ABOUT US
"So happy with this school--the academics, the philosophy...all of it! Every child in Los Angeles deserves to go to a school like this one." -Eli, parent
MISSION & VISION
Overview
Larchmont Charter School is a free public school, grades TK - 12, based in Los Angeles, California.
Our school has established itself as one of the top performing public schools in L.A. Unique among public charter networks in our focus on racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity, Larchmont Charter School aims to provide a richly diverse community of students with a high quality public education. LCS is one school configured on four campuses: LCS at Wilshire/Hollygrove@Selma (TK - 4) in Hollywood; LCS at Fairfax (TK - 4) in West Hollywood, LCS at Selma (5 - 8) in Hollywood; and LCS at Lafayette Park (9 - 12).
Our Mission
The mission of Larchmont Charter School is to provide a socio-economically, culturally and racially diverse community of students with an exceptional public education. We foster creativity and academic excellence; our students learn with and from each other in an experience-centered, inquiry-based learning environment. With participation from our entire community, we strive to instill in each student a dedication to improving the world we inhabit.
Our Vision
Our country, indeed our world, is witnessing a rise in polarization between people along all lines of difference – be they political, racial, immigration status, religion, class, etc. We are seeing a rise in populism, in nationalism and in dictators. All of this poses an existential threat to the historical American idealized identity of being a melting pot, a democracy, a beacon to the world of a place where there’s freedom, tolerance and social mobility - the home of the American Dream. The antidote to this is complex but a key part of it is how we educate our children, how we prepare the next generation to be contributing members of society who know how to think deeply, critically and creatively, who know how to work across lines of difference with all kinds of people to address the challenges of the day, who are emotionally intelligent and adept at collaborating and leading and who have a sense of both respect and responsibility for the community and world around them. This is the work of Larchmont Charter School. We believe that every child in America should be able to attend an excellent public school that reflects the full diversity of his or her community. This, after all, was the opinion of our Supreme Court 65 years ago in Brown v. Board of Education. Yet, this promise is still not a reality for many students in Los Angeles. We believe Larchmont Charter School can help fulfill this promise for children in our communities.
Our Values - School Wide Learning Outcomes
ESLRs (Expected School wide Learning Results) or SLO's (School wide Learner Outcomes)
A Larchmont Charter School graduate is a lifelong learner who...
Demonstrates respect...
for other students,
for oneself,
for teachers,
for school materials,
for the school site,
for one’s family and community,
for the environment,
living beings,
& the earth’s resources.
Takes responsibility...
for one’s actions,
for one’s words,
for one’s learning,
for one another,
for the health of
one’s body and mind.
Perseveres...
when problems cannot be solved readily,
when faced with criticism and disappointment,
to work through struggles and setbacks,
by attempting trials:
examining errors, trying harder,
trying differently, then trying again.
Seeks to understand...
by formulating questions,
by pursuing answers,
by reading critically and thoughtfully,
as a reflective learner,
the perspectives of a world community.
Communicates effectively...
by writing clearly,
by listening and hearing others,
by expressing oneself honestly and
through many artistic frameworks.
One School, Four Campuses
Student Enrollment
Larchmont Charter School’s total enrollment in 2022-23 is over 1600 students. Our school is comprised of four campuses in the Los Angeles area: two elementary, one middle school and one high school.
Hollygrove, the first of Larchmont Charter’s two elementary campuses, opened in 2005. For 2023-24, our Hollygrove community has made an exciting change: grades TK - 2 have moved to our newest campus, Wilshire, and grades 3-4 have moved to space on our current Selma campus. The new Wilshire/Hollygrove@Selma community serves over 340 students. Visit Wilshire/Hollygrove@Selma.
Fairfax, Hollygrove’s sister elementary campus, opened in 2008 and serves 240 students from Transitional Kindergarten through fourth grade. Visit Fairfax.
Selma, our middle school campus, which opened in the fall of 2012, serves approximately 525 students in grades five through eight. Visit Selma.
Lafayette Park is our high school campus. LFP opened in 2015 and serves approximately 515 students in grades nine through twelve. Visit LFP (Lafayette Park).
The Self-Guided Study Program, which provides students with additional virtual opportunities for advancement, recently began in 2021 and includes 20 students in grades TK - 12. The program extends further access to AP classes, language classes, early college access, and credit recovery at a flexible and individualized pace. This long-term independent study program offers rigorous virtual courses for self-motivated students who would like the flexibility of working from home. Any student enrolled at Larchmont may participate in the Self-Guided Study Program in lieu of attending school in-person. Learn more about the SGS Program.
Student Demographics
The Larchmont Charter School student population is comprised of 40% Caucasian, 16% Latino, 14% Asian, Filipino or Pacific Islander, 5% African American, and 8% of other ethnicities; 42% qualify for federal free/reduced lunch, 10% are English Learners.