In This Issue

Key Events!

An Interview with the Director of Instruction

Relevant Charter School Websites

How time flies! It’s hard to believe, but Valor Academy’s first-ever class of 5^th graders has almost finished the first trimester in the school’s history!

Valor’s young scholars have learned so much this fall. From the first day of school, the students were divided into homerooms named for prominent local universities -- UCLA, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and the University of Southern California --as a way of bringing home Valor’s college-preparatory mission. Meanwhile, the children have taken the Stanford 10 achievement tests, and concentrated on building up skills in Math, Reading, Social Studies and Science. Before Thanksgiving break, the students will take finals in their academic subjects to learn just how far they’ve come in 12 weeks.

Our 119 students represent a wide variety of backgrounds from local San Fernando Valley communities. There are more boys (57 percent) than girls (43 percent). Eighty-four percent of Valor’s students are Hispanic, 5 percent Caucasian, 5 percent Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 4 percent African American, and 2 percent Asian or Native American. Most live within a few miles of campus. Most families qualify for free or reduced meals, and Royal Dining serves students tasty and nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily.

Enriching education doesn’t end with traditional academics. Students have been receiving character education every week at community circle designed to instill strong ethical beliefs. Once a week they take a life skills and entrepreneurship course taught by the administrators, where the Valor Values are tied to tangible life examples. Our after school programs, run by Valor Staff and the local non-profit Hands For Hope, features a homework center and free tutoring every day, plus activities that range from Hip Hop Dance to guitar, drum, and piano lessons, to cooking and athletics. Thanks to a partnership with Premier America Credit Union in Northridge, students learned key lessons about the importance of managing money carefully, and each child now has a student saver account with five dollars already deposited in order to start saving for college!

Key Events!

Breakfast and tour of Valor Academy – On Friday, November 20 at 8:30, school founder Hrag Hamalian and Board Chair William Ryan will host a tour and breakfast at Valor’s campus for friends and supporters to learn more about the reality of Valor’s innovative educational model. Students will lead a campus tour, and Hrag and other staff members will make a short informational presentation. Please join in the fun and see how far we’ve come!

When: November 20, 8:30 to 9:30

What: Tour and Breakfast at Valor Academy

Where: Valor Academy, 8755 Woodman Avenue, Arleta, California

If you would like to attend please RSVP: (818) 830 1700

Valor in the News – Valor Academy and school founder Hrag Hamalian shined in an article in Mr. Hamalian’s college newspaper, the Boston College Chronicle.The article (click here) features a question-and-answer discussion with Mr.Hamalian, who graduated from B.C. in 2005, and a lovely picture of him on campus with Valor students. “Parents love the idea that we believe each and every one of their students will have the opportunity to attend college,” Mr. Hamalian told student reporter Sean Smith, “and we prepare their students not only with the skills necessary to make this happen but also the tangible reality of what it will take for them to get there.”



Halloween Parade – Ghosts, goblins and even Gumby turned out for Valor’s first-ever Halloween Parade on Friday, October 30. Before school, members of the faculty and staff donned costumes to greet arriving students. Mr. Hamalian was Gumby, the green clay man, and other staff members donned festive costumes to spur the students’ excitement for the afternoon activities.Then at 1 o’clock parents arrived to help students put on their costumes, and some even brought their own costumes to help celebrate. Each homeroom paraded in Valor’s courtyard in costume, and students won awards of gift certificates from local eateries for the costumes that were the scariest, funniest, cutest and most creative.

An Interview with the Director of Instruction, Jessica Boro

A native of Los Angeles and local Teach for America alumna, Mrs. Boro firmly believes every child has a right to a highly rigorous and enriching education. As a nationally board certified teacher, a graduate of Spelman College, in Atlanta and a doctoral candidate at Pepperdine University, Mrs. Boro taught at a high-performing charter school before joining Valor’s staff in August as the Director of Instruction.

Q. Where are the 5th graders developmentally, and why is that a good year to start a middle school education?

Fifth grade marks a pivotal moment in students’ academic careers. It is the perfect juxtaposition between intellectual growth and personal awareness. Academically, 5^th graders are eager to learn and developmentally the typical ten-year-old student has a positive outlook on life and tends to be compliant and fun. The students enjoy learning new material. Students are eager to make friends and please others. They form good personal relationships with peers as well as teachers. Overall, 5^th graders become more dependable and their level of independence increases as the year progresses.

For these reasons starting a middle school with 5^th grade students is ideal. Students that enter middle school during this heightened state of curiosity are naturally more engaged and easily molded. Benefits of starting middle school with 5^th grade students include better adaptation to school culture and increased academic achievement.

Q. Since the beginning of the year, what changes have you noticed in the children's academic performance?

The students have totally bought into the rigorous curricula and structure at Valor Academy. Since the beginning of the year students participate more in class, ask meaningful higher-level reasoning questions, and work well in collaborative groups.

Q. Has their confidence grown?

Students are proud to be Valor Lions. Students come to school happy and eager to learn, and express it by their roaring chants led by faculty and staff. Evidence of school pride is seen as they enter the gate every morning and professionally greet staff by shaking hands and offering a polite greeting. Our students enjoy coming to school because we have a perfect balance of work and play. The structured highly academic environment combined with the highly engaging atmosphere is perfect for the developmental stage of our students.

Q. Are they more willing to explore unfamiliar territory?

I feel very comfortable saying that the students are not afraid to learn new things. The lessons that students participate in daily are both challenging and engaging. Teachers incorporate questioning strategies and delivery methods that encourage students to try different things. Lowering the affective filter of students allows them to take risks, thus producing students that are comfortable exploring unfamiliar territory.

Q. Valor is built on a college prep model in a community where a lot of families haven't had that chance. How are the students taking to the challenge of learning about colleges and thinking of themselves as future college students?

On many occasions I have discussed Valor and its mission with student families. Overwhelmingly families are pleased with both the new sense of professionalism and student academic growth they’ve seen thus far. Although some student families have not had the opportunity to attend college, they completely understand the importance of college preparation. Choosing Valor was no accident. Families were seeking a better alternative for educational enrichment. Families and students alike have taken on the PREP (Professionalism, Respect, Engagement, and Preparedness) values and hold themselves and each other accountable. We have instilled Valor Pride in our students and families. They know they are the class of 2021 (the year they will graduate college), they believe they will succeed; we expect nothing less!

Relevant Charter School Websites

Valor Academy Teacher Wishlists!
If you are interested in donating to Valor Academy's academic program please visit our home page at iloveschools.com. Please click here to see the wishlists teachers have developed for their classrooms!

LAUSD Charter School Homepage
A portion of the LAUSD website devoted to charter schools with the mission and vision of the LAUSD in regards to charter schools, recent news and developments, as well as helpful links. Click Here

California Charter School Association
Information regarding charter schools, links to recent charter news, information on workshops and events, and ways to get involved in the charter school movement. Click Here

Valor Academy
The official Valor Academy Charter School website, with links containing information regarding our school program, information for parents, and ways to get involved.
www.valoracademy.org

The Boston College Chronicle: A Man on a Mission

Valor Academy founder and school leader, Hrag Hamalian, was featured in an article in the Nov. 5 edition of The Boston College Chronicle profiling his efforts in starting a college prep charter middle school in North Hollywood.

Some excerpts from Hrag's interview:

On the relationship between charter schools and traditional public schools:

Charter schools are public schools. We are authorized by the local school district, and all children are able to attend. There are absolutely no restrictions or tests for a student to qualify.

On what makes Valor Academy attractive to parents:

Parents love the idea that we believe each and every one of their students will have the opportunity to attend college, and we prepare their students not only with the skills necessary to make this happen, but also the tangible reality of what it will take for them to get there.

Read the full article:

http://www.bc.edu/publications/chronicle/TopstoriesNewFeatures/features/hamalian110509.html

Valor Academy in the L.A. Daily News

Valor Academy starred on the front page of Monday’s Los Angeles Daily News, as education reporter Connie Llanos profiled head of school Hrag Hamalian and the “start-up” charter middle school set to open its doors in late August with a class of 120 5^th graders. Focusing on Hrag and Valor Academy’s progress since charter approval by the Los Angeles Unified School District, the story elaborated on Valor’s promise of preparing all students for rigorous high schools and colleges. “Every child should be able to go to their community public school and be as adequately prepared as the student who went to the top-tier private school,” Hrag told the Daily News.

The Daily News story also highlighted Valor Academy parent Ilda Chavez, an Arleta resident and mother of two who enrolled her 5^th grade daughter. “I feel really good about my decision,” said Mrs. Chavez, who made the switch from a magnet school after attending a recent parent information session that laid out Valor’s promise of rigorous academics, a safe, small-school environment and free tutoring. Upcoming parent meetings will be held on July 16 and July 23 at the Panorama Baptist Church and School, 8755 Woodman Avenue, Arleta. Please call (818) 528-5467 for more information or visit Valor's website.

Valor Academy is currently accepting enrollment of 120 5^th graders for the 2009-2010 school year, and these students will become Valor's first graduating class. Valor will grow by one grade each school year until it becomes a 5th-8th grade charter middle school.

Valor Academy featured in The Armenian Reporter

Valor Academy and its founder, Hrag Hamalian, were recently profiled in a feature in The Armenian Reporter.

Read the complete article here or click on the link below.

Valor Academy Newsletter 5/11/2009

In This Issue Valor Academy Approved! Where is Valor? We Need Your Help! Valor Academy Approved! Valor Academy has been approved! The new charter middle school for the San Fernando Valley will open in August 2009 with a class of 5th graders, thanks to the unanimous vote by the Los Angeles Unified School District board on April 14. Congratulations to school founder Hrag Hamalian and the entire Valor team for their hard work, expertise and passion for bringing a college-preparatory focus to middle school students in the Arleta-Panorama City-North Hollywood area. "All children in the community deserve a high quality public education that positions them for success in high schools and beyond," says Valor Academy Founder Hrag Hamalian. With the charter approved, plans will quickly move forward to sign up families for next year’s first-ever class of students. We are opening next fall for 5th graders only, and will grow one grade each year after that until we fully expand to become a 5th-8th grade middle school. Parents may now sign up their child to enter Valor for next school year’s 5th grade class. Like all public schools, Valor Academy will be free; parents of any child who is a California resident may sign up. If more than 120 children sign up to begin school next fall, we will hold a lottery at the end of the sign up period to determine admission. All a family has to do for now is fill out an application available at our website. Valor is a charter school, which means that it is a tuition-free public school that the LAUSD permits to operate with more freedom to use innovative curriculum and teaching methods. Valor’s mission is to provide middle school students in Arleta, Panorama City and North Hollywood with a rigorous education that will prepare them for top-flight high schools and colleges. To accomplish this, we have designed a longer school day, a sharp focus on math and reading, individualized instruction and free tutoring and after-school programs. You can keep track of the dates of the Board's meetings and view key documents and meeting agendas by visiting Valor's Board site. Valor was one of the first charter schools approved this year, and the school board’s approval is a vote of confidence forValor’s belief that ALL students deserve an exciting, quality education. The approval caps 18 months of work by Hamalian, Valor board chair William Ryan and the entireValor Board. We’d also like to thank the Los Angeles Unified School District and the charter school division. We’re grateful for the support of numerous organizations, and appreciate the website design work of Neolynx, the legal counsel of Sullivan & Cromwell, and the graphic design work from The Center for Visual Communication at Cal State Northridge." I would like to express my deep gratitude on behalf of the entire Valor Academy Board of Directors to all those individuals and organizations who have been so supportive," says Ryan. "As a result of their incredibly generous work, we have reached this first milestone in our mission of academic excellence and are poised to open our doors in a few short months." Where is Valor? The Board is working closely with Panorama Baptist Church to secure a wonderful location forValor Academy: a well-built school facility on Woodman Avenue, north of Roscoe Boulevard. The well-kept campus boasts sizable classrooms, a playground, green courtyard and cafeteria. Unlike many charter schools that start life in makeshift facilities, the site was built as a school for the church, which operated a faith-based elementary school with up to 240 students until a few years ago. Currently, a Valor team led by Board member Brad Wilson is negotiating with church leadership for a multi-year lease at the school site. We’d like to thank Rev. John Polite III, and the board of deacons at Panorama Baptist for their generosity and their shared vision of community service. We’re working hard to meet with community leaders in the area. Hrag and Board member Steve McAvoy recently met with the Panorama City Neighborhood Council. Hrag and board member Andy Murr had a productive session with staff members of Councilman Richard Alarcón, in whose district the Panorama site is located. They also met with staffers of Councilman Tony Cárdenas from the adjoining district. We Need Your Help! Now that Valor has a charter, we’re launching out with ambitious plans and we need your help. Opening a successful charter school designed to producing the strongest academic outcomes is an all-encompassing effort that cannot be realized by a small team. It takes the dedication of many like-minded people bound by a commitment to improving the lives of our children. If you are interested in making this school a reality or know someone else who may, here's how you can help! MAKE A DONATION Valor Academy is a free public school, but we need contributions to augment the public funding, particularly in the months before school opens. Valor Academy was recently approved as a 501c (3) charitable non-profit by the IRS, thanks to hard work from Board Chair William Ryan and generous pro bono time of attorneys at Sullivan & Cromwell. Thus, all contributions may be fully tax-deductible on 2009 federal taxes to the extent permitted by applicable law. Valor Academy will also need donations of books, furniture and sports equipment. Visit our website for a complete list of possible in-kind donations. BE A VOLUNTEER As a volunteer or advisor you can share your expertise and skills by completing many smaller tasks critical to the success of the school. In the coming weeks, we’ll need help signing up families for Valor, attending fairs, passing out flyers and spreading the word in the community. BECOME A COMMUNITY PARTNER We are looking for community partners who’d like to help with a range of needed services such as printing, uniforms and after-school programs. JOIN OUR STAFF We are looking for talented teachers and staff members. Please visit our website to learn more! INVITE US TO AN EVENT If you are having an event where there might be interested parents or students please let us know! Thanks to everyone who is helping to make Valor Academy a reality! VALOR ACADEMY WEBSITE The official Valor Academy Charter School website, with links containing information regarding our school program, information for parents, and ways to get involved. www.valoracademy.org

Valor Academy Newsletter 10/13/2008

In This Issue

Valor Academy Application to the LAUSD Progress

Valor Academy Thanks Our Supportors

Relevant Charter School Websites

Submission of Charter Application

Valor’s application process with the LAUSD has begun! Valor Academy took a giant step toward becoming a reality this summer when we submitted the school’s charter application to the L.A. Unified School District. Over the coming months, Valor expects to work with charter school officials at LAUSD to gain approval for North Hollywood’s first charter middle school. Valor plans to open in 2009 with a fifth grade of 120 students, and expand by one grade each year until our school will teach fifth through eighth grade students using a vision that each child can begin to prepare for success at college and beyond with a rigorous, supportive middle-school environment.

Many organizations provided key input for the application, says Valor founder and proposed Head of School, Hrag Hamalian. “I’d like to thank everyone involved so far for helping make the application a reflection of our vision,” says Hrag. Hrag just completed a year as a 2007-2008 fellow at Building Excellent Schools, a highly selective school leadership fellowship, whose staff worked closely with the Valor team. Through BES, Hrag received school leadership training, visited a network of nationally- recognized charter schools, and he gained valuable experience in Los Angeles with an internship at the KIPP Academy of Opportunity, whose leadership provided key guidance and support. The California Charter School Association, based in Los Angeles, provided important support and advice on a range of topics, ranging from curriculum and faculty to insurance and facilities selection. ExED, a charter school back-office management organization, helped construct an initial school budget.

Hrag also cited the work of Valor Academy’s Founding Board, who “read, revised and provided guidance for every part of the application,” Hrag says. Thanks also to invaluable pro bono counsel from the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. Valor’s Founding Board would particularly like to thank attorneys Patrick Brown, Rita O'Neill, Mary Grendell and Matthew Jones for their hard work. Their services included providing general corporate advice, incorporating Valor Academy Charter School, drafting bylaws, conflict of interest policy, resolutions and other corporate documents, while guiding Hrag and members of the board in the submission of the application to the Internal Revenue Service for Valor Academy's request to be granted non-profit status.

The Valor Academy Team would also like to thank Ian Guidera and the staff at KIPP KAO for their unwavering support and guidance; Henry Viscara, Yassmin Jahanbini, and the staff at 30sixty design in Studio City for their creative pro bono work in designing the beautiful Valor Academy Logo; Armen Mardirousi and Neolynx Solutions in Glendale for their pro bono development and design of the Valor Academy website (www.valoracademy.org); SADA Systems in North Hollywood for their technical guidance; and Dave Moon and his students at the California State University at Northridge for their incredible work with the school’s marketing design.

In the coming months, the Valor team expects to work with LAUSD charter school officials as the application moves through the evaluation process. “In the next few months we hope to have a board capacity meeting with LAUSD, and we hope to be authorized by this winter,” Hrag adds. The past year was devoted to research and gaining expertise. “The next year will be devoted to the implementation of the vision by building a staff, acquiring a school space and reaching out to parents and children,” he says.

Community Support

Throughout the application process, Valor Academy has touched a nerve in the North Hollywood community. Community leaders and civic organizations have shown tremendous support for our belief that all students can succeed academically and go to college if they receive a quality middle school education. We are very proud that the following organizations wrote letters to the Los Angeles Unified School District to show their support for Valor Academy.

1. Councilman Tom LaBonge
2. Councilwoman Wendy Greuel
3. Chamber of Commerce of North Hollywood
4. Neighborhood Council of North Hollywood
5. LAPD of North Hollywood – Police Activity League
6. Rotary Club of North Hollywood
7. Wells Fargo of North Hollywood
8. Freemasons of North Hollywood
9. Armenian National Committee of North Hollywood
10. Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley
11. Economic Development Center of the San Fernando Valley
12. US Small Business Association of Los Angeles
13. Immanuel Presbyterian Church (an LA community church)
14. Teach For America
15. Building Excellent Schools
16. KIPP Academy of Opportunity
17. Walton Foundation
18. Red Cross of Los Angeles
19. Minister-Counselor of US foreign service, Keith Simmons
20. Generation Next of Glendale
21. Resources for Indispensable Schools and Educators
22. National Foundation of Teaching Entrepreneurship
23. Youth Mentoring Connection
24. Gear Up/Families in Schools
25. Hands for Hope
26. Bright Star Schools

Hrag and members of our board have also met with a number of other community groups. Hrag met with community leaders at the North Hollywood YMCA, walked in a 5K race for Hands of Hope, attended a Community Fair in Northridge thanks to generous help of staff members of North Hollywood Park, and shared a booth with the North Hollywood Jaycees at the North Hollywood Arts Fair. He met with other charter leaders, including architect Ray Franco, the developer of NoHo’s Ark High School, a proposed charter high school for architecture and design in North Hollywood.

Our work so far couldn’t have been accomplished without assistance from supporters who have been generous with their time, energy and expertise.

Thanks to all of you, Valor is on its way to becoming a reality!

Relevant Charter School Websites

LAUSD Charter School Homepage
A portion of the LAUSD website devoted to charter schools with the mission and vision of the LAUSD in regards to charter schools, recent news and developments, as well as helpful links. Click Here

California Charter School Association
Information regarding charter schools, links to recent charter news, information on workshops and events, and ways to get involved in the charter school movement. Click Here

Valor Academy
The official Valor Academy Charter School website, with links containing information regarding our school program, information for parents, and ways to get involved.
www.valoracademy.org