(PRLog.Org) – As a parent you want the very best for your child, but what if the ‘best’ education available is a failing school on the verge of losing its accreditation? Or worse a school that has a crime rate higher than a small U.S. suburb.
One parent, Vielka McFarlane a veteran educator and administrator for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) decided it was time for change. She had a vision in hand and decided now was the time to put it into action. When she unveiled her plans for her project to financiers she was told “the model was too large, too expensive and ultimately a catastrophe waiting to happenâ€, said McFarlane. She was facing a closed door and no help from those who could help her make a change. She knew the only way to fix the problem was to jump in a do it herself. So she mortgaged her own home to open her dream, Celerity Nascent Charter School.
Ms. McFarlane could’ve chosen any number of affluent locations. But as a parent she knew the only way to fix a problem was to go its source and start from there. She selected an adverse area notorious for poor education standards the corner of Jefferson and Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles. “I went to an area that needed help. Where children were being lost and the drop out rate is 50% to 60%. Parents in these areas are clamoring for change. Begging for a safe haven for their children and a chance for them to go college†says McFarlane. That’s just what Ms. McFarlane created, a school that offers a students a choice.
Today she is a mentor for more than 500 students at Celerity. Each of who she cares for as if they were her own. Her student body is comprised of 70% African-American and 30% Hispanic, many of whom are considered to be ‘at-risk’ students. These students who were once enrolled in failing schools are now thriving and excelling. The student body scored a 664 on the Academic Performance Index (API), outperforming the schools it draws its students from. Their Average Daily Attendance (ADA) is 98.1% which is unheard of in the school system and Celerity is making it happen in the inner city.
In an area synonymous with educational failure one parent’s dream has made a difference for over 500 children and their families. Vielka McFarlane is turning the tables on a failing education system. She’s made the notion of change, in an impoverished area a reality. It’s the now blueprint for future Celerity Educational Group charter schools. One could even say she’s an educational visionary setting an example that others should hastily follow.
For more information on The Celerity Nascent Charter School, please visit them on the web at www.celeritycharterschool.org.
