West Creek Academy

Mrs. NickelDime attended one of the informational meetings on West Creek Academy tonight.  The meeting was held at Bridgeport Elementary; both the attendance and content validated the buzz surrounding this unique school.

Principal Cory Pak spoke to a standing room only crowd of 150-200 parents; he gave a 30 minute PowerPoint presentation entitled “West Creek Academy – Gateway to the World.”  The talk was followed by a solid hour of Q&A with Mr. Pak and SUSD Superintendent Dr. Judy Fish.

Mr. Pak, who is currently serving as Principal of Rosedell Elementary, gave a heartfelt presentation that revealed more details on the program than we’ve seen to date.

Early in his discussion Mr. Pak showed this video to provide insight on his vision for the West Creek Academy cirriculum:

Mr. Pak, a first generation immigrant and US Citizen, attended elementary school in his native Korea (more about this later).  He shared that this school has been a personal dream for him for the past 9 years.  His aim is to make WCA a “premier music academy.”

Here are the details on the cirriculum:

General

• Textbooks, cirriculum will meet the standards of SUSD
• Reading / Writing / Arithmetic will not be sacrificed for the innovative aspects – in fact, learning in these subjects will be enhanced
• No special needs students on campus despite 2 rooms that were built for that purpose
• No preschool offered initially; but before and afterschool will be offered
• Computer lab room will be converted to a music room; instead, they will have a “mobile computer lab”
• Mr. Pak is currently the only guaranteed staff member at WCA; SUSD is actively recruiting teachers within the district

Music

• Music will be a required subject, similar to math/reading/science etc., all grades
• All students will learn to read music, starting in kindergarten
• Grades K – 2 students/parents can choose between violin and the cello
• Grades 4 - 6 will have the option to continue with their instrument, or focus on voice or performing arts.  The students will also have a choice of a brass or percussion instrument in the upper grades in place of string.
• Parents have to provide instruments — rent or buy
• School orchestra for grades 4-6; auditions will be held
• Possible “Music Concours” – a voluntary music competition held annually

Language/International

• The world is getting smaller – it is important to teach our children about the awareness of other cultures and use technology to engage them
• Mr. Pak has reached out to his elementary school alma mater in Korea to partner with them as the first connection to WCA.  He expects other schools in other countries will be connected, as well.  Korea is only a starting point, not the end game.
• Mr. Pak gave an example of a class writing a play about an American holiday, send the costumes and script to their foreign counterparts, who would translate the play into their native language and stream the vid of the performance to WCA students.  WCA students would reciprocate with the foreign school play.
• Another example, integrating music/technology/international, having a concert simulcast with the sister international school – the sister school will join via video conference, and WCA with their concert via video conference
• Foreign language will be more conversational than formal – proficiency reserved for high school
• 5 minute oral language practice in the morning – with the principal, “over the loudspeaker”

Enrollment & Logistics

• Targeting 450-500 kids
• No pre-test involved, no fees
• Priority to West Creek and West Hills communities (approx 80 students)
• Also priority: Emblem and Bouquet Canyon — polling revealed only one third expressed interest in the academy, the rest will likely attend the next closest school
• All other students – including outside the district and the valley – are welcome to apply, provided they have a district transfer
• Once a student is enrolled, they are guaranteed in subsequent years
• As West Creek/Hills is built out, allotment for students outside the area will be reduced accordingly
• Bring your tents: signups start February 22 9am at the SUSD district office, though Bouquet/Emblem/Tesoro schools will have the forms on site for the convenience of those with priority status
• Signup period runs through 3/12
• All signups will be date and time stamped
• It was not clear if this would be lottery or first come/first served – it sounded like there was a desire to wait to gauge demand
• SUSD web site would be updated with a WCA-specific section, FAQs

I was particularly keen on my wife’s opinion given this information.  Mrs. NickelDime, who has a BS in Child and Adolescent Studies–and more importantly–a highly accurate BS detector, has been part skeptical, part excited thus far to have our little ones attend the school that would be a 5 minute walk from our abode.

Her take:

“This is fundamentally a different way to think about public school education.  Music and the arts are just as important as math, reading, writing — it will enhance the way the kids learn the basics.  I don’t think it will work for every student, but if parents that are excited about it and interested in this way of learning, their kids will succeed.  If you want a traditional approach, this is not the school for you.”

My opinion?  It’s bold, aggressive and different.  I fully expect the more ambitious, blue sky aspects of Mr. Pak’s dream will take many years to fully materialize.  West Creek Academy has the potential to be best elementary school in our valley, or one of the biggest educational debacles in SCV history.

Since we’re sending our little guys, we’re counting on the former.

Note: The next West Creek Academy informational session will be held Tuesday February 16 at 6 PM at Rosedell Elementary (map). On-site tours will be held March 3.  If you can’t wait until March, SCVTalk did its own on-site tour late last month.

West Creek Academy

Saugus USD will hold a series of three informational meetings, along with 2 on-site tours, to provide prospective parents with more information on the forthcoming West Creek Academy, a new $35M elementary school in the West Creek / West Hills communities of Valencia. 

Informational meetings will be held:

• Tuesday February 9 at 9 AM at Skyblue Mesa Elementary School
• Tuesday February 9 at 5 PM at Bridgeport Elementary School
• Tuesday February 16 at 6 PM at Rosedell Elementary School

On-site tours March 3, at 9 AM and 10 AM at West Creek Academy.

Maps of all SUSD schools are on the SUSD web site.

Interest in the school has escalated since SUSD Superintendent Dr. Judy Fish provided more insight into the proposed cirriculum, which would center on music as a platform for learning.  The school may also integrate international and cultural awareness; there have been discussions about a connection with Korea, both in culture and language.  There is also a possibility the school will be open to students outside SCV.  In more ways than one, this is a one-of-a-kind treasure right in our valley.

As a West Hills parent whose mello-roos are paying for the school, I’m bullish on West Creek Academy.  SUSD has open enrollment at most of its campuses, which gives us a local choice of Tesoro or West Creek.  I’ll also admit I don’t exactly like the idea of writing a check for something that other parents enjoy (hell, we can move to an Alta Vista nabe and just sent our kids to WCA).  In the end, though, having my little ones sit next to (but not cheat off of) the best and brightest from our valley and beyond leads to better educational and life experiences.  Care to split my tax bill, fellow West Creek Academy parents?

Main entrance at West Creek Academy

Summary of the high points from SCV Moms Blog live podcast with SUSD Superintendent Judy Fish (please correct/add in comments as this is from memory)

• Reiterated school closings for Emblem and Bouquet, clarified Emblem students will attend Highlands (with a few nabes feeding Foster)
• Was noncommittal on teacher pink slips
• Discussed Bridgeport being impacted with over 900 students, but that there is a “general over capacity in the district”.  Bridgeport, along with a handful of others, will not have ‘open enrollment’ but the balance of SUSD will be open enrollment
• New school will be named “West Creek Academy” not “West Creek Music Academy” with an initial focus on music but will extend to other performing arts (SCVTalk’s inside look at West Creek)
• Supe Fish defended the focus on music vehemently, citing UCI research on the subject linking music proficiency to math, language, and other key subjects (they do some cutting edge stuff with music @ UCI, like this)
• West Creek will have a significant focus on international / cultural awareness, including foreign languages — TBD on which
• Will “absolutely not” drain fine arts resources away from other SUSD schools
• Enrollment priority given to West Hills / West Creek kids, but open to SUSD — possibly open to residents outside SCV (wow)

More detail at tonight’s SUSD Board Mtg, public session starts @ 8pm.  AGENDA

Great job, SCV Moms, for arranging this discussion with Superintendent Fish and channeling the many questions from the community during this critical time!

If the unexpected announcement that the Hart School board is going to select a site for the new Castaic High two weeks before new board members are sworn in surprised you, you weren’t the only one. LA Count Supervisor Mike Antonvich’s eyebrows were also raised. From The Signal:

The meeting is the last for Hart district board members until Dec. 9, when Bob Jensen and Joe Messina will be sworn in. Some individuals criticized the Hart district for rushing to a decision before the new members are seated.

Jensen and Messina will be able to take part in the discussion of each property but will not have a vote.

“My hope is that I’ll be at least able to participate as an upcoming board member,” Jensen said.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich issued a letter to board President Steve Sturgeon saying it is “vital” that the vote be delayed until the new board is seated.

“I would anticipate the current board would continue the decision of site selection until the two new board members are sworn in the first week of December,” the letter reads.

Superintendent Castellanos says he can’t wait two weeks until the newly-elected board members, Bob Jensen and Joe Messina, are sworn in. “Now is the time to move forward,” he told the Signal. Seriously? After ten years we can’t wait an additional two weeks?

By all accounts, Bob Jensen is a competent and well respected individual who got more votes than incumbent Paul Strickland in last week’s election. Joe Messina’s positions on Castaic High are well known too; he’s run for the Hart Board since 2001.

When even Supervisor Antonovich is urging a delay on local development, something is fishy. What’s the Hart District up to? Are the three sites so bad that it’s best to put the decision on the current Board members, or is the rush to select a new site intended to avoid questions from the new board members?