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Meet Chaminade College Preparatory
Chaminade College Preparatory is a co-educational Catholic school in the Marianist tradition serving more than 2,000 students in grades sixth through 12. Their unique seven-year learning experience offers a rigorous academic curriculum and diverse extracurricular activities. They prepare students for success in college and beyond while fostering in them deep moral values and commitment to service that is grounded in the Catholic faith.

Beginning in the fall of 2017, Chaminade will offer the AP Capstone Program. The Collegeboard's AP Capstone program is an innovative and engaging college-level two-year program for high school students that complements and enhances discipline-specific AP courses. It is built on two new courses - AP Seminar and AP Research - that immerse students in the practice of critical thinking skills needed to distinguish themselves in college and in life. AP Capstone encourages a passion for learning and transforms students into curious, collaborative and independent thinkers with skills that are valued and sought after by colleges and universities.

Students at Chaminade are engaged in their learning through a curriculum that emphasizes student-centered learning. Collaboration among students is facilitated through project-based learning and the use of their one-to-one tablet-based technology. Tablet PCs are issued to all students, and course content is delivered in a relevant and interactive manner, enabling students to take an active role in their learning. Chaminade continuously integrates technology into the learning environment and continues to seek new ways for it to enhance the learning process.
Chaminade College Preparatory High School 818-347-8300; Middle School (sixth through eighth grades) 818-363-8127

STEM Education is the Root of Students' Future Success
Did you know...
Growth for STEM-related careers is projected to nearly double that of non-STEM jobs.

STEM workers, on average, make close to 26 percent more money than their non-STEM counterparts.

Regardless of career field, STEM degree holders earn more money than non-STEM workers.

3 million STEM jobs will go unfilled in 2018.

A vibrant STEM education is becoming increasingly vital in today's competitive global marketplace - and not just because of the content a STEM-rich curriculum imparts. "So much of Legacy's STEM programming and curriculum revolves around problem solving, which is an essential skill in our ever-changing world. In our classrooms and dedicated Innovation and Science Labs, students are taught how to question, collaborate and address today's most pressing problems. Even our youngest students are able to answer complex queries and develop multi-stage solutions to real-world issues. Our students are logical thinkers, skilled communicators and are scientifically, mathematically and technologically literate. These skills are setting them up for success today, in high school, college and beyond," says Superintendent and Legacy Christian Academy Co-founder Tim Borruel.

"We've already seen the early results of our investment in STEM," says Co-founder Donna Borruel. "We have alumni earning STEM scholarships to the nation's top universities who are attributing their academic successes to the education they received on our campus." "This is one of the many reasons we've invested in our all-new Science Lab, which will begin seeing use this fall semester," says Tim Borruel. "We're deeply committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that Legacy students leave with the very best educational opportunities available - and that means STEM is a top priority. We've earned our nickname, Legacy Tech, and we're excited to introduce the field to our new students this fall!"
Legacy Christian Academy 257-7377

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SCVi Charter School's "Chief Advocate" for Future College Students
Santa Clarita Valley International Charter School takes great pride in preparing students to lead and succeed in a rapidly-changing world - and one example of that focus on creating future gains and benefits for students can be found in Anne Cochran, director of college and career planning for iLEAD Schools. As the founding campus of iLEAD Schools, SCVi has led the way in the charter school organization's formative years. Cochran is a key player in accomplishing the SCVi and iLEAD mission of not merely getting students into college, but helping them find the right college to match each student's abilities, interests and aspirations. Sometimes that means matching a student to an Ivy League school - and sometimes it means finding an educational institution that fits just the right niche to help the student accomplish his or her goals. "Anne has helped so many of our graduates with the wide range of issues prospective college students face, like navigating the mazes of admissions and financial aid," says Sara Brown, outreach coordinator for SCVi. "But even more than that, she takes a keen personal interest in helping each student prepare for a successful future." Cochran is a frequent speaker at professional college conferences. She recently addressed the Western Association of College Admission Counseling as well as the International Education Consultants Association. She is the recipient of the 2012 Yale Educator Award, 2012 Colleges That Change Lives Counselor Award, the 2012 Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Educator of Distinction Award and CHAMPS 2013 Educator of the Year Award. "We're so fortunate to have Anne working with our learners at SCVi," Brown said. "It's like she's not just our director of college and career planning - it's like she's our 'chief advocate' for the future college students who are learning every day at SCVi."
www.ileadsantaclarita.org

Avoid the Common Core Blues this Year
Has Common Core curriculum brought strife and anxiety to your household's homework time? Do you know if your child is behind in math?

When your child returns to school, they have less time to review material from the prior school year. The new standards focus on depth of understanding and far more problem-solving skills versus learning the mechanics of the mathematics. Adding in additional instruction can bridge this gap and quell anxiety, netting better understanding and improving their long-term success.

As an educator and founder of Math Support, owner Peggy Cannistraci spent her career supporting many public school and homeschool students with the one-on-one attention and rigorous standards that private schools offer in the areas of math and science - giving students the edge they need to compete for coveted universities and colleges.

Start the school year off by committing to providing support and extra instruction for your child in math or science. You can make a difference long term in retaining their math skills, ensure readiness for fall, provide an accredited course for credit, prepare for the SAT/ACT and more. All programs are WASC accredited.
Math Support Services 255-1730

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Want to Help your Child in School?
Enroll them in Gymnastics
Did you know that, recently, a National Science Foundation grant used gymnastics to teach physics fundamentals to learners? Yup. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand why. (It might take a physics scientist, though!?). Gymnastics is, in many ways, science and math in motion. For example, your child could learn the relationship between inertia and angular momentum (Where's that physics scientist!?), but with the help of gymnastics, they could see and feel it, too.

But gymnastics doesn't just help your child in school because it exemplifies difficult concepts in a real-world scenario. It also encourages self motivation, self reliance, focus and determination. In a world of quick fixes and instant gratification, gymnastics skills take time to master. When your child is guided towards that goal by caring, committed coaches and teachers who model these desired characteristics and behaviors, your child is able to take those same qualities and apply them to every life experience - including academic performance.

No, your kid probably won't think to themselves, "I conquered my fear of the balance beam; I know I can figure out multiplication!" but, subconsciously, the understanding that they have encountered challenges - and succeeded with hard work and a good attitude - can only benefit them as they progress through school... and life!
Wallers' GymJam Academy 251-3390