Alternative school teaches art of caring

What do you call a fuzzy creature with big ears, two googly eyes and a trunk?

A labor of love.

At their Dec. 15 Holiday Giving Party, students at the Community Learning Center turned sets of towels into elephants and made other gifts for residents of the Laguna Beach Friendship Shelter.

“It’s one of the more special things we do,” said parent Deborah Koumas. “It’s a great morning for the kids.”

The school was founded in 1983 by a group of families who wanted an alternative instructional option that was still within the public school system.

As a separate program within the Laguna Beach Unified School District, it serves a total of 40 children in grades 1 through 4.

Three modular classrooms are tucked away in a secluded corner of the Top of the World Elementary School campus; two grades are housed together in each of two classrooms, with one teacher per room. A third modular is used as an additional workspace as needed.

At the party, the students worked together at clusters of tables in both classrooms.

The pachydermal creations were dreamed up by a mother who went on a cruise where the hospitality staff would arrange the room’s towels into a different animal every day.

Now they’re one of the most popular crafts at the annual CLC event.

Students also made paper chains with friendship-related words (second-grader Ellie Spurlock decided on the word “caring”), and decorated containers of donated coffee from the Starbucks of Laguna Niguel.

A variety of businesses contribute goods for the event each year, parent Jennifer Baker said. She ticked off floral arrangements from English Garden, chocolates from Albertsons and a slew of other donations.

“The people here in Laguna are very generous,” she said. “I’m sure if we did even more next year, there would be a greater response.”

After carefully wrapping toiletries in towels and putting them in gift bags, the students cut out snowflakes to decorate the bags.

“I just think it’s one of those things every kid should know,” said parent Jan Hutcherson, as she taught students the finer arts of snowflake-making. “I didn’t learn until my kid was in second grade.”

By the end of the snipping extravaganza, the carpet was covered in bits of white.

The children also wrapped chocolate bars and stuffed mini umbrellas in tube socks.

Fourth-grader Ben Polins-Jones, now in his last year of the program, waxed philosophical when he talked about all he had experienced in the CLC.

Both he and his friend Ellie spoke of the friends they’ve made in the tight-knit group, and Ben talked about all the new things he has learned from the various parent volunteers.

Community Learning Center parents are expected to provide six hours per month in the classroom for each child they have in the program; some teach lessons in gardening, Spanish or music; others help out with administrative tasks or grading papers.

Ben’s mother, Helen, teaches art. She said she focuses more on the experience than perfecting technique.

“I like giving children the opportunity to express themselves in art — at this age, it’s all about building confidence and enjoying it,” she said.

Winter Bonnin, a ranger at Crystal Cove State Park, has taught on alternating weeks with marine biologist David Levine about a variety of science topics.

Parents also provide a donation of about $900 per student per year to employ a full-time instructional aide, but scholarships are available if financial need is demonstrated.

The waiting list for the program can be long, but parents say the reason for sticking it out is the child-centered method of instruction.

The center uses the multiple-intelligence theory of Howard Gardner that people are born with a potential for intelligence, which is gained through education, and can therefore be increased throughout life.

The school implements these theories by teaching six Lifelong Guidelines like “trustworthiness” and “no put-downs,” and 18 life skills like “common sense,” “integrity” and “sense of humor.”

The program is heavy on field trips and “being there” experiences. Students can take about six field trips per year; some are optional weekend trips that are not sponsored by the school.

Earlier this year, the students attended a performance of “The Great Squirrel Uprising” at the Laguna Playhouse, went on a two-day sailing trip aboard an 1812 privateer, and visited the International Printing Museum.

Next year, the students, their families and Community Learning Center alumni will make their annual trip to an orphanage in Mexico, where they will take on a service project and get to meet the residents, including one who is sponsored by the school.

For more information on the center, visit www.lbclc.org.