Canyon Charter is proud of its commitment to the Arts. Through the Booster Club’s generous donation Canyon Students are able to participate in a variety of programs that foster the creative spirit. Our Arts instructors work hand in hand with the curriculum team to incorporate concepts and ideas into their lessons that match up with the curriculum in the classroom thus supporting our teacher’s commitment to create a rich learning environment for their students.
Please visit the individual pages of each component of our arts program.
Art
Music
Drama
Dance
Instrumental Music
Journalism
Performances
Beyond the Bell
Students in Grades Two through Five may remain on the playground for after-school supervised play until 5:00 p.m.. If the playground supervisor is absent, we will attempt to get a substitute. If a substitute can't be found, the playground will close at dismissal time. Kindergarten and first-grade students must leave the school grounds at dismissal time, unless they are enrolled in the S.T.A.R. after-school program.
Arrange to pick up your second through fifth graders before 5:00 p.m., as there is no supervision after that time. If you need to communicate with your child about changing the pick-up procedure, please notify the office before 2:00 p.m. The office closes at 4:30 p.m..
The after-school-supervised playground is provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District as part of the community's recreational facilities. The program is designed to let students participate in organized games and activities. Children participating in the program must obey the rules and regulations of the school and those established by the after-school playground director and have an After-School Emergency Permission Slip on file.
The after-school program is not a childcare facility and on occasion ip.m.ay be closed without prior notice. In this event, we will attempt to notify the children before the end of the school day and allow them to use the telephone to contact you. If your child participates in after-school supervised play, please make sure you pre-arrange with your child the location and babysitting plan for him/her, should the schoolyard be closed. Childcare
On occasion, a child may neglect to get consent from his/her parents before going to another child's home to play after school. If a child comes home with your son/daughter without the knowledge of the parent/guardian, please notify the school office or the caregivers immediately, as they may be trying to locate him/her. Please tell your child not to go to another child's house unless you have made prior arrangements with that child's parents.
S.T.A.R.
Canyon offers childcare and special NOVA enrichment services through S.T.A.R., Inc. These services include after school childcare, intramural sports programs, and NOVA Enrichment classes. There is a fee for S.T.A.R. For more information, please contact the representatives below.
Lily Moreira-Velado, Site Director 310-573-1658 or
S.T.A.R.'s objective is to offer fun, creative, educative and enriching programs for children during the after-school hours. S.T.A.R. provides a structured after-school program for grades K – 5. Here is a more detailed description of the S.T.A.R. Offerings:
After School Care
Five days a week until 2:45 for kindergartners and until 6:00 p.m..for 1-5th graders. We provide a wide variety of programs that range from art, sports, Homework Club, cooking, and literacy. We also provide a daily snack for grades K-5.
Intramural Sports Programs
The STAR sports teams are organized and run by STAR., Inc at Canyon Charter. The vision was to create intramural sports teams at the elementary school level. Each team is formed around a good representation of the Canyon student body. We run and coordinate a soccer team in the fall and a basketball team in the spring.
Enrichment Classes
We offer a large variety of NOVA enrichment classes, which begin in September, November, January and April. These seven or eight week classes include courses in dance, sports, languages, drama, science, art, and theater, depending on the interests expressed by the Canyon Community.
School Break Childcare
Designated S.T.A.R. sites provide all-day childcare during breaks from school. Please inquire two weeks prior to these events for registration and location information.
Canyon Charter has invested in the future of our children by providing a state of the art Computer Lab offering all grades computer instruction as well as software programs that complement the teaching curriculum by grade. Room 15 will have 33 new Mac computers for the fall of 2010 and each classroom is equipped with a Smartboard to facilitate interactive learning. Our teachers have been undergoing professional development courses designed to help them in incorporating technology in their classrooms. Canyon kids are native technology learners and it’s our goal to start them out with the appropriate technology skills as they go through their academic years.
Visit Carlos Velado’s Canyon Labs website to learn more about the resources available to Canyon Kids and Parents.
Second Step is a program designed to help students learn to make safe and healthy choices, manage their feelings and develop positive social skills. Second Step is a part of Canyon's goal is to create a safe and respectful learning environment. The SECOND STEP program for Grades Kinder through fifth grade will help our students develop skills to solve problems without anger and treat others with compassion. These social skills support academics and form the foundation for happy, healthy kids who succeed!
For more information visit Second Step's Website.
Council is a program that encourages deep and honest communication. It is a formal, structured process of sitting in a circle and passing a talking piece in response to a prompt from a facilitator. The core of the practice involves empowering students to become good storytellers and good listeners to the stories of others. As stories are shared, students develop deeper and more meaningful connections with one another, increasing their capacity for empathy and for holding multiple perspectives. Also, through the councils students connect their personal experiences and perceptions with the content in many areas of the curriculum.
This committee works with the principles of The Ojai Foundation’s award winning Council in Schools Initiative. See more about Council at Canyon along with dates of upcoming Parent/Student Councils.
DOWNLOAD THE RECIPES USED AT THE PICNIC
Native Plant Garden Awarded a Grant
We are pleased to announce that Canyon’s Native Plant Garden has received a $2,000 grant from the Palisades Women’s Gardening Club. The club was one of our first sponsors so we are very happy for their continued support.
This money will be used to add plants and to design and construct plant labels and signs. Our goal is to use the garden to educate the Canyon community about our natural heritage and our place in this vital ecosystem.
Many thanks to the Gardening Club and to Lisa Onodera-Spence and Karen Hopkins for their efforts and commitment.
JUNIOR GARDENERS
During the first week of school, the first and second grade classes were all introduced to the edible garden. The students were introduced to the pollination of corn, soil components and came up with some great rules for working and exploring in the garden.
Here are the rules; please observe them while exploring the garden:
1. Walk through the garden area quietly
2. Do not pick or pull on the plants
3. Do not touch the bugs that are living there
4. Be respectful of the garden and each other
The students were very excited about our praying mantis and have made lots of visits to him during recess and after school. We are all excited about the garden, planting some vegetables and maybe getting more visitors from the bug world.
We could really use some gift cards to Home Depot, Armstrong Nursery and Osh Hardware. And, of course, lots of volunteers! Please contact Carmen Joseph to find out more.
As many of you know, a beautiful edible garden was created last year by some very committed parents, teachers and children with help from the Alice Waters fundraiser. The harvested herbs, lettuces, flowers, lemons and kumquats were put together as a colorful and fresh salad that the students enjoyed during recess.
The goal of our edible garden is to integrate traditional education with hands-on experience growing and experiencing fresh, healthy and seasonal food. We want to raise student awareness of the origins of food, its impact on their health and its impact on the environment. We believe that through this learning experience, our children will be better equipped to make healthier choices for their entire lives.
While we’ve all been enjoying our summer vacation, stalks of corn have been growing in the garden. There are also plans to plant some additional vegetables with a short growing period within the first couple of weeks of school. Our goal is to have some wonderful greens and other vegetables to harvest for Thanksgiving.
Stop by the garden and see how much the corn has grown once school starts. If you’re interested in volunteering in the garden, please contact Carmen Joseph. It’s going to be an abundant year!
Cafeteria Lunch
Canyon offers a hot lunch program every day. The cost of each lunch is $1.00 per child. If you wish for your child to purchase a school lunch, please deposit money with the school cafeteria manager.
Your children must be able to tell the cashier their last name and first name when asked. Please practice with them.
Parents can bring cash in an envelope to the cafeteria with the child’s name on it any morning and the cafeteria manager will enter the amount as credit.
Cafeteria Breakfast:
Is also offered from 7:45 to 8:10. Same payment system as lunch.
Booster Reserve
Understandably, no one wants a child to not eat at lunchtime. The Booster Club provides a small reserve for children who want lunch, but forgot to bring money to school
If your child wants to buy lunch and does not have payment, he/she is to go to the main office where he/she can borrow a dollar. The child’s name goes on a list in the main office. Parents/Guardians are to repay the main office the next day. If the office is not reimbursed, a repayment reminder notice will go home.
Recess Snack
At morning recess snacks are sold from the cafeteria window. All snacks are under $1.00.
**If your child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals under Federal guidelines, complete the confidential application that you receive from the cafeteria and return it to the school as soon as possible. Please complete a separate form for each child who attends the school.
