A few months ago, I met with Dr. Ellis Crasnow, the head of school Stem3 Academy for a tour of the campus and a chat about the program. Dr. Crasnow holds a PhD from USC and has taught math, science and English at the college and high school levels. He is friendly and low-key, a welcoming presence at the school. We met at the Valley Glen campus, but Ellis explained that the school also includes a Culver City campus that has expanded to include middle and high school. STEM3 Academy is a school for kids grades 3-12 with social and/or learning differences. STEM3 Academy is a school under The Help Group. STEM is short for science, technology, engineering and math.
STEM3 Academy School has a warm, nurturing feeling, making you feel like you want to roll up your sleeves and get involved in any of the various classroom projects, even if you’re not a STEM person (I’m definitely not!). Ellis knows the details of every project and he knows every kid’s name and what they’re working on, from coding or expository writing to robotics and a 3D printing project. He explained big concepts and project details, making them come to life with explanations of real-world applications happening in student labs. When I asked Ellis if students must be focused on technology he told me the school welcomes non-STEM students too. He is looking for curious, motivated students in all disciplines, including the arts.
Here’s my Q&A with Ellis. I hope you’ll check out this amazing school!–Christina
1. Your school is very impressive! Why do you think the place is buzzing with such positive energy? The classes are directed towards student interests and skills—they have an interest in classes like robotics, engineering and design, cybersecurity, and computer programming. In addition, the way in which the classes are taught also plays to their strengths rather than their weaknesses. Classes are hands-on, and students engage in real-world projects so that what they learn is not only of interest to them but also relevant to the world in which they live. That generates excitement.
2. What kind of student does Stem3 Academy seek to admit? We look for students who are passionate, engaged, interested, who want to learn and try, who are makers and builders. They might be writers or artists, scientists or math whizzes. What they’re interested in matters less than that they are interested. Our goal is to provide them the resources to excel in their area of interest and passion.
3. What are some of the traits you believe will help a student succeed at Stem3 Academy? Students who are collaborative and creative, who are independent thinkers, who persevere and persist, who are positive and optimistic about their own future and their prospects will be successful. Also those who are strong academically or those who are tactile or kinesthetic learners, or those who don’t learn in traditional ways (by being lectured to or rote learning)—they will all do well with us.
4. Can you tell us a bit about college acceptances your students have received? Our first year as an independent school, we graduated 5 seniors all of whom went to college. This year (in 2 weeks’ time!) we will graduate 14 seniors who have already been accepted to UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Channel Islands, Woodbury University, Parsons School of Design, Bard College, and many others.
5. Do you have to be a STEM kid to thrive at Stem3 Academy? No, not at all. We would as happily accept a poet as a physicist. What matters more is the passion a student might have for drawing or drama, or writing. We will support their passion no matter the area of interest. The importance of STEM is due to the overwhelming influence that technology has had on every area of human endeavor—it has changed both what we do and how we do it, and that is as true for an artist as an architect.
6. How is Stem3 Academy different from public school programs for kids on the spectrum or those with ADHD? We distinguish ourselves in a variety of ways. First, our focus is on learning, not on teaching. Classes are student-focused, not teacher-focused, so that the emphasis is on student collaboration and engagement in making meaning and in learning. Secondly, there is a focus on the development of real-world hands-on projects, which develop student skills in collaboration, communication and creativity. Third, we encourage students to be active learners in class in doing work when teachers can support them, and do passive work (reading, research) for homework when they can work on their own. This is the reverse of what happens in public school programs. Fourth, we encourage the use of technology in all subjects and have rich resources for student use on campus: 3-D printers and pens, CNC mill, DSL cameras and video cameras, drawing pads for digital animation, Go-pro style cameras, sound mixing table, green screen, microphones, tripods, 3 different robotics platforms, etc.
Admissions at STEM3 Academy is on a rolling basis and tuition is $34,000 per year. For more information, visit www.stem3academy.org
We are excited to let you know we’re working on the Third Edition of Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools in Los Angeles. Since the Second Edition was released in 2013, there have been some changes in world of L.A. private schools that made us think the timing was right for an updated edition of the book.
We appreciate your support and enthusiasm for the blog and book. We look forward to bringing you the new book in Fall 2017!
It’s summer! Time to relax and forget about private school admission….or is it??? If your plan is to apply to L.A. private schools for the 2018-2019 school year, there are plenty of things you can do during the summer months to make the process less stressful in the fall.
The private school admission process takes about nine months. That’s nine months of intensive work touring schools, writing applications, asking friends for recommendation letters and more. You can start by doing research in the summer, visiting schools in the fall and submitting your applications in October, November and December. Interviews and assessments are in January and February and you’ll get a decision letter in mid-March.
Before the fall frenzy of tours and applications hits, you may want to use the slower pace of summer to do a few important things like researching schools, creating a tour list, starting to write applications and talking to your child about the process.
Research. Take a look at websites of the schools you are interested in. Try to figure out which factors are most important to you. Some of these things might include a school’s educational philosophy, school size/model (K-6, K-8 or K-12) and number of classes per grade, distance from your home, afterschool activities, teacher/student ratio, academic class offerings, music and art programs and sports programs and facilities. Make a list of schools that you would like to visit, with the goal of starting with a big list and narrowing the list after you tour the schools. Take time in the summer to really focus and learn which schools have what you are looking for. If you wait until the fall, you may not have enough time to look at as many schools as you would like.
Create. Look at the dates of open houses and tours. Set up a calendar so that you can keep track of the dates. Use a system that works for you. Online with a Google Doc or iCal or on a BIG desktop calendar. Something you will LOOK at. Schools may have tours on the same date, so plan ahead in order to see all the schools that interest you.
Plan. Look at the applications for these schools. Many of the schools have essay questions. Start to think about your answers. A good thing to do is to write your family message. Take time to reflect on your own educational experience. Think about what was important to you and what you liked. Then think about your child and how you are the same or different. Your family message will convey who you are and what you value. You can refer to this when you are writing your application answers. You will want to include information about who you are as a family, who your child is as a learner and a person, your educational philosophy, and information about you and your partner. You will want to write several drafts of this. Summer is a perfect time to work on crafting your message. This is not something that can be rushed.
Prepare. If your child is applying to 5th grade or middle or high school, the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) is required. Summer is the perfect time to do test prep. Without homework and other activities, your child will be able to focus more attention on test prep. Many different types of test prep are available – classes, one on one tutoring and online classes. Select something that will work for YOUR child.
Drive. Go to the school so you can see how far away it is. Try to go at a realistic time-drop off or pick up from either home and/or work. If you can’t do that, use an app during rush hour to see how long the drive would be. Find out what options you have for transportation. Is there a bus? Can you find a carpool? Learn more about how long it will take to drive to and from the school daily. Sometimes parents underestimate important geographical factors when choosing a school.
Applying to schools requires that you stay organized! You’ll need to be able to refer to your written application before your parent interview. You’ll need to keep copies of correspondence sent to you by each school. The earlier you submit your application, the sooner your parent interview and/or child’s interview can be scheduled. Some schools take the first X number of applications so you’ll need to submit your application very quickly before they reach the cutoff.
Get Organized– Start a notebook so you can keep all of this information in one place. Divide it into sections for each school. Keep information about the deadlines, tour dates, applications, interview dates, assessment information, brochures and anything else related to your child’s admissions process. You don’t want to lose a document and have to call the school to get another copy.
Get support-If possible, find resourceful parents with with older children who have been through this process and ask them for their best admissions advice. If you know a parent who can write you a letter of recommendation, let them know you’ll be asking then when the time comes so they’ll be expecting your call. Talk to your preschool director and let her know your plan. Solicit her advice too. Preschool directors may have suggested schools you can consider while you’re doing summer research. If you think you will need help from a professional consultant, contact that person as soon as you can. Fall is a very busy time and late summer can be a good time to make that connection.
We hope you kick off the fall admissions process with energy, enthusiasm and a well-organized notebook filled with all the information you’ve gathered about schools over the summer. This will be time well spent and it will help set you and your child up for success throughout the admissions process!
Lisa Marfisi has been a professional in education in Los Angeles since 1991. She was the Director of Admissions K-12 at Wildwood School and PK-6 at Echo Horizon School. She also worked at the Archer School for Girls, PS #1, and Westside Neighborhood School. Lisa’s experience has given her an understanding of what schools are looking for and enables her to help parents navigate the admissions process from an insider’s point of view. Lisa has been helping families with the admission process as a Director of Admission for 15 years. Her two children are in college at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. Lisa has experience as a parent at independent, public, charter and parochial schools. She holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania.
If your child is currently in a public school, but you’re thinking of applying to private school for middle or high school, here are tips to help you get started. Please note, we used the term “private schools” but many L.A. schools are called “independent” schools. The difference is that independent schools are non-profit and private schools are for-profit or may be run by a church or religious organization.
Getting started might seem a bit overwhelming, but if you approach the application process in an organized, step-by-step manner, you will be ahead of the game when it comes time to tour your first school!
Plan ahead. You will need to apply to private school one year before your child enters the school. So, if you are applying for 9th grade for 2018, you will start the process in September of 2017 or when your child is entering 8th grade.
Pay attention to deadlines. Each school has its own deadline various steps during the application process, but you can generally expect the following:
Tour of schools (September-December)
Written application (September-December)
Parent interview (if required, October-February)
ISEE Test is the Independent School Entrance Exam. Here is a great explanation of the ISEE test by Matt Steiner of Compass Prep. The ISEE is required for grades 5-12 at most private schools. Catholic schools have their own entrance exam called the HSPT. Because the ISEE has a high degree of difficulty, many families hire test preparation companies to help their kids prepare for the exam. Here are a few excellent options: Academic Achievers,Compass Prep, Learning Encounters and Team Tutors The ISEE is administered from September-April. You should pay attention to school deadlines because the January ISEE may be too late for some schools.
Child visiting/testing day (October-February)
Transcripts, teacher recommendations (See school websites)
Open houses, sports events, other school events (September-March)
Notification of decisions (all LAAIS Schools notify on the same day in March. See school websites)
Note: Deadlines are final and you must meet all deadlines. Schools do not make exceptions for late applications or other missed admissions deadlines!
Apply to At Least 3 Schools. No matter what grade you’re applying for, you should apply to enough schools that you maximize your child’s chances of getting in. Many schools receive far more applications than spots available, so you should consider applying to at least 3 or more schools.
Follow the school’s application rules. Even if the school’s admissions process seems cumbersome or just annoying, follow the rules. Pay attention to deadlines, avoid calling the admissions office numerous times to ask questions that could be answered by looking on the website, show up on time for interviews, be nice to everyone and that includes the people at the front desk, security, the tour guides, etc.
Be Familiar With Types of Private Schools. Determine the type of school you think will be best for your child (See our 7 part series aboutprogressive or traditional educational philosophies here. Just like public magnet and charter schools, private schools differ in their mission and educational philosophy. Some private schools are a blend of educational philosophies, so it will be up to you to figure out the best fit for your child.
Tuition is expensive! Some of the top private high schools cost between $35,000-$38,000/year. Tuition typically goes up 4% per year.
Apply For Financial Aid If You Can’t Pay Full Tuition. Financial aid is available and is based on family need. It’s not merit-based. It is a separate application process from the admissions process. Some schools will offer admission to a family irrespective of their financial aid needs. Other schools do consider a family’s need for financial aid and it may impact the admissions decision. But, if you cannot afford the full tuition, apply for financial aid!
Contacts/Connections Help, But Aren’t Necessary. You don’t need to know somebody at the school to get your child in! It can help, but it isn’t necessary, especially if you are a public school family and haven’t established those connections. Private schools understand that it is not the job of public schools to help your child get into private school.
Extra-curricular activities matter to private schools. Make sure to include your kid’s sports, music, theater activities. If they don’t have significant activities, look at the activities each private school offers. Would your child really like to get involved in the school newspaper or yearbook? Tell the school that! Let them know that’s one of the reasons you’re applying.
Educational Consultants. If you need help navigating the admissions process, educational consultants offer everything from one-time consultations to full-service packages. Sometimes, having an expert help you develop a list of schools and giving you advice about the admissions process or reviewing your written application can make a big difference in helping the process go smoothly.
Navigating the “Gap” year between end of public elementary and start of private middle schools. One of the biggest challenges families face is the fact that public elementary schools are K-5 and private elementary schools are K-6. So, the public schools end one year before private schools end. There are also private schools that are 7-12 so that presents a challenge too. You’ll need to consider where your child go during the “gap” year that is the result of schools not aligning. There are several options we’ll discuss below.
1. Understand the points of entry. Private schools accept the majority of students for kindergarten, 6th grade, 7th grade and 9th grade. These are the grades when the most spots are open and accepting applications. Some schools will accept applications for other i.e. 3rd grade or 10th grade, but it depends of whether there are spots available. To inquire, call the admissions director to ask. You’ll need to call the admissions director one year before your child would enroll.
2.Consider a K-6 School for 6th Grade. You can also consider applying to K-6 schools for 6th. Openings will depend on whether families have left the school, but it happens! You will need to contact each school. There’s no other way to find out if they will accept an application for 6th grade. So, roll up your sleeves and, when you’re ready, start contacting schools. They will require ISEE test scores in most cases. The drawback to this approach is if your child attends 5th grade at public school, 6th grade at a K-6 and then 7th grade at a different private school, that’s 3 separate schools in 3 years, a lot of transitions for the family. But, it happens every year and it’s one way to solve the problem of the gap between end of public school and start of the 7-12 private schools.
3. Apply to private middle schools for grades 6-8 with the intent to apply out for 9th grade.This can be a good option and many of the K-8 schools expect applications for 6th and 7th grades from public school families.
4. Enroll in your local public middle school or a magnet or charter for 6th grade
5. Apply to private schools that accept students for 6th grade. Here’s a partial list (in alphabetical order):
Questions arise about how parents can find out which are the “good” private schools or the “best” private schools. Public schools use the API to rank schools, but private/independent schools don’t use that measurement. Because private schools aren’t required to test students the same way public schools are, you will need to look at factors such as college placement, student/teacher ratio, teacher qualifications, AP and honors classes offered, size of the school, number of classes per grade, discipline policy, diversity of student and teacher population, standardized testing, location of the school, accreditation, head of school qualifications, campus facilities, security, extracurricular activities like sports, music and art that are offered and other factors that will contribute to your child’s education.
Attending events about the admissions process can also be helpful. We keep up with these events and post on Beyond The Brochure’s Facebook Page.
Finally, we’ve written about L.A. private school admissions on this blog since 2010, so there are lots of posts in the archives. Take some time to browse. Don’t let all the steps of the process intimidate or deter you. If you want to apply, do it! L.A. private schools want students from public schools! We’ve also written Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles. The book is intended for parents apply to elementary school, but many of the admissions steps in the process are the same for middle and high school. The big difference is that for elementary school, the parents and the child are considered important during the process. For middle and high school, the child becomes more significant and the parents are not as central to to process. This is because older kids have grades, teacher recommendations, test scores, interviews, extracurricular activities so the school can evaluate a kid based on these factors.
The other day I was having coffee with my friend Lisa Marfisi when she told me about a new school called Leonardo. This was news to me, but as soon as she described this exciting new venture, I knew I wanted to learn more about it. Lisa connected me with Leonardo’s founding director, Jeff Guckert, who was gracious enough to take the time on Friday to speak with me on the phone about his new school.
Jeff explained that after leaving Crossroads School last June, where he was the assistant head of school, he planned to start a new school, one that brings new ideas to existing educational models. Jeff’s vision for Leonardo School is the manifestation of his years of experience combined with a group of impressive education professionals (teachers, board members, advisors) who share the same excitement about a next generation school where the “campus is the world.”
“After graduating from Stanford with a PhD in Chemistry, Jeff was looking for something meaningful to do with his life. Fortunately, he found teaching. For 21 years, at three renowned schools – The Bishops School (La Jolla, CA), Sidwell Friends School (Washington, DC) and Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences (Santa Monica, CA) – Jeff has developed his educational philosophy serving as science teacher for grades 6-12, department chair, academic dean, division director, dean of faculty, and assistant head of school.”*
As Jeff explained to me, “At Leonardo School, we believe that that the purpose of secondary school is to empower students to see the world for themselves and to be the change they want to see in the world, now and in the future.”
Photo: Leonardo School
Leonardo School, which will open in Fall 2017, starting with grades 6 and 7 and adding subsequent grades each year, will be located on the Westside of L.A., most likely in Culver City or Santa Monica. Currently, Jeff and his team are actively scouting sites.
Leonardo is intended to be a next-generation school where the classroom serves as a “base camp” for students as they learn in an environment which, according to Jeff, “Rethinks schooling in order to allow kids to see the world for themselves, not as adults tell them the world is or should be.” The school, says Jeff, “will encourage students to become changes agents in our world. The entire curriculum will be purpose-based, rather than having a community service requirement to fulfill a certain amount of hours.”
Not only will students develop projects while exploring Los Angeles, in partnership with Earth Train and Geoversity, students will establish extended projects and relationships with the peoples, cultures, biomes, and more of this amazing country.
L.A. River Mural at The Village, Topanga
The most significant partnership Leonardo School has established is with the school’s satellite campus in Panama. Students at the Los Angeles campus will travel to Panama as part of the curriculum and students from Panama will collaborate with students here in Los Angeles. Spanish will be taught in order for Leonardo School students to converse here in L.A. as they complete project-based learning around the city, speaking with street vendors for example, or students in Panama and other places around the world. “Ultimately, expansion to Mexico and other locations is envisioned,” says Jeff.
One of the most fascinating elements of the school will be the non-traditional partnerships. Jeff is truly passionate about the early connections the school has developed with naturalists, a bamboo architect, musicians and other experts in their fields. If students are interested in outdoor education, he says, “It could take place in a course in the rainforest in Panama.”
Photo: Trip Advisor
Ultimately, Leonardo School seeks to answer the question, “What does it mean for a student to be successful?” At the core of its mission is to help students develop these core principles:
Knowing yourself
Empathy, Compassion: understanding, defining your role in groups, communities
Each year of study is centered around a major element of global impact.Skills in traditionally-defined disciplines (e.g. social & emotional intelligence, arts, reading, writing, history, math) are covered through practical studies of each topic.
Year 1: Agriculture
Year 2: Cities
Year 3: Health/Wellness
Year 4: Environment
Year 5: Government Systems
Year 6: Economic Systems
Year 7: Belief Systems
Here are a few more details about Leonardo School:
Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2017, grades 6 and 7. Note: if there are enough applications for grades 8 and 9, the school will consider adding those grades for 2017. The school plans to grow each year to become a 6-12th grade secondary school.
The ISEE entrance exam is not required.
Class size is expected to have between 10-20 students.
Tuition will be approximately $34,000 per year, with a 15% discount ($28,900) for the first incoming class. Tuition is expected to increase by 2% each year. Some financial aid will be offered.
