Amid the widespread erasure of Black historical past in lots of components of the nation, Escuela Plus Elementary in Baldwin Hills stays steadfast in its mission to make sure that African American youth are educated about and happy with their heritage.
Based by Dr. Sandra Roussell in 2011, Escuela Plus continues the legacy of her earlier colleges, Escuela de Montessori, which served the communities of Westchester, Redondo Seashore, and Lengthy Seashore for over 30 years. Dr. Roussell established Escuela Plus to deal with the rising want for a nurturing, academically rigorous setting for at the moment’s elementary-aged kids.
A key focus of Escuela Plus’s curriculum is American historical past, with a selected emphasis on Black historical past as a vital a part of the nation’s story. All year long, college students interact in classes on Black historical past. In February, all college students take part within the college’s annual Black Historical past Program—one of many college’s most anticipated occasions.
This 12 months’s program theme was “Black Excellence All through the 1960’s to 1990’s.” The youngest college students, from TK by 1st Grade, explored themes of civil rights and social justice prevalent within the 1960’s and 1970’s. They marched as in the event that they had been on the March on Washington. College students recited poetry concerning the significance of inclusion and pioneer Shirley Chisolm and spoke in first particular person as trailblazers from the period.
The 2nd by third Grade college students continued with the Nineteen Eighties with a skit as if they had been the highschool Class of 1986 at their highschool reunion, reminiscing concerning the outstanding figures from that decade and the unforgettable music and TV exhibits.
The 4th and fifth Grade college students moved the group with their impactful 90’s Legacy Museum skit and their extraordinary, crowd-invigorating dance performances. This system closed with all the college students’ upbeat rendition of the 1970’s hit tune “We Are Household.”
The present was coordinated by Escuela’s classroom academics, music teacher Jacqueline Tringov, and dance teacher Michael Tomlin, with musical accompaniment supplied by Escuela mum or dad Walter Millsap and his band and alum mum or dad DeVoux Grant. This system was met with a number of standing ovations from an enthusiastic viewers that included present and potential households, alumni, mates, and workers.
Escuela de Montessori earned a fame for its success in educating college students of shade, who usually went on to attend high secondary colleges and prestigious faculties and universities throughout the nation. With Escuela Plus, Dr. Roussell has continued her dedication to educational excellence, providing an accelerated curriculum that permits college students from TK by fifth Grade to carry out one to 2 years above public-school and plenty of non-public colleges’ grade degree in all topics.
Along with distinctive teachers, Escuela Plus locations a robust emphasis on creating the entire little one. Core values akin to integrity, honesty, vanity, and character constructing are integral to the varsity’s method. College students additionally take part in specialised instruction in areas together with bodily schooling, dance, music, visible arts, and yoga, enriching their instructional expertise.
A beloved custom at Escuela Plus is the worldwide tour throughout Spring Break. Through the years, households have traveled to locations akin to China, France, England, Italy, Greece, Spain, Africa, Cuba, and Mexico. This 12 months’s journey will take college students and households to Southern Spain and Morocco, additional increasing their international perspective.
Escuela Plus Elementary continues to nurture each the minds and spirits of its college students, equipping them with the educational data and cultural satisfaction to succeed on the planet.
For extra details about Escuela Plus, go to www.escuelapluselementary.com.
