Belmont City Council
November 25, 2025

City Council Introduction to Project
November 25, 2025
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Key Armstrong Facts
• Founded in 1968 to serve students with dyslexia and related learning differences
• Dyslexia: “A specific learning disability characterized by difficulties in word reading and/or spelling that involve accuracy, speed, or both…Secondary consequences include reading
comprehension problems...”
• Dyscalculia: “A specific learning disability with impairment in mathematics, which can affect calculations, problem solving, or both.”
• Dysgraphia: “A neurological condition in which someone has difficulty with writing skills for their age...”
(Sources: International Dyslexia Association, Learning Disabilities Association of America, Cleveland Clinic) 4 Key Armstrong Facts (continued)
• Moved to current Belmont campus in 1984 (41 years ago) • Typically serve 230-250 students in grades 2 – 8
• 78 faculty and staff (12 live in Belmont/San Carlos)
• Approximately 30% of our students receive Tuition Assistance • Approximately 40% of Armstrong students identify as students of color • Our whole academic program is designed to serve the needs of students who learn differently and have often struggled in their prior schools • Small learning groups, particularly for reading and math • Highly trained and motivated faculty and staff
• Joyful learning environment
• Students feel understood by faculty and peers
• Focus on self-advocacy and resilience
5 Why this project?
1) Program changes and Middle School demand – created space constraints 2) Importance of early intervention – impact of Senate Bill 114 on future Lower School demand
3) Specialty programs (e.g., art and music) give our students confidence – most of the spaces are undersized and not designed for their purpose 4) Armstrong doesn’t have facilities found in Elementary/Middle Schools – e.g., kitchen to serve students lunch, gym, faculty workspace 5) Opportunity to help more students who have learning differences – asking for a modest increase of our CUP cap
6 We appreciate our Belmont community
• 41 years in a safe and beautiful neighborhood
• Belmont is a thriving educational center
• Neighbors and vendors greet us warmly
• Mutual easement allows us access to McDougal Park
8am – 4pm
• Belmont has outstanding School Resource Officers
• We’ve been welcomed at Belmont events like “Trunk
or Treat” and “National Night Out”
• Belmont staff has treated us thoughtfully throughout
this process
7 Benefits to our neighboring community
• Parking for McDougal field users on our large blacktop keeps cars from parking in neighborhood on weeknights and weekends • Recreation – playgrounds, basketball courts, covered picnic areas, walking/biking/dog walking on campus
• Bathrooms near McDougal Park open for sports teams and their families on weeknights/weekends
• ADA ramps and AED recently installed near park
• San Carlos neighbors create gates in our fences for special access Future opportunities – commitment of up to $100,000 for McDougal Park improvements and Belmont use of gym
8 Providing academic support to local students
• Over 175 students from Belmont and San Carlos have attended Armstrong
• Currently 22 students are from Belmont and San Carlos (about 10% of our student body)
• 61% of our current students come from San Mateo County and historically over 1,300 students have attended Armstrong from the county
Armstrong is providing free training for Belmont/Redwood Shores School District teachers on dyslexia because we want students with learning differences to be well served by local schools
9 Overview of Proposed Campus Project
• Our Three-Phase Plan
• Phase 1 (2026-2027): An academic wing along the east side of campus
– three specialty classrooms
– one science lab
– six “standard” classrooms
– faculty workspace, conference room, small multi space, and speech/language office
• Phase 2 (estimated 2031-2032): An athletics and community center on the upper blacktop
– gymnasium, PE offices, kitchen for student lunch prep • Phase 3 (estimated 2036-2037): Renovations to existing spaces 10 Proposed CUP Amendments
• Approval of adding square footage to campus for project • Enrollment – raising CUP ceiling 30 students (11.5% increase) • Accessing our own campus
• Allow 9am-6pm on weekends and one hour extension during week • Allow some weekend days when we can hold community events on our campus (mostly not using the field); asking for shared access to park on 2 weekend days a year (e.g., for community picnic) • A reasonable approach to dismissals after special campus events (approximately 3 per year)
• We believe allowing parents/guardians to walk their students back to cars for these select events (e.g., Halloween) will create less congestion in the neighborhood
11 Neighborhood Outreach/Issues & Responses
• Full outreach packet sent; broad neighborhood meeting on October 16; approximately 10-12 smaller meetings/conversations and some invitations with no response
• Very positive and kind feedback about the school and its mission • Good number of positive notes and posts in favor of this project • Two primary concerns we have heard: traffic and location of the gym and kitchen
• Traffic – deliberate drop-off/pick-up plan in place for years; proposed increase to CUP will have a minimal impact
• Gym/Kitchen – provide important facilities for a school community; multiple school gyms in surrounding Belmont/San Carlos area; landscape plans to offer improved views
12 Campus Plan Design & Logistics
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Thank you