Larchmont Charter School - West

In 2007, a group of dedicated parents and educators felt there was a need in the West Hollywood area for an alternative public elementary school, and, under the guidance and support of the Larchmont Charter School Board of Directors, spearheaded the effort to open a new school that would serve this community. The result is the Larchmont Charter School - West Hollywood (LCW) which opened its doors in September 2008.

Our school’s philosophy is based on three tenets:

DIVERSITY . To serve a diverse and mixed Socio-Economic

Status (SES) student population (30 to 50 percent low-income

and 60 percent non-white)

ACHIEVEMENT . To foster creativity and academic excellence;

our students learn with and from each other in an experience-

centered, inquiry-based learning environment

COMMUNITY . To harness the energy and spirit of our

community through volunteerism and fundraising.

LCW is a parent-initiated school that strives to build a creative, academically challenging and emotionally nurturing

environment for our children – one that embraces and celebrates the diversity of languages and cultures in our urban

milieu while retaining the close-knit feel of a neighborhood school.

We are a school of choice and offer an alternative to the traditional public school curriculum offered within the LAUSD. While parent and community involvement is key to our mission, educators make all decisions involving curriculum and the educational program.

Every child at LCW has an individualized education plan rich in art, music, outdoor

exploration, and physical education that meets his or her needs and helps each

child realize his or her potential in a supportive environment. This research-based

educational model has proven successful in closing achievement gaps by providing

a first-class education to low-income students and bringing middle- and upper-

income families back into public education.

For the 2009-2010 school year, Larchmont Charter School - West Hollywood has

enrolled 120 students making up the K-2 student body. Our plan is to continue adding a new group of 40 kindergarteners each school year until we have a full K-5 school. Our student population is currently made up of 25 percent low-income and 50 percent non-white students, and as the school grows we will continue to make sure that we maintain a diverse student body.

LCW is one of only four schools in the country to be affiliated with Alice Waters's Edible Schoolyard program. Edible

Schoolyard integrates the concepts of ecology into the curriculum while infusing the curriculum with real-life applications through gardening, cooking, science experiences, and a healthy, seasonal, locally-grown lunch. Through the Edible Schoolyard, students awaken their senses, learn about nutrition, help to build a community, and begin to take personal responsibility for the earth.

SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD (SARC)

Larchmont Charter School - West Hollywood

Diversity . Achievement . Community .

A member of the Larchmont Schools family