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Culinary Arts and Sustainable Agriculture Academy Venice High School Proposal Lead Teacher: Tina Gruen Unifying Vision/Identity

Venice High School is located in the midst of a thriving artistic and environmentally conscious community. We propose to establish a small learning community within the larger high school that provides a venue for students and teachers to collaborate with parents and community leaders towards the common goal of enriching educational opportunities for our youth. The Culinary Arts and Sustainable Agriculture Academy of Venice (CASAA Venice), provides a small thematic learning community with a rigorous and relevant curriculum that addresses the expressed needs of the existing Venice High School community. It responds to a grassroots need for programming in environmental science, food service, and hospitality related fields while utilizing existing local resources. CASAA Venice incorporates multiple learning styles and celebrates multiculturalism as it addresses the needs of a fully inclusive student population seeking greater relevance in their education. Our core philosophy adheres to the Principles of Ecology, which describe systems of connections between people and the natural environment. The vision is to create an “apprenticeship community that model(s) the practice of living sustainably” (Zenobia Barlow, Center for Ecoliteracy). The curriculum applies the key concepts of networks, nested systems, cycles, flows, dynamic balance, and development throughout core courses in science, social studies, English, mathematics, and foreign languages. Specialized courses in horticulture, hospitality, and global economics afford opportunities for application of the ecological principles.

CASAA Venice is committed to practices that demonstrate awareness of

how one’s personal health is inextricably linked with environmental health. Courses in nutrition teach the importance of healthy food choices for optimal physical and mental well being and to prevent disease. It is important for all students to learn to identify local and global renewable resources and understand sustainable farming and food production practices. Faculty will mentor students of all backgrounds and abilities to develop the skills to analyze issues and apply creative problem solving strategies to relevant worldwide current events.

Café CASAA will be the centerpiece of the SLC, wherein students will

have the opportunity to put academy philosophy into practice. Students will use organic foods harvested from the Venice High School Learning Garden to prepare nutritious, delicious meals for faculty, students, and community events. Café CASAA will have a fully functioning professionally equipped kitchen and café that will also serve as a classroom for students in culinary arts and food management courses. The café dining area will provide a focal point for all members of the Venice High School community to come together, share food,

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display visual art, experience performing art, conduct meetings and fundraising events, and cultivate a sense of pride in the collaborative effort of all stakeholders.

Current Venice HS students have expressed interest in such programs for

several years. The CASAA Venice Cooking Club was established in spring 2008 to determine student and community interest. It is a heterogeneous group with students of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Student response has been tremendous and staff, faculty, and community members are joining forces to support the endeavor. Club activities inform the development of class curriculum focused on developing literacy in ecological farming practices and economic food policies through rigorous academic study, community service, and collaboration with local businesses. These culturally responsive activities aim to increase student involvement in school activities, help close the achievement gap and thereby increase graduation rates.

CASAA Venice fulfills the pre-requisites necessary for students working towards enrollment in 4-year colleges and provides opportunities for students to obtain practical work experience in preparation for seeking employment in several sectors of the food service industry. We want to create an environment where students will be involved in cultivating and preparing healthy food, event planning and catering for students, faculty, families, and the extended community. CASAA students will advocate for ecological awareness through outreach programs, community service, and service learning projects. Students will develop literacy in ecological farming practices and economic food policies through rigorous academic study, community service, and collaboration with local businesses. The career and educational goals of CASAA Venice are as follows:

EDUCATIONAL GOALS: To prepare students to pursue their career goals; to enter a 4-year

college or university, to attend a 2-year college or vocational program, or to join the work force with marketable qualifications and experience.

To encourage healthy lifestyles in accordance with Healthy Kids 2010. To close the achievement gap by motivating at-risk students to pursue

high school graduation and post-secondary education. To increase student attendance rates through communication and

partnership with students’ families. To decrease the dropout rate for all students through careful monitoring

of student progress and mentoring students to strive for their individual goals.

CAREER GOALS: To educate students in ecological and sustainable principals of food

cultivation, preparation, nutrition and marketing, using rigorous and relevant curricula.

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To expose students to a variety of work experiences in the food industry, (i.e. restaurants, catering services, retail markets/farmer’s markets, environmental health and safety organizations, and farms)

To provide healthy, nutritious, multicultural foods to faculty, students,

parents, and other community members through food preparation and sales at the CASAA Café.

CASAA Venice extends the five Expected School-wide Learning Results

previously established by Venice High School. In addition to assuring incorporation of the Single School Plan and WASC accreditation recommendations, our academy will incorporate effective communication, critical thinking, problem solving, technological literacy, and social responsibility into our curriculum. Our ESLR’s are: Effective communicators who will be able to...

• read, comprehend, and interpret a variety of written materials. • produce writing that is clear, concise, and grammatically correct. • listen and comprehend oral language and respond appropriately. • use oral, visual, or performing modes of communication. • communicate within and across cultures

Critical Thinkers who will be able to:

• analyze and evaluate data to interpret cause and effect • develop and informed opinions by contrasting different sides of an issue • develop hypotheses, predict outcomes, and draw conclusions based on evidence • make connections among related concepts and apply them to other content areas, technology, and

the world of work

Problem Solvers who will be able to:

• demonstrate the ability to identify a problem, collect and analyze data, select from a variety of problem solving approaches, and formulate a solution(s)

• apply acquired skills and knowledge to solve new problems • determine and evaluate possible consequences of solution(s) • work on a team to solve problems and complete tasks

Technologically Literate Workers who will be able to...

• use computers to access information from a variety of print and electronic sources • use technology to collect, store, and analyze data in all disciplines • use technology to enhance communication

Socially Responsible Community Members who will be able to...

• develop skills in resolving conflicts through positive, non-violent means • volunteer in school and community to improve the quality of life • demonstrate tolerance and respect for others when working in diverse groups • promote healthy life choices for themselves and the environment • set appropriate and realistic personal, educational, and vocational goals

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One highly motivating aspect of the CASAA program is the incorporation and celebration of culinary traditions from around the world. Students and their families are encouraged to share their traditions with the school community in a spirit of openness, curiosity, and respect for each other’s culture.

The CASAA Venice faculty collaborate on lessons that are responsive to the students’ multiple learning styles and that celebrate their multicultural heritage. Thematic integrated curriculum addresses the needs of a fully inclusive student population seeking greater connection between school and career. The work-experience component of the program emphasizes career-based instruction, which prepares students with important pre-requisite job skills regarding safety procedures and California Occupational Safety and Health Association, (CAL-OSHA) requirements. We also seek to establish internships with local restaurants and the culinary school in Santa Monica.

Representatives from all stakeholder groups will participate in the development and monitoring of the CASAA Venice SLC. The following people are currently involved in the planning process.

Participant Title Group Responsibilities

Vis

ion

Cur

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um

Faci

litie

s

Bud

get

Rec

ruitm

ent

Marianne Brown Master Gardener, Volunteer x x James DeBiase Special Education Dept. Chair x x Tina Gruen RSP Teacher/Coordinator x x x x x Nina Hammerstein RSP Teacher x x Jay Hoffstein English Teacher x x Shayna Kay Student x x Gertrud Kruchen Foreign Language/German Teacher x x Terrie Lavery Special Education Aide x Henry Lazo Title 1 Coordinator x x x x Soni Lloyd Social Studies Teacher x x Paula Lovelace Special Education Aide x Maria Lozano Julie Mann Community Activist x Rosa Martinez Counselor x x Nancy Mills Master Gardener, Volunteer x x Linda Moakes Substitute, Community Member x Marivel Ocampo Foreign Language/Spanish Teacher x x Fernando Orduna Community Based Instruction Teacher x x Jair Pelaez Special Education Aide x Diane Pollock Regional Occupation Program Teacher x x x Bernadette Reyes Counselor x x Tory Toyama Science Teacher x x

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California School of Culinary Arts 521 East Green Street Pasadena, CA 91101, US

Contact Us Chef Eric's Culinary Classroom 2366 Pelham Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90064, US (310) 470-2640 Fax: (310) 470-2642

www.culinaryclassroom.com/?|?cheferic@culinaryclassroom.com Los Angeles Trade - Technical College 400 W. Washington Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90015, US (213) 763-7000

wellness.lattc.edu/culinary/culinary.html?|?sandicac@trade.laccd.edu Sur La Table- Los Angeles Farmer's Market, Culinary Program 6333 W. Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90036, US (323) 954-9190 Fax: (323) 954-9587

www.surlatable.com/stores/StoreDetails.cfm?StoreNumber=27&mode=culinary UCLA Extension, Hospitality Management 10995 Le Conte Ave. Room 515 Los Angeles, CA 90024-0901, US (818) 784-7006 Fax: (310) 206-7249

www.uclaextension.edu/unex/courseListings/course_display/CourseDetails.cfm?course_title=Introduction%20to%20the%20%3C%5Cn%3EHospitality%20Industry%20%28EI%29&course_number=X%20491%2E001&CatQuarter=Fall&CatYear

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=2003&category=TitleAndDescription&CFID=6113884&CFTOKEN=271?|?mailto:enroll@uclaextension.edu

Venice Senior High School is in a neighborhood where there is a clearly established need and desire for local, organic food. We are fortunate to enjoy a student body of diverse cultural backgrounds and view our member families as an invaluable resource of knowledge and experience. Parents hold important positions in planning, recruiting and implementing our programs. We are ideally located to provide organically grown produce to our Venice community, in particular, at our local Farmers Market. We plan to work collaboratively in partnerships with local restaurants, retail markets and Farmers’ Markets as resources for our food ingredients and equipment. Eventually, we plan to market and sell our food products through them. Internships with local businesses will be a crucial part of the junior and senior year elective sequence in hospitality and business management. Several local post-secondary institutions provide concurrent and/or dual enrollment opportunities for students in CASAA Venice.

CASAA Venice counselors, faculty, students, parents and other community partners will participate in outreach programs connected to surrounding community colleges and vocational schools. We plan to promote the program in feeder middle schools to solicit interest from students transitioning to high school. Seniors and some juniors will act as emissaries to local feeder middle schools and lead groups of prospective students and families during orientations scheduled between January and March. These upper-classmen will explain the variety of CASAA programs and associated clubs, while clarifying that student selection of a specific course of study need not be made until the end of freshman year.

Additional marketing strategies will include but not be limited to: distributing flyers at feeder middle schools Venice High School counselors informing incoming 9th graders and

continuing 10th graders about all CASAA program options CASAA Venice students will cater school and community events CASAA Venice will sponsor a fundraiser at least once per year to

publicize the program “Taste of Venice Night” for the community. Having a “certificate like” display on the door or wall in local partner

restaurants stating local vegetables are grown at Venice HS.

CASAA Venice will establish a board of directors to conduct monthly professional development meetings. The board will consist of VHS personnel, CASAA Administrator, CASAA students, parents and involved community members.

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Coordinator (Grant Supervision/Monitoring/Internships) _________________ Lead Teacher (Curriculum) _________________ Food Manager (Food Purchase & Equipment Maintenance__________________ Fundraising Coordinator (Planning & Advertising) _________________ Treasurer (Money Management) _________________ Counselor (Programming and Graduation Tracking) _________________ Community Member (PTSA Representative) _________________ 2 Student Representatives _________________ Parent Advisory _________________

The meetings will provide a forum for shareholders to evaluate, renew, and revise the vision, goals, objectives, and curriculum of the program. We will make decisions related to budget, student conduct, behavior, facilities, master schedule, student programming and community safety. Participants will acknowledge successes and address challenges of the program.

Tina Gruen, RST, is identified as the Lead Teacher/Administrator for the

CASAA Venice SLC. Additional faculty members are drawn from the pool of teachers who express interest and are available for close collaboration with each other. All faculty members with ideas regarding programming and course curricula are welcome. One of the goals of CASAA Venice is to provide a service to the entire school. We will accomplish this in collaboration with other SLCs by catering numerous school spirit and community outreach events, providing a venue for visual and performing arts productions, and offering catering services to students and faculty. CASAA Venice faculty will meet once per week during a common conference period to plan thematic instruction across the curriculum.

District guidelines and precedents established by successful service learning

programs and vocational training programs will inform curriculum planning that addresses all A-G high school graduation requirements. Members of the CASAA Venice SLC will network with general education teachers, counselors, District Occupational Training Services (DOTS) personnel, and Regional Occupational Program (ROP) personnel at Venice High School to identify current services that can be accommodated to address the needs of students in CASAA. During the spring articulation at our feeder middle schools, counselors and CASAA teachers will present information regarding CASAA and provide opportunities for students and parents to ask questions about the academy.

Initially, a heterogeneous grouping of 50-60 10th graders will be recruited from the CASAA Venice Cooking Club. They will enroll in Career Technical Education from the CASAA elective list. In the second year, 50-60 students may be enrolled as 9th graders. Ideally, 9th grade class size would not exceed 24 students, so students can be given increased individualized instruction and counseling as to their career path. 9th graders will be exposed to all aspects of

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the CASAA Venice curriculum, including nutrition, food production, food preparation, and the economics of agribusiness, through specialized core courses in Health, Integrated Science, Life Skills, and English. As the program matures, we hope to accommodate 90-120 students at each grade level, for a total of 360-400 students.

CASAA students will be required to enroll in a minimum of 4 CASAA classes per semester as follows: 9th grade: English 9, Algebra 1 or Geometry, Science, Life Skills/Health 10th grade: English 10, Geometry or Algebra 2, World History,

Biology or Horticulture or Culinary Arts 11th grade: Contemporary Composition/Modern Literature, US History,

Sustainable Agriculture or Nutritional Analysis, ROP 12th grade: Expository Composition/World Literature, Government/Economics, Food Service Management, ROP

The program will use the full inclusion model to address the needs of

students in special education programs, including resource and special day programs, as well as general education. Students will be counseled regarding their career options upon entering the program. Their progress will be reviewed at least every year. Student centered learning in a collaborative environment will be encouraged. Some of the main goals will be to achieve mastery in a specific area related to core academic curriculum and Individual Transition Plan goals, relate skills developed at school with practical skills needed for productive work in the community and to increase self-esteem and self-determination.

CASAA Venice offers students different course sequences. One would prepare students to enter a 4-Year College or University; one would prepare students to enter a 2-Year College; One would prepare students to enter the work force after high school graduation. We will collaborate with local skills centers, Alternative Work and Education Centers (AWEC), community colleges and universities through dual or concurrent enrollment in programs related to culinary arts and sustainable agriculture.

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CASAA Course Sequence – 4-Year College or University

GRADE 9 GRADE 10 GRADE 11 GRADE 12

COURSE FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING English (CASAA)

English 9A English 9B English 10A English 10B Contemporary Composition

American Literature

Expository Composition AP English Lit

World Literature AP English Lit

Foreign Language

Foreign Language 1A

Foreign Language 1B

Foreign Language 2A

Foreign Language 2B

Foreign Language 3A

Foreign Language 3B

*Foreign Language 4A AP Language

*Foreign Language 4B AP Language

Math

Algebra 1A

Algebra 1B

Geometry A Geometry B Algebra 2A Algebra 2B *Trigonometry /Calculus A AP Statistics A

*M Analysis /Calculus B AP Statistics B

Science (CASAA)

Integrated Science A

Integrated Science B

Biology A Biology B *Chemistry A /Physics A /Physiology A AP Bio or Chem

*Chemistry B /Physics B /Physiology B C or Chem

*Chemistry A /Physics A AP Physics

*Chemistry B /Physics B AP Physics

Life Skills (CASAA)

Life Skills /Health

Life Skills /Health

Social Studies (CASAA)

World History A

World History B

US History A US History B Government AP Government

Economics H Economics

Physical Education

PE PE PE PE

Visual / Performing Arts

Visual /Performing Art

Visual /Performing Art

Elective (CASAA)

*Horticulture A

*Horticulture B

* Sustainable AgricultureA

*Sustainable AgricultureB

* ROP Landscaping

* ROP Landscaping

Elective (CASAA)

* Culinary Arts 1A

* Culinary Arts 1B

*Nutritional Analysis A

*Nutritional Analysis B

* ROP Catering * ROP Catering

Elective (CASAA)

* ROP Restaurant A

* ROP Restaurant B

Food Service ManagementA

Food Service ManagementB

Elective (CASAA)

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CASAA Course Sequence – 2-Year College

GRADE 9 GRADE 10 GRADE 11 GRADE 12 COURSE FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING

English (CASAA)

English 9A English 9B English 10A English 10B Contemporary Composition

American Literature

Expository Composition

World Literature

Foreign Language

Foreign Language 1A

Foreign Language 1B

Foreign Language 2A

Foreign Language 2B

Foreign Language 3A

Foreign Language 3B

*Foreign Language 4A

*Foreign Language 4B

Math

Algebra 1A Algebra 1B Geometry A Geometry B Algebra 2A Algebra 2B *Calculus A *Calculus B

Science (CASAA)

Integrated Science A

Integrated Science B

Biology A Biology B Chemistry A /Physics A

Chemistry B /Physics B

Chemistry A /Physics A

Chemistry B /Physics B

Life Skills (CASAA)

Life Skills /Health

Life Skills /Health

Social Studies (CASAA)

World History A

World History B

US History A US History B Government Economics

Physical Education

PE PE PE PE

Visual / Performing Arts

Visual /Performing Art

Visual /Performing Art

Elective (CASAA)

*Horticulture A *Horticulture B * Sustainable AgricultureA

*Sustainable Agriculture B

* ROP Landscaping

* ROP Landscaping

Elective (CASAA)

* Culinary Arts 1A

* Culinary Arts 1B

*Nutritional Analysis A

*Nutritional Analysis B

* ROP Catering * ROP Catering

Elective (CASAA)

* ROP Restaurant A

* ROP Restaurant B

Food Service ManagementA

Food Service ManagementB

Elective (CASAA)

*Study Skills

*Study Skills

*Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills

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CASAA Course Sequence – School to Work

GRADE 9 GRADE 10 GRADE 11 GRADE 12 COURSE FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING FALL SPRING

English (CASAA)

English 9A English 9B English 10A English 10B Contemporary Composition

American Literature

Expository Composition

World Literature

Foreign Language

Foreign Language 1A

Foreign Language 1B

Foreign Language 2A

Foreign Language 2B

Math

Algebra 1A Algebra 1B Geometry A Geometry B

Science (CASAA)

Integrated Science A

Integrated Science B

Biology A Biology B

Life Skills (CASAA)

Life Skills /Health

Life Skills /Health

Social Studies (CASAA)

World History A

World History B

US History A US History B Government Economics

Physical Education

PE PE PE PE

Visual / Performing Arts

Visual /Performing Art

Visual /Performing Art

Elective (CASAA)

*Horticulture A *Horticulture B * Sustainable AgricultureA

*Sustainable Agriculture B

* ROP Landscaping

* ROP Landscaping

Elective (CASAA)

* Culinary Arts 1A

* Culinary Arts 1B

*Nutritional Analysis A

*Nutritional Analysis B

* ROP Catering * ROP Catering

Elective (CASAA)

* ROP Restaurant A

* ROP Restaurant B

Food Service ManagementA

Food Service ManagementB

Elective (CASAA)

*Study Skills

*Study Skills

*Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills *Study Skills

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Full implementation of CASAA Venice requires a significant investment in

facilities improvement. The Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California, provides a blueprint for a school kitchen that is fully integrated with an organic garden and every aspect of thematic learning at all grade levels. The program for CASAA Venice requires the following spaces:

• kitchen • indoor dining/meeting area • 2: offices (food manager, academic/event coordinator) • 2: bathrooms • Outdoor patio/stage/meeting area • Service counter • storage

Food service should be accessible from an exterior terrace that serves both the daily café and special events in the auditorium. Multi-level exterior seating areas should be designed to accommodate dining during nutrition and lunch, small assemblies, performance art, and fundraising events. Ramps will provide for handicap access, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 2005. Current facilities cannot accommodate these functions without extensive and cost prohibitive remodeling. Accessibility is an important factor to consider in finding an appropriate site within the campus. It is necessary for the café to be central to all school personnel, students, and community members, including people with disabilities. The kitchen must also be easily accessible for loading and unloading of food supplies and equipment. For this reason, the CASAA Venice design team would like to site the project near the auditorium at the front of the school. This central location will create a focal point for the entire community. It will help to establish a renewed pride of place as the hearth and heart of Venice Senior High School. School-based members of the project development team will collaborate with Architects for Achievement, and local architects, designers, and landscape designers, in order to develop design options for the Café CASAA facility. Personalization

CASAA Venice aims to foster a spirit of openness and appreciation of a

diverse student body. CASAA students will become literate in a variety of ecological practices employed by traditional communities throughout the world, and research modern strategies for recreating a sustainable balance of food production and consumption. Student will become role models for practicing healthful nutrition habits and advocates for eco-literacy at Venice HS and the larger community. The recruitment of community members and parents through

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advertising, email, school mail, student publications, and parent center meetings will be utilized to increase involvement and awareness amongst all stakeholders.

CASAA students will assume leadership roles within their SLC and within Venice HS as a whole. Students will have multiple opportunities to participate in school spirit activities and community outreach programs. They will develop a sense of pride and accomplishment as they are nurtured through a mentorship relationship with faculty and professionals who support them academically, personally and socially. All students will complete a post secondary plan in their senior year, with guidance from teachers, counselors and other mentors. Students in CASAA will participate in an orientation prior to their first day at school, wherein seniors introduce them to the Learning Garden, the CASAA House, and associated classrooms. Core teachers will lead some activities to help students prepare for the new program. Freshmen will be paired with a senior or junior student mentor and a faculty advisor, in addition to the CASAA school counselor. These mentor relationships will provide a basis for new students to develop a sense of belonging in a cooperative learning environment. Students will be assigned a counselor/advisor who is familiar with the CASAA program and who participates in at least 1 collaborative planning meeting per month with the CASAA faculty.

Students enrolled in CASAA are expected to adhere to all Venice HS policies regarding behavior and discipline and to show respect towards all students, staff, and consultants at all times. They will be instructed in self-advocacy and conflict resolution as part of the required Life Skills course for 9th grade. These skills will help ensure that each student begins to develop the ability to express their needs and concerns in a constructive manner. Research shows that people with positive self-esteem show more tolerance of people with different points of view. We plan to have one primary CASAA counselor. The counselor will assist in recruiting new 9th grade students from local middle schools, advise current students regarding appropriate courses for graduation requirements, advise students regarding ROP and other work experience opportunities/requirements, and monitor students’ successful progress through their coursework at each grade level. The counselor will work in collaboration with the faculty and a Resource Specialist on an ongoing basis to identify students with special needs and other students at risk. Special attention will be made to intervene as needed in the week prior and the first week of each new semester.

CASAA students will be required to select an emphasis of study by the

beginning of their junior year. They will consult with their school counselor, mentor teacher, and other professionals involved in their studies, in order to assist them in their decision. In so doing, they will develop the ability to evaluate

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their individual skill level, seek support from authority figures, and make informed decisions regarding their short- and long-term goals. Such skills will be vital as they pursue their careers, either in higher education or in the work force. CASAA Venice faculty will employ multi-disciplinary teaching strategies based on diverse learning styles. Instruction will incorporate hands-on experiential learning which activate students multiple intelligence. Students will participate in periodic assessments and be provided opportunities for appropriate interventions. English Language Development support will be given as needed. Students with special needs, students with ELL status, and those with 504 plans, will be fully included in the academy in the general education classrooms. A resource specialist teacher (RST) will be assigned to collaborate with the teaching cohort in developing curriculum, accommodations, and modifications that are integrated with the general education curriculum. The RST will also monitor a Resource Learning Center, which offers Developmental Reading/Mathematics courses for students identified as eligible for support from special education. Students from the Community-Based Instruction (CBI) program will participate in many aspects of the food service curriculum expanding on their current off campus exploratory work experience programs. All students will have multiple opportunities to participate in after school programs such as CASAA Venice Cooking Club, internships, fundraising and other promotional activities. Academically challenged students will have several opportunities for additional support in their academic coursework. The program is designed to accommodate students with multiple learning styles, as per Howard Gardener’s theories of multiple intelligences. Classes in culinary arts, landscape design, and horticulture will provide hands-on learning experiences that correlate with the District grade level curriculum in science, biology, and technical arts electives. Students with identified disabilities that make them eligible for special education services may enroll in a study skills elective to obtain additional individualized pre-teaching and re-teaching of key vocabulary and concepts.

CASAA students will participate in bi-annual conferences, along with their parents, to discuss student progress and individual needs. Students who do not earn sufficient credits to promote to the next grade will be counseled to enroll in summer school and/or a study skills elective during the regular school year. Every attempt will be made to keep the student in grade level classes with their cohort; however, if the student does not prerequisite skills to take a class, they will be included in the class appropriate to their achievement level. We will use the district norm tables to ensure adherence to district class size levels. Classes can accommodate up to 10% additional students, (no more than 30 total), who may be retaking the class due to insufficient grades.

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CASAA Venice faculty and students will maintain a website CASSAVenice.org. It will include monthly updates regarding student activities, board meetings and special events. It will include all faculty, staff, and students in the program, in order to facilitate communication between all stakeholders. Equity and Access

CASAA Venice is open to students of all cultural, socio-economic, and academic backgrounds. CASAA Venice will tailor its instruction to accommodate EL, SEL, SPED, and GATE students along with the general education population so every student will have access to the educational opportunities they are entitled to. These students will be grouped heterogeneously to support their personal and academic development. Faculty will be recruited from a pool of highly qualified, credentialed, experienced staff members who are committed to the CASAA vision. The academy offers on-going training through professional development to increase awareness of different student subgroups that may require differentiated learning styles. CASAA faculty and parents will foster and increased communication amongst all students as a way of providing educational access to A-G required courses offered school wide. Parent participation in IEPs for special education students will continue to include parent input into academic decision making. In addition, all parents will be encouraged to be involved in School Based Management, PTSA, and the Parent Center. At Venice High School, current records for the 2006-07 school year indicate student attendance at 86.59%. We are especially concerned about 9th grade student attendance, as excessive absences, truancies, and tardies correlate with increased risk of student drop out, especially in 9th grade. When interviewed by the school PSA, many at-risk students report that they lack the motivation to attend school because they fail to see the connection between what they are required to study and “real life.” After years of failure in the academic setting with increased in interventions in reading and math, many students develop lower self esteem and negative attitudes towards the school environment. The CASAA aims to provide these students with opportunities to be successful using strengths and skills they may not access in the typical high school classroom. These positive experiences will provide the basis for increased student involvement in school and therefore increased exposure to the core curriculum. Typically, at-risk students are accommodated through a variety of direct and indirect academic interventions such as DRW, individual student/teacher conferences, after-school tutoring programs such as Homework Haven or Xinachtli, counseling services through the Multi-Agency At-Risk Student Task

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Force (MAARSTF). Consequences for poor attendance have been detention in the Dean’s office, phone calls home to notify parents, and possible legal ramifications if students receive a ticket for truancy and parents are required to pay a fine. Students who receive truancy tickets may participate in a Truancy Reduction Intervention and Prevention Program, (TRIP), in order to reduce their fines. Of the students who participate in TRIP, approximately 75-80% do not receive additional truancy tickets in the following year. CASAA Venice course schedule supports access for student’s participation and enrollment in Advanced Placement and/or honors classes available to all Venice high school students, as well as specialized courses in culinary arts, horticulture and environmental science. The CASAA Venice counselor will program individuals into courses relevant to student interest and academic goals prior to the start of each academic year. Those plans will be re-evaluated at the end of the fall semester to ensure that students are progressing as planned. Adjustments and/or accommodations will be made in conference with students and their parents, as necessary. CASAA Venice courses provide culturally relevant and linguistically responsive teaching in support of all students. General Education teachers, in collaboration with a Resource Specialist, provide direct response and services to accommodations listed in students IEPs and 504 plans. In addition, services for EL and SEL students will be employed to increase their achievement. For example, IEP and ITP accommodations will be revised to address student’s academic and career goals. The academy will offer courses which satisfy A-G requirements and electives. Students in CASAA programs may collaborate with students in other programs, such as graphic arts classes, to produce multi-colored menus for academy student’s projects. Elective courses will foster integration of students in RSP, SDP, MR and CBI into our academy program. A “Bridge” program will be developed between CASAA Venice and skill centers, adult education programs, and or community colleges with successful culinary arts programs. This program will be created to provide guest speakers, internships or job shadowing experiences for students with special needs or languages differences.

Café CASAA, and its associated classrooms, including the teaching kitchen, will provide the focal point for the SLC. Ideally, it will be situated in a location with close access to the performing arts building, administrative offices, and the Learning Garden. All buildings will meet or exceed current building and safety codes used by the district with regard to earthquake safety and accessibility for people with disabilities.

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Parent/Community Collaboration Parents and members of the larger Venice community play a vital role in the establishment and oversight of CASAA Venice. Parents of the students currently participating in the CASAA Venice Cooking Club will be involved in all aspects of the process for the SLC. In addition, parents and community members of former or future students will offer their expertise in the development of curriculum, internship programs, community service opportunities and oversight. Parents will have opportunities to serve on the Advisory Committee, which will meet on a monthly basis. The meetings will be open to all interested members of the community and will publish minutes of the meetings on the CASAA Venice Website. Additional opportunities for collaboration include parent/teacher conferencing or volunteering to assist in the kitchen or garden. CASAA will establish a website (CASAAVenice.org) to provide ready access to the program event calendar, class updates, and other important information for students, parents and interested community members. In addition, we will send email updates and mailed notices as appropriate. We will also hold events (luncheons) where prospective CASAA parents meet and dialogue with current parents. Students will also serve on the Advisory Board, the Student Advisory Council, and other special committees as a way of participating in general decision making and instructional decisions. CASAA will foster community partnerships with The Learning Garden, Santa Monica College, UCLA, YoSan TCM University, Pomona College (sustainable living students), CAA, Architects for Achievement, local Venice restaurants and chefs, food banks, culinary schools, landscapers and farmers markets. Individuals from these businesses/programs also serve on the Advisory Committee and special committees as a way of contributing in the decision making process. To assist future CASAA student’s and parent’s transition into our program, CASAA will conduct an “Intro Week” during the summer at the Learning Garden. The intent will be to expose students to horticulture, food preparation, nutrition and sustainable living practices. In addition, current and future CASAA students and their parents will have the opportunity to meet and establish relationships with each other.

Special events for CASAA parents and students will be held twice a year. Students will have the opportunity to utilize their acquired skills, prepare food for the activities and showcase the talents they have developed across all disciplines. These activities will also provide an avenue to communicate with parents regarding student progress and give parents opportunities to ask questions and insure they have input in their child’s educational options. Preparation for these events also allows the CASAA faculty to review student work and progress based on a common set of rubrics, and to re-evaluate student educational and career goals, as needed.

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Distributed Leadership and Accountability

An SLC/Academy Leadership Team, which will consist of students, parents, teachers, support staff, administrators, and community members, will be established. Their role is to oversee the running of the SLC’s/Academies at the Venice HS campus and handle disputes. They will operate in concert with School Site Council and School Based Management to enable the school to function as a collaborative unit. CASAA Venice employs a leadership plan that involves all stakeholders through individual responsibilities and collective accountability. Students, parents, and all associated staff members will gather at the beginning of every school year to review the CASAA vision and commit to a common set of expectations for behavior and learning outcomes.

There will be an administrator who is assigned to work with the CASAA SLC as one of their duties. They will work with the lead teacher, counselor and resource specialist teacher to assist academy teachers help develop a focus and direction for the academy as we implement the 7 attributes. When CASAA is in full operation, serving 400-500 students, it may be necessary to have a full time administrator or director to coordinate all aspects of academic programming, ROP and internship opportunities, transferable credits from community college and vocational school courses, community involvement and outreach events, CASAA Café and catering services.

Our principal will provide guidance and information and will collaborate with academy teachers as needed. In addition, she will provide support to academies and will encourage and direct administrators to be involved with the academy they select.

CASAA faculty must share in the vision that what makes this program relevant and vital for the students also invigorates their personal teaching practice. Participating teachers accept the responsibility for developing fully integrated curriculum for all core subjects that goes beyond rote textbook memorization. They will be motivated by student enthusiasm for school participation, as seen in the CASAA Venice Cooking Club after school program. They may also dine on the healthy and delicious lunch menus from Café CASAA. All CASAA staff will participate in the weekly common conference period. The Venice High School principal or representative will participate in these meetings on at least a monthly basis.

Teachers will be recruited through self-selection during regular professional development meetings conducted among the entire Venice High

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School staff, beginning in fall 2007. They must show a willingness to participate actively in all levels of planning and program development, and commit to ongoing professional development and collaboration once the CASAA begins instruction. The following teachers will be needed: English History/Social Science Science Math Horticulture Culinary Arts Resource Specialist If more than one teacher applies in a given subject, they will need to write a letter of intent describing their understanding of the CASAA mission statement and detailing what they have to offer to the academy. These letters will be reviewed by a committee composed of the school principal, UTLA union representative, CASAA director/coordinator, and other CASAA faculty.

CASAA Venice will utilize several services provided to the Venice High School as a whole. Attendance, including PSA services, will be provided by existing staff, to ensure conformity with the school wide ISIS system. Data generation and management, including grading and demographic analysis of student progress, will be handled by Assistant Principals and other school personnel who service the larger school. If possible, a secretary may be designated for CASAA, similar to the secretary assigned to the existing Language Magnet.

A resource specialist teacher should be assigned to the CASAA in order to teach the necessary study skills classes for struggling learners and to manage the cases of all resource students enrolled in the academy. The CASAA RST may also act as a liaison to case carrier for any students from SDP, MR, and CBI programs. Rigorous Standard-Based Instruction and Assessment

CASAA teachers will construct their curriculum using the California State Standards. Class sequences aimed at 4 year universities, 2 year colleges, and school to work, all align to the district graduation and university admission (A-G) requirements. Instruction addresses the school wide ESLR’s. Teachers are committed to addressing the 6 core principles of ecology, as framed by the Center for Ecoliteracy. The 6 core concepts are as follows:

1. Networks: intricate systems of relationships that show the interconnection between all members of an ecological community

2. Nested Systems: multi-leveled structures wherein systems have individual integrity and are part of a larger whole

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3. Cycles: interactions among members of living ecological communities that involve the cyclical exchange of energy and resources

4. Flows: interactions within open systems that involve the continual flow of energy and resources to stay alive

5. Dynamic Balance: feedback loops that help ecological communities regulate and organize themselves, characterized by continual fluctuations

6. Development: change over time, manifest as learning at the individual level and as evolution at the species level

CASAA teachers will utilize best practices throughout the curriculum,

including multi-modal teaching strategies, modeling expected behavior and performance outcomes, providing clear criteria and rubrics for evaluating student work, and collaborating on curriculum across all disciplines during regular faculty professional development meetings.

CASAA curriculum addresses all four quadrants of the Rigor/Relevance Framework, i.e. Acquisition, Application, Assimilation, and Adaptation of knowledge and skills. As described by the International Center for Leadership in Education, this framework combines elements of a Knowledge Taxonomy, related to Bloom’s Taxonomy, and an Application Model for taking action using acquired knowledge. It accommodates many hands-on experiences and project-based assignments such as cultivating organic produce in the Learning Garden, planning and preparing nutritious meals in the CASAA kitchen, and hosting events at Café CASAA. These activities fully integrate learning across the curriculum and exemplify mastery of content that meets or exceeds state content and performance standards.

All students will develop a deeper understanding of how ecological principles impact their lives as individuals and members of the larger society. Education in a CASAA classroom will be student-centered. Teachers will facilitate active student participation in all aspects of the learning process, and provide ongoing feedback on student progress and achievement which address the needs of EL, SEL, SPED and GATE students. All classrooms will provided a supportive environment with collaborative group learning experiences as well as opportunities for individuals to excel on differentiated multidimensional projects. Existing core classes that will remain the same as courses in the regular school are:

1. Computer Technology 2. Language 3. Physical Education 4. Visual/Performance Art

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All other courses will be taught under the supervision of CASAA faculty, with integrated thematic teachings based on the six ecological principles outlined in “Rethinking School Lunch”, by the Center for Ecoliteracy. CASAA will continue to program students into DRW classes for all students who are eligible for that support, as required by District policy. Staff will participate in regular professional development meetings to review and revise curriculum, to be responsive to the needs, interests, and assets of the students and the larger Venice High School community.

CASAA faculty will have regularly scheduled common planning time as follows:

All teachers will have the same conference period. Once per week, all teachers will meet in the CASAA faculty house to

share successes and challenges, plan upcoming thematic curriculum including field trips, fundraisers, community outreach events and menus.

CASAA teachers will review individual student progress or concerns as needed.

Professional Development

Currently, Venice has two professional development days per month which occur on the first and third Tuesday. CASAA Venice proposes to use one of those days to meet as an Academy/SLC. Those professional development days will be open to all stakeholders and will provide a forum for collaborating on issues involving students, curriculum, events and evaluation of assessment results that inform future planning.

Possible topics to be discussed are as follows: • Integrated thematic curriculum that adheres to California Content

Standards and the core Principles of Ecology while taking advantage of the unique resources at CASAA Venice, including the Learning Garden and CASAA Cafe.

• Engaging at-risk youth in high interest school programs to increase their participation and sense of belonging in the CASAA Community.

• Event planning that involves students at the organizational level while accessing support from teachers, parents, restaurants, and other community members.

• Participation in district, state, and national conferences with groups at the forefront of educating youth in sustainable practices that impact our environment and our economy (i.e.: Center for Ecoliteracy, Bionners).

• Outreach to community partners, such as The Learning Garden, Santa Monica College, UCLA, YoSan TCM University, Pomona College, Creative Artists Agency(CAA), Architects for Achievement, Venice restaurateurs and chefs, food banks, culinary schools, landscapers and farmers, will be invited to attend professional development sessions as a

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way of contributing in the instructional process regarding internships and post secondary employment.

Our academy will offer on-going training through professional development to

increase awareness of different student subgroups which may require differentiated learning styles. CASAA teachers will share strategies that incorporate best practices throughout the curriculum, including multi-modal teaching strategies, modeling expected behavior and performance outcomes, providing clear criteria and rubrics for evaluating student work, collaborating on curriculum across all disciplines.

In addition, CASAA Venice faculty will use professional development time to collaborate on lessons that are responsive to the students’ multiple learning styles and that celebrate their multicultural heritage. Thematic integrated curriculum that is culturally relevant and linguistically responsive will be developed to address the needs of a fully inclusive student population seeking greater connection between school and career. Professional development days may also be used for the resource specialist teacher (RST) to collaborate with the teaching cohort in developing curriculum, accommodations, and modifications that are integrated with the general education curriculum. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and address concerns regarding heir student’s specific learning style.