schools Archives - L.A. Parent

Meeting the Moment: How charter public schools are helping kids cope and heal

Published August 1, 2022

As children have returned to classrooms, we are seeing the effects the pandemic had on them — and it’s alarming. Psychological and social wellbeing is crucial in a student’s ability to successfully grow academically, yet schools are contending with kids who are less engaged and more distracted than before the pandemic.

Data from the CDC shows there has been a nationwide spike in mental health-related hospital visits for 5- to 17-year-olds. In California, suicide rates for 10- to 18-year-old kids increased by 20% between 2019 and 2020, according to an article in the Sacramento Bee. The uncertainty and trauma that students face is a challenge across the board, but especially among those in underserved communities.

In the California Charter Schools Association’s new report, Are the Kids OK? How Charter Public Schools Support Social-Emotional Wellbeing Schoolwide, we take a sobering look into the issue and explore what charter public schools are doing to address the needs of students, families and the local communities they serve. California’s charter schools are public schools, they are free and open to all students, regardless of zip code. Independently operated, they use their flexibility and adaptability to find new ways to address the challenges that have arisen during the pandemic.

Key challenges affecting students identified in the report include mental and physical health problems, inequitable impacts across age groups and behavioral impacts, such as greater instances of anxiety and depression.

Schools across the nation are exploring possible solutions, but many are bogged down by bureaucracy and politics. A data analysis by the California Department of Public Health found that 93% of charter public schools in the state used their COVID relief funds to make “significant new investments” in their social-emotional and mental health supports that go beyond hiring additional social workers and social-emotional counselors. Nearly three-quarters of those schools have “completely transformed” their mental health supports or undergone a “major” or “substantial” expansion of their services.

Common best practices of the schools identified in the report include building trusting relationships with students, providing students tailored supports instead of a “one-size-fits-all” approach, building family and community partnerships, and promoting growth and celebrating progress.

The report highlights the strategies and programs at charter public schools such as Libertas College Prep Academy in South Los Angeles to illustrate common practices that have been proven successful in re-engaging students and providing the support they need to thrive in a learning environment.

Libertas utilizes a “Strength of Character” system where students can earn points for modeling the school’s core values. For example, students can be awarded points for effort and other positive behaviors. This allows for their educators to promote growth and celebrate progress even when a student is struggling to grasp a concept.

Charter public schools recognize that academic success is dependent on a child’s social-emotional wellbeing and are providing those lessons to all educators so that more school leaders can create a program that best serves their students. “Are the kids OK?” is a question every school leader and educator should be asking themselves. When it comes to the wellbeing of our kids, there is no room for error.

Myrna Castrejón is the president and CEO of the California Charter Schools Association and a board member of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

What to Do if Your Traditional School Isn’t Working for Your Child

Published May 9, 2021

By Brian Tobal

What did you feel when you heard your child would finally be able to return to school after months of studying from home?

If you’re like most parents, there’s a good chance you felt relieved to be done with online learning, but if that was followed by anxiety, uncertainty, and even disappointment. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone.

Depending on where you live and what schools are in your area, you may be wondering if returning to school really is the best option.

For many parents, homeschooling during the pandemic brought hidden education challenges into clear view. From falling behind in reading to not being challenged in math to struggling with unchecked issues like bullying, thousands of students are being underserved by school systems that just aren’t set up to meet the needs of every individual.

In some areas, known as “school deserts,” there simply aren’t any schools that you can count on to set students up for success.

The Microschool Movement

If you feel like you’re living in a school desert, or if you don’t have access to the kind of school that you know your child needs to thrive, you don’t have to settle. You don’t have to move to a new district or send your kids off to boarding school either!

Instead, you can bring your dream school to your own neighborhood.

Microschools are home-based schools, typically made up of 6-8 similar-aged students from a small group of families. Unlike a homeschool, students are led by a real, in-person teacher, and lessons take place in a social group setting–much like a traditional classroom but with a much lower teacher-student ratio.

You may have heard of “learning pods” or microschools over the past year, but did you know that this way of learning wasn’t just developed in the face of the pandemic?

Inspired by the concept of the one-room school house, my team has been working to give families everywhere the ability to learn from great teachers, in small classes. Our company, SchoolHouse, matches groups of families with teachers and provides the tools to create a real school, at home.

Parents can work closely with the teacher to customize the curriculum to meet the students’ needs, interests, and values. This means if you always wanted to send your child to a Montessori school, integrate time in nature, or add lessons in religion, arts or advanced sciences, now you can.

Is a Microschool Right for You?

The true magic of microschools is in the personalized attention that teachers provide when they don’t have to teach 15-30 students at once.

This should come as no surprise. The power of small class sizes was first popularized by educational researcher Benjamin Bloom who found that reducing class size creates dramatically better learning outcomes. Bloom’s research showed that with one on one attention, an average student could perform above 98% of the control class.

In line with this, SchoolHouse has seen remarkable results in students so far, including those who have learning deficiencies, behavioral issues or are simply bored in traditional school settings and need to be challenged.

Because teachers move at the pace of the students rather than catering to the mandates of the school administration, we’ve found students typically progress through materials 50-100% faster than they would in a regular school. This leaves more time for teachers to work through a challenge one student may be having, or go further in-depth on topics of interest.

Brian Tobal is a former teacher turned educational technologist who is obsessed with ensuring quality and improving learning outcomes for students. He started his career as a science and technology teacher at the Harlem Children’s Zone, then worked as an educational researcher and has spent the last 10 years building a dozen different learning apps and over 50 educational programs for schools, universities and the enterprise. You can follow him at @briantobal on Twitter.

How to Know if Your Child is Ready for Summer Camp

Published April 30, 2021

When your child hits a certain age, you might think that they’re ready for summer camp or sleepaway camp. However, being ready for camp isn’t as clear as reaching an age. Many kids start summer camp when they’re 8 to 10 years old. Other kids aren’t ready until they’re 11 or 12. To figure out if your child is ready for summer camp, take a look at their maturity level and personality by asking yourself these questions below.

How independent is my child?

Independence is a big factor when determining if your child is ready. At summer camp, and especially sleepaway camp, your child must be independent enough to do things like brush their teeth, shower or bathe, dress themselves and navigate most of their daily routine on their own. Camp counselors may remind campers about their personal hygiene, but it’s most important that kids already know how to do this.

Being self-reliant and mature enough to go to camp goes beyond personal hygiene. If an issue comes up, it’s best if your child knows how to ask an adult at camp for help. Has your child had successful sleepovers at friends’ homes? Have they had successful experiences with babysitters? Going to camp does teach kids independence, so if you’re unsure that they’re ready, look at the other signs.

Is my child confident when trying new things?

For most children, going to summer camp or sleepaway camp is an opportunity to experience new things. Is your child ready to handle it with confidence?

Your child will likely participate in many activities that they haven’t tried before, from archery and sailing to pottery and ceramics. If your child reacts positively when being introduced to brand new things, they’re likely ready for camp.

Confidence is also necessary for making friends and adapting to new surroundings. Think about your child’s previous experiences with meeting unfamiliar kids, meeting new teachers, or exploring new classrooms. Were they excited, or were they upset and tried to avoid the situation? Going to camp can help nudge your child out of their comfort zone, but it’s best that they welcome new things and activities with open arms, at least for the most part.

Does my child take direction well?

Camp life is filled with schedules, planned activities, and rules. Does your child follow instructions well? Do they listen, remember directions and follow through on what they’re told? If your child has a stubborn streak or still has tantrums when they’re told what to do, they may not be ready yet.

While kids are not expected to be perfect at camp, remember that many camp rules are designed for child safety. When they’re not followed, the consequences can be disastrous. Your child should be willing to follow instructions given by adults, whether that’s going to bed at a certain time, moving on to a new activity, or remembering to do something for safety’s sake.

Is my child asking to go to camp?

Here’s a sign as clear as day that your child is ready for camp: they’re asking you to go! Maybe they’ve never experienced camp before and they’ve heard about it from their friends at school. Or maybe your child has been to day camps and is ready for a new adventure at an overnight camp. In either case, if they’re asking to go, that’s a very good sign that they’re ready for it.

What do I want my child to learn?

When you’ve determined that your child is ready, ask yourself what you want them to learn at camp. Many summer camps and sleepaway camps are tailored toward certain activities, educational subjects or adventures.

For example, if you and your child are interested in coding and computers, an academic camp that focuses on that can be really fun for them. If you want your child to spend more time outdoors and moving around, an adventure camp with hiking, canoeing and survival skills is a good option. Is your child a budding creative type? Check out the arts summer camps that focus on theater, dance, art or writing.

Try Summer@Stratford

If your child isn’t quite ready for overnight camps yet, try sending them to summer camps during the day as a trial run. Summer@Stratford infuses a STEAM curriculum into an enriching, fun summer camp experience. Summer@Stratford has designed subject-based, engaging camp experiences for preschoolers and kindergarteners, elementary-age kids, and middle schoolers. Learn more about Stratford summer camp programs by visiting www.stratfordschools.com/summer.

A Year of Parenting in a Pandemic

Published March 15, 2021

By Elena Epstein

“Where were you this time last year?” I’ve been hearing that question a lot. As the world reflects on the one-year mark since a global pandemic was declared, we can’t help but look back at the last 12 months. Even so, the “where-were-you” question is hard to answer because the anxiety and the uncertainty didn’t just happen in one instant. It was many moments building on each other and then a sudden halt.

In late February last year I was in New York, attending the International Toy Fair at the Javits Convention Center, what would become the last large convention held in 2020. Hundreds of people from around the world gathered in one spot. We joked about not shaking hands, but we did anyway. I carried an extra bottle of hand sanitizer, but everything else was pretty normal — three days of going from booth to booth to see the latest toys and games by day and eating at bustling Manhattan restaurants by night. My husband and I went to see “The Tina Turner Musical” on Broadway one evening and visited cousins in New Jersey. We then hopped on a plane to Tampa for the annual Parenting Media Association’s Conference and Awards Banquet. We sat in group seminars, went out to dinner together and hugged everyone goodbye. On the plane ride back to L.A., the passenger in front of me had a deep-chested cough throughout the flight. I assumed she was getting over a bad cold.

The coronavirus was in the news, but it felt removed from us and our daily lives. The shift came quickly after. Back in our L.A. Parent offices, we started getting press alerts on large events being canceled. Our office talk became focused on the empty shelves at Target, Trader Joe’s and Ralphs.

Our editor was the first to get the press alert about Disneyland and California Adventure closing. She read it out loud as we gathered in the hallway in disbelief.

Within days, L.A. and the rest of the world would come to a screeching halt. Our L.A. Parent team quickly turned their living rooms, kitchens and garages into offices. I didn’t realize just how suddenly we had left our offices until I returned months later to see all the calendars frozen in time: March 2020. Our editor’s soft golden shawl was still draped on the back of her chair, empty coffee mugs waited on the counter in the break room. Files and books sat on desks. Our editorial notes on summer camp stories were scribbled on the idea wall. With my phone, I took some videos and photos of our office on that first visit back. Watch this short video and you’ll see our empty, quiet offices suspended in time.

Our quiet, empty offices were frozen in time, but from home we kept working to bring you support, fresh ideas for the kids and COVID-19 updates.

While we tried to figure out our own personal challenges of taking care of elderly parents, spouses’ job losses, kids falling behind on school work, we also dove into what we do best – bringing the stories of our community to life. Parents were struggling with anxiety, job insecurities, loss of loved ones, co-parenting in a pandemic, managing disabilities and learning differences during distance learning. Our focus became very clear: stand in community with the families of L.A.

Our April 2020 issue covered life at home at the beginning of the pandemic.

Here’s what we learned in the process. What unites us is so much stronger than what divides us. With every article on local volunteers and change makers like Rob Evans who is leading the charge towards diversity and inclusion in L.A.’s independent schools, we were reminded of the strength of our community. Our cover story with Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts inspired us to look at “disappointment as an opportunity…how can I learn from this or how can I help others.”

Our June 2020 issue featured a cover story featuring the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts takes on baseball, fatherhood and hope.

We turned to the experts and asked “are the kids OK?” We talked about mental health, dealing with uncertainty, accessing support groups, helping our kids retain their social skills, creating a feel-good schedule, and the best ways to stay optimistic and look for the silver linings.

Distance learning was a challenge for all families. Our education coverage focused on resources on how parents can help with the COVID Slide, virtual kids programming at local museums, and L.A. public libraries offering personalized online support for students. We wrote about local teens using quarantine to teach others, enrichment programs gone virtual, how to keep young athletes in shape from home and the heartbreak and hope of the Class of 2020.

Throughout the year, we reached out to our L.A.-based experts and families to share their insights on parenting in a pandemic.

In the past year, our community experts and the diverse voices of families, writers, artists and advocates helped us to begin the conversations with our kids about race. We will continue to showcase these stories throughout this year and beyond. These stories are our L.A. stories.

Our July 2020 issue featured L.A. families talking about race and raising kids in Los Angeles.

Throughout this year, we encouraged our readers to not cancel joy and to continue to have fun with their kids with game nights, bike rides, hikes, new puppies, home cooking, gardening and perhaps taking a socially-distance road trip in an RV, like our editor did for the first time. A year in, I know I speak for all of us at L.A. Parent when I say: L.A. – we’re in awe of your strength and resilience. Despite all the losses and uncertainties, we continue to carry on with hope.

Through every interview and every article, we saw the resilience and strength of L.A. families.

Diversity and Inclusion – The Benefits in Raising Your Children to be Accepting

Published March 1, 2021

By Jeanne Huybrechts, Chief Academic Officer, Stratford School

“Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work.” – Andres Tapic

We live in an increasingly diverse world where our children encounter people of varying races, cultures and abilities. As parents, teaching our children about diversity and inclusion is paramount as we focus on raising tolerant, accepting, and empathetic children.

How do you guide your child to grow to be a diverse, inclusive, and compassionate individual? Here are three ways where you, as a parent, can teach your child to have a positive attitude and approach.

1. Be a Role Model. Parents have so much influence on their children’s view of the world and ways of thinking, especially in matters related to how they treat other people and how they make decisions. Parents should message to children at an early age that diversity is not just a nice-to-have, feel-good goal but is a smart goal. Multiple studies of group dynamics in schools and in business have demonstrated the business value of assembling teams composed of people who have different perspectives, different ways of looking at problems and different life experiences to contribute to the collective intelligence of the group. Groups that are more diverse make smarter decisions than homogenous groups. There are deep and long-lasting benefits that inclusion policies and practices can bring to team dynamics, to organizations and to interactions among children in the classroom and on the playground.

2. Explain Differences, Don’t Ignore Them. When developing curriculum and programming related to diversity and inclusion, my three go-to resources are Facing History and Ourselves, the Teaching Tolerance organization, and Common Sense Media. Facing History uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate, and they do this by creating rich and rigorous histories of past injustices, of discrimination based on sex, religion, national origin and race – injustices fueled by unaddressed nationalism, racism and prejudice. Included in every lesson package are prompts and exercises that lead to reflection on the sustained damage produced by the injustices. Facing History has many resources for parents seeking to reinforce the values of acceptance and inclusion within diverse communities – the value of getting to know people different from ourselves.

Along these lines, my favorite resource for parents (and teachers) is Beyond the Golden Rule, published by Teaching Tolerance. The 50-page book is free and downloadable. It features advice and resources for parents of toddlers, teenagers and all ages in between. From the Teaching Tolerance website: “Whether you are the parent of a 3-year-old who is curious about why a friend’s skin is brown, the parent of a 9-year-old who has been called a slur because of his religion, or the parent of a 15-year-old who snubs those outside of her social clique at school, this book is designed to help you teach your children to honor the differences in themselves and in others — and to reject prejudice and intolerance.”

3. Use Children’s Books to Explore Differences. Finally, Common Sense Media maintains a wonderful list of books that promote diversity and inclusion for children of all ages – again, toddlers to teens. Among my favorites are A Snowy Day and Last Stop on Market Street, both read aloud books; New Kid, a marvelous graphic novel; Maniac Magee; Stella by Starlight; Wishtree; and American Born Chinese. What these books have in common is that they promote values of diversity and inclusion in memorable stories about interesting characters — stories that show rather than tell, thus grounding abstract concepts like inclusion in examples of real people having authentic experiences and processing genuine feelings.

It’s tempting to try to be completely politically correct when talking about diversity and inclusion, as children are naturally curious about the world around them. When we help children understand these differences, they’ll be one step closer to respecting and celebrating the differences in all people, cultures and experiences and how those differences ultimately can bring the joy of living into our world.

Stratford School has three locations in Los Angeles County with a focus on infusing a strong liberal arts curriculum with STEAM inspired learning. For more information visit stratfordschools.com