San
Lorenzo Valley Unified School District Charter (SLVUSD)
Meeting Higher Standards of Excellence in Education
Reviewed and Approved by the California Department of Education (CDE), the Advisory Commission on Charter Schools (ACCS), and the California State Board of Education (SBE) for meeting or exceeding state mandated fiscal accountability requirements.
SLVUSD Charter School
325 Marion Avenue
Ben Lomond , CA 95007
Eric Schoffstall, Director of Charter Schools
Email: eschoffs@slv.k12.ca.us
Phone: (831) 336-1827
Fax: (831) 336-9657
The SLVUSD Charter School is made up of separate and independent educational Programs. Our Charter School document is a conceptual framework, serving as an umbrella for each Program. The document describes elements which are common to all Programs yet allow the Programs, referred to as "Titles," to describe Charter elements which correspond to each individual Program.
The SLVUSD Charter School is currently made up of 9 Charter Program Titles located as far south as Big Sur and extending north to the town of Boulder Creek. The Charter School Programs are supported by the Charter School Office. The Charter School Office is administrated by the Director of Alternative Education who is appointed and employed by the District and serves as a liaison between the District and the separate educational Programs which comprise the Charter School .
The SLVUSD Charter School received its approval in June 1993 and became the 25th Charter in the State. Our School is active in the Charter School movement at large and maintains a membership with California Charter School Association (CCSA). Five of our nine program Titles follow a Personalized Learning model of education. Information relating to all of our program Titles may be found through our website link on this page above.
All five of our personalized learning programs embrace the personalized learning model which recognizes, "that every student is an individual, with a distinct learning style, learning pace, learning path, and learning aspiration." Our programs support a "collaborative relationship between parent, student, teacher and community in creating an optimal learning process. In addition, we support a variety of learning choices and opportunities, both within and beyond the home and classroom to optimize each student's learning potential."
Staff: Roberta Gutierrez, Administrative Assistant; Sharon Silva, Office Assistant; Tom Cannon, Teacher; Estelle Fein, Teacher; Kristen VanKlootwyk, Teacher; and Shauna Reisewitz, Teacher.
Our alternative family education is a home/community based program that offers parents and students in our district an opportunity to take part in individualized educational activities under the guidance of our Charter 25/Homeschool teachers. The parents of our younger children have chosen to be the primary educators of their children. As the children grow older, they take on increasing responsibility for the design and implementation of their own educational goals. The component services of our program have been designed to help and support our parents and students in achieving their educational goals. In addition to access to our credentialed, experienced homeschool teachers, our support services include: a Resource Library which contains curriculum materials, instructional materials, manipulatives, homeschooling literature, computers, audio and video tapes, etc.; Organized enrichment classes and activities designed especially for home schoolers to expose them to new skills and fields of knowledge as well as expose them to areas of great human endeavor, and to facilitate networking among the parents and children; Access to South Street Centre for exposure to socialization programs in a home-like learning environment; Field trips to explore various learning opportunities in our San Lorenzo Valley and the surrounding Santa Cruz Mountains/Bay Region and occasionally to points beyond.
Staff: Barbara Verhage and Pat Dussel, Teachers; Lorna Gutierrez, Secretary.
This program is designed for parents who wish to personalize their children's education with the help of a classroom teacher and school resources. Parents are the primary facilitators in the education of their children and determine the degree to which the classroom teacher is involved. Children are schooled at home 3-4 days a week and have multi-graded, optional classroom experiences 1-2 days a week. The optional classroom program includes educational field trips, contracted services, and activities at the school site such as: art, drama, games, science, computers and library time.
Staff: Penny Burton, Teacher; Lorna Gutierrez, Secretary.
Fall Creek was created in 1995, in response to a growing number of parents who wanted to personalize their child's education by teaching them at home. Yet they also wanted their children to have a "classroom experience" where they could meet on a weekly basis with a certificated teacher and other students who were learning at home. Other needs included: enrichment classes with guest teachers, organized group field trips, collaboration on curriculum and support from other families. What has evolved since 1995 is a unique blend of "Personalized Learning" (AKA, independent study or home school) and an alternative classroom program. Some parents describe it as "the best of both worlds" or, "part home school, part one-room school house." What has also evolved is a wonderful community of children, parents and teachers supporting each other on the life long journey of learning.
This program is designed for parents who desire to teach their children at home with the assistance of a certificated teacher, school resources and the support of other families. The parents are considered the child's most important teachers and they are the primary facilitators in the education of their children. The teacher acts as a guide, a mentor and a support. The parents and teacher work together to provide an individualized and personalized educational program for the student. each child. The home visit facilitates a more personalized and individualized approach to learning.
"This program has enough support so you don't feel alone and floundering. Yet, you have enough autonomy to really work with your child in whatever way is most suitable for your child. With this program you really have the best of both worlds. We like having a nice, safe place for our children to make lasting friendships with like-minded families." Linda Radford
"I feel this program is the perfect balance, allowing me to have control over my child's education yet providing accountability, guidance, resources, support and a classroom setting and classmates for my child." Jan Griffin
"Our home school curriculum is enhanced each week in a classroom atmosphere that allows the children to get together and work on projects that enhance what we are teaching at home. We firmly support alternative education and our Fall Creek program because it gives us the freedom to choose what is right for our child!" Pam Sanderson
"Our son has received a great deal of individual attention that would not exist in a larger classroom setting, enabling us to develop an individualized curriculum for him. The frequent school field trips also provide him with a very positive interaction with the community in which he lives." Kusum and John Tracy
Staff: Hillary Daniels, Education Specialist
This program is designed for students who desire an alternative to the traditional junior high program and for parents who look to personalize their teens education with the help of a classroom teacher and school resources. Parents are the primary facilitators in the education of their teenager and determine the degree to which the classroom teacher is involved. Students may be schooled at home 3-5 days per week and/or have an optional group classroom experience 2+ days per week. The optional classroom program includes; academic language arts, reading skills, foreign language curriculum, fine art, field trips, class projects and activities, organizational skills, homework, high school preparation and access to San Lorenzo Valley Junior High programs and student activities. This Junior High program ( designed as a school within a school )sits on the San Lorenzo Valley Junior High campus as well as sharing classroom resources, education specialists, and a variety of specialty and academic workshops at Coast Redwood School , just steps away from the central junior high campus. This junior high program embraces a Personalized Learning model of education, (aka: Independent Study, Home School and/or Distance Learning) which is founded upon principles that support parent-guided involvement, tailored and individualized learning development, flexible learning choices, technology access, and community-based learning within and beyond the classroom.
Staff: Kay Mendoza, Program Manager and Education Specialist; Katie Parmenter, Education Specialist; Hillary Daniels, Education Specialist, Eileen Jones, Resource Teacher, Debbie Sanders, Secretary.
This program is designed to provide quality education to 7-12 students of all abilities, diverse cultures and beliefs by building upon the unique, individual strengths of each student. Coast Redwood provides parent-driven educational opportunities in partnership with highly qualified, credentialed Educational Specialists. Each student has access to a comprehensive, broad array of learning choices and educational pathways which maximize individual learning potential and result in life-long learners who are productive and responsible citizens in their communities.
Coast Redwood School embraces a Personalized Learning model of education, (aka: Independent Study, home school and/or Distance Learning formats) which is founded upon principles that support parent-guided involvement, tailored and individualized learning development, flexible learning choices, technology access, and community-based learning within and beyond the classroom.
Coast Redwood School, sits off of the San Lorenzo Valley High School central campus. It is designed as a (school within a school), for parents who wish to implement a personalized learning program for their teens with the help of a classroom teacher and an extended menu of school resources. Parents are the primary facilitators in the education of their students and determine the degree to which the classroom teacher is involved. Students may be schooled at home 2-5 days per week with optional choices. These include: 3-4 days per week- multi-graded workshops to supplement independent study (home) contracts in combination with enrollment in a traditional class or two at the comprehensive high school; or a combination of independent study, classroom workshops and a course or two at a community college or ROP program. The options are endless!
The optional classroom/workshop program includes educational field trips, contracted services, and activities at the school site. Coast Redwood students have access to the San Lorenzo Valley High School sports programs, clubs, student activities, classes, library, technology and extra-curricular activities.
Coast Redwood offers students a school board approved high school diploma and encourages as well as supports students in their research of post high school options prior to graduation. In 2002, Coast Redwood High School was awarded with a High School Digital Grant. Today our technology comprises of state-of-the-art computers, software, digital cameras and more.
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