Ms. Judith A. Hernandez, Principal

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES). I am proud to be the principal of a school that was instituted on the belief of diversity, equity and access. We are a school that is truly a family, where all stakeholders are dedicated to our vision and mission.

The mission of our school is to provide a seamless comprehensive educational experience for students in grades 4-12.  It is our belief that students thrive in the culturally diverse and safe environment, where they are prepared to be active, productive and contributing members in a Global Society. Our students are preparing to compete in a 21^st Century world with skills in Information/Media Literacy, Critical Thinking/Problem Solving Skills, Creative Thinking, Communication Skills, Collaboration Skills and Cross Cultural Skills. As we learn together how to implement these ideas, we are becoming more collaborative as teachers in preparing students to succeed in an increasingly inter-related world.

Our Expected Student Learning Results (ESLR) are a living document that is discussed daily. It is evolving as our students learn and grow. All stakeholders have contributed to its revision and refinement. Our students understand the significance of the ESLRs and realize their meanings in the work that they perform and the skills they acquire.

SOCES has a rich culture of academic achievement and excellence. Two thousand eighty nine students from all over the Los Angeles Unified School District ride twenty-eight separate school buses daily to come to this school. The parents entrust us with their prize possessions to be educated. With this in mind, we have reflected on our instructional practices, infused differentiated strategies, and implemented a rigorous standards-based curriculum. We have been actively engaged in the many District Initiatives that include, The Master Plan, Common Core State Standards, The Teaching and Learning Framework and rubrics. SOCES examines student work through Performance Dialogues after the periodic assessments, to determine student’s needs and ways to address them. Our focus in examining student work and data has been on going. Providing us with data to inform our instruction and engaging those students that are basic to far below basic in improving their knowledge base. We are tackling data and visiting classrooms to see the work in action.

I would like to thank our stakeholders for their continued support, enthusiasm, dedication and collegiality especially during this self-study process. The time commitment during the examination, analysis, and recommendations to this self–study is the real testament of support and dedication to the success of all students at Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies. The Stakeholders are truly the backbone of our school.

You will see a community of camaraderie and caring throughout the campus that is cemented during the nine years that they grow and learn together. To all teachers, staff, parents and administrators, thank you for all you do for Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies.

Believing,

Judith Anderson-Hernandez

Principal

Thanks for checking in with us!