This week Crenshaw High school in Los Angeles held a Coffee with the Principal parent meeting to participate in the process of preparing the school for the transformation it’s likely to face in the coming fall. The objective for the meeting was to gather ideas for a new school plan, share overarching timelines for the process and document ways to engage parents and community members. Current Crenshaw Principal, Mr. Remon Corley started the evening meeting by introducing some LAUSD District personnel, Crenshaw staff, and parent leaders. Included in the audience were also some alumni and other community stakeholders.
Mr. Corley next gave an update on the process of the transformation of Crenshaw which he candidly admitted that he has thrown his hat into the ring to be included as a candidate vying for Principal at Crenshaw for the 2013/2014 school year. The LAUSD School Board along with Superintendent, Dr. John Deasy is leaning towards proposals to turn Crenshaw into three themed “magnet schools” although the current staff and some parents have submitted their own plan to operate Crenshaw in the fall school year. One parent expressed great concerns about her student having to re-apply as a magnet student – but was told by a district administrator that her student would not have to re-apply to the magnet program.
Others from the audience shared concerns about the process of the school’s transformation and wanted to know how they would be included? A district administrator stated that All Stakeholders would have an opportunity to be part of the process. Mr. Corley said that the timeline is all applications to operate the school in the new year are due Feb. 28th, March will start with interviews of classified employees (non-classroom teachers), and May will begin interviews for certificated staff (administrators, teachers, counselors, etc.).
Next on the agenda for the evening was the meat and potato portion of the meeting where all audience participants were asked to walk across the room to one of four separate tables labeled (1. Vision and Instructional Philosophy, 2. Curriculum, 3. Professional Development, 4. Addressing The Needs Of All Students) where they would begin the work of developing the framework for the magnet school plan of the new Crenshaw High Conversion. Each table was lead by a parent leader and included other stakeholders.
After the table exercise each group reported out their documented recommendations. It’s still not known what will be the exact adopted themes if Crenshaw is converted into three magnet schools but the ones that are floating around are Arts & Media, STEM, and Business & Entrepreneurship. Next steps are to conduct another parent meeting on Saturday, Feb. 2nd at 10:00 a.m. (in multipurpose room) to give other parents and stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the same process. District staff said that results from both meetings will be posted on the LAUSD website.
If you know a Crenshaw parent or stakeholder who is interested in this meeting please forward them this article. The students need (and deserve) engaged adults to help them succeed in school and life.
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