A Guest post from Dr. Ogo Okoye-Johnson and the Eagle Collegiate community advocating for the community’s charter school petition which is before the CA State Board of Education
We are a diverse set of families brought together to create Eagle Collegiate Academy (ECA) in Santa Clarita, the third largest city in Los Angeles County. We are families who want a strong community school where students can attend continuously from Prek-12 and we want the rigor and responsiveness of an IB Program. Eagle Collegiate Academy, a proposed Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade college preparatory International Baccalaureate World School will be the only PreK to 12th grade seat-based charter school serving the Santa Clarita Valley.
Although the Acton-Agua Dulce Unified School District’s (AADUSD) Board members recognized the value and demand of the educational program that Eagle Collegiate Academy will provide and ECA’s program is sound per the charter law and district staff, AADUSD Board members denied ECA petition. Hence politics prevailed over the needs of many families at the district and County level forcing Eagle Collegiate Academy families and team to appeal to the State Board of Education.
As one of our founding families the Sanabrias stated, “Our family believes that the plan to have preschool to 12th grade is a great idea for students and parents because all the children will be on one site and the parents, especially working parents, would not have to run from school to school to drop off and pick up their children. Knowing that all the teachers and school leaders are required to be trained by the International Baccalaureate Organization is very comforting to us.”
Families seek education that meets their needs whether it is in the traditional public school, private school, home school or charter school environment. We have two public school sectors in California, that will continue to exist and can coexist productively, meeting the differing needs of differing families. Families and students should never be pitted against one another because of their education choice. Dawn Hakim, an ECA parent said “My daughter in a traditional public school and my son who prefers the smaller environment of a charter school do not fight about traditional public school versus charter school. They appreciate both.” One size does not fit all.
Families Share Why They Want the Eagle Collegiate Academy Choice!
In their own words:
The Michaels
Our family believes that we should have the opportunity to choose what education and curriculum our son and daughter should receive. No two children are the same and learning should fit the child’s style of learning. Having an opportunity to choose creative approaches to learning and innovative teaching strategies that meet students’ learning styles is our desire for our children.
We have home schooled our children because we are very hands on with our children’s education. We have conducted our research and have also attended Eagle Collegiate Academy informational sessions. Hence, we can make a more informed decision about which learning environment best suits our children and family’s needs. Eagle Collegiate Academy will assist and develop the unique needs and standards that have been established in our home’s approach to teaching our children. We believe in choice. Our choice for our children is Eagle Collegiate Academy. We support one hundred percent for Eagle Collegiate Academy to open in our community.
The Sanabrias’
We, the Sanabria family, are one of the original founding families of Eagle Collegiate Academy. We have been passionately advocating for Eagle Collegiate Academy to open its doors for students who are looking for options to their education. Our family believes that the plan to have preschool to 12th grade is a great idea for students and parents because all the children will be on one site and the parents, especially working parents, would not have to run from school to school to drop off and pick up their children. We also like the before and after school program so that our children can continue to learn in a safe environment until picked up. Knowing that all the teachers and school leaders are required to be trained by the International Baccalaureate Organization is very comforting to us.
The Sanchez’s
Our family likes the idea that our children will be able to go to the same school from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade so that they will be taught by teachers and a community that would have known them from small babies to when they graduate from high school. Such a small family school environment is what we want for our children. We believe that it is a great benefit for working parents to take all their children where they know they are getting a well-rounded education in a safe environment. We enthusiastically plead that ECA is imperative for our children. Please don’t stop this unique opportunity for our children and families.
Dr. Ogo Okoye-Johnson is an experienced instructional leader, curriculum developer, grant writer, author and multicultural education practitioner who is very passionate about eliminating the achievement and opportunity gaps that impede the academic progress of students; and about providing access to rigorous cutting-edge 21st century education that would ensure that K-12 students graduate college and career ready irrespective of zip code or socio-economic status. Dr. Ogo Okoye-Johnson is the founder and Board Secretary for Eagle Collegiate Academy.
The Community
Ej and Cynthia Michaels are a young African American family with two children residing in Castaic, California. They are looking forward to their son entering kindergarten and their daughter starting prekindergarten at Eagle Collegiate Academy.
The Sanabria family is one of the original founding families of Eagle Collegiate Academy who have been passionately advocating for Eagle Collegiate Academy to open its doors.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanabria and their three children reside in Santa Clarita, California.
Daniel and Stephany Sanchez reside in Canyon Country with their two children. They like the idea that their children will be able to go to the same school from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade at Eagle Collegiate Academy.