Charter school gets makeover
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

Beauty contributes to learning.

That's the philosophy behind the beautification project that's been underway for two weeks at CSU Channel Islands for University Preparation School, a kindergartenthroughfifthgrade school in Camarillo.

In addition to receiving community donations, the school was recently given a $2,000 grant from Lowe's home improvement store. The PTA will lay sod, plant vegetation, and build planters and a concrete sidewalk in front of the school.

Liza Diniakos, PTA project chair, said they will raise additional money if necessary to finish the project, estimated to cost more than $3,000.

Seabees from Naval Base Ventura County donated technical expertise, equipment and labor to the project for the last two Saturdays. Cemex donated the concrete and Diniakos expects it to be poured on Saturday.

Linda Ngarupe, school superintendent and principal, said there aren't enough state funds to pay for revamping the campus. So the PTA took on the project since parents feel strongly that a clean, safe and organized school environment contributes to better learning.

"We feel really blessed at our school to have this (beautification) program going on," Ngarupe said.

Known as University Prep, the charter school is also a training facility for prospective teachers from Cal State University Channel Islands, who share the classroom with more experienced teachers. The Temple Avenue Elementary School and its sister school, University Preparation Middle School, take part in education research projects, such as the duallanguage programs.

Diniakos, a Thousand Oaks resident, chose the Camarillo schools for her two children because of the language programs.

Although the schools in her neighborhood are terrific, Diniakos said, they don't possess the economic and ethnic diversity she'd like her children to experience.

Having been enrolled in the Spanish Enrichment program for five years, her son will enter the eighth grade at the middle school and has developed a large Spanish vocabulary while enjoying the cultural experiences woven into the curriculum, Diniakos said.

Her daughter, a fourth-grader at University Prep, strongly grasps both speaking and writing Spanish because of her moreintense immersion program since first grade, she said.

"I think that's kind of exceptional, that a kid gets a second language in elementary school," Diniakos said. "I'm very pleased with the school."

It's that kind of parent appreciation that spurs families from as far away as Simi Valley and Malibu to attend the school and pitch in for projects such as this one, Ngarupe said.

Charter schools are public schools and do not charge tuition.