Parents and students urge NVUSD to pause planned tree removals at NVLA, cite shade loss and call for alternatives

Parents, students and PTA leaders at Napa Valley Language Academy urged the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Education to pause planned removal of mature shade trees that currently shade the lunch area and to pursue alternatives that protect both safety and campus canopy.

Lucy Martier, a first‑grade parent, told trustees the lunch‑area canopy is “one of the shadiest places on campus” and that removing mature trees will permanently alter the campus environment. Student speakers, including Tatum and Naomi, said the area gets very hot and they do not want the trees cut down.

District operations staff acknowledged the shade’s value but said roots have lifted pavement and created trip‑and‑fall hazards. Assistant Superintendent/operations staff explained contractors recommended removing and repaving the area, cutting root systems and then planting 8–10 replacement trees with larger tree boxes and permanent framing; staff said shade loss would be temporary while new trees establish and that shade structures are costly and complicated by local soil and Division of State Architect (DSA) requirements.

Why it matters: Parents argued that alternatives (grinding uneven concrete, installing protective tree wells or flexible paving, or partnering with PTA for shade structures) were not sufficiently explored and that communication from the district was poor. Students described the site as a rare shaded space on campus.

Board and staff exchange: Facilities staff (Rob Mangala) described the operational trade‑offs—repairing paths to make areas accessible for students with disabilities, avoiding liability for known hazards, and the technical difficulty and expense of installing shade structures in Napa’s soil conditions. Staff said their plan includes replanting with larger tree boxes and replacing the removed trees with crepe myrtles and eventual shade restoration but acknowledged a multiyear gap before the new trees provide comparable canopy.

What speakers said (representative quotes): “Once these trees are gone, they are gone for generations,” Lucy Martier said. “We ask that you please pause this initiative,” Christina Palmeir added, offering PTA support to help fund solutions.

Next steps: Parents asked the board to pause the removal and work directly with site leadership and parent groups to explore mitigations. Staff said some remediation was already scheduled and that the district would continue to present facilities items on the agenda; trustees did not vote to halt the work during the meeting.