Blah, blah, blog!

A video to share...'cause it was pretty dang cool

 

Be sure to double-click to enjoy in fullscreen.

Paris-London-Oxford, 2011

 

What an amazing adventure!  This was the perfect combination of adventure, education, refinement and challenge.  The BEST part was experiencing it with my daughter and our friends which whom we have grown  grown up since she has been in school.  These are the best families and we love them dearly.  I wish EVERYONE could have been on this trip! 

Here are just a few highlights.  It is impossible to capture everything we did, or all of the crazy, fun, amazing memories by photo.  I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity.  I am absolutely committed to going back.  It surprised me how much I LOVED Oxford, England!!  I think I could live there.  Do you think it is too late for me to go back to school?  Ha, ha...

 

Oxford Champions on campus in Oxford, England

This photo literally took my breath away and brought tears to my eyes:

A little more than two years ago, a small group of us put some crazy ideas together to form a school.  Then we got really crazy and said,

"Let's name our school Oxford Preparatory Academy." 

"Yeah, and every time we toast we'll raise our glasses and  shout 'OPA! in celebration just like the Greeks!"

"Yeah, and let's take our students to Oxford University in England for their 8th grade trip and really inspire them to go earn that Rhodes Scholarship someday."

And here they are.

More than seventy of our 8th grade class of 2011 and their parents are exploring England and France this week.  They have a Facebook group and I am enjoying every post.  One of the first photos I saw this morning was of our group enjoying a meal  in the Food Hall at Christ's Church at Oxford, where Harry Potter was filmed. 

Our Champions proudly wore their Monday formal uniforms today.  Their teachers posted that the locals took lots of photos and absolutely LOVED the idea that students from an Oxford namesake in California traveled all the way to Oxford University in England.  Here is shot our boys in front of their hotel:

Pretty damn cool.

This is how we do the First Day of School

Dreams really do come true

My mom has always told me, "If you want something enough, put all of your energy into it and make it happen."  Well, I think her version went something like "It will happen".  I like to think the passion, raw will, sweat equity, and desire for a common goal by an AMAZING team of talent made this happen.

Once upon a time, there was a fantastic little school, humming along, doing just fine, until something known as "Pink Friday" hit.  We didn't take much time to sorrow about the sad state of education in California.  Instead, we got to work.  We started writing our charter petition on March 18, 2009.  We wrote all through spring break.  We wrote all night long at times.  I can remember working through the night and sliding into bed at 4:50 a.m. as Todd got up for work at 5:00 a.m.  It was brutal.  At least I got to sleep.  I remember teachers working all day, writing all night, then going home to shower and get to school by 8:30 to teach.

We put together one hell of a charter petition: over 300 pages detailing our academic program and every tiny detail that is literally a mini district (as charters operate independent of school districts).  In June of 2009, CVUSD denied our first charter petition.  Again, steeled by the denial, we went back to work, refined the petition and hit them again.  Of course so much happened in the course of all of this...but to be brief.....

On January 21, 2010 we won school board approval with a 5-0 vote.  It was a crazy stormy night and the vote required a venue change--we packed the house!  Man that was amazing!

Then on to fill the school.  Now that we had an approved charter petition, who would come?  That is where my job came in.  I was in charge of all public relations and media.  We held a series of pre-enrollment information meetings that were publicized only via social media: Facebook, Twitter, email blasts, our website and blog.  It worked.  Our first pre-enrollment meeting had chairs for 60 and 130+ people showed up.  The meetings grew to over 400 attendees at times.

 
According to California charter law, if the number of applicants exceed the number of spots available, a random public lottery must be held.  On April 17, 2010 Oxford Prep held our lottery.  At that time we were approved to take in 728 on site students.  We had 1,674 applications.  Each and every name had to be drawn by random lottery.  The days (and night) preceding Lottery Day were epic.  I'm not sure we have recovered from cross checking each and every student and sibling (and re-checking) yet!

 

The data entry had to be meticulous--these guys are Excel Masters!
 

Every student name was placed in the tumbler by grade level and pulled
 

....and placed either on a grade level placement or waiting list depending on rank order
 

There were some intense moments....especially with the sibling priority placements
 

And at the end of the day...we had filled our school.  Soon thereafter, we petitioned the district again for an enrollment expansion.  They allowed us to expand our on-site enrollment to 856 this year, growing to 876 next year, and up to 200 independent study students.  The trade off is that we had to agree not to submit another petition to open another school in this district for three years. 

Then the real fun began....we hired our staff:

We posted 19 jobs on EdJoin and we had 800 applicants in about one week.  Can you say, "Top Gun Staff".  Yep, we've got them.  They are amazing.

The day they got to select their universities is such a fun memory.  Some of the new teachers understood that our campus would be collegiate themed, but I don't think they were quite prepared for the old Rhodes staff to bring it like they did when it came to claiming their ground for university rights:

We got keys to our new-to-us campus on August 2, 2010.  The campus is actually one of the three closed school sites our former superintendent shuttered in 2008.  It was built in the early 1950's.  My mom is a proud elementary alumnus!  Four days after getting keys to our campus, we threw a huge welcome celebration for our new students.  They loved it!

The Fire Department grilled hot dogs for about 2,000 people and we served complimentary ice cream, chips, and water.

We had a dunk tank trampoline show, DJ entertainment, water balloon and hula hoop contests, and tons of information booths.  Here is the school supply cake I made for our school supply drive booth:

School uniforms are also new for our kids.  I am personally THRILLED with the idea.  Most parents are.  While uniform companies tend to have very traditional styles, we like the OPA colors!  Aqua and black look great!  I'll take that over forest green and navy plaid any day!

 

We moved into a 60 plus year old school, and as you can imagine, it needed a MAJOR makeover.  We threw up a white flag for help on Thursday (via Facebook and Constant Contact email blast) and the parent volunteers came running. 

On Thursday, Oxford hosted our first Meet Your Professor Day, it was fantastic!  My kids are pumped about their teachers.  So much enthusiasm and I think we are ready!

LET'S DO THIS!

Meet Your Professor Day....Oxford Style

School days

K-8 charter opens in Chino Valley

Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer

Created: 09/06/2010 07:03:50 AM PD

CHINO - A new K-8 charter school in the Chino Valley begins its first year today, but students already got the chance to meet their very own "college professor" last week.

Hundreds of students wandered the halls of the new Oxford Preparatory Academy, at the corner of Oaks Avenue and C Street, lining up to meet their teachers in front of the school's university-themed classrooms days before the start of the school year.

As per the college-theme at the charter school, each classroom is named after a famous university, including Harvard and UCLA. Students call the teachers "professors."

Among the professors is sixth-grade teacher David Morales.

"We're excited about meeting our parents and students," Morales

Zeida Steward, with her daughter, Zola, 9, gets an informational flier at a meet your professor day event held at Oxford Preparatory Academy on Thursday. (Neil Nisperos/Staff)

said. "This is what it's all about; developing a rapport between the parents and the teachers and to make sure we're on the same page. Basically this is an opportunity to meet us."

Morales' classroom is the University of Miami, which at Oxford Prep is next door to Harvard.

"I think the (university theme) provides the kids expectations and possibilities," he said. "It's more of a symbol of an ultimate goal which is higher education and this is preparing them to get to that goal. It allows them to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think that's important for kids."

Cynthia Laguna came with her children, Matthew and Marlen, to visit their teachers.

"We're really excited about all the different programs they have, like foreign languages," Laguna said. "We came here and we see Harvard and all these great universities. Education is so important and this is great for their future."

Zeida Steward, mother of Oxford Prep student Zola, 9, expressed hope.

"We're feeling very excited about what the school has to offer. It's a brand new season for us," Steward said. "To be honest with you, I'm going to have to wait to see the difference, because coming from a great school like Rhodes, I felt my daughter really had the best opportunity. But I know it's going to work out and be great for her."

Oxford Prep, which will be under the direction of Sue Roche and Jason Watts, may be the largest independent charter school in California. When its doors open today, Oxford Prep will have about 850 students and about 100 independent study students.

In a petition to Chino Valley Unified officials, the charter's supporters cited several motivations including the need for more school community autonomy over program decision-making, an interest in protecting teachers from layoffs and allowing students to consistently follow a set of programs into their middle school years.

Watts, who will serve Oxford Prep in the principal-like role of director of educational services, has an extra stake in the success of the school. He's enrolled his own children.

"It's really it's more than just a job. It's something our heartstrings are directly tied to because we're teaching our children and our grandchildren," Watts said. "It's really special in that way and it's one of the reasons we went about this in the first place."

A little press....August 1, 2010

Chino charter school

Educators are energized

Oxford Prep will debut on Sept. 7

Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer

Created: 07/31/2010 07:35:10 AM PDT

CHINO - Teachers Chris Jackson and Bill Fritz are excited about the freedom they will have to create their own music program at Oxford Preparatory Academy.

The former San Bernardino County public school teachers are among dozens of teachers recently hired at Oxford Prep. The charter school is set to open Sept. 7 at the site of the former El Rancho Elementary School.

"We're getting the freedom to create our own programs, which is going to allow us to be more positive and excited and promote that excitement and energy in the students," Jackson said.

"I'm coming from a school that was very boxed in by the district and the administration. Now, I don't have to follow the same curriculum as everybody else. I can do my

Music teachers Bill Fritz, left, and Chris Jackson, center, discuss plans with Oxford Preparatory Academy's educational services director, Jason Watts, at the new charter school set to open in Chino in September. (Neil Nisperos/Staff)

own thing."

Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools that receive public funds, but don't have to follow rules, regulations and statutes that apply to other public schools.

About 1.65 million students are attending about 5,000 charter schools in the United States. In the past year, about 450 charter schools have opened, said Nelson Smith, president and chief executive of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Charter schools are increasing in popularity because they offer greater power for site administrators over the operation of programs, new and innovative teaching practices as well as a performance system through competition, said Steven Holguin, senior manager of school development with the California Charter Schools Association.

Oxford Prep, which will be under the direction of Sue Roche and Jason Watts, may be the largest independent charter school in California. When its doors open in September, Oxford Prep will enroll about 850 students and about 100 independent study students, according to the California Charter Schools Association.

"When teachers at district schools have new ideas, it's often difficult to have them implemented because of the scale and size of the district," Holguin said. "In the smaller environment of a charter school, decisions made at the site ... can be more quickly enacted."

The creation of Oxford Prep followed increasing frustration from Rhodes Elementary School parents, teachers and administrators. In 2009, they successfully petitioned for an independent charter school due to a desire for more freedom and autonomy from the Chino Valley Unified School District.

In a petition to Chino Valley Unified officials, the supporters of a charter school cited several reasons for the move. They included the need for more school community autonomy over program decision-making, an interest in protecting teachers from layoffs and allowing students to consistently follow a set of programs into their middle school years.

Roche and Watts, who were administrators at Rhodes Elementary, said they had grown frustrated about funding for equipment being denied by Chino Valley Unified.

There was also concern that Rhodes Elementary could lose valuable teachers due to a declining district budget, Watts said.

Roche said she is excited to have more decision-making power when it comes to hiring teachers and acquiring resources.

"I think charters are really the next big innovative way to educate kids because I think it gives people an opportunity to really plan the education for their children and make it more centered for the community," said Roche, who will serve as executive director for the Oxford Prep.

"The parents get to help decide how they educate their children and what programs are there for the kids."

Watts said Oxford Prep is "site-based learning at its best.

"I think that, provided you have strong leadership and people willing to be innovative, you take that innovative thought process and not worry about the bureaucracy of system and implementing the kinds of things you want to do to make school fun, exciting, and rigorous at the same time for kids," said Watts, who will serve in a principal-like role of director of educational services.

Ontario resident Tina Kaiser, who starred as Tina Yothers in the 1980s NBC-TV sitcom "Family Ties," said she was excited about the possible opportunities at Oxford Prep. Kaiser said she enrolled her 4-year-old daughter at Oxford Prep after having been impressed with the school's proposed music program, which will involve all of the school's students.

"I was raised with music and I had a big passion in the arts in general," Kaiser said. "One of the things that drew me at the parent meeting for Oxford was how open the music program will be and how interested they are to teach music. My 4-year-old beats the drums at home and she's really excited about music."

Oxford Prep is located at the Oaks Avenue and C Street intersection. El Rancho Elementary was shuttered in 2009 due to Chino Valley Unified budget cuts.

"We now have the freedom to do what we feel is right musically," Fritz said. "We're not bound down by any restrictions. Sue's given us pretty much the greenlight to develop whatever we want to develop."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.dailybulletin.com/news/ci_15647843#ixzz0vWgD5Snf

Our Charter School In the News: August 1, 2010

Oxford Prep rejects 'one size fits all'

Neil Nisperos, Staff Writer

Created: 07/31/2010 07:35:12 AM PDT

CHINO - Jared McLeod said he is a product of multiple-intelligence-based learning.

For McLeod, the theory has paid off.

The recent Cal Poly Pomona liberal arts valedictorian attended Country Springs Elementary School in Chino Hills when it opened in 1994 under the direction of then-Principal Sue Roche.

Roche instituted a multiple-intelligence-based learning program at Country Springs Elementary.

Starting in September, McLeod, 22, will teach at Oxford Preparatory Academy, a new charter school where Roche will be executive director and where multiple intelligence-based learning will be implemented.

Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner created multiple intelligence learning in 1983. The theory suggests student learning is optimized when the material is taught using students' preferred way of learning new things, whether it be musically, physically, verbally, visually as well as other learning styles.

"Everyone has their own style of learning," McLeod said. "If we pigeon-hole kids into one style of learning, I think we eliminate the other different types of learning. With multiple intelligence learning, we encourage kids that they can be successful and that they will succeed."

Multiple intelligence supporters say students are gifted and able learners but learn subjects in different ways based on learning styles to which they are more suited.

For example, some students may be more mathematical while othersmay be more artistically or physically inclined. 

Teachers use a variety of methods to touch on each of a student's learning strengths.

For instance, children can learn math through a music lesson or geography though a playground blacktop embedded with facts.

McLeod described his learning strength as "bodily kinesthetic," which includes people who are adept at sports and learn best through physical movement.

He said he is excited about bringing his personal experience with multiple intelligence learning to a new group of students.

"Our philosophy is that every student has the ability to learn and no student is classified into different levels - all students can learn at a high level if we teach them what the correct methods are using their strengths through multiple intelligence learning," McLeod said.

Roche says the method isn't new and has been used by teachers in California and the United States.

Roche's approach is different because the theory will be implemented for the entire school.

Jackie Ernst, whose daughter will enter Oxford Prep in the fall, was enthusiastic about multiple-intelligence-based learning.

"The status quo for the entire nation is `one-size-fits-all' education," Ernst said.

"You teach to the middle, the average. The ones at the bottom don't get what they need and the ones at the top don't get what they need unless you get them in a special class.

"Multiple intelligence is effective because it finds out how a student learns best and it teaches the child that way."

It's official. We have the shoes to prove it.

Well, these aren't really the final styles or color combos but we are pretty excited that VANS is making a CUSTOM shoe just for our charter school!!

SO much has happened since my last blog post I need to do a quick recap:

• Our local school board approved us 5:0 on January 21. 2010.
• We had a 30 Day Open Enrollment period from March 19 through April 20, 2010 during which time 1,647 student applications came in for 728 spots in our kindergarten through 8th grade program.
• Because more students applied than spots were available, we had to hold a random public lottery on April 17, 2010.
• On that day we were able to place 728 students
• We have since been feverishly negotiating with our local school district to expand our on-site enrollment to take in more students.  We would LOVE to take in every single student who wants to be part of this school, but we are hoping to be allowed to take in 856 on-site student in year one, and 876 in year two with up to 200 Independent Student students giving us a grand total of 1,076 student at maximum.  Whew!

If you build it, they will come.  And boy are we ready!

Some shots from our lottery:

Another great pre-enrollment meeting

Wow!  Last night we hosted our fourth pre-enrollment meeting for charter school.  So far, we' ve had about 200 people turn out for each meeting.  Last night, we had about 400!  We had 281 signatures on our sign-in forms and that only required one parent, if two parents attended the meeting.

Tonight is another enrollment only time at the enrollment center.  Tomorrow we have our fifth pre-enrollment meeting.  Rock and roll!