Second of two parts
Re “A New Experience for a Culver City Family, the Magnolia Science Academy6”
Shortly before a new school term began last August, Zig Gauthier, a single father whose son was prospering at the Culver City Middle School, made an intriguing discovery.
An almost pocket-sized public charter school, Magnolia Science Academy6 was to open within days in the neighborhood. Part of a Southern California franchise, the academy’s attractive assets were its emphasis on academics, its size and its proximity, walking distance.
For a parent as witheringly thorough, pinpoint meticulous and precise as Mr. Gauthier, founder-president of the parents group, the days-away launch might have seemed too close for him to satisfactorily vet the school.
Did we say he also works at a mercurial pace when necessary?
Five minutes? No problem.
Promptly the four persons who co-parent Mr. Gauthier’s seventh-grade son went into a huddle, the young man’s birth parents and their Significant Others.
“One of the great ironies,” said the father, “is that the school signed its property lease in August and classes started in September. It was very, very quick. And it made our choice an even riskier decision.”
Q. How did he learn about the Magnolia Science Academy6?
“In August, a couple parents found out about the opening. Culver City has a really good parent network. A lot of us are involved in email groups. We regularly communicate with each other. There are many groups, not just the PTA and the Boosters Club. This is a strength of Culver City, that people are tied in.
“Through that network, the information about the academy came through. But it was August, meaning we were already right up against the deadline.
“The minute I heard about it, I spoke to Chandler’s mom. We all went over. We checked out the school. We sat down. We had a family meeting. It’s a big risk when you are taking an A-B student out of that (Culver City Middle School) environment where he had a real good experience and putting him in a brand new school.
“We sat down. We looked at the upside. We looked at the environment. We looked at the academic focus. We looked at things they said would be improving. We looked at the after-school program. We looked at the uniforms. We looked at the class size (maximum 25 students).
“We concluded it was worth the risk.
“So we enrolled our son a week or two before school was to start. They were still getting in school supplies after classes started. But sometimes you just put your best foot forward, and you get involved in the process. We did both. We were willing to be flexible up front, and the school has done a great job of creating a learning environment.”
Q. Was there a single dominant factor that was persuasive about changing schools?
“No. It was a combination of three or four major criteria.
“Uniforms are a big factor. When you think back to 6th, 7th, 8th grades and kids going through those physical and natural emotional changes, it is a difficult time for anyone’s life. The uniforms are a big factor.
“Then there is the consistent after-school program, every day a program, five days a week, open to every student, regardless of their ability to pay. That was very important.
“When the principal looked all the parents in the eye at the open house and said, ‘We are not going to have more than 25 students in any class,’ that was a really big factor.
“Finally, when you talk to the teachers and the principal, and you hear their commitment to being open to change and improvements, that was a factor, too.
“We put all of this together, and decided to go ahead.”
Q. Have you detected changes in your son after seven months at the academy?
“He was an A-B student at Culver City Middle School, mostly A’s. He is a straight-A student this year. Eight A’s per semester. Waiting to see how it turns out this semester.
“I think a parent has to spend time at the school, being involved. I enjoyed Culver City Middle School because there are lot of active parents there.
“Same with this school. They encourage parent involvement. There is a good, solid group of parents, Culver City residents, at the academy.
“Our parent meetings have roughly a quarter to a third of the school in attendance. That is a huge ratio. Around 75 students, and 30 parents show up for a parent meeting. I am really proud of that.
“I talk to the students, and let me tell you. They rave about the academics, the classes, the experience. They are raving about the teachers, too.
“It is difficult to find students of junior high age raving about their academic experiences.
“Let me give you an example. For me, it speaks volumes anytime I hear kids raving about their math teacher. Every core academic course is important. But math is a difficult subject for a lot of people, especially at that age. The math teacher is just through-the-roof exceptional.”
Which seemed like a proper place to leave the Magnolia Science Academy.
Magnolia Science Academy6, 3754 Dunn Dr., a half-block north of Venice Boulevard, between Clarington and Hughes avenues. See http://palms.magnoliascience.org.
