Local Public Schools
Valley View
Elementary School
6921 Woodrow Wilson Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068
Tel: (323) 851-0020; Fax: (323) 851-6185
Principal Harold Klein
Valley View
Website
Valley View Elementary is one of LAUSD’s smallest public
schools, providing a dynamic learning environment for children K-6th
grade. Hard work and inventive collaboration by administration,
parents and faculty has helped define Valley View as a unique
elementary school offering an educational experience molded by the
positive influences of community and diversity. Utilizing
resources from the school district and local community in the
development of Valley View’s programs and benefiting from its’
diminutive (225 students) size: every child’s needs, both
educational and social, are recognized and can be met. It is
Valley View’s mission to identify, develop and celebrate each
child’s gifts in a dynamic and supportive environment.
TEST SCORES
Valley View has raised test scores on standardized tests for 7
consecutive years constituting a greater than 250 point increase.
While our faculty and administration recognize that standardized
testing is only one measure of student achievement and often an
unreliable reflection of our students’ grasp of curriculum, Valley
View is committed to taking our school well beyond the target API
for all schools. With our recent record of improvement, that
target is well within reach.
SCHOOL FOR ADVANCED STUDIES
The Advanced Studies Program has been developed to meet the needs
of students who require advanced learning beyond the core
curriculum. Our program models the principles of differentiated
teaching and reaches beyond the recognized standards in depth and
complexity. The goal is an ever evolving, creative,
interdisciplinary challenge. In the process of creating our program
at each grade level, teachers have collaborated to expand our
resources and enrich the daily curriculum. The result benefits
all students whether identified for the SAS program or not, since
exposure to a more creative classroom environment inspires children
at any level.
Regular formal and informal assessment by classroom teachers assures
that as children change and grow, their strengths, challenges and
special talents will be recognized and our teachers’ knowledge of
each student grows more complete. Students may enter the program at
any grade level and/or in any content area.
Curriculum for our School For Advanced Studies students utilizes the
standard Open Court Language Arts and the Harcourt Math Series as
points of departure only. Each teacher explores creative
project-based assignments and experiences that challenge students to
ponder complex questions and to apply skills in multi-faceted and
open-ended projects. Classical children’s literature is used as
subject material. Brainteasers, puzzles, games, labs, individual as
well as group research, discussion and presentations are all
familiar elements of the curriculum.
ARTS PROTOTYPE PROGRAM
Through a continuing grant from LAUSD, Valley View Elementary is
in its fifth year as an “Arts Prototype School.” The
program focuses on integrating Art into classroom curriculum, but
also provides essential instruction in each of three disciplines,
Visual Arts, Dance, Dramatic Arts. Certified teacher/artists provide
not only weekly instruction for students, but also, continuous
teacher training and individual support for classroom teachers
utilizing Art in lesson plans
The program is organized into three 12-week terms (one
hour/week/class) that introduce a variety of techniques and concepts
in Visual Arts, Dance and Dramatic Arts. Arts Prototype
funding also brings outside artists from institutions such as Los
Angeles Music Center to provide training to our teachers and
school-wide assembly programs for our students. Additional funding
provides for 7-8 week artist-in residence programs.
As an Arts Prototype School, Valley View is also required to
promote and emphasize the presence of the Arts in elementary
education. Over the five years, our school has increased
the number of performance assemblies, Art-based class trips as well
as Arts programming additional to the Arts Prototype Program, all
funded by the PTA. Last year students completed a 5 week Mural
Project. In previous years, shorter projects have included:
cartooning, mask making, puppetry, instrument making, ceramic
tiling, hip-hop. Previous year’s performance assemblies have
included: Southland Opera, Alley Cats DooWap, Shakespeare, African
Drumming & Dancing Workshop,
Classroom teachers at Valley View are accustomed to including
theatrical and visual arts in their routine assignments and special
projects. Posters, dioramas, models, quilts, paper dolls, plays and
performances for stage are among Valley View’s favorite projects
and presentations.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION (FOCUSFISH)
Valley View Elementary PTA recognized a need to create an inspired
and varied Physical Education Program at school. Through
partnership with a local studio (FocusFish), a progressive,
non-competitive, inclusive physical education program has been
developed. Weekly instruction takes place in the areas of: Yoga,
Innovative Fitness, Ball Sports, Circus Arts, Martial Arts &
Capoeira, World Dance.
Specialists in each of the designated units are provided by
FocusFish. Though diverse in teaching style and energy, all
share the Focus Fish philosophy: necessity of a healthy body and a
strong relationship between physical awareness, strength and poise
and a more powerful brain. Most importantly, students have a
blast with a variety of disciplines and benefit from exposure to a
variety of visiting professionals. All children participate in an
end of year demonstration of some of the skills practiced during PE
class.
FocusFish is also responsible for staff development at Valley View,
specifically in the area of developing short practical movement
routines that can be incorporated into the students’ daily
schedule.
MUSIC
Weekly music classes, for grades K-3 include basic
instruction through singing (accompanied by piano) taught by our
esteemed (and certified) Mr. Summerville. For grades 4-6, Mr.
Summerville leads a weekly chorus. Other upper grade students
have a choice of group lessons in either keyboards or guitar
taught by 2 local musicians (also Valley View Dads). Two annual
performances at school and participation in a citywide
“honors” chorus program give Valley View students opportunities
to show off their gifts.
Valley View continues to supplement instruction in music through
school wide performance assemblies, class trips to concert or other
professional musical performances, and in-class workshops in Musical
Arts through the LA Music Center & others.
The Valley View School Community
Valley View Elementary benefits from its diminutive size in many
ways. With fewer than 2 classrooms per grade level, an
intimate school community thrives. Valley View also has the
advantage of a social and ethnic diversity rarely so well balanced
in a Los Angeles school. Since learning is a life skill, the
support and influence of our community is vital. Learning
opportunities take place outside the classroom as well as during
school hours.
Families participate in a multitude of school wide and individual
classroom events that bring our community together and expose
our students to a variety of experiences and influences. Siblings,
extended family and neighbors are regular faces on campus and a
school calendar filled with special activities enriches the whole
school experience as well as keeping the environment secure.
Parents accompany students on the frequent class trips as
chaperones and are invited to enjoy assembly performances with their
children. Curriculum at any grade level incorporates parental
support as well as reaching across grade levels. This helps to
foster the community spirit at Valley View. Book Buddies, In
Class Plays, Multi-cultural Festivals, Classroom Pizza Parties,
100th Day Celebration are just a few ways in which teachers
encourage our students and families to join each other in the
learning process.
Here are some of the annual and routine events at school
sponsored by the Valley View PTA and by the school itself:
After School Snack Sales
First Day Parent Welcome
Back to School Night
Moms & Muffins, Dads & Donuts
Halloween Parade
Fall Harvest Festival & Silent Auction
Winter Concert (choral and instrumental)
Carolers & Cocoa
Thanksgiving Feast
Pajamarama (giant pj party w/ bedtime stories)
Book Fair
Student/Teacher Luncheon
Staff Appreciation Luncheon
Parent Appreciation Tea
Open House
Spring Concert (choral & instrumental)
Talent Show
Kindergarten Graduation
6th Grade Culmination Week
Learning Should Be Fun!
At Valley View enrichment activities, fieldtrips, presentations and
workshops are planned to supplement classroom curriculum. Each
year proposed activities are coordinated with classroom teachers and
provided by the PTA. Because this process is renewed annually,
trips, assemblies and programs change each school year. Projects
listed here are additional to the weekly Arts Prototype Workshops,
PE, student performances and specific teacher/parent planned class
projects carried out throughout the year. This is a current list for
2005-06:
Schoolwide Performances/Presentations:
Jazz Tap Ensemble
Walter Reed-Hip Hop & Its Roots:
Japanese Festival Sounds-Taiko Drumming
Sakai Flamenco
LA Fire Department 75th Anniversary Celebration
African Storytelling
Field
Trips & Workshops
Kindergarten
Field trips
The Central Library
Storybook Theater: Rumplestilskin
Stough Canyon
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (dinosaurs, senses & other)
LA Music Center 3-week Rainforest Soundscape Workshop
Valentine’s Traveling Animal Zoo
1st
Grade
Field trips
Storybook Theater: Rumplestiltskin
The Central Library
Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
Stough Canyon
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (Sticky Science, magnets & other)
LA Music Center 3-week Mask Making Workshop
Valentine’s Traveling Animal Zoo
2nd
Grade
Field trips
California Pizza Kitchen
Stella Adler Theater Wiley & The Hairy Man.
Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific
Natural History Museum
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (Magnets, dinosaurs & other)
Animal Guys Presentation
LA Music Center 3-week Rainforest Soundscape Workshop
Heal The Bay Presentation
3rd
Grade
Field trips
Ashes and Snow: Art Exhibit
Placerita Canyon Nature Reserve
Wilshire Ebell Theaterworks: Charlotte’s Web
Additional-TBD
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (Rockets, electricity & other)
Discover Center: Traveling Planetarium Starlab
LA Music Center: 3-week Visual Arts Workshop-Masks
4th
Grade
Field trips
Ashes And Snow: Art Exhibit
Southwest Museum of American Indian
Ocean Fishing Trip
Stella Adler Theater: A Christmas Carol
San Gabriel Mission
Monrovia Canyon
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (Electricity, Photosynthesis & other)
Ben Franklin Museum on Wheels
6-8 Week LA Music Center Artist-in-Residence Prog.-Dance
5th
Grade
Field trips
Ashes and Snow: Art Exhibit
Stella Adler: A Christmas Carol
Wilshire Ebell, Theaterworks: Civil War
LAMC: Momix
Southwest Museum of American Indian
Cross-Creek 1-Week Camping Trip
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: 2-3 Labs (Matter, cells & other topics)
Discovery Center: Traveling Planetarium, Starlab
Ben Franklin Museum on Wheels
6-8 Week LA Music Center Artist-in-Residence Prog.-Dance
6th
Grade
Field trips
Ashes and Snow: Art Exhibit
Discovery Science Center: Geology Workshop
Roundhouse Aquarium
Stella Adler: Wiley & the Hairy Man
Walt Disney Center: LA Philharmonic
“Graduation trip”-TBD
Workshops & Presentations
Mad Science: (Matter, Minerals & other)
Ben Franklin Museum on Wheels
Heal The Bay Presentation
6-8 week LA Music Center Artist-in-Residence Prog.-Dance
Come and find out what a fine elementary school your neighborhood
has.
