Fighting off a nasty flu at the moment. I’ll resume my writing and answering emails as soon as I am feeling better….
Be well everyone!
Category Archives: Announcements
Watch the District #6 Candidate Forum Video
Here’s last Thursday’s LAUSD District #6 (East Valley) School Board Candidate Forum hosted by the United Way in Pacoima, featuring candidates Antonio Sanchez, Monica Ratliff and Maria Cano. Missed it? No worries. You can watch the video here.
Watch the District #4 School Board Candidate Forum Video
Great turnout at last Thursday’s LAUSD District #4 School Board Candidate Forum in Venice hosted by The United Way, featuring candidates Steve Zimmer and Kate Anderson. Missed it? No worries. Watch the video here.
Nearly 200 People Turn Out for United Way’s LAUSD School Board Forum in Venice
Playa Vista EL Opens Non-Resident Waitlist THIS Friday
I get asked about the new STEM focused Playa Vista Elementary School often in my talks and consultations. If you are interested in applying to the school, please find enrollment info below. As it is a neighborhood school, priority is given to those residing within the school’s attendance area. For non-residents, Wait List begins THIS FRI, Feb 1st, 2013 at PVES Main Office (open 7am-4pm)…first come, first served.
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2013-2014 Enrollment Information
Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
T-K Eligibiity: Children must turn 5 on or between Oct 2-Dec 2; Kindergarten eligible children may enroll in T-K if space is available. For more info on T-K visit: http://www.tkcalifornia.org/
Kindergarten
K Eligibility: Children must turn 5 on or before Oct 1.
Playa Vista Residents, One Westbluff Residents and LMU Employees
Registration Day – Sat, Feb 9th, 2013
9am-1pm at Playa Vista Elementary Library
Please pick-up an enrollment form at the PVES office as soon as possible and return forms on registration day. If you do not have your child’s physician card completed, you may turn in enrollment forms and bring your child’s immunization record (original and copy) and submit the physician card at a later date.
Enrollment Forms are NOW AVAILABLE for pick-up at the PVES main office (open M-F, 7am-4pm)
Please bring the following documentation with you to pick up a form.
Residents:
I. Photo ID (drivers license, passport)
II. Proof of residence (one of the following):
– Utility Bill (Gas, Electric, Water) *no phone bills*
– Rental or Lease Agreement
– Property Tax Papers
– Copy of Escrow Papers (if purchasing)
LMU employees:
I. Photo ID (drivers license, passport)
II. Recent LMU pay stub
Permits for Non-residents/Non-LMU employees
Wait List begins THIS FRI, Feb 1st, 2013 at PVES Main Office (open 7am-4pm)
Permits will be released based on available space and in order of the wait list. To be placed on the wait list, please visit the office on or after February 1st (M-F, 7am-4pm). First come, first served.
Permit applications will be available starting April 15th. Questions? Contact the school office at 424-228-1800.
Meet Your School Board Candidates!
Before you vote on March 5th, come meet your Board District 4 LAUSD school board candidates, Kate Anderson and Steve Zimmer tomorrow night, Thursday, January 24th 5:30p at The Boys and Girls Club in Venice. Here’s your chance to hear from and ask them questions.
Wondering just exactly what area LAUSD School Board District 4 covers and if it pertains to you? Starting in the West Valley, Board District #4 covers everything south of the #101 and over to the #405, all of the Westside from Pacific Palisades all the way down to and including Westchester, from the Pacific Ocean cutting a swath eastward through West Hollywood and into parts of Hollywood. Here’s a map of the territory. So, basically, there’s a good chance this district covers many of you fine folks. Here’s the details…
The United Way of LA cordially invites you to
LAUSD School Board District 4
Candidate Forum
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Venice Boys and Girls Club
2232 Lincoln Blvd (just north of Venice Blvd)
Venice, CA 90291
5:30 – 7:30p
(Food, childcare and translation provided.)
Reserve a space or to submit questions call 213-808-6407
or e-mail or rsmith@unitedwayla.org
For a quick backstory, read LA School Report’s overview of the candidates HERE.
More backstory HERE.
More on the LAUSD School Board HERE.
Board Districts 2 (Garcia), 4 (Zimmer), and 6 (Martinez) term out on 6/30/13. The election is March 5th.
Couldn’t make it? View the recording of this Candidate Forum HERE.
Upcoming Charter Application Deadlines (Elementary)
Speaking of charters, we are now fully ensconced in what I refer to as “Charter Season.” The time to tour and get your charter school applications in before their deadlines and lotteries.
While not exhaustive, here’s a select list of some of the upcoming elementary school charter application deadlines and lottery dates around town. Most applications can be downloaded online on the school’s website and either mailed in or physically handed in to their office.
Feel free to peruse my color-coded school finder MAPS for individual school contact info and a direct hyperlink onto their websites. All charters are marked in green on my maps.
Remember, independent charters open their lotteries to anyone from any district. Affiliated conversion charters, an LAUSD hybrid type charter, gives first priority to those residing within the school’s attendance area with any remaining seats going up for lottery to non-residents.
All charters give preference to siblings of existing students, and some charters offer other priorities in their lottery structure, such as to founding families, students residing within LAUSD, or students qualifying for Free/Reduced Meal Plan (ie. low socio-economic status.)
Each lottery is independently operated and instituted by each individual charter school. Applications are handled directly with each school site. There are no points involved, thankfully. If you applied and were waitlisted last year, you need to reapply this year.
Ok, here’s that list.
SELECT UPCOMING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHARTER DEADLINES:
(certainly not an exhaustive list and in no particular order)
Pacific Palisades Charter Complex* Schools — apps avail now in each office, deadline March 11th 12p, lottery March 22nd 8:30a *(schools include Canyon, Kenter Canyon, Palisades, Marquez and Topanga Charters)
WISH — apps avail online now, deadline March 6th 6p, lottery March 15th
Goethe — apps avail online now, deadline Feb 28th, lottery in March tbd
Ocean Charter School — apps avail online now, deadline Jan 25th, lottery Feb 27th 10a
Larchmont Hwd — apps avail now online, deadline Feb 20th 4p, lottery Feb 23rd 9a
Larchmont WeHo — apps avail now online, deadline Feb 8th 4p, lottery Feb 23rd 9a
Citizens of the World/Hwd — apps avail online now, deadline March 1st 4p, lottery March 21st 6p
Citizens of the World/Silver Lake — apps avail online now, deadline tbd, lottery April 4th
Citizens of the World/Mar Vista — – info Mtg 1/31 in MV, apps avail online now, deadline March 1st, lottery April 11th
Los Feliz Schl of the Arts — apps avail online, deadline Feb 28 (by mail) or March 5th 12p (in person), lottery March 5th
Valley Charter — apps avail online, deadline Feb 8th 4p, lottery Feb 22nd 5p
Chime — apps avail online now, deadline March 8th 3p, lottery March 15th
Ararat — call 818.994.2904
Our Community Charter — 818.920.5285
Again, please view my school finder maps for more info and links.
Upcoming Westside Middle School Tours
Hey Westside Middle School Shoppers. Here is a quick list of upcoming tours:
LACES – Thurs Nov 8, 9a
Palms – Fri Oct 26 & Mon Nov 5 8:30a
Revere – Thurs Oct 25 & Nov 15 9a, also Dec 6 and Jan 24
MarinaDelRey – Fri Oct 31, Weds Nov 7 & 14 8:30a
Twain – Thurs Oct 25 & Nov 1, also Nov 7 & Nov 15 8:30a
Webster – Thurs Nov 8 8:10a
Animo Westside – Thurs Oct 25 10a, Nov 15 10a & 5:30p
City School Charter – rsvp online: Sat Nov 3 & 17 9:30a, Thur Nov 29 7p
Incubator School – Town Hall Thurs Oct 25 6:30p
New West Charter – check back in Dec
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To navigate school websites by neighborhood, use my color-coded schoolfinder maps: https://gomamaguide.com/schoolfinder/
Incubator School Town Hall This Thurs 6:30p Venice
Have you been hearing about the new Westside middle-high school pilot school, The Incubator School? Want to learn more?
Come to their introductory Town Hall!
Thurs, October 25th, 6:30-8p
826 LA/Sparc Building
685 Venice Blvd,
Venice, CA 90291
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-a new, tuition-free, public LAUSD pilot school supported by Future Is Now Schools led by Rock The Vote pioneer and Green Dot founder Steve Barr
-opening in August 2013 on the Westside with grades 6 & 7, and adding a grade per year until they reach 12th
-real wold project-based learning
-creative, entrepreneurial, design thinking-based instruction
-committed to nurturing children’s social drives and ethical inquisitiveness
-utilizing rich, vibrant technology to facilitate collaborative social learning
-partnerships with Silicon Beach companies
-college- and world-ready curriculum, with an interdisciplinary approach
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“Just as an incubator nurtures hatchlings, and a business incubator grows ideas into ventures, The Incubator School will provide kids with the skills, mentors, resources, social connectivity, and ethics to help their fledgling ideas fly. The school’s focus will be design thinking, a process-oriented way of looking at problems, generating ideas, and finding solutions.”
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Come with your questions to the Town Hall this Thursday. Read more about their vision here: TheIncubatorSchool Or, Join their FB Page.
Middle School Mixer – Parent to Parent Oct 16th 9a
You’ve heard about our big Westside Middle School Forum on Thurs Oct 18th where 10 area middle schools will be on hand to present about their schools, answer questions and I’ll be speaking that night too, right? (details)
Well here’s another event that came across my desk, organized by parents, offering you a chance to mingle with other parents who’ve already made the transition to middle school and are there to give you the low-down, share their experiences, and answer your “what’s-it REALLY-like” questions. Check this out:
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Parent to Parent
Middle School Mixer
Tues, October 16th, 9-11a (morning event!)
Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s office
7166 W. Manchester Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90045 map
(not associated with the Councilman’s office)
come and get the REAL scoop!
Westside Middle School Forum Oct 18th
Update! 2 more schools added to the lineup!
Learn all about your Middle School options on the Westside:
Middle School Forum
Thurs, Oct 18th 6-8p – FREE –
Coeur d’Alene EL Auditorium
810 Coeur d’Alene Ave,
Venice, CA 90291.map
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School representatives from:
Animo Westside MS
Mark Twain MS
Marina del Rey MS
New West Charter
Ocean Charter
Palms MS
Paul Revere MS
Westside Global Awareness Magnet.
Magnolia Science Academy
The City School Charter
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brought to you by Venice Neighborhood Council’s Education Committee
brought to you by Venice Neighborhood Council’s Education Committee
GoMamaGuide 