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Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors is the governing board of Larchmont Charter School. The Board provides oversight and ensures financial stability for Larchmont Charter. As stated in our charter petition:
The LCS Board of Directors is responsible for all legal and fiduciary matters involving Larchmont Charter School. The Board of Directors will provide fiscal accountability by approving and monitoring budgets and other financial matters. The Board will also help ensure effective organizational planning by approving long-range goals and annual objectives, and monitoring such issues as health and safety, and the use and maintenance of facilities. The Board will have the responsibility for hiring and evaluating the Principal. In accordance with our culture, the Board strives for consensus. If it cannot be reached, decisions are made by majority vote.
The Board of Directors meets monthly. Meetings are open to the public. Agendas are posted 72 hours before Board meetings. Please email Board@LarchmontCharter.org if you would like to receive the agenda by email. All meetings are 7:00 p.m. -- Hollygrove Library, 815 N. El Centro Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038, unless otherwise stated. Board of Directors Meetings are generally the 4th Thursday of the month. The upcoming meets for 2008 are: February 28 March 27 April 24 May 22 June 26 July 24 August 28 September 25 October 23
BOARD OF DIRECTORSHEATHER DUFFY BOYLSTON, Founding Parent
Heather Duffy Boylston has more than ten years experience in public relations. She began her career at Casey, Sayre and Williams in Santa Monica. During her years with the firm she specialized in the then-emerging Internet and technology sectors, creating rollout campaigns for several start-up firms. She also managed PR campaigns for such diverse clients as The International Women's Forum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Otis College of Art & Design, The New Los Angeles Marketing Partnership and The Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau. Most recently Boylston wholly created and implemented a public relations plan for a large Los Angeles-based law firm, positioning the firm’s members as legal experts to the print and television media, garnering many national quotes and articles. She additionally developed and implemented a media-training workshop for the firm. Ms. Boylston served on the public relations board of the YWCA and has volunteered as a creator and teacher of multi-cultural education classes. A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Boylston earned her degree in Sociology with a minor in African American studies. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two children.
JANE CHING FUNG
Jane Ching Fung has over 24 years of experience in the field of teaching and learning. She taught for 20 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and currently teaches full-day kindergarten at the Alexander Science Center School in Exposition Park. Jane's teaching experiences includes: multiage (PK-2nd), Reading Recovery, District Intern Program, teacher education at California State University, Northridge, and she has facilitated professional development at the school and district level. She is an active member of the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning www.cftl.org, Teachers Network Leadership Institute www.teachersnetwork.org, and serves on the board of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future www.nctaf.org. Jane is a 2002 Milken Educator, National Board Certified, and holds a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Reading and Language Arts). She served on Governor Guinn's Education Commission of the States' Early Literacy Council and the Independent Citizens for California's Children Committee. Her research on new teacher collaboration is included in the book: Taking Action with Teacher Research. Jane's professional interests include: early literacy, new teacher support and retention in inner city schools, teacher networks, educational policy, and quality professional development. Her personal interests include: Dodger baseball, Broadway musicals, and trying to find fun and interesting things to keep her son Daniel busy!
DANNY CORWIN
Mr. Corwin, California Charter Schools Association's Director of Development, brings nine years of experience working in education reform in Los Angeles. Mr. Corwin's responsibilities cover all aspects of development including building relationships with donors, grant writing, developing strategic partnerships with businesses and community organizations, providing fundraising training and support to charter schools and recruiting charter school board members. Prior to joining the Association, Mr. Corwin served as director of Career Academies for the Urban Education Partnership. Mr. Corwin currently serves on non-profit boards for the New Visions Foundation and Friends of the Manual Arts High School Academies. In 2003, he participated in the California Community Foundations' Ambassadors Within program, consisting of 35 leading social entrepreneurs. He holds a master's degree in education from the UCLA and a bachelor's degree from University of California, Santa Barbara. A Los Angeles native, one of Mr. Corwin's favorite pastimes is eating at local ethnic restaurants with his wife Zoe and their two young children.
CHAVA DANIELSON, Founding Parent
Ms. Danielson is an architect and principal of the firm DSH, along with her husband, fellow architect Eric Haas. She has served as a design studio critic and instructor of urban history and theory at Otis College of Art and Design, and has served on the Board of the Los Angeles Forum for Architecture and Urban Design. Chava received her B.A. in comparative literature with high honors, Phi Beta Kappa, from U.C. Berkeley and her M. Arch. from Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Chava's son is a Kindergartener at LCS.
LINDSAY GALLAGHER
Ms. Gallagher is a writer and the COO of Guava Jelly Inc. Productions. After graduating from Vassar College with a BFA in English, she worked as a motion picture assistant cameraperson on feature films and television. In 1997, she and her husband, Joe, moved to Larchmont Village, Los Angeles, from New York City. They have two children, Ronan, who was in the first LCS Kindergarten and Tess. (K '08). Ms. Gallagher is the elected Parent Representative to the board. A founding parent of LCS, she has been actively involved with the school from the inception: chairing fundraising (2005/6), working on the site committee (2004/5), as a room parent, co-chair of the holiday bazaar, and member of the principal search committee & the development committee.
ALISSA GOLER CHARITON
Alissa is in her ninth year of teaching. She holds a Professional Clear Multiple Subject Credential and a Master’s in education from UCLA. She received her B.A. in History and Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining LCS in 2006, Alissa taught K-3 in LAUSD schools for 7 years. Alissa began her educational career in the private sector where she worked in Marketing and Business Development for Knowledge Adventure and Education.com.
REBECCA HUTCHINSON
Rebecca Hutchinson has nearly 20 years' experience in marketing communications and public relations and has been vice president at JS2 Communications, a Los Angeles PR firm, since 2003. Prior to consulting with the Alzheimer's Association, California Energy Commission and numerous small businesses between 2000 and 2003, she worked at Porter Novelli, a top ten global public relations firms, in both Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, and there developed and directed the company's youth marketing practice and cause-related marketing campaigns for clients including the National Cancer Institute, GTE, Nissan North America and the Aluminum Association. While living in D.C., she also consulted with the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research and National Geographic. Rebecca earned a B.A. in English and Fine Arts from Amherst College and an M.A. in Communications Management from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.
KIMBERLY KLINE
Ms. Kline has taught kindergarten at LCS since its inception in 2005. Before LCS, Ms. Kline obtained her B.A. from the University of Arizona, where she majored in Musical Theatre. After leaving Arizona, Kimberly moved to New York City to pursue a career in musical theater, before determining that teaching was her true passion. She returned to Los Angeles where she obtained a Masters in Education from National University. With her combined talents in music and education, Ms Kline integrates song and learning in her classroom. It is Kimberly's mission to empower students to become life long learners and instill within them a belief that they can reach any goal.
Wendy Zacuto, Principal
Wendy has been an educator since 1970 when she was hired by LAUSD to teach dance as part of their Youth Services program. As a student a UCLA she researched and wrote a catalogue of alternative schools in the Southern California area. After receiving her Life Credential, she began a multi-faceted educational career as a Coop Nursery School teacher/director, nine years as a public school teacher, 12 years as a private school teacher, four years as a childbirth educator, and 4 years as a principal prior to coming to Larchmont Charter School. As a pod teacher at Wildwood School and sixth grade teacher at Valley Alternative School she became an expert in constructivist and multi-age teaching; as a teacher and principal at Yavneh Hebrew Academy she became an expert in meeting student needs and school accreditation. She completed her Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix. Wendy's passions include dance, music, helping children develop as whole human beings, and being a mom. She and her husband, who is also a principal, have three children: Jenny, 30, an English teacher at Yavneh, Kris 27 who is in graduate school earning his MBA, and Katie, a senior at Marymount High School.. She is very excited to be part of the Larchmont Charter School vision and community.
SUSAN K. LEE, ESQ., Vice Chair and Founding Parent
Ms. Lee currently oversees the operation of clinical services, youth development, childcare and academic services, including a budget of $5.5 million, for one of Los Angeles' largest non-profit service organizations, the Koreatown Youth Community Center. Prior to joining KYCC, Susan was the Executive Director of the Korean American Family Service Center and she has worked in numerous other non-profit community service organizations for many years. Susan received her B.A. in economics, summa cum laude, from U.C. Berkeley. She studied law at Yale University before transferring to the joint degree program in law and ethnic studies at Berkeley, where she earned her J.D. and is currently on leave from the doctoral program. The recipient of numerous honors, Ms. Lee has volunteered extensively with numerous community organizations. Ms. Lee's oldest child currently attends LCS.
PAULETTE LIGHT
Ms. Light is a graduate of Columbia College in New York City, Harvard Graduate School of Education and The Wharton Business School. Currently, she serves on the board of Ikar, a Jewish community operating at the intersection of social justice and spirituality. Previously, Ms. Light has run the Women's and Business and Professional Women's Division at the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay. She has also been a management consultant at the Center for Applied Research in Philadelphia and LEK Consulting in Los Angeles where she specialized in value-based management and co-ran their education practice. Ms. Light owns a recruiting company, is married to writer Jeff Rake and has four children ranging from 1 to 8 years old.
VIELKA MCFARLANE
Ms. McFarlane has worked for the Los Angeles Unified School District for more than 15 years, first as a teacher in a bilingual classroom, then as Bilingual Coordinator at an elementary school, then Assistant Principal, then Principal at one of the highest performing elementary schools in LAUSD, and most recently as a Coordinator in the LAUSD Charter Schools Office. She earned her B.A. in economics from California State University, and an M.S. in educational administration from National University. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.
JOSHUA MOGIN
Mr Mogin is a partner in the law firm of Shumaker, Steckbauer and Weinhart where his practice areas are Commercial Transactions, Real Estate, Real Estate Finance, and Structured Finance. He concentrates on all types of real estate finance transactions, including securitized finance and mezzanine lending. Joshua's prior work experience includes representing a national rating agency in connection with the ratings of commercial mortgage backed securities. He is a member of the State Bars of California and New York. He received his J.D from New York University School of Law, and an M.A. (Media Studies) and B.A. (History) from Stanford University. Joshua has a daughter in Kindergarten at LCS.
DOLORES PATTON
Ms Patton is a Los Angeles-based educator, mentor and advisor with 35 years experience. A teacher at Open Magnet Charter School (Los Angeles' first charter school, a California Distinguished School and one of Larchmont Charter's model schools) since 1985, she is also a BTSA Support Provider, a mentor for the Cotsen Foundation and a faculty advisor for Teach for America. Throughout her career, Dolores has taught grades 1 through 6, primarily in a team-teaching, project-based environment, and also in bilingual, concurrent English/Spanish instruction. Prior to joining the staff at Open, she taught at Sylvan Park Elementary and Topeka Drive Elementary. Dolores has made numerous contributions to her professional community. Since 1996, she has participated in the Open Charter School Institute: Constructivism in Action. She is the recipient of numerous commendations and grants from organizations throughout California and the U.S., including California Network of Educational Charters, Los Angeles Educational Partnership, and American Education Research Association. Her credentials include: Educational Administration; CLAD Certificate; Life Credential; and National Board Certification, Middle Childhood Generalist. She received three degrees from California State University: two M.A.s, in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education; and a B.A. in Spanish, a language in which she is fluent.
BEN PAUL, Chair and Founding Parent
Ben Paul is the CEO of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Youth Foundation, After-School All-Stars, a national non-profit serving 70,000 low-income children daily. After serving for four years as an officer in the Israeli military, Ben moved to the U.S. and worked in anti-terrorism flight security). Ben holds a Maters in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and has nearly 20 years of management and entrepreneurial experience. He is a founding partner of a Los Angeles real-estate investment group, and the co-founder of the Highland Swim School. He lives in LA with his wife Linda and two children, Talia and Theo.
MARLENE SHAMMAS, Treasurer
Ms Shammas moved to Los Angeles in November 1991, and started working for Astani Enterprises Inc., a real estate development, brokerage, construction and property management firm based in Beverly Hills. She is now the Controller and Chief Financial Officer. The firm is currently developing 1,700 units of condominiums and mix-use projects in Downtown Los Angeles, valued at over $850 million. Marlene holds 2 undergraduate degrees, in Business Administration and in Journalism, and has a Master's Degree in International Business and Finance from George Washington University in Washington D.C, Prior to becoming our board treasurer, she had served as treasurer of the parent association of her kids' preschool for 3 consecutive years. She is married to Nick Shammas (architect/builder); they have 2 children, Dahlia (Second Grade) and Nolan (Kindergarten).
KATHERINE SHAW, Secretary
Ms. Shaw is an entertainment attorney at the firm of Surpin, Mayersohn & Edelstone. Formerly, she was a trial attorney at the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court. She has also worked in film production - as a film production coordinator and as assistant to director Bruce Beresford on more than 7 feature films. Ms. Shaw is a graduate of Oxford University in England (B.A. History) and Loyola Law School. She is married to architect and entrepreneur Stephen Slan and they have a son Henry.
LINDSAY STURMAN, Founding Parent
Ms. Sturman is a writer on the CBS drama, "Close to Home." Her previous writing credits include shows for CBS, Fox and Showtime, including the critically acclaimed and award-winning series, "Joan of Arcadia." She earned her B.A. from Harvard University and Master's in film at Columbia University. For close to a decade, she has closely followed the charter school movement and its potential to create systemic change. She and her husband feel passionate about politics and threw the first House Party in California for Howard Dean. They live in Los Angeles and have two daughters, the eldest of whom is in Kindergarten at LCS.
GENE STRAUB
Gene Straub is a seasoned financial and operational executive, having held senior positions with Fox Filmed Entertainment for nearly a decade. At the onset of his tenure with Fox, Gene was director of business development, then advanced to senior vice president of studio operations, where he was directly accountable for an $85+ million operating budget, a $15+ million capital budget, and nearly 1.2 million square feet of owned and leased office and production space. In addition, Gene has worked for a variety of for profit and non-profit organizations, including the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, WTTW-11 (Chicago PBS affiliate), Break the Cycle and IMMS/Group500. His expertise ranges from strategic planning, budgeting/forecasting, banking, and investor relations to human resources, legal affairs, and compliance management. Gene is also an accomplished chef, having graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and he pursues his culinary activities through his own catering business and making toffee for Lula Belle Toffee. He earned a B.A. in Finance from Michigan State University and lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
EUFE DE LA TORRE
Mr de la Torre is a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of California. Formerly a social worker with Children's Bureau of Southern California, he spent ten years working with children and families navigating the complexities of foster care and adoption. Eufe also had a private practice for several years, but decided to discontinue it to take on the duties as a full time parent to his children. Originally from Spain, Eufe is bilingual in English and Spanish and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Boston College and a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. Eufe and his domestic partner, Ron McGee, have two children - Alex, a first grader at LCS, and Claudia, age 2 1/2. He is currently the Co-Chair of the Communications and Outreach Committee at LCS.
RICHARD WRIGHT
Mr. Wright has headed the production department of independent film company Lakeshore Entertainment since 1995. At Lakeshore, Richard produced the motion pictures Crank, Blood & Chocolate, Underworld: Evolution, The Cave, Underworld, The Mothman Prophecies, The Gift, Runaway Bride, and Arlington Road. He has also supervised production on The Covenant, The Last Kiss, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and Million Dollar Baby. Richard is a graduate of Brown University and also received a degree from the University of Grenoble, France. Richard's son will start Kindergarten at LCS in 2007.
BOB TZUDIKER
Bob Tzudiker is a writer with screenplay credit on six feature films, including Disney's “Tarzan” and “Newsies”, partnered with his wife, Noni White. His son, Ben, is a third grader at Larchmont Charter School. Bob has a BA from St. Johns College in Annapolis, MD, and worked as an actor in theater, films and television for the fifteen years after graduation. During those years he served on the board of the Ensemble Studio Theatre (LA), and was Artistic Director of Theatre Arts Corporation in Santa Fe, NM. He has written several books of short fiction, and has taught screenwriting at Disney Feature Animation. Bob also serves on the board of Medaxis Corp., a pioneer in electronic medical records.
Education Advisors Dvora Inwood - Founding Educator: Dvora Inwood is a Seventh and Eighth Grade math teacher currently at Harvard-Westlake. She previously taught math and language arts at The Archer School and Aviva, a home in Hollywood for abused teens. She started teaching in 1994 at the University Synagogue in Los Angeles, and has taught grades 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10th grade. Dvora graduated from Harvard University and has a Masterís in Curriculum Development, with a focus on K-12 from Stanford Universityís School of Education. She brings to LCS a devotion to creating an outstanding publicly-funded school and a keen interest in the efficacy of partnerships among parents, teachers, students, and university-based education researchers. Dvora speaks Hebrew and proficient Spanish. Joel Colbert - Educational Advisor Laura Post - Professional Development Advisor Dr. Octavio Pescador - Project-Based Curriculum Advisor Becky Burrow - Dual-language Advisor Honorary Board of Advisors Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge
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Larchmont Charter School
815 North El Centro AVe Los Angeles, CA 90038 P: 323/836.0860 F: 323/836.0863 Map |
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