Westchester High School voted yesterday to join the Los Angeles Unified School District’s newly formed Innovation Division, in partnership with Loyola Marymount University Family of Schools. The high school joins Orville Wright Middle School’s community and magnet programs and Kentwood Elementary School, which both joined the LMU iDivision Partnership last December.
With LMU as the Westchester schools’ external network partner, this partnership moves budget authority and decision-making over instructional and staffing choices to each school locally. The LMU Partnership will support teachers, staff, parents and community in decision-making roles.
The Westchester High School community showed their commitment to reform and improve student achievement through overwhelming support from teachers, school staff, parents, community members and local community organizations.
“Westchester High School now joins Orville Wright Middle School and Kentwood Elementary School at the forefront of a drive to re-envision the way schools make decisions – making it possible to focus on the needs of ALL students,” said Shane Martin, dean of the School of Education at Loyola Marymount University. “We will work with the LAUSD and Westchester High School as partners to close the achievement gap for all children.”
Earlier this year, LAUSD established the iDivision to provide school communities with a new opportunity to accelerate learning through the principles of teacher, parent and student empowerment, partnership with strong community organizations and accountability for improved academic achievement.
“The parents and community have sent us a message for change,” said Superintendent David Brewer. “I am excited that the Westchester High School community has embraced change and is ready to move forward with us to improve instruction with the help of the iDivision, and its local partner, LMU.
Executive Director for the LMU Family of Schools Drew Furedi said he was thrilled with the outcome.
“The LMU Family of Schools initiative was born out of the interests of teachers, staff, parents and the community,” said Furedi. “This yes vote shows a commitment from all the stakeholders to support student success across the continuum of education.
Through partnerships with LAUSD for more than 50 years, LMU’s School of Education has trained thousands of teachers, assistant principals, principals and other district leaders and worked to support excellence for the students in local public schools across the District. For more information, visit fos.lmu.edu.
