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Los Angeles Times Magazine in the article titled "It’s Elementary" recognized Carver Academy as one of the "60 Great Elementary Schools You Should Know About". Chosen as one of the eleven "Great" schools in the south section of Los Angeles County, the article emphasized the projects that have been implemented as part of the Carver magnet school curriculum.

Apple Website Features Carver as a
"Profile in Success" School

When Apple saw the innovative use of their products in the classrooms of Carver Academy, they chose to share the story with all of their online customers. In response to the article schools and classrooms from across the nation have contacted Carver for advice on how to better use technology on their own campuses. Go to the Apple website to read the article highlighting the use of technology in Carver classrooms and see why Apple is so impressed!

http://www.apple.com/education/profiles/carver

Academic Excellence, Lifelong Success

Carver's magnet program helps students gain skills necessary for success in the 21st century through exploration of both interpersonal and technological communication. The emphasis on schoolwide enrichment and academic achievement for all students, allows them to build the foundation for lifelong success, while developing their personal talents and abilities.

The yearlong curriculum plan, based on the California Academic Content Standards, is organized around three schoolwide themes, which are inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and interrelated across the academic areas. The emphasis is on a challenging curriculum that accommodates a wide range of individual differences and is designed to develop the talent potential of all students, preschool through grade six.

Carver Academy students are excited about coming to school whenever it is time for Enrichment Clusters! The program is part of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model, adopted by Carver as one way of applying the methods of teaching gifted learners in order to raise the academic achievement of all students. Carver Academy faculty believes that all learners are unique and gifted in some way. All children have personal strengths, talents, and interests and this program gives them an opportunity to cultivate that strength. Enrichment Clusters make learning fun. Children and adults with a similar interest are brought together in small groups to explore that topic. Choosing an interest is the first step towards students taking responsibility for their own learning, and motivation and talent development naturally follow. The regular curriculum at Carver is supported, expanded, and enhanced when children participate in enrichment activities and bring their enthusiasm and knowledge back into the classroom.

All students, kindergarten through sixth grade, participate in Clusters. Students select from many small, cross-age groups encompassing a broad variety of interest areas. During the Cluster sessions, students are encouraged to think like scholars and experts in that field and to produce a service or a product to share with others within and out of the school community. Unlike afterschool programs, Clusters are scheduled during the school day so that all students have an equal opportunity to participate. Cluster modules occur twice during each school year. They are scheduled to take place an hour each week for six weeks with an exciting Cluster Celebration the seventh week.

Parents, community members, teachers, school district personnel or local business employees with an interest or talent can be a Cluster Facilitator. Carver Academy has been able to offer over 40 Enrichment Clusters to students during a Cluster Module because of the generosity of these adult volunteers. These Clusters have encompassed a variety of interest and subject areas. Some examples of Clusters have been Young Sculptors Society, Artists Guild, Youth Medical Institute, Carver Idol Singing Ensemble, Carver Dance Team, Landscape Architects Society, Physical Science Research Institute, and Shakespeare Actors Workshop. Foreign language Clusters have been offered in French, Japanese, Spanish, and Hebrew. Also, students have been able to choose from such outdoor Clusters as Carver Croquet, Golf Academy, and Physical Fitness Institute. Technology Clusters have been offered in digital photography and music production. Students enthusiastically report that Enrichment Clusters are the highlight of the school year.

"This was an experience of a lifetime!"
- 6th grader.

"Clusters help introduce students to a different atmosphere, culture, and a whole new world! It gives us a chance to explore mentally and physically."
- 5th grader.

"I enjoyed it because you get to be around other people who like what you like."
- 6th grader.

"I like the clusters and thank you to the teachers who taught us and to the people who created Enrichment Clusters."
- 2nd grader.

"We learned something that couldn't be taught in other schools."
- 6th grader. /td>