and boilers and other new energy efficient equipment to reduce electricity and natural gas demands
• Fewer vehicle miles traveled to and from campus through a continuation of aggressive carpooling and bussing
• Environmentally sustainable landscaping emphasizing drought tolerance
• Minimized construction-related trips by balancing cut and fill on-site

Will there be new gathering space on campus? Hide

Yes. Beyond these significant new facilities and enhancements the campus gains more gathering spaces that give students space to come together to study, dine or simply relax.

Given Buckley’s majestic canyon setting and Southern California location, the Campus Enhancement Plan takes particular advantage of outdoor spaces. Beautifully landscaped courtyards will be located on all sides of the new buildings including the dramatic 2,500 square foot Main Campus Courtyard, the Central Campus Courtyard and the Alumni Plaza.

The road that runs through Campus, west of the Middle and Upper Administration Building south to Gilley Field, will be transformed into a pedestrian walkway. Ridding the internal campus of vehicular traffic vastly improves student safety and will transform the atmosphere of the school with many additional walkways and spaces that will provide places for benches and small tables and chairs.

Additionally, the foyer of the Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion will be dedicated as a student space for casual student interaction, gatherings and relaxation.

With so many new buildings, will it still feel like Buckley? Hide

Absolutely. While designing these important campus improvements, great care was taken to retain the cherished character built at Buckley over many years. The Lower School and iconic Bell Tower will remain intact and new buildings have been designed to blend with the existing architecture. Although the new buildings in Phase 1 have two levels of classrooms, the campus will maintain a similar feeling and architectural integrity by building on existing footprints and having outdoor corridor access to many classrooms. A favorite outdoor gathering space outside of The Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion remains, as do all of the outdoor spaces in the Lower School and Gilley Field. Importantly, the beloved turtle pond that attracts students and alumni alike to campus will be relocated just slightly south of its existing location and continue to provide a living example of humanity and nature peacefully coexisting.

Will any programs be eliminated as a result of the Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide

No. The Campus Enhancement Plan was created to provide a long-term solution to the programmatic needs of the school for the next several decades. Much careful thought and planning have gone into the various features of the plan and their design. The Campus Enhancement Plan will strengthen Buckley’s ability to respond to programmatic needs in all three divisions of the school, while keeping up with changes in instruction such as technology in the classroom.

The school is already planning construction operations so that our full program is maintained throughout the building process.

How many more students will there be and when are they coming? Hide

Our new Conditional Use Permit (CUP) will allow us to add 80 more students. These students will be added to grades 6-12 giving us all the benefits of slightly larger classes without changing the nature of our small school. We plan to add a few students in the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic years with the rest arriving after Phase 1 is completed with a phased approach each year.

How will the school operate during construction? Hide

Phase 1, the Middle and Upper School Main Academic Center, is the largest and most complex construction of the master plan, but it provides the greatest benefit, which is why we have committed to building it first.

The construction site will be completely fenced off and there will be a separate entrance for construction workers. During this first phase of construction, the entire Lower School will have no construction impact. For Middle and Upper School students, Disney Pavilion and Quinn Martin Science Center remain fully operational with indoor athletics and physical education classes, visual arts, performing arts, and science classes all continuing to operate in their current spaces. Temporary classrooms for sixth grade homeroom, and Middle and Upper School English, math, history, and foreign language classes will be placed on Gilley Field along with an interim Library and faculty lounge creating “Buckley Village.”

All temporary classrooms will be equipped with the same items found in permanent classrooms with proper heating and air conditioning, audio-visual capacity and wired for internet access. In some cases, the temporary classroom will be even larger than their current size. Some modifications will be made to the academic calendar and will be announced in advance. Daily schedules will be changed slightly to allow for additional passing time for students between classes.

When will construction start? Hide

Delivery and preparation of the bungalows for Buckley Village will begin in November 2009 to prepare for students and faculty to move into these temporary spaces in the spring of 2010. This will allow the existing buildings to be demolished in spring 2010 and the primary construction of the Main Academic Center to begin in Summer 2010 and continue through

December 2011. Depending on weather and other delays, we will move into the new buildings sometime between January 2012 and June 2012.

At the completion of Phase 1, the Library will be temporarily located in renovated space on the top level of The Quinn Martin building. Phase 2 completes the final move for the Library into the new Library and Technology Center which will also house much needed campus storage.

The disruption to campus during building Phase 2 and 3 is far less. There will be no need for temporary classroom during these phases. Upon completing Phase 1 construction we will turn our attention to the details and plans for operating during these subsequent phases.

What is the Campaign for Buckley? Hide

The Campaign for Buckley is a comprehensive campaign to raise $52.5 million to fund Phase 1 of the Campus Enhancement Plan: $50 million for capital projects to renovate and enhance the campus, and 2.5 million dollars for the faculty and financial aid endowments. The Campaign was approved by the Board of Trustees in August 2006, and was in the Quiet Phase until the public announcement on the 75th Anniversary Founders’ Day on October 3, 2008.

How much has been raised? Hide

$21 million was raised during the quiet phase of the campaign. In addition to an early lead gift from the Parents’ Association, there were seven other gifts of a million dollars and above pledged during this phase. The board of trustees pledged $17 million leading the way to inspire other donors for a successful campaign. The current Campaign progress can be found on the campaign website.

How long is the campaign? Hide

This first campaign is scheduled to conclude in December 2011. Because the Campus Enhancement Plan is a three phase master plan we will launch subsequent campaigns to fund phase two and three following the successful conclusion of the first campaign.

Why does the school think it can raise this much money? Hide

While this is Buckley’s first major capital campaign the school has a strong track record of philanthropic support from our families. A planning/feasibility study was conducted which found strong support for the plan, committed donors and enough capacity to meet our ambitious goal. The high level of support early on from the board of trustees and a small group of lead donors gives us continued confidence. Just as our peer schools are in the midst of major capital campaigns and doing well, we know Buckley will also succeed.

All independent schools have capital campaigns to fund campus improvements. Strong annual funds and major campaigns are a necessary part of the independent school model and not unique to Buckley.

How much does the school ask us to give? Hide

For the campaign, we are asking families to make stretch gifts that can be paid out over a five year period. Campaign gifts will of course vary in size depending on each family’s ability to give, and each gift will be important to helping us meet our goal. We recognize these are challenging economic times but the school’s needs require us to move ahead with our campaign.

While we have already received eight gifts over one million dollars, we know the majority of gifts will be much smaller. Gifts to Buckley, of all sizes, are critical to making Buckley the special school it is. Our school thrives because we have a caring and committed community and it will take many, many people for this campaign to succeed. All gifts are appreciated and acknowledged and will be important to meeting our goals.

The following gift table may be helpful to illustrate the $50 million capital campaign plan and the number and level of gifts needed.

Size of Gift	# of Gifts Needed
$10 million	1
$2.5 million	2
$1 million	13
$500,000	16
$250,000	20
$100,000	40
$50,000	40
Under $50,000	Hundreds

Who is asked to give? Hide

Every member of the Buckley community will be asked to give—parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, and faculty and staff. 100% of the board of trustees and senior management group have already pledged their support. The Campaign takes into account the diverse range of our community’s ability to give and there will be a place for everyone to participate.

When will my family be asked to give and how do I pay? Hide

Campaign gifts are being solicited over the next three school years and can be paid out in annual installments over a five year period. Gifts can be fulfilled with cash, stock, or, for some larger campaign gifts to the endowment by utilizing planned giving techniques such as bequests, charitable remainder trusts, or real estate.

Will I still be expected to give to The Annual Fund if I make a campaign gift? Hide

Yes we will continue to need your support. Donations to The Annual Fund provide critical dollars to the ongoing operations and make the economic model of outstanding faculty, small classrooms, and low student-to-faculty ratio possible. While capital campaigns have a beginning and end, The Annual Fund is a perpetual fundraising program that Buckley and all independent schools need every year.

Donations to the campaign separately fund the Campus Enhancement Plan.

What kind of donor recognition will there be? Hide

Naming opportunities will be provided down to the $200,000 level. Permanent recognition for donors will be provided at carefully selected places of honor and will blend aesthetically with the design of each building. This recognition will provide a lasting public expression of appreciation for the contributions that made possible the success of the Campus Enhancement Plan. Named recognition will not be allowed for any current student(s), and family names will be encouraged in keeping with the tradition of named recognition on campus, such as The Roy E. Disney Family Pavilion.

Families will have an opportunity to combine their gifts to name a facility or part of a facility. However, the minimum gift by any family toward a naming opportunity is $50,000.

Campaign gifts at all levels will be recognized in electronic and print materials with donor approval in the Annual Report and special campaign publications.

What is the campaign logo and theme? Hide

The campaign logo is

The campaign slogan, Dare to be More, is inspired by the Dr. Buckley’s challenge to her students in 1993, to Dare to be True. Dare to be More is a jumping off point from the school’s 4-fold plan of education expressed through the themes of Dare to be Brilliant, Creative, Strong and True.

Why should I give to The Campus Enhancement Plan if I/my child will have already graduated by the time the campus improvements are completed? Hide

Today’s students benefit from the generosity of previous generations who built the Stansbury campus. If every generation gave to only support their immediate needs, the school would quickly lose its ability to stay competitive and be unable to provide our students the best education possible. Every alumni has a stake in ensuring the school’s perpetual excellence and to help the next generation thrive so Buckley can continue to achieve even greater levels of excellence. This is how America’s best schools thrive with each generation doing their part for future generations. But, for Buckley the legacy of excellence will not be assured if we do not keep up with the changing needs of educational practices and address our aging facilities.

The Campus Enhancement Plan offers us an opportunity to provide a legacy that benefits future generations.

Will tuition be increased to pay for the Campus Enhancement Plan? Hide

Tuition is not expected to be increased beyond the average annual increase to pay for the Campus Enhancement Plan. The board has approved an economic model that combines both capital fundraising dollars and long-term financing to fund the Campus Enhancement Plan.

Who do I contact with questions? Hide

Campaign Director Holly Bauer at 818-461-6704 or hbauer@buckleyla.org, or Director of Advancement Lindsay Newlove at 818-461-6747 or lnewlove@buckleyla.org. You may also send a message to CEP@buckleyla.org.