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future Families

Welcome Future Castle Heights Families!

This page is intended to provide information and resources for parents who are considering enrolling their child(ren) at Castle Heights. Do you live within CHES’s attendance area? Check out the attendance area map or use the LAUSD Resident School Identifier tool.

 

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Get to Know Castle Heights

School tours start at 8:45 am and typically end around 10:15 am.

          

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Enrollment

Visit our Enrollment and Permits pages.

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Castle Heights At-A-Glance
  • Student Body: approximately 580 students in Transitional Kindergarten through 5th grade

  • School for Advanced Studies: all of our teachers have had the additional training and professional development required to meet the needs of Gifted and High Achieving students. Learn more.

  • World Language Immersion Program in Spanish: students enrolled in our dual language program (one classroom per grade level) receive academic instruction in both English and Spanish on a 90/10 instructional model. Learn more.

  • Enrichment Programs: students enjoy a robust curriculum, including art, science, computer lab and a well-stocked library.

  • School Hours: 8:15 am – 2:38 pm Mondays, Wednesdays – Fridays; early dismissal (1:38 pm) on Tuesdays .

  • Before and After School Care: provided by STAR from 7 am – 6 pm for all ages. Also, 2nd – 5th grade students with a permission slip on file may stay on the playground until 6:00 PM under supervision provided by LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell program.

A Day in the Life of a Castle Heights Student
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7:00 am: fee-based care is offered by STAR.
8:10 am: students gather with their classmates to await their teacher.  There is no formal dress code, but students are expected to wear closed toe shoes and socks at all times, and hats and/or dark glasses must be removed in the classroom

8:15 am: class begins.  As part of LAUSD’s Breakfast in the Classroom program, free breakfast is available for students who did not eat at home.

Morning Recess: Transitional Kinder and Kinder students play on a separate yard during morning recess and lunch. Older students play on the main playground in shifts by grade supervised by Teacher’s Aides.

Lunch: Lunch break is also organized in shifts by grade. Students may bring a lunch from home or purchase lunch from the school cafeteria for $3.00. Parents should set up a cafeteria account so students don’t need to carry money to school.  Cans and glass bottles are not permitted, and soda is not allowed.

1:38 pm: early dismissal on Tuesdays.

2:38 pm: regular dismissal, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays.

2:38 – 4:00 pm: school librarian and parent volunteers supervise HOMEWORK CLUB in the Library Mondays – Thursdays.

Closing – 6:00 pm: Until 6 pm, fee-based after school care is provided by STAR, and the playground is open to 2nd – 5th graders with supervision provided by Beyond the Bell. Learn more.

Homework: A detailed LAUSD homework policy statement is available in the front office.  Here is a relevant excerpt: While homework may be scheduled over an extended period of time that may include weekends and vacations, homework will be assigned for a minimum of four days a week (Monday through Thursday). The average time needed for completion of homework assignments per day varies according to grade level.

  • Kindergarten: 15 to 20 minutes

  • Grades 1 & 2: 20 to 35 minutes

  • Grades 3 & 4: 35 to 45 minutes Grade 5: 50 to 60 minutes

In addition, students at Castle Heights are expected to read or be read to for a minimum of 15 minutes daily. 25 Ways Parents Can Read With Children (English) | 25 Maneras los padres pueden leer con los niños (Español)

Parents at Castle Heights

 

Castle Heights is fortunate to be part of an incredibly active, engaged, and fun-loving family community. Parents are always welcome on campus to volunteer in the classroom and/or at our many popular events, such as Fall Festival, Campus Camp Out (a 5-year tradition started by a parent), the Halloween Parade, Book Fair, Jog-a-Thon, etc.


Parents are also encouraged to join the PTA,  Friends of Castle Heights, and/or one of several school committees.

In the Fall,  parents are invited to Back to School Night to meet with their children’s teachers, learn about the curriculum and the class, tour the classroom, and discuss the academic goals set for the coming year.  In the Spring, Castle Heights hosts an Open House so students can give their parents a tour of the classroom, talk about what they are learning, and show off their projects.


Just before the Winter Break, teachers invite parents to a private conference to discuss their child’s progress.  A second conference may be scheduled in the Spring at the parent’s request, and teachers make themselves available throughout the year as needed.

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Recent Comments from Current Castle Heights Elementary Parents at greatschools.net

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  • “Our school has a staff that’s wonderful and we have computer lab, science, art, music and so much more. And we also are raising money to provide charity for an endangered red fox so we can keep it in our environment. Also we have after school programs at our school we have helping teachers aids and librarians to help children with their homework inside the library.”

  • “Great campus. The full curriculum that includes “the extras” of an organic gardening program, science, computer instruction, P.E. for all the kids (K-5) make it a magical neighborhood school. Lots of parent volunteers and an engaged booster club set this school apart…”

  • “Castle Height is a great school. They have teachers that really care and push the students to excel in their studies. I graduated from Castle Heights in 1985 and what makes the school exceptional is the higher learning. I am very proud that my son is enrolled at a quality school.”

  • “I love this school! The teachers, parents and principal are great. The parents are really involved and my child is so happy here.”

  • “How lucky we are to be a part of the Castle Heights Family. It’s a wonderful school, with happy children, incredibly involved parents, an amazing principal and an especially dedicated teaching staff.”

  • “Our family also just finished 6 years at the school. The parent support at the school is amazing. Literally hundreds of thousands of dollars, not to mention untold hours of volunteerism donated to the school. The parents have high expectations, and the teachers and staff are well aware of that, and meet those expectations…At our new middle school, we just found our daughter is in honors classes for all four core subjects. Even she said “our teacher last year really got us ready”.) Thanks CH!”

  • “This is an amazing school. My daughter is beginning middle school and is so well prepared. She had exactly the elementary school experience I hoped for her. Great learning, great friends and a great time!”

  • “Castle Heights is a fantastic school, and parental involvement is My son just finished first grade and Mrs. Malloy should get teacher of the year she was just so wonderful. My oldest child was in STAR program at Kentwood ES for five years, so I didn’t hesitate to enroll my son into Castle Heights STAR program and they didn’t disappoint. My son receives help with homework, arts and crafts, sports, and is even in a woodshop course in the STAR program. ***** to CHE and the STAR program.”

  • “My son had the best time in the STAR Little Dippers. It was the best experience for him. I look forward to him starting kindergarten.”

  • “My son just finished 3rd Grade and our daughter will be in kinder next year at this school. The new principal is fantastic and the STAR PROGRAM is phenomenal. These two aspects make me so GRATEFUL to be a Castle Heights Dad!!”

  • “Our child just finished 1st grade, and she really enjoys going to school every day. The most appealing aspects of the school for us are the very strong parental commitment and involvement, and the dedication/quality of the STAR after school program.”

  • “STAR program gets ***** in my book. My little girl loves it so much. The staff is amazing. The fun they have there. There’s no place like it. I applaud them. Great work to all.”

  • “Today is my daughter’s last day as a 1st grader, and she is already excited for the next school year. I’m glad that we have a school like Castle Heights that is so amazing, the principal is great, the best teachers in town, great support from the parents and a wonderful school staff. The STAR after school program is wonderful – the staff is awesome. Good Job guys!!!! See you next school year.”

  • “Fantastic school in general, but I have been particularly impressed with the STAR program here. They have summer and break camps, after care and a wealth of other enrichment classes. The staff is experienced and truly wonderful with the children. The aftercare program is impressive, and my children have been with STAR since Kindergarten, every summer and during the school year.”

  • “This is a destination school! There is not a better, more well rounded, campus on the west side. The new principal is high energy with a great “let’s get in done” attitude. Parent involvement and commitment are amazing. The after school program, STAR, makes staying after school fun and educational.”

  • “Our daughter has attended Kindergarten and 1st grades so far and we look forward to her brother starting Kindergarten in the Fall. The campus and facilities are very good, and the school is supported by a strong network of parents, teachers, staff, and principal. The STAR after school program is an awesome bonus resource.”

  • “A fantastic community school where parents are really engaged. Teacher and upper leadership really have the best interest of the kids at heart, which in turn foster a great learning environment. As parent of three we are also so grateful to the most wonderful after school program. The STAR program is so connected to the children that not only it helps with homework but also develop and expend the kids interest for so many things.”

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