Behind the Scenes at CEE

GIVING BACK

Former Assistant Head of School Lois Levy reports on her work with Bright Star Schools and how CEE is helping to give back to deserving students in the Los Angeles area Bright Star Schools is a free, open enrollment non-profit organization that includes eight charter schools for K-12 students in West Adams, Koreatown, and Panorama City. 2,800 Bright Star students experience rigorous academics, inclusive education, social-emotional support, and rich life experiences beyond the classroom. The resources available to Bright Star Schools are extremely limited as it serves many economically-challenged families.

In order to stay connected to education after retiring from 40 memorable years at CEE, I decided to volunteer my time to be on Bright Star’s Board of Trustees. I learned of all that Bright Star was striving to accomplish through a former student, Ari Engelberg ‘83, who was serving as Executive Director of Bright Star Schools. Ari’s description of Bright Star’s mission to educate the whole child reminded me very much of all that CEE strives to accomplish. My hope was that my rich experiences at The Center might be helpful to Bright Star’s Board.

Since CEE will soon be tearing down Building B when the new building on Clinton is complete, the school has generously offered to donate Building B’s classroom furniture, office furniture, Smart Boards, and more items to Bright Star. This generous donation is tremendously appreciated as Bright Star is opening new schools with limited budgets. The donated materials will be put to extremely good use in their new classrooms! Thank you, CEE!

TODDLER PROGRAM UPDATE

Historically, CEE’s Toddler Program has consisted of one team of faculty teaching a morning session for the younger children in the grade, and an afternoon session for the older children. While this program has always provided a wonderful experience for children, the school aspires to make the program more accessible to a wider range of families, especially those with dual working parents, since family diversity of all kinds is central to our mission.

With that goal in mind, some exciting changes are coming for the 2019-2020 school year. Parents may now choose either a half-day or a full-day option, regardless of where their child falls in the age range of the class. The grade will consist of two separate classrooms running simultaneously, with half-day and full-day children mixed together. Starting in fall 2019, classes will be held in the new Toddler Center (where EC2 classes are now) in Alfred House, just south of the main campus.

PETS ON THE LOOSE

From feeding and bathing to studying animal life, CEE classroom pets keep things interesting on campus!

2AB - BETSY AND KAREN The students adore our classroom turtles, and enjoy helping to feed and care for them. They notice the differences between Jackson Pollack and Shy Girl, who now feel like class mascots, and observe changes in their behavior. Students share in the love and responsibility of having a pet. Some children who don’t have pets feel as if they do, which has helped some students overcome their fears of turtles and become more informed about these amphibians.

EC1A - JENNA, ARIELLE, AND AMIRA Cyril the Bearded Dragon was a gift from a CEE family. She teaches the children how to care for other creatures and provides an emotional regulation tool for many children. They often go to Cyril’s cage for comfort when they’re sad or scared. In the future, we also plan to incorporate Cyril into the curriculum.

EC2A - NANCY, JORDANA, AND NZINGA Fred and Ginger are goldfish that were originally brought to EC2A by Nancy and playfully dubbed “Mark’s Kids.” They provide a soothing and relaxing attraction, and the children enjoy learning about them because of their similarities to humans in terms of feeding and nurturing. The fish are also an important first step in teaching the children about loss. When a fish dies, the class buries it, the children write notes that are taped to the tank, and the fish isn’t replaced for a long time.

SCIENCE - NACISSÉ Having classroom animals helps the children build awareness, responsibility, and sensitivity towards others. For some, it encourages them to step out of their comfort zone and build their courage around new experiences. Anna the tortoise is a beloved mascot in the science lab because she is very curious and loves to be around the students. She often walks freely around the classroom, usually by students’ requests. The children experience on a small scale what it means to share space with other living things. They are called to step outside of themselves and consider what Anna needs to be healthy and safe in the classroom. The students feel very protective of her and work hard to stay conscious of her welfare.

THE CARING PLACE - EMMA, MONICA, AND BIANCA The youngest children on campus enjoy saying hello to our three fish in the mornings and learn to help take care of them. These fish also serve as a transition tool for the The Caring Place children; often a child will arrive in the morning, say farewell to their parent and run up to greet the fish, allowing for a smoother goodbye.