Chatsworth Hills Academy
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| Chatsworth Hills Academy | |
| The School at the Top of the Hill | |
| Established | 1977 |
| School type | Independent, Private, Coeducational |
| Religious affiliation | none |
| Administration | Graham Brown, Head of School Lori Dver, Head of Middle School Christina Simonds, Head of Lower School Elaine Rosenfield, Head of Early Childhood |
| Location | Chatsworth, CA, USA |
| Campus | Suburban, 13 acres |
| Enrollment | approximately 280 |
| Faculty | approximately 33 |
| Average class size | 15 students |
| Student:teacher ratio |
8.5:1 |
| Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
| Mascot | CHA Golden Eagles |
| Homepage | www.chaschool.org |
Chatsworth Hills Academy (CHA) is a private, coeducational day school located in Chatsworth, California, USA. CHA students are enrolled in Grades K through Eight and Preschool.
CHA is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). CHA is a member of National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
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[edit] Mission
CHA's Mission Statement as set forth in the school's materials:
Chatsworth Hills Academy's mission is to fulfill each child's intellectual, social and physical potential in a positive, supportive environment. The academic college preparatory curriculum promotes critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving skills. With an emphasis on character building, Chatsworth Hills Academy prepares its students to be responsible and contributing members of a global society.
[edit] Philosophy
Focusing on the whole child, Chatsworth Hills Academy considers itself a college preparatory school established in the liberal arts tradition. Committed to selective enrollment in Early Childhood (ages 2 1/2 - 5) through Grade 8, the total number of students is limited to permit the full involvement of each girl and boy in all CHA programs.
CHA employs a spiral curriculum which continually introduces new material while simultaneously reinforcing previous skills and content. The Early Childhood and the Lower School (Grades 1 through 4) programs focus on integrating all subjects, creating a comprehensive and expansive educational experience. Students in the Middle School (Grades 5 through 8) focus on both skills and content presented throughout the major departments of a liberal arts and college preparatory program including English, mathematics, history, science, modern language, and the visual and performing arts.
Through CHA's character education program values are identified and practiced throughout the close-knit and supportive Early Childhood through Grade 8 community. Each eighth grade student is prepared for successful admission to selective secondary schools and later to similar level colleges and universities.
[edit] History
Led by Liz Stillwell Shapiro, Chatsworth Hills Academy was founded in 1977. The school's present site was secured, and parents volunteered their time in their areas of expertise to clear the land, pour concrete, install buildings, run wiring, develop curriculum, buy books, and hire instructors. The Chatsworth campus opened in the fall of 1978 with grades 4-8, and a second site in Van Nuys held grades 1-3. The school was originally named the Neighborhood School and organized as a non-profit, public benefit corporation. In 1980, the Van Nuys location was closed, and students in grades 1-3 were moved to the Chatsworth campus and the ninth grade was added. In 1981, the name of the school was changed to Chatsworth Hills Academy, and it continued to prosper under the direction of Ms. Shapiro and a proactive Board of Trustees. Towards the end of the '80s, enrollment at the middle school level decreased, grades 7-9 were eliminated, and Chatsworth Hills Academy became Preschool through grade 6 from 1988-1996. By 1998, middle school enrollment had surged and grades 7 and 8 were returned permanently to the School.
Chatsworth Hills Academy has evolved over the years and is no longer a "parent-run" co-op school. The Board of Trustees is comprised of fourteen current and former parents and, with the Head of School, continues to strategically plan for the future of Chatsworth Hills Academy. A summer camp for students Preschool through 8th grade was inaugurated in June of 2000 and has become a very successful addition to CHA. Since 1977, Chatsworth Hills Academy has grown into a premier college preparatory school for girls and boys in Early Childhood through grade 8. Graduates are prepared for admission to very selective secondary schools and later matriculate into colleges and universities of similar reputation.
[edit] Character Education
Character Education is an essential aspect of an independent school education and a special focus of Chatsworth Hills Academy.
CHA's philosophy is to stimulate and inspire the intellectual, emotional and ethical development of each child through a rigorous college preparatory academic program that integrates character education, community service, athletics and the arts. The Core Values of CHA set the direction and standard of this growth by giving an ethical compass and purpose to education. During classes and advisor / teacher meetings, these core values and the issues that pertain to them are discussed and explored. Core Values are also modeled by Faculty and all other CHA employees. CHA's Character Education program addresses six Core Values:
- Integrity: consistency in thought and adherence in action to principles of truth, honesty, trustworthiness and sincerity.
- Responsibility: acting in accordance with what is right in the absence of authority, and being accountable for one's behavior to one's self and to others.
- Learning: establishing a foundation of knowledge and skills that enable higher cognitive processes.
- Respect: acting with fairness, courtesy and sensitivity to others and the community.
- Kindness: acting with consideration, compassion and empathy for others.
- Courage: internal strength enabling one to act, venture or persevere in the face of difficulty.
[edit] Athletic Program
In addition to CHA's physical education program, Chatsworth Hills Academy participates in a full range of interscholastic athletics as a member of the San Fernando Valley Private School League (SFVPSL). Beginning in fourth grade, boys' teams include Flag Football, Basketball, Soccer and/or Volleyball during the school year. Girls have the opportunity to compete in soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Over the past several years, many CHA school teams have made play-off berths and have won league championships. CHA teams have won sixteen SFVPSL titles. Girls soccer, boys soccer, and boys basketball are the best teams. Jake Gould, Josh Bobrosky, Matthew Tolman, and Trevor Gould are the best Basketball Players at campus. Watch out for Jake Gould. He gets 33.7 ppg, 8.9 apg, and 13.8 rebounds per game in school play. His carrer high points is 44. Team practices take place during school hours and after school. Games are played both home and away.
Whether students are on the practice field or in intense competition, CHA coaches model and develop within each student character, teamwork, participation and sportsmanship.
[edit] Campus Facts
Chatsworth is an inland part of the coastal region of southern California that was the historic homeland of the Chumash Indians.[1] CHA is believed to be located on land once used by Chumash Indians for villages, campgrounds and/or burial sites. There was at least one large, ancient Chumash village located at the foot of nearby Santa Susana Pass. The area is now known as the Chatsworth Cairn Site. The site was used for ceremonial purposes.[2] A short distance from the Chatsworth Cairn Site, the Chumash established numerous settlements over extended periods of time. Regularly flowing water supported these settlements.[3]
CHA's campus has several rock formations containing Chumash pictographs. CHA also has a natural sulphur spring that surfaces on its lower campus. It is thought that the sulphur spring attracted Chumash and other Native American tribes to the area. According to one source "a local sulfur spring percolated to the surface with water that was considered to contain important medicinal qualities. People from all of the neighboring villages, Chumash or Tongva were welcome to partake in the healing powers of these waters."[3]
- ^ Chatsworth Historical Society.
- ^ Walker, Edwin F. (1952). Five Prehistoric Archeological Sites in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles Public Library: Hodge Publication Fund, Vol. VI, 81-100.
- ^ a b Jorgensen, Lawrence C. Making History: A Chronicle of the Valley's Past. Pressanykey.com: Mission San Fernando Rey de España. Retrieved on December 29, 2006.
