Watts Learning Center opens new building

Since its modest opening in 1997 with two kindergarten students and three teachers, the Watts Learning Center has catapulted to the ranks of one of Los Angeles’ best charter schools, winning a California Distinguished School Award and expanding its student body to 340.

Now, the South Los Angeles campus is finally getting buildings to match its academic acclaim, formally celebrating the opening of a new permanent facility at its long-time home at 95th Street and South Broadway.

Today’s ceremonies included a ribbon-cutting, speeches by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Supt. of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, and songs courtesy of the school’s colorfully attired choir.

The new, $5.5-million, two-story, 12,500-square-foot facility houses nine classrooms and uses green technology, including a solar hot water system, solar panels, green roofing materials and a timed lighting system. In addition, the building features exposed ventilation and water pipes, providing a learning experience for students beyond books and chalkboards.

“It’s very exciting for all of us because of the spaciousness of the rooms, which are larger than regular classroom size and the fact that we have natural light now,” said the school’s executive director Sandra Fisher. “From the beginning we had the children come to the construction site, where we cut an opening in the tarp, so they could learn about construcion and the types of equipment being used.”

The facility also reflects the school’s theme of providing students with a global perspective, especially about the continent of Africa, where the school conducts student learning trips every other year. The building’s bathrooms incorporate tiles that evoke the symbolism of Kente cloth and new landscaping includes plants native to Africa.

Atop the new building — and visible from the 110 Freeway —  sits a 10-foot tower with a computerized light fixture that has been dubbed the Beacon of Hope.

"It symbolizes what we’re trying to do, which is to provide a real opportunity for the future of our children," said school co-founder and board chairman Gene Fisher. "We clearly believe that children should have a quality education, and we are mission driven to provide world-class education for children from the inner city."

The school’s Academic Performance Index score of 824 out of 1,000 outstrips other South Los Angeles campuses. More than 50% of its students score at or above proficient on state math tests, and nearly half do as well in English language arts. The school added a sixth grade this year and is planning to open a middle school next year and another new classroom building in two years, Sandra Fisher said.

Watts Learning Center was formerly the site of Olivet Baptist Church. The school began leasing space from Olivet in 2000 before buying the church and its property in 2006.

-- Carla Rivera