know your schools project model

8/3/2019 Know Your Schools Project Model

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KNOW YOUR SCHOOLS PROJECT

Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School

Culver City Middle School


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Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School,

through a collaborative team effort,is committed to developing the

whole child as a successful life-longlearner by creating a positiveschool culture through the effectivedelivery of a rigorous standards-driven curriculum based onassessed student needs.

-school mission statement

Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School, formerly known as

Mount Vernon, changed its name in 2006 after the lateJohnnie Cochran. The school is located between VeniceBlvd and Washington blvd, before Crenshaw. It is in theArlington Heights district. Information about the school is

brief and the website gives no information on the history ofit. What we do know is that Johnnie Cochran was a student

there in the 1950s.


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Johnnie Cochran Middle School is ablock away from my home. I pass by

it every day as I drive to LATTC. Themajority of students are AfricanAmerican and Hispanic. The school isnear the Washington Irving Libraryand Bank of America. There is a swapmeet and a lot of fast food restaurants

across the street, including aStarbucks near by. There is a also anadult school right across the middleschool, Mid Wilshire Center, where alot of teenagers and adults go to gettheir GED or a quick career program.

The city has recently opened up aDaycare in the area. I personally likethe area, Ive never had a problem

and I like the fact that the library iswithin walking distance of the school.

By utilizing what we have learned as educators,

parents, and students, and by building on what wehave learned from the California State Document,

Taking Center Stage, and from the work of RubyPayne and others, the Cochran Middle Schoolcommunity through collaboration and cooperation isworking to provide all of our students the opportunity togrow academically, physically, emotionally, and sociallyinto citizens of this country that are prepared to live alife of contentment with a sense of satisfaction and

purpose. Principals Philosophy


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Less than 10 miles away is Culver City Middle School

Home of the Panthers

The mission of Culver City Middle School, a

culturally diverse and environmentally activelearning community, is to ensure that all studentsare provided a challenging educational programthat will foster integrity, respect, and a passion forsuccess in our ever-changing global environment

by bringing the resources available in our uniquecity together to achieve this goal. SchoolMission statement

Culver City Middle School is located in a very community-like atmosphere. TheCulver City High School is right next to it and so is Farragut Elementary School.Theres a library near by, an adult school, and another daycare. The area is fairly

clean and nicer than Johnnie L. Cochran Middle Schools location.


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LETS COMPARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS!

Population22,096 population in 2000, according to the U.S.Census23,330 population in 2008, based on L.A.Department of City Planning estimates.1.03 square mile21,423 people per square mile, among thehighest densities for the city of Los Angeles

and among the highest densities for the county

EthnicityEthnicityThe percentages of black, Asian and Latinopeople are high for the county.Highly diverse for the city of Los Angelesbut

moderately diverse for the county

JOHNNIE L. COCHRANS HOOD IncomeHousehold income in thousands of 2000 dollars$31,421 median household income (2008dollars), low for the city of Los Angelesandlow for the countyIn Los Angeles County, Downtown, UniversityPark and Chinatown have the most similarhousehold incomes.The percentage of households earning $20,000or less is high for the county.
http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.htmlhttp://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.htmlhttp://cityplanning.lacity.org/http://cityplanning.lacity.org/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/black/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/asian/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/latino/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/diversity/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/diversity/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/median/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/median/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/downtown/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/chinatown/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/20-or-less/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/20-or-less/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/20-or-less/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/20-or-less/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/chinatown/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/university-park/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/downtown/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/median/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/income/median/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/diversity/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/diversity/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/latino/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/asian/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/ethnicity/black/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/population/density/neighborhood/list/http://cityplanning.lacity.org/http://cityplanning.lacity.org/http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.htmlhttp://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html


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EducationEducation level13.9% of residents 25 and older have a four-yeardegree, about average for the city of LosAngelesand about average for the countyIn Los Angeles County, Mid-City, Elizabeth Lakeand Gardena have the nearest percentage ofresidents 25 and older with a four-year degree.The percentage of residents 25 and older withless than a high school diploma is high for thecounty.

HousingAverage household size of 3.0 people, aboutaverage for the city of Los Angelesand aboutaverage for the countyUnincorporated Catalina Island, Veterans

Administration and Westlake have the mostsimilar percentage of homeowners in Los Angeles

FamiliesMalesFemalesThe percentages of never marriedmales, never married females andwidowed females are among thecounty's highest.There are 1,165 families headed bysingle parents. The rate is 23.5%, highfor the city of Los Angelesand highfor the county

Ancestry and immigrationMexican (25.7%) and Korean (5.3%)are the most common ancestries.11,007 (49.8%) of residents are foreignborn, high for the city of Los Angelesand high for the county. Mexico(34.9%) and El Salvador (20.2%) arethe most common foreign places of

birth.

NOWAY!!
http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/four-year-degree/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/four-year-degree/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/mid-city/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/elizabeth-lake/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/gardena/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/less-than-high-school/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/unincorporated-catalina-island/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/veterans-administration/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/veterans-administration/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/westlake/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-males/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-males/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-females/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/widowed-females/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/single-parents/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/single-parents/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/foreign-born/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/foreign-born/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/foreign-born/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/foreign-born/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/single-parents/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/single-parents/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/widowed-females/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-females/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-males/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/marital-status/never-married-males/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/westlake/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/veterans-administration/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/veterans-administration/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/unincorporated-catalina-island/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/household-size/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/less-than-high-school/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/gardena/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/elizabeth-lake/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/mid-city/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/mid-city/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/mid-city/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/four-year-degree/neighborhood/list/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/city/los-angeles/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/education/four-year-degree/neighborhood/list/


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An overall map of where the school is located


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Culver City Middle Schools Entire City Demographic

Population Diversity

Population: 38, 422

Age DistributionAge 17 and under 20% Age 18 - 24 7% Age 25 - 3413% Age 35 - 44 17% Age 45 - 59 24% Age 60 andover 19%

Median Age: 38 years

Income DistributionUnder $24,999 16% $25,000 - $49,999 25%$50,000 - $99,999 35% $100,000 - $149,999 14%Over $150,000 9%Average Household Income: $78,100Median Household Income: $60,000

Educational Attainment

Less than 9th Grade 1,714Some High School 1,915High School Graduate 4,344Some College 6,824Associate Degree 1,859

Bachelor's Degree 6,774Graduate Degree 4,910Percentage High School orHigher 87.2%

78K is theaverage?

Wow!!!!


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Culver City Middle School is right next to the high school.


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At first glance, boththe neighborhoodsseem very similar. Thestreets are surroundedby houses instead ofapartments. The

blocks arentovercrowded. The onlydifference is thatCulver City MiddleSchool is surroundedby other schools.Students from theelementary school

next door get toremain in theirprevious schools

area. The same withthe students thatgraduate from CulverCity Middle School.

They get to attend thehigh school thats right

next to their school.Students grow up withthe same peers, thiscan create a betterenvironment for them.


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CRIME RATES

Arlington Heights (Johnnie L. Cochran)

Area

Six Month Summary

81 VIOLENT CRIMES160 PROPERTY CRIMES

103.3 CRIMES PER 10,000 PEOPLE

Six-month summaries are based on thelatest six months where data are availablefrom all departments, Nov. 1, 2010 to May1, 2011

Yikes! The # ofrobbery and

assault crimesis high in my

area.


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Culver City Crime Rates Yearly(according to Neighborhood Scout)

Unfortunately I could not get recent crime reports because the Culver CityPolice Department has not released them (according to latimes.com). By thecharts you can determine that crimes happen more frequently in the Arlington

Heights area. But Culver City is not spotless either. They have more crime than Iexpected.


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Now that weve learned about the neighborhoods, lets compare schools..

Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School

Student body

Enrollment: 1,738 studentsFree and reduced-price lunch: 84.0%?English language learners: 43.0%Diversity rank: 3/10?

Faculty

Total teachers: 84Median teacher experience: 4 years

Student-teacher ratio: 21:1?

Culver City Middle School

Student body

Enrollment: 1,585 students

Free and reduced-price lunch: 39.0%?English language learners: 12.1%Diversity rank: 10/10?Faculty

Faculty

Total teachers: 73Median teacher experience: 9.5 years

Student-teacher ratio: 22:1


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Unofficial Rank: 1/10 Unofficial Rank 7/10

STAR 2010 SCORES

MATH 20.7% ENGLISH25.3%

STAR 2010 SCORES

MATH 56.1% ENGLISH65.4%


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Johnnie Cochran, Jr., Middle School

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:43%

Extracurricular Activities:BandAcademic contestsYearbook

Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch program: 91%

Culver City Middle SchoolENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS:11%

Extracurricular Activities:Band , Chorus, Ceramics/sculptureComputer arts, DanceDrawing/painting, OrchestraTheater/drama, JapaneseFrench, SpanishBadminton, Basketball

Baseball, CheerleadingCross country, FootballGymnastics, Martial arts / self-defenseP.E. classes, SoccerSoftball, TennisTrack, VolleyballAcademic contests, Community service

Debate , NewspaperRadio/video/multimediaScience and technologyStudent council / student governmentYearbook

Students eligible for free or reduced-

price lunch program:

41%


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What weve learned about both schools through these

statistics..1. The amount of residents that live in the Arlington Heights area, where

Johnnie L. Cochran is located, are about 22,000. Culver City has roughly40,000 residents. Almost twice as many residents BUT thats the estimate

for the entire Culver City area. Whereas Arlington Heights is only made upof a few miles, making the area more crowded.

2. The average income per household in Culver City is $78,000/year. Theaverage household income near Johnnie Cochran is less than HALF ofthat, averaging 31,000/year. It is clear that Culver Citys residents are a lot

better off financially than the residents in the Arlington Heights district. Thestudents in Culver City Middle School come from families who have themeans to provide them with whatever is necessary for their education(books, supplies, tuition fees, food, extracurricular activities, ect). However,

$31,000 a year per household is not a lot for a family of 3 or more.Arlington Heights residents are living close to poverty and that can affectthe students quite a bit. Not only is it harder for them to get the resourcesthey need to succeed in school but it may also mean that parents are awayfrom home, working or trying to find ways to keep food on the table. Andwhen a parent isnt around, it affects the students immensely.


19/21

Why is one school doing better than the other? What are the influences thatmatter? What needs to change for the low school to rise up?

The reasons why these schools are so different than one another are evident in the statistics. Theneighborhoods these schools are at tell the tale of the success one school is having over the other. CulverCity is nestled in more of a suburban community, whereas Johnnie. Cochran Jr. is located in an urban

setting. This makes a huge difference because the environment where children go to school is determinedlargely by its surroundings. The urban settings where Johnnie Cochran Jr. is can be distracting for thestudents on their way to school. With all types of fast food places and stores it is easy for these kids to getsucked into them. Culver City is surrounded by family homes and other schools. It cannot be denied that ifchildren are surrounded by an environment that embraces education, that they will excel more than thosewho are not. The lack of extracurricular activities in Johnnie Cochran Jr. is very disappointing and leads to

poor performance. If there is not motivation like after school programs or sports, then there is no incentivefor students to strive to do well. On the other hand, Culver City has a multitude of options forextracurricular activities. And they are obviously doing well academically because they have these optionsand motivations.

Another key factor in why Johnnie Cochran Jr. Middle School is not doing so well is due to the educationlevel of the parents. As the stats suggested that the Arlington Heights area has one of the highestpercentages of residents 25 and older with less than a high school diploma. This obviously affects thechildren of these individuals. They cannot help their children with school work as much as parents with ahigher education would. This is not to say that they would not want to help their kids, but unfortunately the

just do not have the capacity to do so. The children in turn are left on their own to do school work that theyoften times have questions to. In consequence, when they get to class they may not have their homeworkdone or simply just did not get it. All in all, it affects both the students and the school, because theperformance is not the best.


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The influences that matter begin with the school. I believe in you are what you strive to be. In other

words, schools like Culver City that want to achieve outstanding tests scores and provide the besteducation possible out there will. They are putting in the effort to provide the perfect environment for thegrowth of good education. The teachers are emitting the sense of school pride and students feed off that.

Johnnie L. Cochran Middle School needs to revamp their way of thinking. While I know they might nothave the financial resources that schools like Culver City might have, but if there is a will there is a way.They need to start thinking that they can influence these kids in more ways than just spewing informationat them. If they create after school programs and sports team that engage them with something they like, itwill be easier for teachers to engage them in the classroom. Incentives do wonders if you know how to usethem correctly.


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What have you gotten out of this project?

The truth is that I had no idea how bad the schools in L.A. were. Its not something

I had ever researched. I was born in Los Angeles but moved out of here when Iwas 12. I went through my entire elementary schooling here, but then moved to

Iowa. I can only ask myself if I had stayed here, what Id be doing now? Its verylikely I would not have graduated high school and definitely not have gone tocollege. The things Ive learned from this project sadden me profoundly. The

neglecting that the students receive from their schools and at home are the majorreason students do so poorly. When I look at Culver City Middle School, which isless than 10 miles from here, I think how is it possible that within such a short

distance between both schools, things can be so different? Smaller cities are

definitely better environments to grow up in. Also where theres money, theres a

bigger support system. Culver City Middle School has many more extracurricularactivities than Johnnie L. Cochran does and not every teacher is so determined tomake every kid learn. A lot of teachers have seen a lot and they become so

indifferent towards the education of the students. I truly believe that not everyoneis born to teach and only a certain few can do it well. Ive learned to appreciatethe teachers that care for the well-being of their students, more than I did before.The skills I have gained in this process have been researching and takingstatistics into account for why things are the way there are. But more than just askill or tool, Ive gained a sense of urgency to do something about this. Maybe by

simply volunteering some hours, tutoring kids that need help. I will take a lot ofwhat Ive learned with me and tell parents and friends who have children in

know your schools project model

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