CWC Annual Report 2025

ISSUE | 2024-25

| Table of Contents

A Message from our Executive Director Our Board of Directors A Love Letter to our City Reinvigorating our Curriculum Field Trips Middle School Expansion Attendance Counts CWC LA Graduates Our All-Star Team Investing in our Staff Core Value Awards Investing in our Community

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CWC Los Angeles celebrates 15 years of impact — and each of our schools celebrates their own milestone in our collective mission to surpass the conceived limitations of what students, communities, parents, and schools can achieve.

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

Dear Friends of CWC Los Angeles, Each year, our Annual Report offers us a moment to pause, reflect, and share the bright spots that define our journey. Looking back on the 2024-2025 school year, I am struck by how extraordinary it has been for CWC Los Angeles. Together, we put plans into action, designed new initiatives, navigated challenges and took important steps toward realizing our strategic goals.

This reflection is all the more meaningful as we celebrate 15 years of service to Los Angeles students.

From the moment we first opened our doors in Hollywood in 2010, to our expansion across the city to six schools serving unique communities, we have remained steadfast in our mission: to create academically rigorous, joyful, diverse, and equitable learning spaces where every child can thrive. The impact of this work is felt not only in our classrooms but also across the neighborhoods and the city we call home.

Many of those impacts are highlighted in this Annual Report, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together.

In these pages, you will see many of these milestones come to life—including the tremendous academic growth that emerged from the pilot of our new Fishtank: English Language curriculum. What began as a pilot in a few classrooms has now become an org-wide launch across all grades and schools. The early results were inspiring, and the promise of what comes next fills us with excitement.

Personally, I’ve found myself lost in the pages of the carefully curated books that anchor this curriculum.

These texts reflect CWC LA’s core values and amplify diverse voices, voices our students deserve to encounter. I think of our Kindergarteners reading You Hold Me Up by indigenous writer Monique Gray Smith, whose book teaches the importance of caring for one another - knowing this may be the first book a student reads independently gives me immense hope. Our students are preparing through this curriculum to become the compassionate people the world needs, people who will continue to care for their communities. Learning to read these texts is essential, but the deeper message they carry will help cultivate the empathy and resilience needed when facing crises like the ones we encountered.

This past year, our city endured wildfires, families faced aggressive immigration enforcement, and political unrest demanded courage and solidarity. In those moments, our community showed up for one another in extraordinary ways. And in doing so, we embodied the spirit of the very texts our children are reading: “You hold me up when you learn with me. You hold me up, I hold you up, we hold each other up.”

That sentiment captures the 2024-2025 school year perfectly. It was a year of holding one another up—through challenges, through triumphs, through all the learning in between.

Thank you for walking alongside us in this work. We have already accomplished so much together, and there is still more to do. We are deeply grateful for your partnership as we continue to bring our mission and vision off the page and into action.

With gratitude, Melissa Kaplan Executive Director Citizens of the World Los Angeles

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| Our Board of Directors

A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIRS As we reflect on this past year, we are filled with gratitude and admiration for the people who make CWC Los Angeles what it is: our remarkable educators, our brilliant students, our dedicated families, our steadfast community partners and donors. Your belief in our mission has sustained and strengthened us during a year that has tested our city and our collective spirit.

This has been a year of both challenge and progress. Against the backdrop of immigration raids in our neighborhoods, devastating wildfires across our region, and a difficult political climate, our CWC LA community has remained anchored in compassion. Together, we’ve shown what it means to live our core values, to stand firm in the belief that every child deserves an excellent learning experience, and to be part of an inclusive community where they feel a true sense of belonging.

In December, the CWC LA Board of Directors reaffirmed this belief by passing a resolution underscoring our unwavering commitment to advocate for the dignity and respect of all students, families, and staff regardless of national origin or immigration status. These resolutions ensure that all CWC LA campuses remain safe, welcoming spaces for every child, during the school day and beyond.

This work is deeply personal to both of us. We come from a shared background of advocacy for educational equity, rooted in both of our mothers’ upbringing outside of the United States. We are proud that, at a time when many organizations are retreating from equity work, CWC LA continues to lead with purpose. Across our network, we’re expanding pathways for BIPOC educators, we are growing our affinity groups, creating community celebrations that honor the many cultures and ethnicities represented by our students and families, embedding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into our curriculum, and empowering our DEIB councils at each campus to guide this vital work.

Our resilience as an organization during one of Los Angeles’ most challenging years speaks to the strength of our people and the clarity of our mission. To our donors, partners, and champions: your support makes this work possible. You have invested not just in our schools, but in an idea that education can unite, uplift, and transform communities for the betterment of our students.

This Annual Report honors the collective journey we’ve taken and the extraordinary efforts that propel us forward. As your Board of Directors, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure CWC LA’s students succeed through organizational sustainability so that the promise of our mission continues to shine brightly in the communities we serve in the years ahead.

With gratitude, Sarah Angel & Jessica Smith Board Chairs, Citizens of the World Los Angeles 4

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jessica Smith, Board Co-Chair Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Relay Graduate School of Education Sarah Angel, Board Co-Chair Founder, JOAN Collaborative Ann Le, Board Treasurer Consultant Dana Gomez-Gayne, Board Secretary Vice President, Associate General Counsel, Cityview Mikelle Willis, Human Capital Specialist, Consultant Nicole Boone Vice President of Capital Markets, Community Lending

And a special thanks to our former board members: Ina Barish Kristen Bell Jessica Castillo Derrick Chau Carl Christopher Rick Esquivel Adam Fletcher Sonja Howe Brian C. Johnson Samantha Johnston Saman Bravo Karimi Yvette King-Berg Mariana Marrone Josh McLaughlin Heather McManus

Archana Patel Hayley Roberts James Rosenblatt Stacey Rossley Staples Gene Straub Craig Tessler Phuong Vuong

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| A Love Letter to Our City

This year has tested Los Angeles in ways that few could have imagined. Our city has endured devastating wildfires that swept through the Pacific Palisades and Altadena—two communities we proudly serve—leaving behind destruction and heartbreak.

Families and staff within our own CWC LA community lost homes and businesses. In the face of such loss, we did what Angelenos do best: we came together. Our community mobilized to provide services, collected clothing and essential supplies, raised funds, and opened our doors to students whose schools had been destroyed in the fires, ensuring they had a place to continue learning and healing.

At the same time, political unrest weighed heavily on our most vulnerable neighbors. We witnessed a troubling rise in antiimmigrant sentiment and were reminded of the urgency of our mission to create schools that are not only academically excellent but also deeply rooted in the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

Through Board resolutions, Know Your Rights workshops, free legal counsel, and community-driven resource development, we reaffirmed our unwavering commitment: every student, family, and staff member—regardless of national origin or immigration status deserves to feel safe and included. Together, we ensured that all our campuses remain sanctuaries where every student is welcomed and protected.

This year reminded us that to many of our students, families, and staff, we are more than schools; We are a community that stands shoulder to shoulder. We are advocates for one another, striving to make a lasting impact beyond the classroom. We are family, the people you can turn to in joy and in hardship.

And so, to our beloved City of Angels: this is our love letter to you.

Your spirit, your neighborhoods, your people mirror the beautiful diversity of our students.

We are resilient.

We are vibrant.

We are Los Angeles, and together, we are strong.

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT:

Our Communities

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| Reinvigorating our Curriculum

PILOTING OUR NEW ENGLISH LANGUAGE CURRICULUM Last year, we piloted a new English Language Arts curriculum, Fishtank and the growth within pilot classrooms was remarkable. Throughout the year, students engaging in the pilot demonstrated significant gains in their writing and depth of text analysis. The curated texts within Fishtank presented complex, nuanced views of the world that sparked rich discussion and invited students to wrestle with multiple perspectives. This approach aligns seamlessly with the

CWC LA learning model, which is rooted in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and intentionally weaves social-emotional learning into every aspect of instruction. With Fishtank now launching across all schools and grade levels, we are excited to scale that success. Teachers have already begun diving deep into professional development, collaboration, and thoughtful unit and lesson planning to bring the Fishtank curriculum to life across all CWC LA schools.

FISHTANK PILOT TEACHERS We would like to acknowledge this team of teachers from across our region who piloted Fishtank in their classrooms.

Their contribution and feedback supported the expansion of the program to all our classrooms.

Belle Vu | Kinder Lead Teacher | CWC Hollywood

Heidi Moore | 4th Grade Lead Teacher | CWC East Valley

Candee Edgar | 1st Grade Lead Teacher | CWC Silver Lake

Emily Jones | 5th Grade Lead Teacher | CWC Mar Vista

Marilyn Sloan | 1st Grade Leader Teacher | CWC Mar Vista

Greig Richardson | 5th Grade Lead Teacher | CWC West Valley

Emery McCabe | 2nd Grade Lead Teacher | CWC West Valley

Davis Cox | Middle School Teacher | CWC Silver Lake

Kaitlin Cook | 2nd Grade Lead Teacher | CWC East Valley

Gabrielle Barnes | Middle School Teacher | CWC Silver Lake

Sandra Wise | 3rd Grade Lead Teacher | CWC East Valley

Katie Steele | Middle School Teacher | CWC Mar Vista

Kirsten Bennett | 3rd Grade Lead Teacher | CWC Silver Lake

Marie Ross | Resource Specialist Program Teacher | CWC East Valley

Melissa Crandle | 4th Grade Lead Teacher | CWC East Valley

Amy Perkins | Resource Specialist Program Teacher | CWC Silver Lake

Eva Schloman | 4th Grade Lead Teacher | CWC Hollywood 8

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

FINDING FISHTANK In the 2023 - 2024 school year our regional instruction team set out to reinvision our English Language curriculum.

With the feedback from a Literacy Instructional Leadership Team made up of a broad coalition of general education and special education teachers across all grade levels, leaders from across our campuses and the regional instructional team a vision for our English Language curriculum was created.

We set out to find a curriculum that:

Our vision for our students:

introduces students to authentic, diverse and culturally rich perspectives inspires skillful questioning and rich classroom discussions challenges students to meet and exceed standards supports diverse learners though scaffolding

Become analytical readers that show perseverance in reading challenging texts that build content knowledge and provide exposure to the world.

Ground their thinking and discussions in evidence from the text.

OUR VISION CWC LA strives to ensure that all students see themselves as analytical readers, capable writers, and skillful communicators who are prepared to emerge as a new generation of leaders who are true citizens of the world.

In every classroom, students authentically engage with literacy learning in order to develop the skills that increase their intellectual capacity, while deepening their understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them.

Are capable writers that write to improve their thinking and understanding, but also to claim their voice.

Are thoughtful communicators that actively listen to, acknowledge, build upon, and question the perspectives of others.

What our community is saying: “The impact of using the new Fishtank ELA curriculum has been tremendous. Students’ productivity has more than doubled, perhaps even tripled in some and that is directly tied to their engagement and enthusiasm about the material that they are reading.”

-CWC LA TEACHER

“I like reading the books together with my class and hearing what they think about the story. It is never the same as what I was thinking.”

-CWC LA 4TH GRADE STUDENT

The book selection is magnificent. I read some of these in high school and college. Yet another reason why I love CWC!

FIND OUT MORE :

About our new ELA curriculum

- CWC LA PARENT 9

| Field Trips

When field trips were integrated into the curriculum, students displayed improved knowledge retention and scored higher on state tests.

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Field trips improve student engagement, reduce absences, reduce behavioral issues, and deepen long-term learning.

Studies link field trips to stronger critical thinking, cultural understanding, and lasting benefits that extend years beyond the experience.

Research reports a 40 % increase in classroom engagement for students who participated in field trips versus those who stayed in class - The Journal of Human Resources

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

RESEARCH SHOWS FIELD TRIPS BOOST ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Rooted in CWC LA’s constructivist learning model, field trips are core instructional experiences where students actively build knowledge through observation, inquiry, and hands-on engagement. Along the way, students grow socially and emotionally through teamwork, risk-taking, and communication in new environments. These experiences cultivate essential life skills like independence, adaptability, and problemsolving.

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| Middle School Expansion

Our TK - 8th grade programs are growing

INNOVATIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM This year, we continued our expansion into middle school across the region with CWC West Valley welcoming its first 6th-grade cohort. Our CWC Silver Lake and CWC Mar Vista Middle schools continue to outperform their peers across the district, city, and state-wide. Our middle schoolers go on to their choice high schools, entering with confidence, strong collaboration skills, and a growing capacity for leadership.

A MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER Our CWC LA Middle Schools offer an intimate, rigorous, and age-responsive program built for the unique journey of 6th–8th graders. Students engage in challenging, standards-based academics while also stepping into greater independence through a range of vibrant elective options—such as theater, visual arts, music, media arts, and sports—that vary by campus. Beyond academics, we’re preparing young people to walk into high school and the wider world as leaders, collaborators, and changemakers.

Our signature ROOTS curriculum continues our commitment to social-emotional learning, specifically designed for the middle school years. In ROOTS, students deepen their sense of self, learn to navigate their emotions with intention, build authentic relationships across lines of difference, and take on projects grounded in an anti-bias, anti-racist approach.

Middle School is where identity, purpose, and possibility take root.

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

“Our middle school students aren’t just excelling at math and reading; they’re learning how to understand one another, how to have courageous conversations and how to lead with empathy.”

- JAKE TAMTE, CWC MAR VISTA PRINCIPAL

TAKE A TOUR

STATE-OF-THE-ART MIDDLE SCHOOL FACILITIES Middle schoolers thrive when they have room to grow in spaces that are designed for them. This year, we made significant investments across all our CWC LA middle school facilities to ensure our programs can truly thrive.

We added new classrooms and interactive learning spaces, expanded existing buildings to welcome more students, and opened new middle school campuses to serve our 6th–8th graders. Come visit our state-of-theart middle school campuses.

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| Attendance Counts

IN A POST-PANDEMIC LANDSCAPE, schools across the country are grappling with drops in attendance while simultaneously working to make up for learning losses. At CWC LA, we see this moment as a call to action - growing our attendance isn’t just a metric; it’s a commitment to helping our students grow into thoughtful, capable citizens of the world.

Consistent attendance boosts academic achievement and lays the foundation for confident, connected, and collaborative students. Students who prioritize being in school strengthen their sense of belonging, build deeper relationships with peers, and step into the classroom ready to engage, problem-solve, and exceed academic standards. We are already seeing the results of our dedicated efforts.

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

ATTENDANCE RECOVERY PARTNERSHIP

THE RESULTS

In 2025 we launched an innovative Attendance Recovery Partnership with our Student Programs team, integrating Attendance Recovery sessions into our Summer Camp structure. This gave students a chance to participate in standards-aligned, project-based learning led by credentialed teachers while “banking” recovery days for future absences.

The result is clear: stronger attendance, deeper engagement, academic excellence, and a healthier budget that allows us to sustain all the programs that makes CWC LA unique.

REGIONAL ATTENDANCE COMMUNICATION PLAN CWC LA launched a year-long attendance communication plan featuring weekly resources, data visuals, flyers, and family-friendly updates designed to foster a stronger culture of attendance across all campuses.

SHORT-TERM INDEPENDENT STUDY PACKETS We also created new Short-term Independent Study packets for TK–8th grade that are fully aligned with CWC LA’s curriculum, ensuring that when students must miss class, their learning remains seamless and connected.

FAMILY & SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP Our attendance growth came from its collaboration with teachers, regional support staff, parents, and students working together.

Teachers at some of our school’s hosted Study Jam Sessions for students working through Independent Study packets. Support staff work with families navigating challenges, from transportation to health needs, to connect them to resources and support.

Students & Parent volunteers celebrate one another by distributing perfect attendance certificates and planning special theme days for classes that achieve 100% attendance.

“Together, these strategies are making a measurable difference. We remain committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to attend school regularly and succeed.”

- ALEX MARTINEZ, ATTENDANCE & DATA COORDINATOR 15

| CWC LA Graduates

Whether they are heading to middle school, high school, or college - CWC LA graduates are thriving!

EXCERPTS FROM 2025 CULMINATION SPEECHES “I’ve been at CWC for six years now, and so much has changed throughout my time here. When I first came here it was very welcoming, and I quickly made a lot of friends. Over the years we’ve become smarter and smarter. Now, we use the things we learned in class in our everyday lives. I remember when I was in second grade, I loved Pokemon cards, and I found out that not only did my entire class like them, but even my teacher did. That made it really easy to fit into the class. Now that we’re all in fifth grade, our interests have changed but our friendships remain.”

Abel Loiz Culminating 5th grader CWC Silver Lake 16

“Ever since 2nd grade, I was amazed at how much diversity my school had, from all the little spirit weeks, to the beautiful parades, which made me realize, CWC was a place I could call home. Thank you to my parents for driving me 45 minutes to school every day. Thank you to all the teachers and staff, and the ones I will never forget.

You helped push past my limits and I cannot merely express how much I appreciate you. Over the years, I have experienced growth in every area from educational, to social growth as well. “ Arianna Palmer Culminating 5th grader CWC Silver Lake

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

GRADUATE OUTCOMES The list of high schools that our graduating 8th graders are accepted into continues to grow. We are proud of our rigorous middle school program that prepares our students for their choice of high school.

High school list

Whether they are heading to middle school, high school, or college - CWC LA graduates are thriving!

Academic Performance Excellence Academy (APEX) Bernstein High School Alexander Hamilton High School Alexander Hamilton High School Magnet Alexander Hamilton High School Academy of Music & Performing Arts (AMPA) Alliance College-Ready Public Schools – Ted K. Tajima High School

Dalzelle Lance Campus

Immaculate Heart High School

and Humanities

Da Vinci Science

John Marshall High School

Santa Monica High School

Downtown Magnets High School

John Marshall Magnet

Sequoyah School

Eagle Rock High School

Larchmont Charter School

Shalhevet High School

Eagle Rock Gifted Magnet

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA)

South LA College Prep

Edward R. Roybal Learning Center iCAMP Magnet El Camino Real Charter High School Episcopal School of Los Angeles (ESLA)

The Archer School for Girls

Fairfax High School

Aveson Global Leadership Academy (AGLA)

Geffen Academy

Beverly Hills High School

Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA)

Boyle Heights STEM Magnet

Granada Hills Charter School

Bright Star Schools – Rise Kohyang

Helen Bernstein High School

Buckley School

Harvard-Westlake School

Camino Nuevo Charter Academy

High Tech Los Angeles Charter High School

Campbell Hall School

Hollywood High School

Loyola High School Mayfield Senior School Milken Community Schools New Roads School New Village Girls Academy New West Charter School Oakwood School Palisades Charter High School Polytechnic School Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts Renaissance Arts Academy Reseda Charter High School RFK – School for the Visual Arts

St. Francis High School STEM Academy The School of Los Angeles The Thacher School The Waverly School TREE Academy University High School USC Brio College Prep USC Hybrid High School Value Charter School Venice High School (School for Advanced Studies) Vistamar School Wilson Performing Arts Center

Many of our graduates are heading to College. This list of top higher education institutions across the country continues to grow. Congratulations CWC Alumni!

American University Boise State University Boston University Brandeis University Cal Poly SLO California State UniversityNorthridge California State University – Dominguez Hills California State University – Fullerton California State University – Polytech California State University – Long Beach California State University – Los Angeles Carnegie Mellon Colorado University – Boulder Columbia University Clive Davis University College of the Canyon CSULA Culinary school Dartmouth College Denver University

East LA College Emerson College Evergreen University Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Florida State University Fordham University Franklin University George Washington University Glendale Community Georgia Tech Harvard University Howard University Indiana University Indiana Wesleyan University IU Bloomington Kent State University Kenyon College Los Angeles Trade Technical College Lehigh University Lewis and Clark University Loyola Marymount Middlebury College

Mount Saint Mary University Northwestern University NYU Tisch School of the Arts Oberlin College Occidental College Ohio Wesleyan Oregon University Pasadena City College Pepperdine Pitzer College Reed College Rochester Institute of Technology Sarah Lawrence San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Monica College Seattle Pacific University Southern Methodist University Syracuse University The New School- Jazz program Tulane University UC Berkeley UC Los Angeles

UC Merced UC Riverside UC Santa Barbara UC Santa Cruz University of Chicago University of Colorado Boulder University of Maryland University of Michigan University of Nevada University of Oregon University of Puget Sound University of Redlands University of San Francisco University of Switzerland University of Washington University of Wisconsin Yale University

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| Our All-Star Team

At CWC LA, we build pathways for teachers and staff to rise as educators and leaders, to mentor new teammates, and to pass along the hard-earned wisdom that only time can teach.

Congratulations to these incredible educators who have reached milestone years with us. These ALL STARS keep knocking it out of the park for our students, year after year!

HEAD OF INSTRUCTION & LEARNING

LEAD TEACHER

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT PROGRAMMING

SCHOOL OPERATIONS MANAGER

LEAD TEACHER

RSP TEACHER

LEAD TEACHER

LEAD TEACHER

SCHOOL OPERATIONS MANAGER

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

SENIOR MANAGER OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER

LEAD TEACHER

DATA COORDINATOR

LEAD TEACHER

LEAD TEACHER

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

STUDENT RECRUITMENT & PARTNERSHIP SPECIALIST

LEAD TEACHER

OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

OFFICE ASSOCIATE

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

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| Investing in Our Staff

At CWC, we’ve long recognized that intentionally hiring staff who are representative of the communities we serve and investing in their growth was vital for our students and organization. To bring this vision to life, we took a look inward, collecting data to understand our performance as an organization and confronting any institutional inequities head-on.

OUR GOAL: To create intentional pathways for growth and leadership among our staff, ensuring that the diverse voices shaping our community are truly heard, supported, and celebrated.

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

Sustaining our Black Educators In 2023, CWC Los Angeles launched the Black Teacher Experience (BTE) Case Study Project to better understand the lived experiences of Black educators across our schools. Through extensive focus groups, surveys, classroom observations, and empathy interviews, we surfaced a nuanced picture of both the strengths and systemic barriers shaping the daily experiences of our Black teachers.

These findings directly informed the development of a dedicated Black Educator Affinity Cohort for certificated staff, designed to foster community, elevate voice, and strengthen collective agency. The affinity space has since become a vital forum for connection, reflection, and co-designing solutions that support sustainability and belonging for Black educators at CWC LA. Building on this learning, in 2024, CWC LA updated the regional priority to intentionally recruit, hire, and retain BIPOC educators, with a particular emphasis on sustaining Black educators. The insights from the BTE case study and affinity space continue to shape our targeted initiatives, guide our professional learning, and strengthen our organizational practices.

We believe this work is foundational to driving systemic change and ensuring that every Black educator at CWC LA feels seen, championed, and valued as an essential leader and representation for our students. We are proud of the progress already underway and remain committed to building the conditions where Black educators can thrive and lead with impact.

”When I have teachers that look like me, I feel more included” - CWC MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT :

Celebrating our Black Educators

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| Investing in Our Staff

PEER-TO-PEER COACHING Structured mentorship and support opportunities where BIPOC educators collaborate, reflect, and share best practices to navigate challenges and strengthen their professional practice.

EQUITY AUDITS A data-driven analysis assessing the experiences, retention, and career pathways of BIPOC teachers, identifying systemic barriers and informing strategic actions for sustainability and growth.

INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY BUILDING Consistent, dedicated identityaffirming spaces for BIPOC educators to connect, share experiences, and build community, fostering a sense of belonging and professional well-being.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Targeted learning opportunities designed to support the growth, leadership, and retention of BIPOC teachers, centering culturally responsive pedagogy, racial literacy, and career advancement.

“After this convening, my lens on equity is much clearer. I have specific traps and tropes to be mindful of and can be proactive in thinking about them when developing ideas and initiatives for my community.”

-CWCS LEADER’S INSTITUTE FELLOW 22

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

Professional Development Opportunities CWC LA is proud of our investment in experiential professional development that stretches our educators’ perspectives and strengthens their craft.

This year, our teachers and staff stepped into a wide range of learning experiences—from inhouse workshops to conferences and school visits across Los Angeles and beyond.

CWCS Leader’s Institute Every year, several of our staff are selected to participate in the CWCS Leader Institute. This yearlong professional development fellowship supports education leaders in honing their technical skills while fostering a mindset of continuous growth, equity, and innovation.

Our Black Educator Affinity Cohort traveled to Selma, Alabama, to walk the historic paths of the civil rights movement—a pilgrimage to honor the courage and struggle of the movement that reshaped the political and educational landscape for Black Americans.

CWC believes that investing in the development of our leaders creates a ripple effect, directly impacting the success and well-being of our students. The program is designed to cultivate leaders who embody the principles of learning leadership, model inclusive and learner-centered practices, and champion equity in every aspect of their work.

The Broad Center at Yale School of Management CWC LA is proud to have supported many of our staff - past and present - in pursuing a Master’s in Public Education Management through The Broad Center at the Yale School of Management. This prestigious program equips talented K–12 education professionals with the skills, perspective, and leadership tools to create lasting impact for students and families. Supporting our staff in pursuing this degree reflects our deep commitment to investing in their continued education and growth as leaders.

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| Core Value Awards

CWC’S VALUES:

Excellence, Authenticity, Change, Community and Diversity are lived out every day in our interactions, our dedication to our work, and our commitment to one another. These annual awards are an opportunity to celebrate staff who go above and beyond to uphold CWC’s core values in their work with students and families and also recognize the colleagues who uplifted their fellow co-workers by nominating them.

Excellence Award Finalists

Authenticity Award Finalists

Change Award Finalists

LENDEL DAVID CWC East Valley

REBECCA SHORES CWC Hollywood

ADRIANNA ALARCON CWC West Valley

JULIE HOANG CWC Hollywood

JEANETTE ALACRON CWC West Valley

ALEX OWENS CWC LA Regional Support Office

MARILYN WINKLE CWC Hollywood

COACH JARON WILLIAMS CWC LA Regional Support Office

CHRISTOPHER PHIPPS CWC Silver Lake Middle

BELLE VU CWC Hollywood

KATHERINE OLIVARES CWC East Valley

NATHALY CAÑAS CWC Silver Lake Elementary

Community Award Finalists

Diversity Award Finalists

BARRETT WARDEN CWC Mar Vista

JULIA FERNANDEZ CWC Silver Lake Elementary

JESSICA SCOTT CWC Silver Lake Middle

SANTA ROMAN CWC Silver Lake Elementary

CLARA MORATAYA-KALBAKLIAN CWC LA Regional Support Office

STEFANIE BAUTISTA CWC LA Regional Support Office

KERRY ROSENBLATT CWC Silver Lake Middle

NAYELI HORST CWC LA Regional Support Office

KIMBERLY SALINAS CWC LA Regional Support Office LEARN MORE

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These finalists were selected from over 65 submissions

CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 CORE VALUE AWARD WINNERS Showcased alongside their nomination letters.

EXCELLENCE

CHANGE

COMMUNITY

Belle Vu CWC Hollywood

Katherine Olivares CWC East Valley

“Belle is the epitome of excellence.

She not only demands excellence of herself, but of her peers as well.

Belle holds the belief that all kids can achieve greatness when they are challenged by their teacher. This shines through in her teaching, planning, and teacher leadership. Belle serves on two instructional leadership team where she supports teachers with honing their craft as educators. CWC is a stronger school because of Belle’s leadership. Her dedication, creativity, and attention to detail set a high standard for excellence that inspires both students and colleagues alike.”

“As an SSA, Miss Kat is 100% focused on the children, whether it’s the students in her own classroom, or every student on the playground, field or pavilion. Outdoors, you will find her with her mini boom box, dialing up the volume of her lively playlist and dancing with the students. Or, she might be drawing cartoon characters for the kids to color. Or working at breakneck speed as she races through a long line of children waiting for her to make the perfect paper airplane for each of them.

Miss Kat allows children to run and play to their heart’s content, always ensuring that everyone is safe, but can still be their authentic selves. She brings her genuine self to work each day, and her smile and vibrant energy create an uplifting atmosphere that’s truly contagious!”

AUTHENTICITY

Christopher Phipps CWC Silver Lake Middle

Nathaly Cañas CWC Silver Lake Elementary

“Mr. Phipps has been a critical part of a couple of CWC communities, but has shown up in big ways at CWC Silver Lake Middle School when the school was in need. He is creative in his thinking, and able to adapt to the day to day needs of our students and staff. He is reflective in his role and makes necessary changes based on staff feedback and student needs.”

“Nathaly is truly a model for the power of collaboration and communication. No matter what team she is on, she is the person to call when you need encouragement or guidance, working through new experiences, or processing the unknown. Our students (and her coworkers) are so fortunate to have a teacher who is not only willing to change with and for them, but is excited to do it.”

CHANGE

Kimberly Salinas Regional Support Office

Nayeli Horst Regional Support Office

“Kim constantly goes above and beyond to be there for our staff and goes the extra mile to ensure that our staff are well-informed. Above and beyond doesn’t even begin to capture the depth of her impact.

“She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that all members of our CWC community feel seen, heard, and included, regardless of (and because of!) the language they speak. She is a steadfast advocate for multilingual accessibility, always ensuring that materials, presentations, and communications are interpreted and translated so that families and prospective families can engage fully with our community.”

If I could nominate Kim for every core value award, I would - because she embodies them all with grace, dedication, and, unwavering commitment to others.

She is a true champion for all employees, going above and beyond in ways that often go unseen, yet profoundly felt.”

DIVERSITY

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| Investing in our Community

Financial Summary

Expenses FY25 30.4%

5.5% Comp & Benefits Supplies 58.7%

Operating Expenses Capital & Interest Expense

5.5%

Revenue FY25 8.26%

7.19% Enrollment Revenue Other Local State

22.75%

57.7%

Federal Grants & Fundraising

3.95%

GRANTS WE RECEIVED IN 2024-25 Joseph Drown Foundation

U.S. Dept of Education Fostering Diverse Schools (FDS) CA Dept of Education - Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI)

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CWC ANNUAL REPORT | 2025

CWC LA FAMILY INVESTORS In addition to these important funds, we rely on each school community to unite in support of our fundraising efforts. We had an outpouring of support this year. Thank you to all our families who invested in our students’ future.

A special thank you to our top family donors. Your generosity helped propel our mission and vision forward!

Jennifer Brill

Nikiforov Family

Arturo Becerra-Fraijo

Dr. Bita Orthodontics

Roger Brendan Countee

Hilary Palotay

Francois-Pierre Couture

Armando Peña

Christopher Crook

Andrea Missi Pyle

David & Eve Dastmalchian

Lisa Randolph

James Eagan

Abe Recio

Demondre Edwards

Strider Robinson

Jenny And Jeremy Engel

Jamie Rosenblatt

Meredith Esarey

Rachel Hintz & Ralph Santamaria

Caneel Fraser Greg Gayne & Dana GomezGayne

Kelsey Searles Tony Shilowich

Alexander Guenther

John Sonnenborn

Fiona W Heinz

Catherine Simonsen & Patrick Sullivan

Nicholas Valchar Holt Jack Janata Tony Kanal Russell Kieffer Ann Le Adele Lim Evelina Martinez Meredith Meyer-Nichols Yanderi Montano The Mosbaugh Family

Angela Tang Kristina Tioseco Jonah Uliel Mila Vahidi Dessislava Vahidi Felipe Ventura Owen Whelan Maria Widenfalk In-Hae Yen

Rishi K Narang

Thank you to our corporate matching partners. Your support helped us double our impact.

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@citizensoftheworldla | cwclosangeles.org | Support CWC LA

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