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Join Us at the Village Well Books and Coffee Store for an author event!
Sycamore Community School is thrilled to be participant in an author event at The Village Well Books and Coffee in Culver City with writer and NPR reporter Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD and author of Hunt, Gather, Parent. Doucleff’s book provides great advice and insights for parents and educators about how to best support children today! Because the vision and mission of Sycamore Community School includes cultivating independent, resilient and autonomous students Doucleff’s research and message resonates with the Sycamore Community School staff as she highlights how critical this focus is given the challenges that young people and young adults face today. She did deep and interesting research while writing this book – her approach was hands-on as she traveled to three countries to investigate the parenting traditions of indigenous people. We encourage the parents of Sycamore Community School to take advantage of this great event and to invite others to join. See specific information below as this is an after hours ticketed event.
Welcome from the Principal: Mary Ann McQueen
Welcome to Sycamore Community School’s website. We want to thank you for your interest in our K-8 program rooted in academic excellence and personal growth. And, like the beautiful native sycamore trees that surround us here in Los Angeles, we want our students to become resilient people who are growing and changing as they mature and learn over time.
Sycamore Community School is a non-profit school organization (retroactive to April 20, 2021, as we are in the process of applying for tax-exempt status). We are a school start-up, a collaboration between experienced, innovative, and committed educators. Our vision includes educating the whole child in small classes with a low teacher-student ratio in order to provide a personal and supportive school experience. We believe that students can accelerate and obtain remediation more effectively in a small class environment where they have more direct contact with their instructors.
Robust academic programs and research-based pedagogy drives our educational practice as well as a deep focus on reading, problem-solving, and hands-on learning. Immersive experiences in the community as an outgrowth of the curriculum will inspire students to explore topics more deeply and will train them to be effective urban navigators. Bi-weekly trips to the local public library will foster an appreciation for the importance and value of city government services that are accessible to all.
Over the past fifteen months students, parents and educators have lived with great uncertainty and a reliance on technology and screens that distorted the more organic in-person learning experience. Technology, as a tool, is great. At Sycamore Community School we plan to reorient students to a more balanced approach to the use of technology and reintroduce paper texts, crayons, markers, pencils, pens, chalk, and manipulatives.
Being in classrooms and outdoors throughout the day will provide a healthful learning environment and a comfortable setting in which to collaborate and learn together. Developing a close and supportive classroom community will be a vital part of the Sycamore School culture, one that includes a focus on empathy, kindness, respect, and sensitivity to other’s backgrounds and preferences.
The health of our society depends upon a well-educated workforce and engaged citizenry as well as people committed to using their talents to address the world’s challenges. At Sycamore, our goal is to prepare students for the future and to make a difference in the world as active citizens, good stewards of natural and human resources. We believe that having more experiences in the community will lead to a greater sensitivity to all that each of us can do to make the world a better and more equal place.
We hope that our website provides the information that you need about Sycamore Community School and we encourage you to attend a virtual information session to learn more.