Education Consortium of Central LA http://eccla.org Connecting Educators with Resources Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:54:46 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Big Changes at USC University Villagehttp://eccla.org/2011/10/big-changes-at-usc-university-village/ http://eccla.org/2011/10/big-changes-at-usc-university-village/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 01:21:15 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1384 USC plans to transform the existing USC-owned shopping center from the dated space with limited retail offerings and offices into a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented environment.  It will include up to 350,000 square feet of retail, student housing and academic space, with an attractive “town square” at the center for students and the community.

USC has spent several years developing and getting community input on the Specific Plan for the Village at USC, but also on its 30-year Master Plan.

The Village at USC will offer retail and entertainment uses such as a bookstore, restaurants, movie theatre, a neighborhood market, park-like green space, and other activities.  Under current plans, the Village at USC will:

  • Create 12,000 new jobs (8,000 construction-related, 4,000 permanent) throughout the development area
  • Increase the amount of academic space per student to a level that better supports the academic excellence of the university
  • Substantially increase the amount of university-affiliated housing available in the campus area, free up traditionally non-student housing for local residents, decrease the commute time for university students, faculty and staff, and reduce traffic congestion in the area
  • Provide new services and offerings that meet the needs of students, faculty, staff and the community
]]> http://eccla.org/2011/10/big-changes-at-usc-university-village/feed/ 0 A Radio Station for Your School?http://eccla.org/2011/10/a-radio-station-for-your-school/ http://eccla.org/2011/10/a-radio-station-for-your-school/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 01:07:50 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1361 WEBINAR: NEW COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Community radio brings new voices and perspectives to the media.  It enriches diverse communities with local arts and culture, enables neighbors to share local news and events, and helps residents participate in decisions that impact their lives.  Local, non-profit groups will soon have the opportunity to start community radio stations in cities and towns across the country—as early as next summer—but they need to start now preparing to apply.  Join this exciting webinar to learn how you can participate and support the biggest expansion of community radio in U.S. history.

Click here for full information on this free offering by the Tides Foundation, whose mission is building community capacity for social change.

Date:        Thursday, October 20, 2011
Time:       4:00pm Eastern Time, 1:00pm Pacific Time
Presenter:      Danielle Chynoweth, Director of Planning, Prometheus Radio Project
RSVP to Shannon Beal for webinar access.

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/10/a-radio-station-for-your-school/feed/ 0 The Big Draw Returns to L.A. During Month of Octoberhttp://eccla.org/2011/09/the-big-draw-returns-to-l-a-all-of-october/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/the-big-draw-returns-to-l-a-all-of-october/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:57:05 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1353 Drawing is a universal language, connecting generations, cultures, and communities. Children draw to make sense of the world before they learn to write. Yet most adults, given a pencil, claim: “I can’t draw!” The Big Draw aims to create opportunities for people of all ages to discover that drawing can make us SEE, THINK, and INVENT. The 2010 Big Draw L.A. was the first event of its kind on the West Coast and was inspired by the wildly popular Big Draw in London.

The Big Draw LA is committed to promoting inclusiveness and offering a diversity of drawing experiences. Presenting organizations will register events open to the public online at www.thebigdrawla.org. Schools and classrooms can create events targeted at their school or local communities as well.

Following The Big Draw L.A., presenting organizations may apply for the Drawing Inspiration Award (awarded to multiple organizations) that honors outstanding The Big Draw L.A. activities, big and small. Learn more and join in.” title=”Big Draw events sched” target=”_blank”>Check out the over 40 events already registered for the 2011 Big Draw!

The Big Draw was started in the UK in 2000 by the Guild of St. George, a non-profit founded by 19th century artist, critic, and educator John Ruskin. Now led by the Campaign for Drawing in London, the aim is to raise awareness of drawing’s power as tool for learning, observation, creativity, and social and cultural engagement. The Big Draw is an annual, month-long season of drawing activities. Event organizers use drawing, painting and a multitude of other media to connect people with museum and gallery collections, urban and rural spaces—and the wider community—in new and enjoyable ways. In 2009, over 1,300 Big Draws took place across the UK and internationally. From London to Budapest to Melbourne, people of all ages came together at galleries, museums (e.g., Victoria & Albert, British Museum), heritage sites (Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace), parks (London Zoo), churches, libraries, schools, businesses (Bank of England), even the Underground, to participate in a range of drawing-related activities.

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/the-big-draw-returns-to-l-a-all-of-october/feed/ 0 Urban Wildlife and All That Construction at NHMhttp://eccla.org/2011/09/urban-wildlife-and-all-that-construction-at-nhm/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/urban-wildlife-and-all-that-construction-at-nhm/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 18:41:15 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1350 A new outdoor nature area is sprouting up around the Natural History Museum, bringing an interactive park and habitat area right into the heart of the city. Think of it as the city’s new backyard, filled with a range of garden environments and interactive opportunities for visitors of all ages to watch birds and search for bugs, stroll along a creek, ramble through a grove of trees, and gaze at butterflies and bees in a new Pollinator Garden. Currently scheduled to open in Spring 2012, the North Campus outdoor museum space will offer a wide range of opportunities for educators: field trips, Citizen Science projects, and habitat and gardening information and resources.
Read Lila Higgins’ blog posts of planting, discovering and cataloging urban wildlife in and around the new exhibit.

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/urban-wildlife-and-all-that-construction-at-nhm/feed/ 0 Get Your Hands Dirty with the Arts at USC, Sunday, 10/9http://eccla.org/2011/09/1340/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/1340/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:51:39 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1340 Sunday, October 9, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
USC University Park Campus
Each semester, the USC arts schools come together to present a dynamic day-long festival that offers a variety of hands-on workshops in art, architecture, cinematic arts, interactive media, music, theatre and dance. So get your hands dirty and experience the creativity and thrill of making art with USC’s distinguished faculty. Admission is free and open to the public. Non-USC participants must be at least 18 years of age. Reservations required.
RSVP online now!

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/1340/feed/ 0 Yale Poet Elizabeth Alexander at USC 10/6: Cultural Connectionshttp://eccla.org/2011/09/yale-poet-elizabeth-alexander-at-usc-106-cultural-connections/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/yale-poet-elizabeth-alexander-at-usc-106-cultural-connections/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:45:51 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1338 Hearing America Singing: Multi-Vocal Cultures in America
Thursday, October 6, 6:30 p.m.
Annenberg Auditorium
Reception to follow. Admission is free and open to everyone.
RSVP at http://annenberg.usc.edu/rsvp.
Poet, essayist, playwright and Yale professor Elizabeth Alexander made history in 2009 as the fourth poet to compose and deliver a poem at a presidential inauguration, joining the ranks of celebrated honorees Robert Frost, Maya Angelou and Miller Williams. A longtime advocate of the arts as a critical element of our civic dialogue, she has said, “Poetry is not meant to cheer; rather, poetry challenges, and moves us towards transformation.” Alexander’s collections of poetry, which explore issues of race, gender and politics, include American Sublime, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Antebellum Dream Book; The Venus Hottentot; Body of Life, and, most recently, Crave Radiance: New and Selected Poems 1990–2010. In an effort to create a more nuanced conversation about race and culture, she will discuss the rich and often surprising connections amongst diverse American cultures and traditions.
Organized by the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism.
For more info, click here.

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/yale-poet-elizabeth-alexander-at-usc-106-cultural-connections/feed/ 0 Dana Gioia at USC Tuesday 9/27: Poet and former NEA Chairhttp://eccla.org/2011/09/dana-gioia-at-usc-poet-and-former-nea-chair/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/dana-gioia-at-usc-poet-and-former-nea-chair/#comments Mon, 26 Sep 2011 17:25:58 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1333 An Evening of Poetry and Music with Dana Gioia
With Special Guests Rod Gilfry, Morten Lauridsen and Kevin Starr
A USC Visions and Voices Signature Event
Tuesday, September 27, 7 p.m.
Bovard Auditorium
Book signing and reception to follow.
Admission is free and open to everyone. RSVP online now. Tickets will also be available at the door.
Free V&V T-shirts will be distributed to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis!
Dana Gioia, a national treasure, has joined the USC faculty, and this event welcomes him with an evening of music, poetry and conversation. Gioia is USC’s Judge Widney Professor of Poetry and Public Culture, an internationally acclaimed writer and former chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. He has published three full-length collections of poetry, as well as eight chapbooks. His poetry collection, Interrogations at Noon, won the 2002 American Book Award. An influential critic as well, Gioia’s 1991 volume Can Poetry Matter?, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, is credited with helping to revive the role of poetry in American public culture. His work has appeared in many magazines, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Washington Post Book World, The New York Times Book Review, Slate and The Hudson Review. Businessweek magazine called Gioia “the man who saved the NEA.” Gioia will come together with University Professor Kevin Starr, Grammy-nominated baritone Rod Gilfry and world-renowned composer Morten Lauridsen. A concert by Lauridsen and Gilfry will include the performance of two world premieres.
For more info and to RSVP, click here.

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/dana-gioia-at-usc-poet-and-former-nea-chair/feed/ 0 Fall 2011 Professional Development Classes at Science Centerhttp://eccla.org/2011/09/fall-professional-development-classes-at-science-center/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/fall-professional-development-classes-at-science-center/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:02:44 +0000 ECCLA http://eccla.org/?p=1273 The museum has just announced its fall teacher training schedule. Join any or all of the sessions being offered in October, November and December. Cost is low, and LAUSD salary points are available for some classes.

October 15, 2011
AIMS (Activities Integrating Math and Science) Fall Academy

November 5 and 12,2011
GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) Fall Institute

December 10, 2011
Toys That Teach! Stimulating the Brain Through Play!

Acquire new tools for getting your students excited about math and science. For more information,

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/fall-professional-development-classes-at-science-center/feed/ 0 Safety Alert: Train Testing to Begin on Expo Linehttp://eccla.org/2011/09/safety-alert-train-testing-to-begin-on-expo-line/ http://eccla.org/2011/09/safety-alert-train-testing-to-begin-on-expo-line/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:11:34 +0000 ECCLA http://www.hippobird.com/test/?p=589 Throughout the fall, the Expo Line light rail will be testing trains intermittently. Because the trains will be operating on an unpredictable schedule, please advise your teachers, faculty, students, families, and neighbors to stay off the railroad tracks! Additionally, please consider the following safety tips:

Safety Tips

  • Please obey all warning signs and traffic signals when crossing the tracks.
  • Always look both ways before crossing any street.
  • Never walk on railroad tracks.
  • Watch for trains from both directions.
  • Use the crosswalks. Do not jaywalk across the the tracks.

For more information, please visit BuildExpo.org or call 213.922.EXPO (3976).
Find ExpoLine on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ExpoLine or follow them on Twitter @ExpoLine

]]> http://eccla.org/2011/09/safety-alert-train-testing-to-begin-on-expo-line/feed/ 3 Unmasking Whiteness: An AWARE-LA Summer Institutehttp://eccla.org/2011/05/unmasking-whiteness-an-aware-la-summer-institute/ http://eccla.org/2011/05/unmasking-whiteness-an-aware-la-summer-institute/#comments Thu, 26 May 2011 20:31:32 +0000 ECCLA http://www.hippobird.com/test/?p=1064 logo6/23/2011-6/26/2011

Host: AWARE-LA; Mount St. Mary’s Education Department; Unity Bridges

Location: Mount St. Mary’s College, downtown Doheny Campus

Event Website or Flyer: http://www.awarela.org/projects/2011-unmasking-whiteness/

Cost: Early registration: $200 (by March 31, 2011)

Brief Description (from website):


AWARE-LA is happy to announce we are offering our 3rd annual workshop series on building white anti-racist practice and community in an intensive 4-day institute designed specifically for white people.

The institute will run from Thursday, June 23rd through Sunday, June 26th, 2011 and will take place on the downtown Los Angeles, Mount St. Mary’s College, Doheny campus. The cost for attendance is only $200 (before March 31st) for the full 4-day institute. After March 31st. the cost will be $225.

This series invites white people to deepen their self-awareness and build community with other white people taking up work for racial justice. Through personal reflection, small and large group dialogue, and experiential activities, this institute invites the exploration of subjects such as:

* The meaning of whiteness
* White privilege and multiple identities
* How to resolve guilt and shame
* Systemic white supremacy (institutional racism)
* Development of an anti-racist practice and identity

*** If you are interested in receiving university credit at either the graduate or undergraduate level, please see the Projects page on the AWARE-LA website for an information sheet that describes:

  1. additional readings and assignments due,
  2. registration information, and
  3. a link to UCCS, our partnering university, (for tuition costs, application procedures, and the related, optional certificate program): http://www.awarela.org/projects/2011-unmasking-whiteness/
]]> http://eccla.org/2011/05/unmasking-whiteness-an-aware-la-summer-institute/feed/ 0