Parent FAQS
Q: What is the criteria to APPLY to the Braddock Gifted Magnet program?
A: 1. You must live within LAUSD boundaries in order apply to any LAUSD Magnet Program.
2. The child must be eligible for 2nd-5th grade only. There is no Braddock Gifted Magnet classes in TK, Kinder, or 1st grade.
3. The child must meet the criteria for High Ability, Gifted, or Highly Gifted.
4. You MUST apply through eChoices only and within the time frame specified. The On-time Application for Choices 2023-2024 opens October 3rd and closes November 18th. Click here to view the digital Choices brochure, or visit the Choices webpage.
Q: What is the educational philosophy for Braddock Gifted Magnet?
A; We believe that all students should have the opportunity to receive an education commensurate with their abilities. We strive to provide an environment where students can develop their intellectual, creative, and artistic abilities to their fullest potential, while becoming technologically literate, socially-conscious individuals, and lifelong learners. Grouping together students of similar intellect and disposition encourages self-confidence and self-acceptance, and it creates an atmosphere in which students can excel in academic areas while allowing more time for enrichment activities. Providing students of different ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds opportunities to interact in a positive environment fosters knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of diversity.
Q: How long has Braddock Gifted Magnet program existed?
A: Braddock Gifted Magnet program started in 1999.
Q: What are the goals of the Gifted Magnet Program at Braddock?
A: We focus on higher-level cognitive concepts and thinking processes, provide enrichment activities, and encourage originality. Differentiated instruction is reflected throughout the curriculum through acceleration/pacing, depth, complexity, and novelty in each area of study.
Q: What are the requirements to enter Braddock Gifted Magnet?
A: Please refer to LAUSD’s Criteria for Gifted/Highly Gifted Magnet Programs. For more information please email Assistant Principal Celia Sosa, or call her at (310) 915-5977.
Q: Are parents allowed to volunteer or be involved? Is there a parent group?
A: Parents are an integral part of Braddock Drive Gifted Magnet. They are welcomed and encouraged to actively participate in their child’s education. Parents and community members volunteer in the classrooms, assist with supervision, chaperone field trips, serve as tutors, and assist teachers with projects. Volunteers must demonstrate proof of vaccination for COVID-19 before volunteering. Many of our talented parents share their particular skills and knowledge with our students. Magnet parents are also active members of our all-school committees, including the Enrichment, Beautification, and One School Committees.
Parent-Teacher conferences are an ongoing component of communication between school and home. Surveys, progress reports/report cards, and school bulletins are sent home regularly. Parents attend Back-To-School Night, Open House, student award ceremonies, student performances, and other school-sponsored events. All parents are invited and urged to attend Gifted Parent Meetings, as well as all other parent meetings.
“Friends of Braddock Gifted Magnet School” (FOB) is an active parent group that provides the Magnet classrooms with supplemental funding. FOB raises funds through its Annual Fund donation campaign and other fundraisers throughout the year. These funds satisfy vital classroom needs, such as books, subscriptions, Magnet teaching assistants, field trips, and other enrichment activities. FOB also plans socials for families, so everyone can spend time together outside of school.
Q: How many classes are in the Braddock Gifted Magnet program? And how many students per class? Do the teachers say the same?
A: We have one class per grade. For 2nd and 3rd grade, the maximum is 24 students per class. For 4th and 5th grade, the maximum is 30 per class.
Q: Is Braddock part of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) or Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD)?
A: LAUSD
Q: When are school tours given?
A: In-person and online tours will be held in October and November 2022 for families interested in enrolling for the 2023-2024 school year. Please RSVP for the tour you plan to attend. Tour dates and times are as follows:
- Thursday, October 6 at 10 AM (in-person)
- Tuesday, October 18 at 10 AM (in-person)
- Friday, November 4 at 10 AM (in-person)
- Wednesday, November 9 at 10 AM (in-person)
- Tuesday, November 15 at 6 PM (virtual question & answer session)
RSVP here for the tour you plan to attend.
Q: How do I apply for the Braddock Gifted Magnet Program?
A: Please visit LAUSD eChoices for more information on how to apply to Braddock Gifted Magnet. For more information please email Assistant Principal Celia Sosa, or call her at (310) 915-5977.
Q: What are the attendance boundaries for Braddock Gifted Magnet?
A: You must live within LAUSD boundaries to apply.
Q: How does Braddock Gifted Magnet testing compare with other schools?
A: A 2016 LA Times article shows that 87% of Braddock Gifted Magnet students met or exceeded standards for Math, and 92% met or exceeded standards for English, putting our scores far above other schools. http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-edu-magnet-test-scores-2016/
Q: What multicultural and enrichment programs are offered by Braddock Gifted Magnet?
A: Braddock Gifted/Highly Gifted/High Ability Magnet infuses multicultural activities throughout the curriculum. Our cultural richness provides us the opportunity to interact with and learn from students from diverse backgrounds. We celebrate our diversity through activities such as Black History Month, assemblies that focus on elements of various cultures through Social Studies, classroom videos and computer activities. Multicultural literature is an integral component of every classroom. Additionally, we have informative guest speakers who visit our classrooms, and activities specific to different units of cultural study. We strongly encourage parents to participate and share information, stories, and items specific to their own cultural background.
Enrichment is an important component of Gifted Education. In addition to curriculum-related classroom enrichment experiences, we have an arts program, and we offer an instrumental music program for selected students in grades 3-5. We are an Arts Program School, and as such we provide 4-6 weeks of Dance, Drama, or Fine Arts – taught by professionals – to selected classrooms per year. We have classroom field trips, which are meant to enhance the educational experience in a real-world setting; we have visited the Getty Villa, Disney Concert Hall, and 826LA,as well as the Griffith Observatory, Broad Stage, and Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Computer instruction and enrichment activities are provided in our Computer Lab, as well as integrated into classroom lessons and activities, and our students create science projects which are then presented at our annual Magnet Science Fair. Depending on community sponsors and parent volunteers, our students have participated in gardening, special physical education classes, and on-campus presentations by the California Science Center, Music Center on Tour, and Wildlife Learning Center. We have even had UCLA graduate students facilitate theater and nutrition classes in selected classrooms.
Q: Are there specialists for P.E., music, and art?
A: Each teacher incorporates art into their curriculum as they see fit. Music is offered to third, fourth and fifth graders who are interested in playing a musical instrument, and physical education is provided by the classroom teacher. Arts education is supplemented with a LAUSD-certified dance, music, visual arts, or theater teacher, as well as programs supported by grants from Friends of Braddock.
Q: Are there or computers in the classroom?
A: All students are issued a Chromebook for use in the classroom.
Q: Is there breakfast in the classroom?
A: Currently, students are given the option of taking breakfast and dinner “to go” with them at the end of school every day.
Q: What is the homework policy?
A: Homework varies by grade and teacher, and is assigned to support the work done in the classroom.
Q: What is the school size?
A: Approximately 500 students are currently enrolled – Pre-K through 5th grade – in the community school, Mandarin Immersion (MI) and Gifted Magnet Programs combined.
Q: How are the Gifted Magnet, MI and the community school integrated?
A: Each program has its own teachers, and students stay with their own classes for the entire school day, except for during recess and lunch. Depending on the grade, Magnet students may be mixed for certain school-wide activities, such as the instrumental music program that we offer for 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, student government, the Halloween parade, the winter and spring festivals, and Multicultural Day. Teachers also collaborate on programs within, and outside, their grade level.
Q: Will transportation be provided for Braddock Gifted Magnet program students?
A: Yes, transportation is provided by bus if you live outside of a 2 mile radius of Braddock.
For information about existing bus routes please email Assistant Principal Celia Sosa, or call her at (310) 915-5977, or call Transportation Services Division at 1-800-LABUSES or (213) 580-2950.
Q: Is there a middle school that Braddock Gifted Magnet feeds into?
A: At this time, there is no feeder school. Historically, our students have matriculated into schools such as Palms Gifted Magnet, Mark Twain Middle School Magnet/IHP/SAS, Paul Revere, LACES, Portola High Gifted Magnet, Walter Reed IHP, GALA, Charter School, New West Charter school, City Charter, as well as some private schools and various SAS programs. Both students and parents have felt strongly that Braddock Gifted Magnet program has prepared them well for middle school.
Q: Is before and after school care available on campus?
A: Information about before school and after-school options can be found at the Braddock webpage.
Q: What communication methods are used between parents and teachers?
A: Each teacher has their personal preference, which include email, Schoology, ClassDojo, and written notes.
Q: Are Braddock Gifted Magnet teachers GATE-trained?
A: Yes! All GATE teachers are required to go to GATE professional training each year. The teachers we hire understand and have experience with differentiated curriculum.
Q: Do the students wear uniforms?
A: No, our school does not require uniforms.
Q: What if I have more questions?
A: Please Tiffany Benitez, Magnet Coordinator at [email protected] or call her at (310) 915-5977