Soledad Enrichment Action Charter

This institution is milking the state of badly needed funds, and these funds could be used for much better schools, schools that would use funds morally. The site I am particularly referring to as corrupt and criminal is the Norwalk school. The president of this school and entire institution is Cesar Calderon. Calderon is completely incompetent. He allows students to smoke marijuana in the classrooms and bathrooms, endlessly abuse teachers, tag walls, destroy school and state property, gang bang, engage in racism, and basically run the entire show. He completely turns his face from the illegal activities at the Norwalk school, which is located on Firestone Blvd. His wife is also privy to this; she works there and helps run the zoo.Please investigate this school for massive abuse. I was a teacher there and have first hand experience of all the noted activities. The state taxpayers are entitled to a much better return on their dollars. This institution continuously churns out terrible API scores and it needs to be held accountable for it careless use of state funds!

This is not a school its a zoo, has anyone ever inspected these sites? We are asked to just "grade" students and pass them. It is just insane, the director is a horrible person and is never arround. We dont have supplies and there is no security. It is horrible that they just keep funding this so called school.

I had the opportunity to work at SEA . Yes, the kids are challenging but there are many teachers, staff members and administrators who are dedicated and make a difference in the students' lives. I have had the chance to "work" with crappy teachers like Mike. It sounds like was he was one of the teachers who couldn't handle the realities of the students who attend SEA. He and the other so called "teacher" need to go back to where they belong, teaching preschoolers in some upper class neighborhood or back to their dream world where all kids are white, middle class and perfect.

SEA is a safe haven for youth at risk. SEA Charter is a community day school that provides students with the opportunity to gain credits to acquire a high school diploma. Students are instructed in a nuturing enviroment. SEA staff work hard to insure that all students have the capacity to demonstrate the attained skills and knowlegde as required by ed codes. SEA maintains a safe and secure enviroment that fosters student achievement.
Cesar Calderon is the executive director of SEA. Cesar is an outstanding individual who has dedicated his life to save the lives of youth in the Los Angeles county.

SEA offers students who have not been successful in a traditional high school an opportunity to succeed. Our students come form a variety of situations for example: from being behind in credits, to being pregnant, to returning from jail. We also take students who have been expelled from their own school. We offer a second chance to these students in earning their diploma and perhaps, a chance in life.

I have worked with SEA for many years and have found our youth to be among the most intelligent and creative youth that I have encountered. They are also among the most challenging.

It is a "privilege" to work with them and to be a part of the SEA family.

Staff who work for SEA have to be staff who are truely committed who are willing and able to work with these special youth. They are oftentimes individuals, who through no fault of their own were born into a society of poverty and violence. Many of their family issues include gang affiliation, drug addiction, domestic violence, poverty etc.....We are the last chance for them to complete their high school education. Just two weeks ago, we graduated some 100 youth who have turned around their lives and who are ready to go on to bigger and better things. Many are already enrolled in colleges. They feel so proud of themselves.

How odd, that the administrators of this schoo are the one's giving themselves possitive reviews. Margaret and Elisa when was the last time you met with a parent or student? How many times to you visit your own schools? How much do you have to threaten us to be quiet. If what you are saying makes you feel better then go on believing your own story. Shame on you!

SEA STARTED OFF WITH THE MOST HEARTFELT MISSION, THE MOTHERS, PROBATION AND GANG INTERVENTION SPECIALST ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SAVE OUR YOUTH, I HAVE SEEN FIRST HAND, AND I FEEL THE MISSION HAS GONE, FROM SAVING LIVES TO MEETING THE ADA QUOTA, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS YOUR ARE NOT DOING YOUR JOB, I FEEL SEA HAS WONDERFUL TEACHERS, BUT THE T.A'S ARE RUNNING THERE OWN PROGRAM, SOME T.A'S DETERMINED WHEATHER A STUDENT GETS KICKED OUT OF SEA OR IF THEY SHOULD EVEN RETURN. THEY MAKE THREATS TO THE STUDENTS. WHO ARE ON PROBATION, THESE T.A'S KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEY DONT CARE ABOUT THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS OR EVEN KNOW HOW TO SUPERVISE THEM IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER, THEY NEED TRAINING ON HOW TO WORK WITH AT RISK KIDS, SOME EVEN HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE KIDS, SEA SHOULD HAVE ADMIN, STAFF POP IN ON THEM UNANNOUNCED AND SEE WHAT THEY ARE REALLY DOING, MOST AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS WERE WRITTEN DOWN ON A CALENDER, BUT NEVER REALLY CARRIED OUT. STUDENTS ARE LED TO SIGN THE SIGN IN SHEETS ANDRELEASED TO GO HOME, NOT THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES IF A STUDENT GOT JUMPED OR EVEN SHOT GOING HOME, THERE PARENTS ARE LED TO THINK THAT THE STUDENT IS IN A AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WHEN INACTUALITY THERE STUDENT WAS SENT HOME, BUT ACCORDING TO THE SIGN IN SHEET THEY ARE IN A AFTERSHOOL PROGRAM. REMEMBER ALL OF THIS IS DUE TO THE PRESSURES OF MAKING THE ADA QUOTA, KIDS COMPLAINED ALL THE TIME THAT THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM DID NOT HELP THEM AT ALL. IF ONLY MOST OF SEA HAD THE MISSION IN THERE HEART, THEY HAVE A HABIT OF FORGETTING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR MANY MANY YEARS AND TREAT THEM LIKE NOBODY'S. THAT'S A SHAME

It seems to me that no one is criticizing the kids nor mission of S.E.A. -both of which are impressive and inspiring. What's at issue is the management of these schools - which most definitely needs improvement.

I've worked at and have had the opportunity to observe several sites and, more often than not, the teachers were dedicated and talented - as teachers; but (not surprisingly) ill-equipped as administrators. What they and the kids lacked was proper admin support to help learning reach its full potential. Teachers and T.A.'s are NOT administrators and should not be expected to do admin work. S.E.A. staff, to use a term used for the kids, 'run their own program.' And, as with the kids, this has consequences. This is, however, what S.E.A. staff are compelled to do because of a dire lack of effective admin. leadership.

S.E.A. admin seems to have a 'hands-off' attitude toward the day-to-day management of the schools. Rare and short site visits yield nothing substantive or authentic. This disconnect is critical, but neglected.

Please don't use the mission and students of S.E.A. to obfuscate the real issue. Again, no one is criticizing either. Inept management has hid behind them for too long. It's entirely within reason to criticize S.E.A. without criticizing its mission or kids. Please don't get this twisted. If we all want to do right by the kids and the mission, let's work on an honest assessment of management.

Furthermore, to 'proud faculty': to say that a teacher (with whom you admit you did not even work!) is 'crappy' and would prefer to work with 'preschoolers in some upper class neighborhood or back to their dream world where all kids are white, middle class and perfect' is myopic at best, and racist at worst. I've not worked with nor know Mr. Rojas, so cannot speak to his intentions. Neither should anyone else.

Our SEA Administration has no educational background that anyone knows of. Cesar Calderon doesn't, yet he is trusted to run this large organization. Its not our teachers, look into our administration and you will see how crappy they run things. We always wonder why they are in charge of this school system I am just amazed on how this has gone on so long.

This school is a great idea. But, for the most part it serves not as a school, but as a holding cell to keep kids off the street. After working at SEA, I have come to understand that data is of paramount importance to SEA administration. The published AYP information only reflects the performance of those students who were in attendance during the first months of school and continued through the testing period in the spring. Because these students have been "normed" and subsequently identified as the scores that "count," they, sadly, receive the very best SEA has to offer. Even to them, however, SEA doesn't offer much in the way of teaching, innovation, or creativity. SEA's stated mission is awesome and the students, while rough, are often eager to learn and hungry for rich, meaningful educational experiences. These are the kids walking the fine line between a second chance and disaster. They are the kids that need the very best educational opportunities we have to offer. Unfortunately, SEA is just not providing those opportunities. So much focus is put on (woefully ineffective) test prep that resources are not put toward rich, meaningful, multi-modality academic and vocational instruction. Every school could use more money and more resources. But, SEA seems to squander and misallocate the resources they do have. SEA touts after-school and vocational programs. But, once the attendance sheets are signed for these programs, students are either sent home, put in front of a movie, or handed a packet. SEA has identified a great need but has absolutely failed to meet that need.