family learning complex A model for urban education...
PARA LOS NIﾃ前S
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Only 22% of children ages 0 to 13 who have working parents can be accommodated in licensed child care in Los Angeles County.
In 2004, 24.2% of children in Los Angeles were living in poverty, which is a leading cause of school dropout, poor health and teen pregnancy. Fourth-graders in Los Angeles public schools ranked last out of 11 urban districts in reading, with 61% below basic level in the 2007 Nation’s Report Card. They ranked eighth out of 11 urban districts in math. The percent of 18- to 24-year-olds enrolled in college is 24.8% for Latinos and 32.7% for African Americans, versus 42.8% for white high school graduates.
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High-quality preschool, like that provided by Para Los Niños, increases children’s academic achievement, high school graduation rates and earnings as adults. Preschool also reduces the chance a child will be held back a grade, need special education services or commit a crime as a juvenile. Linking family services to good-quality schools, as Para Los Niños does, improves children’s academic achievement and social development. I n 2006 and 2007, the Para Los Niños Charter School exceeded its growth targets on California’s Academic Performance Index, with a cumulative gain of 124 points — more than six times the cumulative state goal of 19 points for those years. Para Los Niños is committed to preparing all children for top colleges and universities. Our dream is that each one of our students will be prepared to succeed in higher education and beyond.
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Para Los Niños’ Family Learning Complex houses comprehensive educational and family services for 480 children from infancy through fifth grade.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER The Eisner Foundation Child Development Center provides licensed, accredited, full-day care to 90 infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The program engages children’s curiosity and supports their intellectual, social, emotional and physical development. n Page 6–7
CHARTER SCHOOL The Para Los Niños Charter School enrolls 390 children in kindergarten through fifth grade. The rich, rigorous curriculum emphasizes firsthand experiences, critical thinking and active involvement of students in learning. n Page 8–11
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This unique model provides children with high-quality education and services that help families maintain safe, loving homes.
FAMILY SERVICES Family Services are available to students and families in the Charter School and Child Development Center. These services support families in providing healthy, nurturing homes for children. n Page 14–15
BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM The Charter School students enjoy a safe, enriching environment before and after school. The program offers a wide range of cultural, recreational and educational activities that increase academic and personal success. n Page 12–13
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Planting the Seeds of Success
pened in 2000, the Eisner Foundation Child Development Center provides much more than child care. The curriculum, activities, services and classrooms are designed to promote the appropriate development of the whole child. We want our young graduates to leave with healthy spirits, bodies and minds. Also, programs for parents support their crucial role as their children’s first teachers. We believe that the first step toward college is a high-quality preschool experience, so our teachers emphasize pre-literacy and pre-math skills, as well as the social and emotional skills that will last a lifetime. • Children range in age from 6 weeks to 5 years. • 6 infants, 12 toddlers, 72 preschoolers • All parents are employed, many in the downtown garment, produce and toy districts. • 100% of children come from low-income families. • The center is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate the schedules of working parents.
OUR CURRICULUM Our programs address the multiple challenges of growing up in poverty. Lessons prepare children academically for kindergarten and promote the positive self-concept necessary for success in school and in life. Each age group has a daily routine and schedule that includes opportunities to learn, exercise and play. Para Los Niños’ curriculum is based on extensive research into how children best develop and learn. Classrooms are structured into 10 interest areas, where children can dance and make music, read books, play with water and sand, learn math through cooking, and much more. Stories, songs and poems build children’s listening and literacy skills. Number games and building blocks reinforce math lessons. Drawing hones fine motor skills and increases hand-eye coordination, while climbing equipment, balls and hoops support physical development. The interest areas support the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, in which children initiate projects based on their natural curiosity, while teachers listen, support, and guide the students. Teachers also offer hands-on lessons in literacy, science, math and creative play that engage all five senses and help children develop cognitively and socially.
AND IT WORKS! Children’s developmental progress is measured by a state assessment that tracks their personal and social skills, learning ability, physical and motor skills, safety and health. Our children perform at high levels in motor skills, literacy, math, and other crucial skills. Most important, all children leave our program ready to learn when they enter kindergarten. 7
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Why Our School Is Different
ara Los Niños Charter School students master the state content standards, but they also develop critical-thinking skills and intellectual capacity that form the foundation for lifelong learning. Our teachers create a learning culture through collegiality, high expectations and a united vision. They work together to develop lesson plans, reflect on teaching, share classroom strategies and hone their skills. The school’s innovative strategies extend across the curriculum.
INQUIRY-BASED APPROACH Imagine you’re in the first grade, studying science. In one school, the teacher explains the concepts, passes out worksheets, and drills you on the facts in the textbook. Are you interested? Are you motivated to learn? Now imagine another school. A physics professor and graduate students help you experience states of matter in your classroom. First, you pour liquids into containers and freeze them, then the visitors change that liquid into a cloud of gas that you can walk through. You ask questions, hypothesize and predict. Our Charter School embraces the second method, known as an inquiry-based approach, in all subjects. This approach builds on children’s natural curiosity and sense of wonder. Thoughtprovoking experiments, field trips and art projects engage children in firsthand experiences that involve learning through the senses.
CLASSROOMS The physical environment at the Charter School supports our approach to education. Unlike traditional classrooms, children can choose to sit on floor pillows and bean bag chairs, on sofas in small groups, or together at tables. Teachers work with students one-on-one and in groups. Children are encouraged to talk to each another about the area of study and ask meaningful questions. Children’s writing, artwork and science projects are proudly displayed, helping children to think of themselves as authors, artists and explorers.
ENGLISH DEVELOPMENT Children learn to read and write in their home language to immediately build literacy skills, which they then transfer to English. Students receive intensive English development instruction, and their math, social studies and science classes are taught in English. Teachers purposefully integrate unfamiliar English words into lessons in all the subjects so that children learn the academic English they need to succeed in school. By fifth grade, our goal is that children will be bilingual and biliterate in both English and Spanish. 9
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Charter School’s Innovations in Learning
ur Charter School students explore, invent, create, question, develop, design, analyze, experiment, compare and much more. Children’s hands-on educational experiences deepen and enrich their learning. This dynamic approach permeates every subject. Teachers help students investigate topics across subjects, so children can connect the concepts they are studying, which research has linked to increased achievement. Our students gain in-depth understanding that they can apply to the real world.
LITERACY Our balanced literacy instruction includes Reader’s Workshop, featuring read-alouds, shared reading, guided reading and independent reading; phonics instruction; and Writer’s Workshop. Children’s developing literacy is supported by the books and computer resources in the complex’s state-of-the-art Parkes Family Library. In Writer’s Workshop, children write every day to develop their writing voice and language skills. Instead of abstract topics, students write about personal experiences from their lives and school lessons. They develop their best ideas into a final product, like a handmade book or display.
SCIENCE Students study a science area for an entire school year. This innovation enables them to develop significant knowledge and understanding, rather than becoming novices in multiple areas. Through hands-on experiences, children build their understanding of difficult science concepts. They use different media — not just tests or fill-in-the-blank worksheets — to demonstrate what they know. They may use wire and clay to build a flower, create a video about how plants grow, or prepare an exhibit. This engaging approach nurtures a love of science that promotes lifelong learning.
MATH Life is a word problem. So the study of math at the Charter School emphasizes practical applications of abstract math concepts. This approach also enables students, particularly English learners, to learn vocabulary and sentence structure at the same time. By working together in groups and discussing their problem-solving strategies, children develop a deeper understanding of math concepts and the skills to solve future problems.
THE ARTS The arts are integral to learning, providing a different pathway into understanding and allowing children to demonstrate their knowledge in creative ways. Every year, noted art educator Malcolm Wray leads our students in one-week workshops that integrate classroom lessons with creative activities. In addition, thanks to Inner-City Arts and generous donors, Charter School students participate in dance, music and other arts experiences, which are linked to classroom topics as varied as rock formation and geography. Marrying the arts and classroom instruction enables our students to learn with their heads, hearts and hands.
HEALTH All the programs at the Family Learning Complex teach children to eat smart and stay fit. We offer children wholesome breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Also, students engage in daily physical activity, such as running on the playground track, handball, soccer or volleyball. Instilling good habits now will help our students be healthy learners throughout their lives. In partnership with generous donors and healthcare providers, we have strengthened our health services and opened Elizabeth’s Clinic, which is staffed by a public health nurse, at the Family Learning Complex. 11
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Learning Beyond School Hours
he Before- and After-School Program operates in conjunction with the Charter School to support working families and develop well-rounded children. Classroom teachers coordinate with program teachers to ensure that students are receiving appropriate homework help and academic enrichment before and after school. Two days a week, the after-school program begins one hour early with homework assistance and enrichment activities. While students participate in these high-quality experiences, Charter School teachers plan lessons together and hone their skills through professional development. • The program serves about 320 students daily. • Children range in age from 5 to 11 years old. • 97% of children come from low-income families. • The before-school program operates from 7 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. • The after-school program runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 2 to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE … AND LEARNING To help the working parents whose children are enrolled in the Charter School, Para Los Niños offers before- and after-school programs. Parents can drop off students as early as 7 a.m., knowing they will enjoy a healthy breakfast and educational activities. In the crucial after-school hours, the program offers tutoring, academic enrichment and community service projects, such as helping to clean up the Los Angeles River. Children attend the circus, visit museums and have pizza parties. There are games, sports and a library — children who read five books get to pick a book to keep. Hardworking parents have peace of mind knowing their children are safe and learning until pick-up time at 6 p.m. Para Los Niños also offers winter, spring and summer day camps so that Charter School students have enriching, engaging school breaks.
MY VALUES The My Values Project helps children learn about universal values that are chosen by parents, like friendship or discovery. Each week, children explore a new value through writing, discussion, art projects and activities. For example, the health value includes learning about fruit, trying new foods and running an obstacle course.
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Comprehensive Services
ara Los Niños does more than provide a good education. When children leave school, we want them to enter a nurturing home where they have the basics that every child deserves. For some students’ families, this may mean “safety net” services, such as clothing and shoes that fit, or food when a parent’s paycheck is stretched thin. Parents may need assistance finding affordable housing, medical service or child care. Other families may need long-term case management to deal with the multiple stresses of poverty. The Family Learning Complex connects families to one of our Family Resource Centers so that all families can help their children thrive.
HEALTHY LIVES When a child frequently disrupts his classroom, when a student kicks her classmates, many schools and preschools ask them to leave. With our decades of experience, Para Los Niños understands that children’s behavior can improve if we discover and address the root causes. The most common mental health diagnosis for children at Para Los Niños is anxiety disorder, a result of living in poverty and fear. A student may be coping with traumatic events associated with life on the dangerous streets. An adult may not know how to positively discipline a child or how to provide a good model for conflict resolution. A family member may struggle with an underlying mental health issue. Most schools are ill-equipped to deal with mental health, but the Family Learning Complex offers counseling and therapy through Para Los Niños’ contract with Los Angeles County’s Department of Mental Health. As a result of these linked services, children’s behavior improves, they stay in school, and family relationships get better. A good school… a healthy family. Every child deserves these.
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For more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of children and families, please contact: Development Department Para Los NiĂąos 500 Lucas Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 250-4800 info@paralosninos.org To make a donation online, visit www.paralosninos.org. 16
OUR MISSION Helping children succeed
OUR VISION Be the leading provider of high-quality services for children
OUR CORE VALUES Children come first Excellence in all areas Respecting and embracing diversity Responsive, compassionate, and inspiring those we serve Highest ethical standards Transparency and accountability Teamwork
Our agency is accredited by the Council on Accreditation — one of only 11 agencies in Los Angeles and 32 in California to achieve this important goal. Accreditation verifies that the agency is maintaining the highest national standards in services.
Federal Non-Discrimination Statement In accordance with Federal law and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). The USDA and the Nutrition Services Division (NSD) are equal opportunity providers and employers.
Project Coordination: Blythe Cotton Maling Creative Team: Lisett Bañuelos, Blythe Cotton Maling, Evelyn Ramirez-Schultz Copy: Sarah Hurst, Lisett Bañuelos, Blythe Cotton Maling, Evelyn Ramirez-Schultz, Amy Brotslaw Schweiger Design: Escott Associates/www.escottassociates.com Photography: Para Los Niños is most grateful to photographer Clifford Lester and his photography students at Cypress College for generously donating their services to this project. For privacy reasons, the names of Para Los Niños clients featured in the stories in this report have been changed and, while the photographs in the report are of Para Los Niños clients, the photographs are not of the individual clients featured in the stories.
Para Los Niños 500 Lucas Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90017 Tel: 213.250.4800 Fax: 213.250.4900 www.paralosninos.org