Our Lady of Grace School, Encino CA

OUR LADY OF GRACE SCHOOL
A BRIEF HISTORY

Located in Encino, California, Our Lady of Grace School is a Catholic elementary and middle school for grades pre-kindergarten through eight. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Cleveland formally opened the doors of Our Lady of Grace School in 1947. Seven years later, the bishop recalled these diocesan sisters; and six sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary arrived to staff the school. The school flourished under the administration of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and a new eight-room building was constructed in 1955 in response to an ever-increasing student enrollment. Eleven Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary taught in the ensuing years; and during the 1960’s the school enrollment climbed to over 1,000 students, grades one through eight.

In 1969 an Archdiocesan mandate addressed the need for smaller schools; and gradually, the class sizes were reduced. By 1976 our target enrollment was optimized at 300 students, staffed by three sisters and eight lay teachers. Four years later a Kindergarten was established, and in 1994 a Pre-Kindergarten was opened with sixteen students.

In 1985 a sister from the Sisters of St. Louis was appointed principal, and ten years later a sister from the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet became the principal of the school. Currently, there is a lay principal, and a religious community serves the school.

An after-school day care program was opened in 1985 under the auspices of the Archdiocese Adeste program, sponsored by Catholic Charities. Four years later the day care program was restructured as a school-administered program, and coverage extended to include the half-hour before school. To meet the needs of increasing day care enrollment, the school acquired a 2100-square foot portable building. For a time, an auxiliary component of the after-school day care program was the OLG Learning Center. The Learning Center was created to meet the needs of students who were not in the academic middle. It offered both remedial and enrichment after-school classes for a nominal fee. Currently, the portable building has been converted to a storage facility for the school. The day care program now utilizes a large remodeled classroom and the playground as its centers of activity. Day care has an average daily attendance of ninety students, with one day care director and five aides on staff.

An IBM “Writing to Read” Lab was opened in 1988, primarily to facilitate the instruction of reading in the primary grades using phonics and writing. Through the years the WTR Lab was expanded and became a creative writing/word-processing lab that was used by many of the school classes, with initial instruction being given to Pre-Kindergarten students.

In 1995 a unique cultural arts program was begun that has brought several campus field trips to the school every year. This program has included both hands-on and first-hand experiences for each student. Grades one through eight participates in off-campus field trips that supplement on-campus programs (i.e., the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Huntington Library, Theatricum Botanicum, Medieval Times, The Outside School, etc.)

Throughout the years, fundraising and generous parishioner donations have enabled the school to offer two labs with thirty-six computers each (one was the “Writing to Read” Lab), the complete computerization of the school library to include barcode scanning for catalogue, circulation, and inventory procedures, the installation of major playground equipment for the primary grades, and shade awnings for the inner courtyard. Fundraising efforts have also helped provide funds for other major improvements to the physical plant, such as new plumbing, the renovation of student restrooms, alarm systems for the school buildings, and new flooring and fixtures for the school and parish hall. School-wide central heating and air conditioning systems were installed, drinking fountains have been repaired or replaced, the school inner courtyard and parish parking lot were re-asphalted and landscaped, and new metal benches have replaced old wooden ones. Most recently, a parish-wide capital campaign was undertaken and funds raised enabled a major renovation of the school.

Concurrently, through projections into the 21st century, a number of important technology trends were identified early in the school’s history. Therefore, an Apple IIe Computer Lab was opened at the school in 1984. The Computer Lab was extensively updated in 1996, changing from Apple IIe to Microsoft Windows compliant hardware and software, expanding the opportunities for individualized and group learning and offering multisensory, reflective, and collaborative learning environments. An important component is the computer-assisted instructional program “Successmaker” by the Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC). This Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) program enhances the curriculum areas of language arts, mathematics, and science, allowing students to acquire skills and abilities through flexible and interactive learning experiences. In 2005, another extensive upgrade of our Computer Lab was accomplished with the purchase of thirty-six new Dell™ computers with flat-screen monitors.

In addition, the Computer Lab and classrooms are connected to the Internet through high-speed switches and cable modem connections. There are also wireless zones for easy connection of laptops in specific areas. Monitored visits to the Internet via the Computer Lab supplement the classroom curriculum and augment research on topics the students are currently studying.

Our Lady of Grace School celebrated its Golden Jubilee year in 1997 – 1998 with several special events and activities for current students and alumni. On November 1, 2007, Our Lady of Grace School was issued a Pre-school license and opened with eighteen students.

During the summer of 2009, a major renovation of Our Lady of Grace School was completed. Included in the many improvements to our school were the construction of a new Science Lab, new Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms that include restrooms inside the classes, new additional restroom facilities; the installation of new fire alarm systems, plumbing, and flooring throughout the school; a complete remodel and upgrade of the kitchen facilities, and much more.

Throughout 2009 and 2010, new Smart Board™ technology was introduced to the 3rd through 8th grade classrooms and our Science Lab, made possible by a school improvement fundraising drive. This state-of-the-art technology enhances the learning experience of each child by enabling teachers to engage their students in innovative ways.