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Santa Clara County is preparing to begin major renovations at Walden West, which could lead to the temporary closure of the longtime outdoor school.
Plans are underway to update the facilities at Walden West Outdoor School and Summer Programs, according to a recent Santa Clara County Office of Education press release. The camp provides hands-on environmental education to thousands of local students each year, including fifth graders from the Mountain View Whisman School District and sixth graders from the Los Altos School District.
“It is a beloved tradition in LASD,” Superintendent Sandra McGonagle wrote in an email to the Voice.
County officials don’t currently know whether Walden West can safely remain open during construction, which is expected to take place during the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years.
The county can’t afford to fund Walden West if it’s closed, so it issued “preliminary layoff notices” to camp staff, the press release said.
“We know the positive impact Walden West has on students, families, and staff,” County Superintendent David Toston Sr. said in the press release. “At the same time, we acknowledge construction will have an impact on those same people, and we are in the process of navigating that impact.”
The first step in the modernization process is to select a construction firm. Once a firm has been brought on board and project details are finalized, the county will know whether the camp needs to close, the release said.
