The Power of Choice

From Jan 24-30 schools around the country came together to host events bringing awareness to effective education options for children. National School Choice Week is an independent public awareness effort designed to explain student’s options including traditional public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning, and homeschooling. These efforts are brought together through thousands of independently planned events by National School Choice partners. There were 1,511 events planned in California, and 16,140 events nationwide. The National School Choice Week began its ceremonies in California on Monday, Jan. 24 with students, parents, teachers, and community leaders alike gathered at the capitol to share their stories on school choice. Local participants included: • Colton Chamber of Commerce, Colton • Moreno Valley Community Learning Center • Riverside County Education Academy, Moreno Valley • Vista View Academy, Moreno Valley • Redlands Adventist Academy, Redlands • Redlands Christian School, Redlands • Alta Vista, Riverside Casa Blanca • Classical Conversations Homeschooling Program, Riverside • Immanuel Lutheran School, Riverside • La Sierra Academy, Riverside • Life Christian Academy, Riverside • The Growing Place, Riverside • Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Riverside • Norton Space and Aeronautics Academy • Public Safety Academy, San Bernardino • Options for Youth, San Bernardino • SOAR Charter Academy, San Bernardino • The Rock Christian School, San Bernardino • Woodward Leadership Academy, San Bernardino On Jan. 30 both Classical Conversations Homeschooling Program, Riverside and Woodward Leadership Academy, San Bernardino hosted public events in celebration of the National Choice Week. Woodward Leadership Academy held an open house featuring local vendors, food, raffle items, introductions of the staff and live entertainment from DJ Jumper. Additionally, the Woodward Leadership Academy Cheer Squad performed. Students from Marinello Schools of Beauty provided free make-up, nails and haircuts. “We wanted to do something to showcase to the community who our students are,” Briggs said, “We want to show how well Woodward Leadership Academy works. How we are educating our students, and also how we are keeping Captain Woodward’s name alive with our education.” Woodward Leadership Academy is a charter school named after Tuskegee Airmen, Captain Edward Wilson Woodward Sr., and according to Principal Byron Briggs the schools goal is to create global students. “We are no different than a public school. We have an open door policy and invite the public to come see what we do,” Briggs said, “but, our focus is on building life-long global learners.” At the open house, community members were able to tour the school, look at the new construction projects and learn of upcoming programs to the school. Changes coming to Woodward Leadership Academy include: • New laptops for each student to use at school • Solar power energy • Construction of a new playground, administrative building, tennis and basketball courts • Chinese foreign language as part of the curriculum • STEM programs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and robotics • Career path programs • New desks that allow students the ability to fidget without disruption to others (they can kick a ball underneath and will be a stand up. The design is similar to a architecture’s desk) • Arts programs • Common Core, problem based curriculum and assessments • Class average of 20-25, with a teacher assistant, 15-1 ratio Additionally, students in classrooms often work in a group setting, discussing the material and creating projects. The idea behind this according to Briggs is to build in the application of the concept. “If I can’t verbalize it, I have not learned it. The groups allow the students to discuss the information and by talking about it they know they will present it. It allows for a real learning experience and for practice, rather than stored information in the cabinets of their minds,” Briggs said. Briggs added that these programs and expansions are possible in part to the hard work of the Woodward Leadership Academy Board of Directors, as well as, the consistent dialogue and collaboration with the San Bernardino City Unified School District. “The impact of School Choice is primarily a great thing to our parents. Our parents can come out here and see the schools their students will be attending. Ultimately, the theme is they have a choice,” said San Bernardino City Unified School District, Board of Education member, Gwen Rodgers. “They get the choice to see where, for example, here at Woodward, they are talking about introducing STEM programs and adding arts to it, so we have a lot of creativity in our children. We want to make sure that parents do have the opportunity to explore all of our schools so that they see the great things that they are doing, so it is a right fit for their students. Giving a day like this is an opportunity for parents in the community to really come out, explore, and see all the good things we have in education for our students,” Rodgers added. Additionally, at Woodcrest Library in Riverside, the Classical Conversations Homeschooling Program held “Love of Learning” information session which brought together various educational organizations together for the community to learn from. According to Branch Manager of the Woodcrest Community Library, Connie Rynning, this is the second year the library has participated in hosting a School Choice event. The library has a close relationship with the branch of Classical Conversations, Riverside and works with them weekly. Attendees were able to interact with different organizations, participate in a crafts, enjoy NSCW dance and enjoy refreshments. “I think that whenever you give people choices it’s a good thing,” Rynning said. “For example the library here is very supportive of our homeschooling community, we help them in any way we can with space, time, and volunteers. Whatever we can do to help the people take alternative view of the educational system.” Organizations that participated in the information session included: • Accomplish, an education program to families of children with Autism • ATC Corona (American Taekwondo Center) • Classical Conversations Christian Community • Christian Heritage School • Dehesa Charter School • Discovery of Learning & Inspire Charter Schools • El Sal Neighborhood Education Center • Hanger Trampoline Park • IE Homeschool Music • A+ Mathnasium Learning Center • UC Riverside Child Studies Psychology Department • Roller City 2001 • Sage Oak Charter School • Summit Charter School • Young Living Essential Oils • Woodcrest Christian School System Classical Conversations supports homeschooling parents by cultivating the love of learning through a Christian worldview in fellowship with other families. For Director, Mishelle Almer, this is her second year planning a School Choice event and sharing home school education. The goal was to bring anyone who worked with children to the information session and expanded to include dance studios, karate, and tutoring to share what the organizations did to help children. “I think it spotlights the different options that parents have when it comes to helping their children learn, educating them, whether it is a home education aspect, getting support from private schools or public schools and tutoring. Additionally, the athletic and physical education portion of that as well,” Almer said. “I think parents are looking for options and wanting to see what other options they have. What this helps do is bring all those options together in one location verses them having to look. It gives them the opportunity to talk and ask questions to get the information they need to help their children.” National School Choice Week, as a nonpartisan, nonpolitical public awareness effort working to shine a positive spotlight on effective education options for students, families, and communities around the country. Schools around the Inland Empire came together in solidarity this past week to showcase the versatility options for student generations to come.