Holman is a disaster waiting to happen! (English/Spanish Translation)

“Dropping the kids from Community Harvest to Sherman Oaks by bus is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Jerry Smith from the West Adams Neighborhood Association.  “Parents are lucky nothing has happened—yet.“

Mr. Smith and other neighbors are concerned because there is no supervision for C-HARV students in the morning nor in the evening.  Neighbors have complained to Holman United Methodist Church, but nothing has been done.  “I have lived here since 1955. I have seen a lot of accidents and I have seen people killed,” Smith said.

“When Community Harvest students arrive in the evening,” Smith explained, “Adams is used as an annex for people getting off the freeway.  People drive fast trying to make the light. I have seen a car suddenly stop, trying to avoid hitting a child, and then get rear ended.   Some people think we complain because we don’t like children.  It’s not that we are anti-children, we are concerned about these children,” he added.

 “I imagine it’s not a lot of learning going on in that school.  I have seen kids come here looking dejected after the bus broke down.  And they have to go home to do their homework??   Why would you spend all that money on busing?” Smith questioned.

“Llevando a los estudiantes de Community Harvest a Sherman Oaks en autobús es un desastre esperando a suceder,” dijo Jerry Smith de la Asociación de Vecinos de West Adams. “Los padres tienen la suerte que nada ha sucedido—todavía.”

El Sr. Smith y otros vecinos están preocupados porque no hay supervisión para los estudiantes de                C-HARV en la mañana ni por la tarde. Vecinos se han quejado con la Iglesia Holman United Methodist, pero nada se ha hecho. “He vivido aquí desde 1955. He visto muchos accidentes y he visto a personas asesinadas,” dijo Smith.

“Cuando los estudiantes de Community Harvest llegan en la tarde,” Smith explicó, “Adams es utilizada como un anexo para personas que se salen de la autopista. Hay gente que conduce rápido tratando de pasar la luz. He visto un coche repentinamente frenar, tratando de evitar golpear a un niño, y después le pegaron por detrás. Algunas personas piensan que nos quejamos porque no nos gustan los niños. No es que seamos anti-niños, estamos preocupados por estos niños,” agregó Smith.

“Me imagino que no hay mucho aprendizaje en esa escuela. He visto a los niños llegar abatidos después de que un autobús se descompuso. ¿Y después tienen que ir a casa a hacer sus tareas? ¿Para qué gastar dinero en transporte escolar?” cuestionó Smith.

Black and Brown unite to regain their school. (English/Spanish Translation)

Scores of alumni, teachers, parents, and stakeholders from Community Harvest Charter School  demonstrated in front of Holman United Methodist Church  in August at where CHCS hosted its   orientation for new and returning students.

David Ritcherson, a 2006 graduate from CHCS says “we had  a successful charter school and was voted in 2009 by US News and World Report as being one of the top schools in the nation.  Then the Board of Directors moved the school to Sherman Oaks.  Since then the school has been in decline and for the past 3 years have been paying  $300,000 annually for busing. When we brought these matters to the Board of Directors, they ignored us,” Ritcherson added. “We want some answers. The administrators won’t talk to us; the board of directors won’t talk to us.  We want an audit. ”Ritcherson said. 

“Our teachers trained us to be social activists in the spirit of Caesar Chavez and Martin Luther King Jr.-- to stand up for justice and what we believe.  We want our school back in our community, we want the administrators replaced and we want a new Board of Directors,” Ritcherson added.

 

Decenas de graduados, maestros, padres y partes interesadas de Community Harvest Charter School harán una demostración  en frente de la Iglesia Holman United Methodist a las 6 p.m. donde CHCS tendrá una orientación de regreso a la escuela para nuevos estudiantes y estudiantes que regresan.  

David Ritcherson, un graduado de 2006 de CHCS dice, “Teníamos una escuela exitosa y fue elegida en 2009 por US News and World Report como una de las mejores escuela de la nación. Luego la Junta Directiva movió la escuela a Sherman Oaks. Desde entonces, la escuela ha estado en declive y en los últimos 3 años han pagado $300,000 anuales para transporte escolar. Cuando trajimos estos asuntos a la Junta Directiva, nos ignoraron,” agregó Ritcherson. “Queremos respuestas. Las administradoras no quieren hablar con nosotros; la Junta Directiva no quiere hablar con nosotros. Queremos una auditoría,” digo Ritcherson.  

“Nuestros maestros nos entrenaron para ser activistas en el espíritu de Cesar Chávez y Martin Luther King Jr.—para defender lo que creemos y que haya justicia. Queremos el regreso de nuestra escuela en nuestra comunidad, queremos a las administradoras reemplazadas y queremos una nueva Junta Directiva,” añadió Ritcherson.

Were your parents informed about the Board meeting? (English/Spanish Translation)

September 2011

Were your parents told about the Board Meeting?

Board Meetings are Public Meetings.  On the night of the orientation for new and returning students, Administration posted a Board meeting notice on the fence in front of Holman United Methodist Church. Most parents drive, so they didn’t see notice. Funny thing, at the orientation, they never mentioned to parents that a Board meeting was being held the next day, August 31^st at 6:00 p.m.  Oh, and did I forget to tell you that the meeting was in Sherman Oaks, not Los Angeles where most parents live. They rent Holman United Methodist Church to make it convenient for parents to enroll their children at CHCS (It’s all about the $$$$). But, at the Board meeting where all decisions are made, parents have to drive in rush hour to Sherman Oaks. Do they really want parents to be involved? By the way, none of the Board members were there—in person, that is. It was a conference call. 

Do you know any of the Board members?  Along with Administration, they make all the decisions for our school.  Have you seen any of them?  Do you know who they are?  FYI: they are

Board Members	Relationship to Administrators
Jaime Maldonado Teacher, Leo Politi Elementary School jaimetz@yahoo.com	Ms. Trujillo’s brother-in-law
Lourdes Ramirez Castro                  CEO, Housing Authority San Antonio, Texas      marissa_perez@saha.org	Ms. Trujillo’s comadre
Gipson Lyles                                                             Principal, Whaley Middle School  310-898-6070  glyles@compton.k.12.ca.us	Ms. Gichohi’s former principal

 

Septiembre de 2011

¿Les dijeron a sus padres acerca de la reunión de la Junta Directiva?

Las reuniones de la Junta Directiva son reuniones públicas. En la orientación para los estudiantes nuevos y estudiantes que regresaban, administración pego un aviso de la reunión de la Junta Directiva en la valla en frente de la Iglesia Holman United Methodist. La mayoría de los padres manejan, entonces no miraron el aviso. Lo curioso es que en la orientación nunca les mencionaron a los padres que una reunión de la Junta se llevaría a cabo el día siguiente, 31 de agosto, a las 6:00 p.m. Ah, y se me olvidó decirles que la reunión fue en Sherman Oaks, no en Los Ángeles, donde vive la mayoría de los padres. Alquilan la Iglesia Holman United Methodist para que sea conveniente para los padres inscribir a sus hijos en CHCS (es todo sobre el $$$$). Pero, en la reunión de la Junta Directiva donde todas las decisiones se toman, los padres tienen que manejar en horas pico a Sherman Oaks. ¿Realmente quieren que los padres se involucren? Por cierto, ninguno de los miembros de la Junta Directiva estaba allí en persona. Fue una llamada de conferencia.

¿Conoce a alguno de los miembros de la Junta Directiva? Junto con la Administración, ellos toman todas las decisiones de nuestra escuela. ¿Han visto alguno de ellos? ¿Saben quiénes son?

Miembros de la Junta Directiva	Relación con Administradoras
Jaime Maldonado Maestro, Leo Politi Elementary School jaimetz@yahoo.com	Cuñado de Ms. Trujillo
Lourdes Ramírez Castro                 Directora Ejecutiva, Housing Authority San Antonio, Texas      marissa_perez@saha.org	Comadre de Ms. Trujillo
Gipson Lyles                                                             Director, Whaley Middle School  310-898-6070  glyles@compton.k.12.ca.us	Fue director de Ms. Gichohi’s

We were all lied to! (English/Spanish Translation)

We were told that Community Harvest would be using Holman’s parking lot to bus C-HARV students to Sherman Oaks for one year.  Three years later, they are still there.   We were all lied to:  the parents, students, teachers, staff, and neighbors.   We all have been insulted by Community Harvest Charter School and Holman United Methodist Church.  By the way, how much $$$$$ does it cost to use the parking lot? So many teachers stayed after school to help us.  Mr. Vann, Mr. Ali-El, Mrs. Escobar, Mr. Trujillo, Mr. Wells,… It hurts the alumni to see that you don’t have the same opportunity that we had because you have to ride a bus everyday.  That’s why our tests scores continue to fall.  That’s why Community Harvest has been in a Program Improvement (PI) status for the past 3 year.  There’s no one there to help you.  It’s not your fault

Se nos dijo que Community Harvest estaría utilizando el estacionamiento de Holman para los autobuses que llevarían a los estudiantes a Sherman Oaks por un año.  Pero han pasado tres años, y todavía están allí. Se nos mintió a todos: los padres, estudiantes, profesores, empleados y vecinos. Todos nosotros hemos sido insultados por Community Harvest y por la Iglesia Holman United Methodist. Por cierto, ¿cuánto $$$$$ cuesta para utilizar el estacionamiento? Muchos maestros se quedaban después de escuela para ayudarnos- Mr. Vann, Mr. Ali-El, Mrs. Escobar, Mr. Trujillo, Mr. Wells,…Les duelen a los graduados de Community Harvest ver que alumnos no tienen la misma oportunidad que nosotros tuvimos porque tienen que ir en autobús todos los días. Es por eso que los resultados en exámenes siguen disminuyendo. Es por eso que Community Harvest ha sido una escuela de Programa de Mejoramiento (Program Improvement- P.I.) por los últimos tres años. No hay nadie ahí para ayudarles. Pero no es su culpa.

We are a family... (English/Spanish Translation)

It’s called the C-HARV family.   We as alumni of C-HARV want the same things for current students who are there now as we received.   We had a lot of fun classes—videography, Fencing, scrapbook making, hip hop and break dancing, chorus, jazz dance, Folklorico, song writing, culinary arts, sewing, t-shirt making….I could go on and on.  We as the alumni want to see Community Harvest progress.  It hurts us to see it regress.  We Want for you What We Had.  We Want Community Harvest Back.  You can’t have these fun classes because the money is spent on busing and not on you.   Why should THE C-HARV FAMILY have to pay for busing?

 

Se llama la familia de C-HARV. Nosotros, los graduados de C-HARV, queremos lo mismo que nosotros recibimos para los estudiantes de hoy. Tuvimos muchas clases divertidas—videografía, esgrima, de hacer álbum de recortes, coro, danza jazz, folklórico, composición de canciones, artes culinarias, costura, serigrafía…y podría seguir y seguir. Nosotros, los graduados, queremos ver a Community Harvest progresar. Nos duele ver que retrocede. Queremos para ustedes lo que nosotros tuvimos. Queremos a Community Harvest de regreso. No pueden tener estas clases divertidas porque el dinero se gasta en los autobuses y no se está usando en los estudiantes. ¿Por qué debería que pagar la familia de C-HARV por el transporte escolar?  

Teachers who left or who were fired from Community Harvest Charter School. (English/Spanish Translation)

Mr. Umoja—Director of Operation and Curriculum –Fired 2011

Ms. Klemmer—Fired  2011

2010:

Charletta Johnson –Resigned Executive Director

Ms. Alesha Escobar—Quit in the middle of the year.

Entire Math Department— Mr.  Vann, Mr. Bailey, Ms. Fergus-Davis

Entire Spanish Department—Ms. Marquez

Ms. Fuentes—English Credential Teacher

THE ENTIRE ART DEPARTMENT:

Ms. Coleen—Drama Department

Ms. Ashanti Johnson –Dance, Left in middle of the year

Diamond—Dance  

Heather—Art

Poncho Williams—Music

2009:

Ms. Kirby Van Amburgh—English

Mr. Dustin Johnson—History

Mr. Pointer—PE, Girls Basketball Coach—Went to finals

Ms. Nawili Gray—Yoga, Volleyball Coach

Master Kafi—Martial Arts

Ms. Marisela—Food

Mr. Raul Claros—Athletic Director, PE Department Chair

Ms. L Curtis—English

Ms. Cheryl McGee – Administrative Assistant

Mr. Umoja— Director de Operación y Plan de Estudios—Despedido 2011

Ms. Klemmer—Despedida 2011

2010:

Charletta Johnson – Renunció de Directora Ejecutiva

Ms. Alesha Escobar—Renunció a mitad del año escolar

Todo el Departamento de Matemáticas— Mr.  Vann, Mr. Bailey, Ms. Fergus-Davis

Todo el Departamento de Español—Ms. Márquez

Ms. Fuentes—Maestra de Inglés con Credencial de Enseñanza

Todo el Departamento de Arte:

Ms. Coleen—Departamento de Drama

Ms. Ashanti Johnson –Danza, Renunció a mitad del año escolar

Diamond—Danza

Heather—Arte

Poncho Williams—Música

2009:

Ms. Kirby Van Amburgh—Inglés

Mr. Dustin Johnson—Historia

Mr. Pointer— Educación Física, Entrenador de Baloncesto Femenino, Llegaron a las finales

Ms. Nawili Gray—Yoga, Entrenadora de Voleibol

Master Kafi— Artes Marciales

Ms. Marisela—Comida

Mr. Raúl Claros— Director de Deportes, Presidente del Departamento de Educación Física

Ms. L Curtis—Inglés

Ms. Cheryl McGee – Asistente Administrativo

 

Rukiya Umoja (ALUMNI) Letter to the Board.

To the Board of Directors:

My name is Rukiya Umoja. I graduated from Community Harvest Charter School (CHCS) in 2006. I was the 2005-2006 Student Body President. My years at CHCS were INCREDIBLE. CHCS really prepared me for life beyond high school. In December of 2011, I graduated from Tougaloo College with a Bachelors of Science in Chemistry. CHCS played an integral role in my development as a person and as a woman. I always believed I’d return to CHCS and harvest the seeds that were implanted in me. I no longer embody that belief.

CHCS was the gem of charter schools in LOS ANGELES—one reason was its test scores. From 2003 to 2008 (the final year CHCS was located in Los Angeles), the average change in test scores was +34. Since the school moved to Sherman Oaks in 2008, the average change in test scores is -17.  But that’s only the average.  2011 marks the third year CHCS has been a Program Improvement School.  This year our API scored dropped by 39 points!  Last year it dropped 16 points.  In the same year, 2010 scores for English Language Learners dropped by 70 points!!  This year, 2011, ELL continue to drop by 29 points!!  This spiraling is a trend at CHCS.  Look at the scores for Latinos.  Down 36 points this year, 2011; down 34 points last year, 2010.  For African Americans—the same is true; they dropped 28 points in 2011.  What will it take for the Board to see that something has gone horribly wrong?  With the school being in PI status for 3 year (which could mean closure for CHCS, our alma mater) a new direction for CHCS is sorely needed.

The vision of CHCS is lost. The foundation has crumbled. The school has been in a downward spiral since its relocation to Sherman Oaks. What community are we harvesting? According to the Board Governance Training for the Trustees of CHCS which was given August 7, 2010 by the Law Offices of Middleton, Young & Minney, the Boards’ primary function is “to be concerned with student achievement.” If that’s your primary function, you have failed miserably. Considering CHCS has gone from being one of the best schools in the nation to one of the lowest performing schools in the state clearly illustrates your lack of concern for student achievement. Do you even care?  We all know the answer to that.  Your resignation from the Board of Directors is imperative and compulsory.  Community Harvest Charter School deserves more!  WE WANT YOUR HANDS OFF OF OUR SCHOOL!  I look forward to your responses regarding my inquiry.

GREEN= % GROWTH/YEAR
RED= % DECLINE/YEAR

YEAR	SCHOOLWIDE API	PI STATUS	AF-AM		LATINO-AM		ELL
2010-11	API-635/39	YES	658/28		624/36		583/29
2009-10	API-674/16	YES	687/10		660/34		612/70
2008-9	API-696/4	YES	698/7		694/20		682
2007-8	API-692/1	NO	705/2		674/2		NA
2006-7	API-691/18	NO	707/23		672/15		NA
2005-6	API-709/52	NO	730/48		687/48		NA
2004-5	API-657/101	NO	682/119		639/101		SED
2003-4	API-556	NO	563		538		SED
2008-11	AVG CHANGE=17		15		16.7		49.5
2004-8	AVG CHANGE/34		35.5		34		SED-38.25

Note: 2008-2011 REPRESENTS CHCS API SCORES IN SHERMAN OAKS AND 2004-8 REPRESENTS CHCS API SCORES IN LOS ANGELES

Regards,

Rukiya Umoja