Open house offers chance to discover

I’ll never forget how I was introduced to the Community Learning Center. As a first-time parent and a recent transplant to Laguna, I was completely uninformed about the various educational opportunities my beautiful new town had to offer. Immersed in feeding schedules and napping strategies, elementary school wasn’t even a glimmer on my horizon.

One morning, while out strolling in the hills of my Bluebird Canyon neighborhood, a woman stopped to coo over the baby.

Chatting briefly, this experienced mom said, “I’m going to give you some advice that I’m sure isn’t even on your radar yet, but you’ll thank me for later. Call today and put your child on the wait list for CLC.”

Clueless, I asked, “CLC?”

“Yeah. CLC is the cool ‘school within the school’ on the Top of the World school campus,” she exclaimed. “It’s a small alternative elementary school, but it’s actually part of the Laguna Beach public school system.”

Despite the dazed expression on my face, she continued.

“CLC serves 40 kids in first through fourth grade and deeply involves parents, families and the community in teaching and enriching the students. It’s Laguna’s best-kept educational secret.”

She patted my hand.

“Just call. Since they only take 40 students, it’s hard to get your child in unless you sign up early. This way, when your child is ready for first grade, you’ll have it as an option.” She waved goodbye and smiled knowingly, “You’ll thank me later!”

Today, with one graduate of the program and one in the first grade, I’ve been grateful to her ever since.

CLC offers a child-centered educational style with a flexible, responsive program that reflects the interests, needs, and talents of its students, parents and teachers. While emphasizing academic skills, CLC also promotes ideals that include community service, character development, conflict resolution and social awareness with a global perspective.

I encourage you to put your infant or toddler on the waiting list for CLC or pass this article along to someone you know with a young child. They might not be thinking that far ahead either, but they’ll thank you for giving them the option.

Contact Jacquie Cohn at (949) 363-4224 or [email protected] and check out the school website, www.lbclc.org to download a waiting list form.

To find out more, please attend our open house and orientation at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, in the CLC courtyard on the campus of Top of the World Elementary School. You’ll get an overview of our program, an opportunity to observe our classrooms and a chance to interact and ask questions of current CLC parents.

Also, right around the corner is our annual dinner and fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. on April 4 at Tivoli Terrace. If you would like to attend or donate an item or service for the silent auction, please contact Karen Kanner at (949) 494-0113 or [email protected]. We welcome alumni, potential CLC families and interested members of the community to join us at this fun event!