Coeur d'Alene makes me feel like an idiot for having sent my child to private school for a year.
Principal Jenkins might come across to some as unsympathetic given his directness, but he truly cares about every child at his school and wants them all to succeed, and he is a highly effective administrator. He knew every kid's name by the end of the first week (there are over 550 kids!). He follows the latest research on education and implements the evidence-based best practices: no homework but encourages 20+ minutes of reading per day, Reader/Writer workshops to build literacy and community, Cognitively Guided Instruction for math education to favor true understanding in place of rote memorization, and Tribes learning community to build empathy and foster a sense of community. We get weekly updates from the teacher about what the class is working on in reading, writing, math, science and social studies, making me feel more involved with my child's education.
The community of parents also deserve a strong shout out for helping the school to succeed. The funds raised support teacher aides and essential enrichment programs such as music, theater, gardening (with a new curriculum that meets the National Science Education Standards), and more. There is a big push to support the school, and they often ask for money, but there is complete transparency for how that money is used and it is essential to supplement the paltry LAUSD budget.
My child has been at this school (2nd grade) for one month, and it has hands down been her best month of school ever. She is engaged, enthusiastic and excited about school each day. She gets additional help when needed in class, is offered additional problems to work on when she finishes early, and engages with her classmates through discussions of the books they read, math problems they solve, and bugs they discover in the garden.
I am thrilled to have joined this school. My only regret is waiting this long. read more