Innovation

“Ask not what your district can do for you, but what your school can do for itself” 

For years teachers and parents have worked side by side to better our Westchester schools. We have battled in frustration over our large district, and how our individual school and community needs can be heard.  Well now Westchester public schools are getting a unique opportunity to do just that! 

The District has created a new sub division called Innovations.  The Innovation Division is inviting a few clusters of schools to work directly in coming up with “autonomy” models.  These models will give schools a greater voice in important decisions that impact them, such as budget, school schedule, and the instructional content of the classroom.  The District has been reluctant to support this approach in the past, but is now asking the teachers, parents and community to help them come up with a system that will work!

The 7 local public schools in Westchester (elementary, middle and high school) have been invited to join the Division as a cluster of schools.  In order to qualify for participation, each cluster must have a network provider who will take a leadership role in building the new school culture.  The network providers will also be held responsible for the success of their cluster.  We are very fortunate to have Loyola Marymount University step up and accept this role for our “Family of Schools”. 

If accepted into this new division, we will undergo a year long process of creating our “autonomy model”.  It is the hope of the district that other schools will then be able to apply for the opportunity, using our model as a guide.  We are being given the chance to make our community schools the best.

This is an exciting opportunity for the community to work with our teachers in ensuring our children’s continued academic success, at the Elementary, Middle and High School levels.  The meetings scheduled below are your opportunity to bring your ideas.  Please attend all Innovation Division meetings being held at our schools to show your support and ensure that we are a part of this unique opportunity!! 

Dear Friends of Education- A momentous event has occurred in Westchester: We have our own school district. Today's Los Angeles Times Article: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-reform30jan30,1,6662021.story. Despite all the naysayers who said that it could never happen, we have been able to (through blood, sweat, and tears) move the 2nd largest school district in the nation to step aside, to give up some power, and to give up some money, and to listen, so that we can create something truly spectacular: our own K-12 education system. Currently we have two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school who have voted "in." We await the remaining three elementary schools in our family to vote in March and April. However, what's even more new and exciting is how we intend to create this new way of running a small and personal school district: with the combined efforts of the people who send their kids to these schools, the people who teach and work here, and the people in the community that work and live here. It may not sound like a novel concept but based on the herculean effort it took to convince all parties that this is the way it should be done - it must be. Truthfully, none of this could have been done without so many people's efforts, without all of the groups, individuals, parents, teachers, unions, everyone really investing in this great idea. But, now, the work truly begins. Now, We have to actually prove to the world that we can and will do a better job for our children, the students. We need to learn what to provide to give them the education they deserve. All eyes are upon us. We need to work together to insure that we do not make the same mistakes that LAUSD allowed. We need to learn not only to speak with each other in a productive way but we also must watch each other so that no one person or group runs away with what we worked so hard to create - together. It certainly won't be easy - but it will be worth it. Thanks to all of you who helped in this great change. And, many thanks to all of you who continue to support us and our public schools. Kelly Kane, President Westchester/Playa Education Foundation - P.A.R.T.