Reach for the Stars-Whittier City School District
VISION
The Reach for the Stars Program and Whittier City School District have formed partnerships within the Whittier Community to ensure a safe and nurturing environment.
MISSION
We integrate our resources to create equitable opportunities to empower our youth to thrive and become impactful members of society.
HISTORY
The Reach for the Stars program opened its doors in March of 1999 with four elementary school sites. The program was originally funded by a grant offered through the Los Angeles County Office of Education and the State After School Education and Safety (ASES) grant. In 2009, the program received the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) federal grant allowing us to expand to seven elementary sites including funding for the Jump Start Summer program. The Jump Start Summer Program implemented a highly integrated approach to learning. This approach helped to prevent summer learning loss in our at-risk youth. In 2013, Whittier City School District received new ASES and 21st CCLC grant awards allowing the program to expand its services district-wide. Reach for the Stars (RFTS) is funded by the After School Education and Safety (ASES) Grant and Expanded Learning Opportunity Program (ELO-P) fund. The state/federal grants require that students attend everyday until 6PM, however early release is available as needed. Reach for the Stars (RFTS) operates from 6:30 am - 8:00 am, 2:15 pm - 6:00 pm (12:15 pm -6:00 pm on minimum days) all days that school is in session at all (9) elementary schools and (2) middle schools. First priority enrollment is given to students who are identified by the program as homeless youth or as being in foster care (EC sections 8483[c][1][A] and 8483.1[d][1]A]).
Reach for the Stars Commitment to Diversity
Whittier City School District values diversity in our community and in our schools. Our goal is to provide programs and services that support the academic, social and emotional well being of all of our students. Our Reach for the Stars program aims to provide and environment that inspires staff and students to reach their full potential for excellence. We work tirelessly to provide a culturally rich program for our students through music, dance, choir, team sports, and celebrations. All students ranging from Kindergarten to 8th grade are invited to participate and an effort is made to provide something of interest to every student. Similarly, we strive to recruit and retain diverse, high quality teachers and support staff who are thoughtful, multi-talented and who reflect the growing diversity of our community and our students. Together with the district, we endeavor to create a culture that celebrates individuality and who values and respects differences among people. We continuously review the effectiveness of our staff and programs to ensure that our practices help us achieve our goals of a diverse, culturally rich program.
Amplifying Program Impact
Our programs seek to help raise the leaders of tomorrow, by teaching students 21st century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. These skills help students become lifelong learners, which ultimately benefits the community. Our Reach for the Stars and Jump Start programs gives students more time to gain these skills, and explore different ways of learning, all the while preventing learning loss that affects so many children every year. In order to ensure exceptional youth development, Reach for the Stars and Jump Start Programs use the Learning in After School (LIAS) principles to create quality programming. Learning that is Active Learning that is Collaborative Learning that is Meaningful Learning that Supports Mastery Learning that Expands Horizons Through our collaborative efforts, we hope to expand our mission of providing a safe and nurturing environment for students and community members to learn and grow.