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(LOS ANGELES) — April 7, 2006 — The grassroots movement lead by Green Dot Public Schools and Small Schools Alliance to transform the Los Angeles Unified School District into the country’s premiere school system, was strengthened today when Casey Wasserman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Wasserman Media Group, and CEO, Wasserman Foundation, announced an inaugural $6 million donation to support Green Dot’s Jefferson Transformation Plan. The Green Dot project is a groundbreaking model that can be used to restructure high schools throughout Los Angeles. The announcement was made today at Green Dot’s Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High School in downtown Los Angeles by Wasserman with Green Dot CEO Steve Barr and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The centerpiece of the Green Dot program includes transforming LAUSD’s lowest-performing high school, Jefferson High School, into six small, high-performing schools. Through its gift to Green Dot, which will specifically support the Jefferson Transformation Plan, the Wasserman Foundation is building on a 60-year commitment of supporting organizations that create positive societal change at the local level. With the Jefferson Transformation Project, educators and parents are empowered to take a much greater role in transforming and bettering the quality of high school education in Los Angeles.
“Steve Barr founded Green Dot Public Schools because we need a new model for a fixing public education. The Wasserman Foundation is proud to partner with Green Dot and the Mayor to create the world class schools that all kids in Los Angeles deserve,” said Wasserman “With an active and supportive Mayor, along with school board members who understand the critical need to quickly transform our school system, Los Angeles can be the impetus for real educational reform nationwide. It is my hope that the Wasserman Foundation’s initial commitment will be a catalyst for other businesses and foundations to invest in the future of our young people’s education.”
Green Dot – through its five charter high schools and its innovative approach to restructuring failing traditional public high schools - has been the lead voice for education reform in Los Angeles. On March 7, the LAUSD Board of Education approved six new Green Dot charters, which clears the way for the organization to open six new schools in the Jefferson High School area this fall. The $6 million donation over three years will foster the growth of the Jefferson Transformation Plan. Representing the Wasserman Foundation, Noah Mamet will take an active role as a newly-elected member of the Green Dot Board.
“The generosity of the Wasserman family and their leadership in supporting education reform in Los Angeles marks the beginning of sweeping change that will eventually touch the life of every student who passes through LAUSD,” said Green Dot’s Barr. “There is no reason why every child living in Los Angeles shouldn’t be afforded the best education in this country. We ask that other business and community leaders help bring that dream closer to reality.”
The success of Green Dot relies on The “Six Tenets of High-Performing Schools” that call for schools to: 1) be safer and no larger than 500 students each; 2) implement a college preparatory curriculum for all students; 3) empower principals, teachers, parents and students to own all key decisions related to budgets, curriculum and hiring; 4) add more dollars to classrooms and significantly increase teacher pay; 5) value and support parent participation; 6) stay open later for community use.
The Wasserman Foundation and Green Dot Public Schools are both headquartered in Los Angeles.
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About the Wasserman Foundation
Formed in 1952, the Wasserman Foundation has consistently delivered financial resources to organizations focused on advancing and promoting education, environment, health and welfare, and the arts. With a diversified list of recipients, the Wasserman Foundation continually strives to partner with groups that are committed to assisting those less fortunate, and bettering the community at large. From its flagship initiatives including the Wasserman Scholars education program, and the historic partnership with the Jules Stein Eye Institute, to supporting new initiatives such as Team HEAL, the Wasserman Foundation donates to causes that directly impact society and represent the family’s concerns.
About Green Dot Public Schools – Green Dot Public Schools (Green Dot – www.greendot.org) is the leading public school operator in Los Angeles. It currently operates 5 public charter high schools in Los Angeles’ highest need communities. Each Green Dot school (branded “Animo” schools) vastly outperforms comparable traditional public high schools.
About The Small Schools Alliance
The Small Schools Alliance (SSA – www.smallschools.org) is a coalition of Los Angeles' education, community, business and political leaders dedicated to transforming the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) into the best public school system in the nation within the next 10 years.
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Press Contacts:
The Rose Group
Tracy Mallozzi / David Glaubke
(310) 280-3710
Tracy@therosegrp.com, David@therosegrp.com
For Casey Wasserman
Melissa Zukerman
mzukerman@wmgllc.com
310 407 0361
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