Charter Council
As a California Charter School, Napa Valley Language Academy is
governed by staff and parents in a collaborative relationship. Since
becoming a Charter School in 1998, NVLA has maintained a commitment to
shared decision making. The NVLA Charter Council meets once a month and
and participates in school policy and decision making. Membership
includes 4 parents, 4 staff and the principal. It is a school based
management team designed to build consensus decision-making among staff,
administration and parents. Parent members are elected by the NVLA
parents in an election held every spring. Members serve rotating terms
of 2 years.
Charter Council Parent Reps for 2010-11 are:
Norma Villegas (Chair), Chris Carpenter, Seanna Wagner and Lidia Ortiz. Veronica Ortiz serves as parent alternate.
The staff reps include:
Franklin Hernandez, Gladys Hernandez, Katie Boss, Gloria Maravilla and Deb Wallace, Principal.
A main role of
the representatives is to serve as channels of communication between
parents, teachers, the district and the community. These reps are
available and interested in hearing your ideas, concerns and suggestions
to help make NVLA the very best it can be for our students. We
encourage parents and staff who may be interested in serving in the
future to attend meetings as an observer.
The Charter Council also appoints individuals as "alternate
representatives", to attend meetings regularly, learn how the team
operates and offer input for decision making. The Charter Council is
responsible for: the general policies of the school; approval and
monitoring of the school's annual budget; and any other responsibilities
necessary for the proper operation of the school. Day to day
administration of the school is managed by the Principal and Assistant
Principal.
In addition, the Charter Council has established another Parent Group
called "Amigos in Action" for community building and working on tasks
and projects needing to be accomplished around the school. At our bi
monthly Town Hall Meetings, parents can suggest ideas for projects and
form task-forces to "get the job done" and work together to accomplish
these projects around the school.
C.L.A.S.E. Foundation
C.L.A.S.E. (Cultural, Language, and Arts Student Enrichment) supports
school and community activities through fundraising efforts. C.L.A.S.E. is a
non-profit 501-C3 formed to plan and oversee all fundraising activities
at NVLA including student and parent run fundraisers and grant writing.
Funds raised are used to promote visual and performing arts, field
trips, special classroom activities, library and technology,
international cultural exchange experiences, site development,
cross-cultural understanding, multiple language acquisition, community
events and projects and student growth.
Programs that C.L.A.S.E. currently supports include:
- After-School Enrichment Classes (Art, Instrumental Music, Dance, Garden, Science and more)
- Heartstrings Instrumental Music Program for grades K-6
- Field Trips (every grade level receives funds to help pay for field trips)
- School Assemblies (extra school-wide activities such as author visits, educational or inspirational assemblies)
- Fifth grade activities (outdoor education)
How We Raise Funds
Several
fundraising events take place throughout the year. We try to balance the
frequency and the types of fundraisers so that there is something that
appeals to all NVLA families.
- September: Flower bulb sale
- November: La Viņa Wine Auction
- December: Giving Tree
- April: Walk-a-thon
- May: May Fiesta.
Ongoing: movie
nights, parent driven fundraisers, shopping programs, popsicle sales,
NVLA shirt sales, and cartridge/cell phone recycling
In addition,C.L.A.S.E. helps involve NVLA students in fundraisers to raise money for
local and international charities such as: Mamma Jeanne's Children's
Home in Goma, Congo; Hats On for Kids with Cancer; Help for Haiti;
Spanish Books for students in Nicaragua; Uniform clothing for needy NVLA
students; and scholarships for NVLA high school graduates.
How Parents Can Help
- Sign up for grocery and/or online shopping programs.
- Attend a C.L.A.S.E. meeting.
- Volunteer to help with events and fundraisers.
- Come up with an idea for an event or fundraiser.
- Not all fundraisers have to be big. Everything counts!
The C.L.A.S.E. board is made up of NVLA parents and staff.
The 2009-2010 C.L.A.S.E. board members are:
- Shelley Webb Surh President, president@clasefoundation.org
- Anissa Adams, Vice President
- Lisa Sedgley, Treasurer, treasurer@clasefoundation.org
- Drina Chopitea, Secretary
- Lisa Samatovicz, Member
- Pam Perkins, Vice Principal, member
- Gloria Maravilla, Charter School Administrative Tech, Member
If you would
like to learn more about what we do and what we support, feel free to
get in touch with one of us or attend one of our monthly meetings.
Shelley Webb Surh (English): 707-252-2226 president@clasefoundation.org
Gloria Maravilla (Spanish): 707 254 0218 gmaravilla@nvusd.k12.ca.us
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