Birmingham Community Charter High School Welcomes Local, State and Federal Leaders to Grand Opening Ceremonies

LAKE BALBOA, CA, Aug 17 (MARKET WIRE) --
LAUSD conversion-charter Birmingham Community Charter High School (BCCHS)
today announced that Superintendent Jack O'Connell of the California
Department of Education, Congressman Brad Sherman of California's 27th
District, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky of Los Angeles County's 3rd District
and LAUSD 3rd District Board Member Tamar Galatzan are among the special
guests the newly minted charter school will host on its August 19th Grand
Opening.

Two-term school superintendent Jack O'Connell, a strong and vocal
proponent of California Schools, will give the keynote address. "We are
simply thrilled to have the Superintendent in our corner," states
Birmingham Principal Marsha Coates. "This state leads the country in
educational innovation and reform, but with budgets crumbling and class
sizes soaring, students, parents and educators are scrambling to survive.
Having Jack O'Connell's support means an awful lot right now."

Working under the California Charter Schools Act of 1992, BCCHS
petitioned the LAUSD in January 2008. Following months of contentious
political wrangling between the school's many stakeholders, the 55-year
old Van Nuys-area campus was granted charter status on July 2nd, 2009 in
a 5-2 vote by the LAUSD School Board.

With recent improvements in achievement and graduation rates, graduation
day at Birmingham's 2009 culmination was the scene of hundreds of elated
grads, scores of honor students as well as the national media.
Birmingham now joins the ranks of other locally controlled campuses such
as Granada Hills Charter High School, one of the nation's largest charter
schools.

The five-year renewable charter effectively hands control of the LAUSD's
largest campus over to a Board of Governors where the school's academic,
professional and budgetary decision-making will occur. Composed of elected
school administrators, instructors and community members, the new board's
mission is to provide nearly 2900 students, their friends, families and
other stakeholders with an open, active voice in school governance. As one
of the most high-profile examples of the charter school movement in
action, BCCHS will serve as both a hub of academic and social activity
and a model for the future of California public schools.

BCCHS is at 17000 Haynes Street in Lake Balboa, CA, site of the former
Birmingham Senior High School. Grand Opening ceremonies are scheduled for
9:00 a.m. on August 19th in Birmingham Stadium. A VIP reception will be
held immediately afterward at 10:00 a.m. for special guests. Guests and
participants can enter the school from the Victory Boulevard gates, just
west of Balboa Boulevard. Ample parking is available.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the school's web site at
http://birminghamhs.org. For the VIP reception, please contact Colleen
Milar at (818) 758-6546 or crm4019@lausd.net.

Birmingham Community Charter High School
17000 Haynes Street
Lake Balboa, CA 91406
Phone: (818) 758-5200
Fax: (818) 342-5877
http://birminghamhs.org

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