Commission approves summer-program expansion and staff increase at Phillips Brook School

The Menlo Park Planning Commission unanimously approved a use‑permit revision June 8 for Phillips Brook School at 2245 Avey Avenue to adjust its summer program age range to include 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds, increase the maximum year‑round staff from 68 to 73, and modify event categories to allow broader types of community and school events without increasing the total annual number.

Jen Bonin, identified in the meeting as the head of the school and representing the applicant, told commissioners the requested changes respond to community need for summer programming for younger children and to operational needs identified during the pandemic, including additional supervisory staff for campus safety. She said the school will continue to coordinate with the San Mateo‑area school district (the property owner), and that district approval was required for the submitted application.

Commissioners focused questions on traffic and signage near the school drop‑off, neighbor outreach and the limits of the Commission’s authority to change terms not noticed for this hearing. Staff said Transportation and Public Works had been involved in prior discussions; a crosswalk sign near the parking lot will be replaced per Transportation’s request and prior conditions about pick‑up/drop‑off behavior have been satisfied.

Commissioner Farrick moved to adopt the use‑permit revision and praised the added childcare options; the motion carried unanimously. Staff said the school is responsible for on‑site signage and that issues in the public right‑of‑way are handled collaboratively with the city and the district.

Next procedural steps: staff will finalize the resolution documenting the revised conditions of approval; the school’s ability to change staffing or events beyond the approved scope would require further approvals and, in some cases, additional district signoff.