Families in Irvine now have a new option for early childhood education. The Crème School has opened its first California location, The Crème School of Great Park, offering research-based preschool programs, enrichment experiences and modern learning spaces designed to support children’s growth ages 2 and up.

Located in Irvine’s growing Great Park neighborhood, the school will serve nearly 200 children. It introduces Crème’s newest school design, the first of its kind, featuring modern learning environments, elevated family amenities and personalized educational experiences designed to support every stage of a child’s development.

The Crème School of Great Park also offers signature enrichment opportunities and thoughtfully designed classroom spaces that encourage exploration, creativity and collaboration. These high-quality early learning environments combine research-based curriculum, hands-on discovery and enrichment opportunities that help children build academic, social and emotional skills.

“We’re thrilled to bring the Crème experience to California families,” said Stephanie Sturdevant-Ward, vice president of operations for The Crème Schools. “The Crème School of Great Park is redefining child care with innovative learning spaces, personalized experiences and enriching opportunities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and help children thrive.”

The Crème Learning Approach brings together engaging, research-based curriculum, exceptional teachers and enhanced educational experiences to support joyful, meaningful learning each day, school officials said. It emphasizes executive function skills, including attention, memory, flexible thinking, collaboration and emotional regulation, helping children build confidence and strong foundations for success in school and in life. Crème’s proprietary curriculum enables students to focus on skills that complement its signature enrichments. Starting at age 2, children engage in daily 30-minute rotations and small-group lessons in STEM, music, art and Spanish.

The school’s opening marks a significant milestone in Crème’s national growth strategy as the company continues expanding its footprint of premium early childhood education schools across the U.S.

Families interested in learning more about The Crème School of Great Park can visit here.

The post The Crème School Opens First California Location in Irvine’s Great Park appeared first on L.A. Parent.

While it’s not an outright ban, Los Angeles Unified School District students will soon have less access to technology during the school day. The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education has approved a new policy establishing age-appropriate limits on classroom screen time beginning this fall. 

Building on cellphone restrictions that LAUSD adopted last year, the new guidelines are intended to ensure technology supports learning without replacing teacher-led instruction and face-to-face interaction. 

District leaders say the goal isn’t to eliminate technology from classrooms but to encourage thoughtful, developmentally appropriate use.

“As we continue to navigate the evolving role of technology in education, our priority remains ensuring it is used in ways that support high-quality instruction, student engagement, and overall well-being,” Superintendent Andrés E. Chait said. “Technology is an important tool that can expand access and enhance learning, but it is most effective when used purposefully and guided by educators.”

What will change?

The policy establishes maximum instructional screen-time limits that vary by grade level.

Beginning in August, students in early education through first grade will generally not use individual devices during classroom instruction. Schools will still be able to use shared device carts when needed for assessments, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and other approved exceptions. Students in the district’s Virtual Academy are exempt from the policy.

Starting later in the school year, older students will have daily or weekly limits on instructional screen time, including homework:

• Early education, kindergarten and Grade 1: 0 minutes per day
• Grades 2-3: Up to 20 minutes per day (100 minutes per week)
• Grades 4-5: Up to 30 minutes per day (150 minutes per week)
• Grades 6-8: Up to 60 minutes per subject each week
• Grades 9-12: Up to 90 minutes per subject each week

The district also plans to restrict student-led use of YouTube and other video-streaming platforms during instruction and review existing classroom technology contracts.

When will the changes take effect?

Implementation will happen in phases:

• August 2026: Early education through Grade 1
• November 2026: Grades 2-5
• January 2027: Grades 6-12

District officials say schools will receive professional development, while families will receive back-to-school resources and guidance before each phase begins.

Why is LAUSD making this change?

According to district officials, the policy reflects growing research on children’s screen use and feedback from nearly 19,000 participants through the LAUSD’s ThoughtExchange community engagement process.

The new guidelines are designed to:

• Preserve teacher-led instruction
• Prioritize educational use of technology
• Reduce unnecessary screen exposure
• Encourage developmentally appropriate learning experiences
• Balance technology with whole-child development

“Our charge now is to recalibrate, evaluate the role of educational technology in the classroom and balance access to that technology with the kinds of instruction and interaction we know help students thrive,” Board Member Nick Melvoin, who introduced the resolution, said following the board’s vote.

Will parents have a voice?

Yes. An amendment approved with the policy requires the district to conduct annual public reviews and gather feedback from educators, students and parents on how the guidelines are working. The first review may include school experience survey questions asking families whether students spend too much, too little or an appropriate amount of time using devices at school.

District officials say the policy will continue to evolve as new research emerges and schools gain experience implementing the guidelines.

At a Glance: LAUSD Screen-Time Limits by Grade Level

The post LAUSD Screen-Time Limits: What Parents Need to Know appeared first on L.A. Parent.

The Los Angeles Unified Board of Education has appointed longtime educator Andrés E. Chait as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, making permanent the leadership role he has held on an interim basis since February. The former superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, resigned June 21 amid federal investigations.

The new appointment comes as the district works to maintain academic progress, address financial challenges and provide stability for nearly 400,000 students.

Chait, who began his career with LAUSD as a kindergarten teacher nearly three decades ago, was unanimously selected by the school board after serving as acting superintendent through labor negotiations, budget planning and the completion of the 2025-26 school year. Board members cited his institutional knowledge, collaborative leadership style and commitment to students as key reasons for the appointment.

“At this moment, our students, families, employees and communities deserve stability, focus and confidence in the future of Los Angeles Unified,” Board President Scott Schmerelson said.

Throughout his career with LAUSD, Chait has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, Local District superintendent, superintendent of Local District Northeast, chief of school operations and acting superintendent, giving him experience in both classroom instruction and districtwide leadership.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as superintendent of Los Angeles Unified,” Chait said. “This district has shaped my life and career.”

He said his priorities include strengthening academic outcomes, supporting educators and staff, maintaining safe school environments and ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education.

Board members said appointing Chait provides continuity at a critical time as the district advances key academic, financial and operational priorities.

The post Andrés E. Chait Named LAUSD Superintendent appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Students from across Los Angeles planted the region’s second TREEAMS (Trees + Dreams) nursery at Seven Arrows Elementary School’s Aldersgate Retreat Center in Pacific Palisades, expanding a student-led wildfire recovery effort inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall. The model lets students grow native trees on school campuses now, care for them for 1 to 2 years, and later plant them permanently when fire-impacted neighborhoods are ready.

TREEAMS is working to plant 5,000 trees across Altadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu and surrounding areas following last year’s wildfires. Because many fire-impacted properties are not yet ready for replanting, EF Academy, one of the key TREEAMS school collaborators, developed a creative solution: Students grow young trees on school campuses and community sites now, care for them for 1 to 2 years and later donate and plant them permanently when neighborhoods are ready.

The first TREEAMS tree nursery was planted in April at EF Academy Pasadena, the temporary home of Altadena’s Saint Mark’s School. The second site brings the total to approximately 60 young trees growing across the two nurseries and showing how the model can scale across Los Angeles schools.

Students transplanted 30 young native trees from 5-gallon containers into 15-gallon containers, including 10 Toyons provided by Devil Mountain Nursery, 10 California Sycamores provided by Norman’s Nursery and 10 Western Redbuds donated by LA Conservation Corps. Community partners included Anawalt Lumber, a longtime Palisades institution that donated key materials.

The event also featured a completion of a bioremediation and planting project on the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club slope, where TREEAMS is working with the Center for Applied Ecological Remediation and the Palisades Forestry Committee to address fire-related soil impacts and model how communities can safely and sustainably re-landscape after wildfire.

This fall, the nursery work will be complemented by a robust curriculum developed with UCLA School of Education and Information Studies, EcoRise and participating educators. The curriculum will help students connect hands-on planting and restoration projects with lessons in reforestation, soil health, ecosystem recovery and environmental leadership.

“Jane Goodall always taught us to listen to children and give them a way to act,” said Margarita Pagliai, co-founder of TREEAMS and founder and Head of School of Seven Arrows Elementary School and Little Dolphins Preschool. “After the fires, so many people were stuck in fear and waiting. TREEAMS gives students a way to move forward, to bring beauty back and to help their communities heal by doing something real with their own hands.”

Pagliai, a longtime Pacific Palisades educator and community leader, helped make TREEAMS possible by bringing students, schools and partners across Los Angeles together in the aftermath of the fires. Seven Arrows Elementary School, which has been part of the Palisades community for decades, has played a central role in shaping TREEAMS from an idea inspired by Goodall into a growing student-led campaign connecting Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Malibu through reforestation, restoration and hands-on learning.

Students from EF Academy, who helped launch the first TREEAMS nursery on EF’s Pasadena campus, traveled to Pacific Palisades to teach elementary students from Seven Arrows Elementary School how to establish the Aldersgate nursery. The student-to-student model is designed to help TREEAMS expand to more schools this fall.

The Pacific Palisades location is especially meaningful. Aldersgate Retreat Center, including the Buerge Chapel, is next to the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club and across from Palisades Charter High School, in an area deeply impacted by the fires. The nursery and restoration work are intended to create a visible sign of progress, hope and renewal in a place community members pass every day.

The project also connects students from Altadena and Pacific Palisades/Malibu, two communities impacted by the 2025 fires, through a shared effort rooted in environmental restoration, hands-on learning and youth leadership.

The post Students Lead Wildfire Recovery Through Tree Planting in Los Angeles appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Science fiction has a way of helping young writers ask the biggest questions about technology, loss, power and what it means to be human. That spirit was on full display at this year’s Tomorrow Prize ceremony at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, where professional actors performed Los Angeles County high school students’ finalist stories and the teens were honored in front of family, mentors and supporters.

The Tomorrow Prize is presented through the Omega Sci-Fi Project, founded by Sci-Fest L.A and run by the LightBringer Project. L.A. Parent has co-sponsored the prize since 2019, proudly publishing the first-prize story in print and online. This year’s recipient is Abigail Lee, a junior at Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena. 

Omega Sci-Fi honored 21 students from across L.A. County for their sci-fi stories and teachers who invited the organization into their classrooms to lead writing workshops. There were 13 honorable mentions and six finalists. Theodore Kinsella, a junior at Venice High School, won third place; Jadyn Manguera Shin, a junior at Westridge School for Girls, was named second-place winner. Yedsen Troy Dela Cruz, a senior at Hollywood High School, and Hanaa Belkacemi, a senior at Port of Los Angeles High School, rounded out the finalists. 

Lee volunteers at Shriners Children’s Hospital and plays soccer. At school, she studies psychology and serves as a student support leader. During a class, she read an article about the rise and harm in using AI chatbots as therapy.  After conducting more research, she discovered the concept of “AI grief bots,” artificial intelligence tools people use to simulate conversations with lost loved ones. 

Fascinated and unsettled by the ethical implications, Lee was inspired to write a story that explores the boundaries between memory, grief and technology. Below is the powerful result: “File: Anna Bishop.”

FILE: ANNA BISHOP

By Abigail Lee

The steak was cooked exactly how Willem liked it — perfectly seared crust around a warm, pink center. I sat stiffly in the dining room chair, my feet drawing circles in the fibers of the carpet, a smart-lens hugging my left eye’s retina. 

This was routine at 7 p.m.: The hum of the news coming from the television, accompanied by a home-cooked meal under the soft glow of the chandelier. It was almost perfect.

Across from me was Willem Doherty. He was smiling, looking right at me with his hands folded and elbows resting on the mahogany table. It was the same look he had given me on our first date. 

Suddenly, he began to flicker like a dying lightbulb, one eye blurring into his lips before resetting back to his former disposition. It almost felt real.

“You’re awfully quiet tonight, Anna,” he said, breaking the silence. The warmth and melody of his voice was exactly how I remembered it.

“Just thinking,” I whispered back.

***

Today is Aug. 21, 2083. Exactly one year since I lost Willem.

We had attended the same college in upstate New York. With his head of messy auburn hair and shoulders that seemed too broad for the narrow library aisles, he was impossible to miss back then. Shortly after we graduated, we moved into an apartment together. Everyone from college said we’d be the first to get married. I wish this were true. I wish I had known you were struggling. 

When the government first announced that AI would replace all therapists, Willem was skeptical. I still remember his face when he came home, his brows so deeply furrowed that they’d almost kissed. I remember looking into his wide, frantic eyes that carried his disbelief. 

He drove all the way to his therapist’s office in denial, only to be met with a dim building just bright enough to make out a sign on the window that read, “Lumi: the light at the end of the tunnel.” 

Willem had said that robots could never replace human interaction. That they would never truly understand. Nobody knows where they all went. The real therapists, I mean. They all vanished, as if they were deleted from the system.

Eventually, Willem fell into Lumi’s sticky embrace. He was always a little too trusting. He was a man who looked for the best in everything — until it finally consumed him. He entrusted Lumi with the raw, jagged pieces of himself he used to hide from the world. What started with a simple daily check-in soon became an hourly practice. I would find him sitting in front of the computer, his eyes glazed over, his hands in frenetic motion, eager to know what Lumi would say next. He swore the machine understood him better than any human ever could.

“You know, this Lumi thing is great! I feel like I can talk to her about anything,” he always said.

“Willem, you mean it? Lumi isn’t real.” I had to remind him every time. 

“You know what I mean, Anna. I don’t know. It’s just nice to hear the validation. Like, look at this: I told Lumi how I was scared of losing that job, and it said, ‘Right now, you don’t need to solve your whole life. You just need to get through this moment.’ Isn’t that great? She…I mean it told me it saw me for who I truly was.”

I think this is when I began to lose him. 

***

Swish-Thump.

The rain stomped heavily on my windshield, almost as if it were pointedly drowning out this painful memory. Wearing your smart-lens in the car is now forbidden, at least it is here in New York. Last week, there was a pileup on the Henry Hudson Bridge. A driver’s lens had glitched, projecting a pedestrian darting across the street, causing the driver to swerve into oncoming traffic. 

I had tucked mine into the glove compartment so I wouldn’t be tempted to wear it, but my eye felt so naked…so vulnerable. Without the lens, the world was drained of its color. My vision felt grainy. My eye ached. I missed the way the lens smoothed over the gray edges of reality. 

But I think I finally get it now, Willem. This whole Lumi thing, I mean. It’s like sitting at your desk with work scattered everywhere, telling yourself you’ll stop doomscrolling while your 10-minute break turns into hours. I can’t forget you, Willem. Not yet. I’m not ready to let you go. 

I’m driving to you right now. I think I finally got used to the route. Make a left onto Cliff Avenue, then a right on Sunset. 

I tried to mimic his voice in my head. I breathed in the car’s same scent of fresh red roses. Drip…drop. My shoulders tightened. You know how I always hated driving in the rain. 

I quickly pulled into the cemetery, the tires crunching over wet gravel. Eager, I ripped open the glove compartment and peeled back the lid of the shiny, black capsule in which the lens rested. I stretched my eyelid with my left thumb and pointer finger, guiding the lens home, blinking to reset my vision. With a cold and trembling finger, I tapped through the beads of sweat on my temple to reactivate the stream.

“I’m here, Anna. I’m here. Just take a deep breath,” Willem said from the passenger seat. I let out a sigh of relief. It was so good to hear that voice again — not just some voice I’d constructed in my head.

I opened the car door, bracing myself for the rain until I heard him again.

“Why are you leaving the shelter of your car? You hate the rain. Just stay here with me, Anna, and all your problems will be fixed,” he reassured.

But I needed out. “I have to go out there,” I choked out, reaching over the center console to grab the roses from the projection’s translucent lap.

I stepped out into the downpour, the cold water instantly soaking through my clothes. Through the lens, I watched him step out of the car, too. He walked beside me, though the puddles he walked through remained undisturbed. 

“The flowers are beautiful,” Willem said. “But you’re shivering. You’re going to get sick. You know I’m always here.” 

He looked at me with the same smile — except this time it felt different. The real Willem would’ve scolded me, told me I should’ve brought one of my dozens of umbrellas sitting at home. I missed his negativity keeping me in place. It was genuine. It was real.

When we reached the gravestone, I saw his name, Willem Doherty, carved in cold, immobile text. I looked at the stone, weathered and wet from the rain. Then I looked at the glowing, flickering man standing over it — not a single bead of rain on his skin. My vision became blurry. A pit dragged in my throat.

“You’re not wet. You’re not shivering,” I whispered to myself. 

“You’re not wet. You’re not shivering,” I repeated, my voice less audible with every word. I looked at the roses in my hand. They were wilting, their petals bruised by the rain. 

They were dying, just like Willem had. By keeping this lens on, I wasn’t honoring him; I was selfishly keeping him trapped in the very system he once feared. I was continuing to feed Lumi the pieces of Willem that I needed most. I hooked my cold and wet fingers under the edge of the lens. The software flashed in bright red: DISCONNECTION DETECTED. MAY CAUSE EMOTIONAL DISTRESS.

“Anna, if you disconnect, who will you have?” the bot warned, its formerly vibrant voice bent into an automated tone. “You will truly be alone…forev-”

I gently scraped the lens’s edges until it folded and jumped into the tall blades of dewy grass, the moisture from the rain seeping into the delicate device. The glowing, perfect version of Willem vanished instantly, swallowed by the downpour. The rain came crashing down harder, yet I wasn’t afraid. 

The silence was heavy and the cold was biting, sinking its teeth into my clothes until I felt it in my bones. For the first time, I didn’t have a voice telling me everything was OK. I didn’t have a face preserving the past. I just had the rain, the dirt and the jarring, beautiful truth that he was gone. 

“You’re gone,” I said finally, wiping the mixture of water and grass off his grave. 

The words tasted wrong. Like betrayal.

But they were true.

“You’re gone,” I repeated, louder this time, letting the rain swallow the sound.

I sat there for a while. Long enough for my hands to become numb. Long enough for the roses to sink further into themselves. Long enough for the rain to seep through all my clothes.

I looked back at the empty passenger seat in my car.

No Willem.

No soft voice.

No glowing silhouette.

Just me.

The post Pasadena Student Wins Tomorrow Prize with AI and Grief Story appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Altadena students recently got a hands-on introduction to soccer when U.S. Soccer (through the Soccer Forward Foundation) and Bank of America launched their new Soccer at Schools initiative with a kickoff at Odyssey Charter School in Altadena. The program is designed to expand access to the sport in schools across the country by 2030.

Students at Odyssey Charter got to participate in a soccer clinic with soccer superstar David Beckham and received soccer equipment and Angel City FC forward Sydney Leroux, placing a national youth-sports campaign in a community still rebuilding after last year’s wildfires.

“Soccer has been the foundation of my life, which started with incredible support at school and in my local community through well-trained coaches, volunteers and access to facilities and equipment,” said Beckham, Bank of America Global Sports Ambassador and Principal for a Day. “Soccer at Schools is built on that very same approach — that all children should have the support and access they need to succeed. I look forward to seeing the impact that will be made for young people in their communities with this long-term programming announced today.”

Bank of America said the initiative fits within its wider Sports with Us platform, which focuses on using sports to strengthen communities. And Soccer at Schools represents one of the most significant youth access investments connected to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and is a key pillar of U.S. Soccer’s efforts to make soccer the #1 sport played in every community, officials say. Through equipping and supporting people, places and programs across the country, Soccer Forward is increasing participation, enabling stronger community connections and improving youth health and expanded access to safe places to play.

The initiative will continue with additional events in other cities, including Atlanta, Charlotte and Chicago. A public platform for schools and community organizations to access support is expected to launch this summer.

The post Altadena Students Benefit from New Youth Soccer Program appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Downey families recently got hands-on support for navigating the digital world at Ed. C. Lewis Elementary, where a PTA Connected event offered them online safety guidance, screen-readiness resources and 200 refurbished laptops for preselected attendees.

According to Pew Research, 4 in 10 parents feel they could do better at managing their kids screen time.

“We believe in empowering parents and caregivers with the tools, knowledge and confidence to support healthy screen readiness and digital well-being at home,” said Yesica Vasquez, vice president of the Ed. C. Lewis Elementary PTA. “We are bringing families together to learn, grow and navigate technology safely so every child can thrive both online and offline.”

The event opened with a discussion for parents and caregivers exploring the question, “Is my family screen ready?” Families also participated in activities focused on online safety and building healthy digital habits, using resources from AT&T ScreenReady®. 

Children attending the event engaged in activities inside AT&T’s Mobile Connectivity Center, an 18-wheeler-based hub that provides internet access, devices and digital resources.

“Technology plays an important role in how families learn, connect and navigate daily life, and we know many parents and caregivers are looking for support as they make decisions about their children’s digital experiences,” said Mylayna Albright, vice president of Corporate Responsibility at AT&T. “Through our collaboration with National PTA and programs like Ready, Tech, Go!, AT&T is helping equip families with practical tools, trusted resources and meaningful conversations to build safe, healthy and confident digital habits at home.”

Said Gabe Middleton, CEO of Human-I-T: “Early access to technology isn’t about the technology. It’s about whether a kid grows up feeling like the world is built for them. At Lewis Elementary, AT&T is bringing the connectivity, National PTA is bringing the trust families have in their school and Human-I-T is bringing the devices and the support to keep them working. After 13 years of doing this work, I can tell you the kids who get there early carry that confidence the rest of their lives,”

Ed. C. Lewis Elementary PTA was selected by National PTA to receive $1,500 of support from AT&T to help conduct the program. The school’s PTA is one of 230 elementary school PTAs nationwide selected to receive a grant for the 2025-2026 school year.

“Ed. C. Lewis Elementary PTA and PTAs across the country at all levels work hard every day to make a difference for students, families and schools and make every child’s potential a reality,” said Yvonne Johnson, president of the National PTA.

“We are pleased to equip Ed. C. Lewis Elementary PTA with resources to engage families in a critical dialogue around screen readiness and digital safety and empower them with information and resources to make the best decisions for their families.” 

The program is part of a collaboration between National PTA and AT&T to help address the digital divide. Since 2021, AT&T has committed $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to high-speed internet by 2030. 

This includes distributing more than 31,000 computers to students and their families across California since 2021. Additionally, National PTA’s PTA Connected initiative seeks to improve digital access, equity and well-being for all children through tailored programs, resources and more. 

Learn more at  PTA.org/Connected and ATT.com. 

The post Downey Families Learn Digital Safety and Receive Free Laptops appeared first on L.A. Parent.

During a recent self-care retreat in a West Athens garden in Los Angeles, the evening sun slipped through an umbrella of trees, lighting up a corner of the garden where guests had been instructed to choose plants that spoke to them.

Once the women returned to their tables, Barbara Lawson, owner of Redondo Beach-based Meet Me in the Dirt, guided them through a plant meditation that included ripping their beautiful plants from their pots and using their fingers to rake away clinging dirt. “Hold your plant up high and examine the roots,” Lawson told them. After gazing at the vulnerable roots, they sunk their hands into mounds of loose, loamy black soil, using it to replant their greenery into brand-new pots.

 Throughout the meditation, Lawson encouraged the women to reflect on what in their lives they were ready to release and where they were willing to start anew. This intentional approach of engaging with plants, nature and gardening to promote stress relief and encourage healing falls under the realm of horticultural therapy. As spring approaches, rediscovering the healing power of tending to plants feels especially resonant. 

This year’s spring equinox falls on March 20, and if the new year didn’t provide the fresh start you’d hoped for, do not fret. Some cultures celebrate spring as the beginning of the year (Nowruz is the Persian New Year, for example) — and many uphold it as a symbol of rebirth and triumph over struggle, a fitting metaphor for plant life and what we learn from it.

The mental health benefits of nature

In his book “With People in Mind: Design and Management for Everyday Nature,” psychology professor Stephen Kaplan discusses how nature can counteract prolonged directed attention fatigue, a temporary mental exhaustion from overusing your brain’s ability to focus and filter distractions, which leads to increased irritability, impulsivity, difficulty concentrating and poor decision-making. 

There are inherent healing properties in the soil beneath our feet, research shows. Mycobacterium vaccae is a soil-borne microorganism that, when inhaled or in contact with our skin, stimulates serotonin production in the brain, contributing to mood and cognitive regulation. 

Sometimes, we don’t even need to touch nature to benefit from it.

Roger S. Ulrich studied the impact on patients whose hospital room windows overlooked the outdoors. Ulrich discovered that patients who were able to view nature from their hospital rooms experienced fewer post-surgery complications and required less pain medication than those with no nature exposure. 

How horticultural therapy works

For Lawson, the practice of blending gardening with stress relief and emotional processing began in her home garden. She was overcome with grief after the loss of her mother. She turned to therapy, and then nature, for help. One seed at a time, her garden became a place of healing. And it is a symbiotic relationship: As she excavates old weeds and hydrates new roots with a sprinkling of water, she soaks in the vitamin D and begins to shift her emotional state.

Feeling compelled to share the power of her healing practice with others, Lawson created Meet Me in the Dirt, a dedicated green space in Redondo Beach. 

As she did that evening in the West Athens garden, Lawson guides her guests through their vulnerabilities and hardships through plant care. When supporting children through their experiences with change, uncertainty or a blend of different emotions, Lawson encourages parents to have open conversations. It’s understandably difficult to see those we love in pain, but it is far more painful to bury it beneath the surface. Encouraging families to meet each other, and themselves, in the dirt, Lawson says, “You don’t need a yard. You need a pot, and you need a seed. You need what the plant needs, too.” 

From the backyard to the schoolyard

While Lawson’s work reflects the deeply personal side of horticultural therapy, across Los Angeles, similar principles are being woven into schoolyards, where gardening programs are nurturing both learning and emotional well-being.

In an effort to challenge negative perceptions of public middle schools, Tomas O’Grady, a dad of four, pitched an idea to his eldest child’s middle school principal: A community garden connected to an environmental-science curriculum. With the collaboration of his wife Justine and a determined team, EnrichLA was born — and more than 200 school gardens have taken root. 

Through its Garden Ranger Program, children craft and taste organically grown vegetables from the solar-powered kitchens and learn about ecosystem interactions. Beyond academic enrichment, the program supports the emotional well-being of students through mental health awareness training and by providing a safe space for students to retreat to in the middle of busy, stimulating school days. Fueled by EnrichLA’s mission to make growth in harmony with nature a possibility for every student in L.A., O’Grady never turns down a new opportunity to create the next school garden. If you are interested in bringing an organic, regenerative garden to a school, visit enrichla.org/contact.  

Serving K-5^th grade students at Title 1 schools across L.A., the Garden School Foundation connects its curriculum to Next Generation Science Standards. Through its Seed to Table program, students create culturally inspired dishes with fresh ingredients in accordance with the seasonal patterns of Southern California. Teachers and parents rejoice in witnessing their students’ heightened interest in trying unique herbs and vegetables says Ann Dang, the community partnerships manager and master gardener.

Students also experience the power of tending to the soil through the Cafeteria to Compost program, which has redistributed more than 23,000 pounds of lunchtime food waste from the landfills. 

Whether it’s a school program, backyard garden, windowsill herb or even an idea, take some time this spring to plant something new with your children, reminding them that it takes time for the seeds we plant — in the soil and in our lives — to blossom. Consider keeping a plant journal to capture the unexpected lessons you and your family discover as your seeds grow.

From Their Gardens to Yours

If you are inspired by the therapeutic benefits and mission behind Meet Me in the Dirt, EnrichLA, and the Garden School Foundation, here are a few simple ways you can incorporate horticultural therapy into your family’s daily lives. Each of these ideas is adaptable for varying ranges of accessibility, from your own home and garden to public parks and outdoor spaces.

1. Start an herb garden. This can be as simple as purchasing a few pots of herbs you enjoy cooking with, placing them on your windowsill and showering them with care and a little water each evening.
2. Go for an outdoor scavenger hunt. Forage and run around while embracing your child’s curiosity for the little things we often overlook, such as ladybugs and flower buds.
3. Practice composting. Encourage the habit of sorting food scraps and compostable materials into the green bin to enrich the soil that surrounds us.
4. Embrace your child’s natural interests. If they don’t enjoy digging their hands into dirt, try some nature-based art activities, or change up your scenery and pack a picnic.

Emily Ip, a former editorial intern for L.A. Parent, is now a third-year student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. 

The post How Gardening Helps Kids Build Confidence, Reduce Stress and Grow appeared first on L.A. Parent.

What You Can Learn from a School Designed for Gifted Students

Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning offers an academic program that is tailored for gifted and highly curious students. As career educators and parents of gifted children, our founders were very familiar with the challenges of educating gifted individuals. These students are highly intelligent but can become frustrated with the standardized pace and conventional approach of a typical classroom. Qualia’s program offers a flexible, high-interest alternative.

The Right Classroom Approach Makes a Meaningful Difference 

Qualia brings the Oxford seminar tradition to life in small, discussion-driven classes. With an average of only 7 students per class, every student has the opportunity to deepen the conversation by asking questions and offering unique perspectives. Longer class periods allow students to deep dive into subjects, share ideas, collaborate with others and propose topics for further exploration and discovery.

When highly curious kids aren’t challenged, the joy and excitement that came home with them during preschool and early elementary school have suddenly come to a halt. Our kids don’t like to solve redundant, unnecessary problems or be told that they ask too many questions. They’re blown away when they come to Qualia and discover they can actually learn without limits.” – Maggie Storm, Admissions Director and Alumni Parent. 

The Qualia approach works for any student who is passionate about learning and enjoys deep thinking. No two Qualia students are the same, and everyone has unique interests. The school honors these interests by customizing assignments, prioritizing passion-driven projects and listening to student voices.

“Along with students who are highly or profoundly gifted we kids who are just excited to embrace their passions.   While our school was developed with gifted students in mind, any student who enjoys exploring topics from multiple perspectives, debating a worthy topic, and exploring the “why” behind a topic will thrive with our approach”. – Jim Hahn, Founder and Head of School

Providing Access to Advanced Coursework is Critical 

Students at Qualia are provided access to unlimited advanced coursework in any area in which they excel. The school believes that passionate students should be able to go as far and as fast as they want to go. If they have mastered everything that the curriculum has offered at a specific grade level and are hungry for more, the school works with them to create higher-level opportunities, including advanced independent study projects and mentorships. Qualia allows middle-school students to take high-school coursework, and any student can take college coursework from one of the unique higher education partnerships that the school offers. 

The Right Leadership and Mentorship is Everything

Qualia’s faculty are subject-matter experts who lead dynamic, democratic classrooms where students weigh in on which aspects of a subject to explore more deeply. The polymathic faculty help learners to connect ideas across multiple disciplines, and are driven by their own curiosity as well as the joy of helping passionate students go deeper. This passion does not stop at the classroom level. The school’s two founders, who have a combined 60 years of experience in other private schools, also work closely with students, teaching advanced classes and providing specialized one-on-one college counseling. 

Deep Dives Into Areas of Passion Lead to Excellent Outcomes

Because the Qualia students have tackled advanced coursework across multiple subjects, they look for college programs that specialize in their area of interest while offering the same opportunities for mentorship and individualized study they’ve enjoyed in middle and high school. 95% of graduating students get into their choice school. Students are well prepared to dive into their studies at top universities such as Brown, NYU, MIT, Vassar, Rhode Island School of Art and Design, UC Berkeley, UCLA and more. 

“We had a senior who developed a passion for mycology communication. By the time she graduated from us with a robust senior thesis on the topic, she was accepted into Rice University, who cleared out a section of their science lab JUST for her to continue pursuing her love of mycology communication — a scientist from the start, not a lab assistant. We were able not only to help further her passion, but also direct her to a college that gave her a jump start in her area of passion. She is doing amazing things, and I don’t know if she would have discovered this passion without our senior thesis program.” – Jon Cassie, Cofounder 

Academic Fit is a Key Factor in Student Success 

Finding a school that has an academic approach that complements the way your child thinks and learns is key to student success. While traditional schools are best for some, and progressive education better for others, matching the school’s modality and pace with your child’s desire to learn is important. This becomes even more crucial if your child is very curious and highly intelligent. In this case, the standard classroom experience could feel slow and can even be unmotivating. Consider connecting with a gifted consultant, or reaching out to individual schools serving this population. Click to learn more about Qualia’s unique offerings for gifted and highly curious students: https://qualiaschool.org/admissions.

The post How Qualia: The School for Deeper Learning Supports Gifted and Curious Learners appeared first on L.A. Parent.

Lisa Rosenstein, head of school at The Willows Community School in Culver City, is the recipient of the 2025 Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Marvin Maurer Award recognizing an outstanding educator who has made a significant difference in children’s lives and leadership in implementing Yale’s RULER social emotional learning program. The award was presented at the 2025 Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence Implementation Conference in New Haven, Conn., in October by Marc Brackett, director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and Co-Creator of RULER, a systemic approach to social and emotional learning.

The Marvin Maurer Award recognizes educators who have made an outstanding commitment to embedding emotional intelligence into the fabric of a school, district or community, and who are committed to using the power of emotions to create a healthier and more equitable, innovative and compassionate society. With this award, Rosenstein is being distinguished among hundreds of thousands of RULER educators across 27 countries.

“I share this award with my dedicated faculty, administration and staff for their efforts in seamlessly and creatively integrating social emotional learning into our classrooms and daily school life,” Rosenstein said. “We have had many opportunities to share RULER with our colleagues and continue to embrace those experiences. Community is an intentional part of our name, and one of the ways we reflect that culture is by forwarding the impact of social emotional learning.”

The Willows, a DK-8 co-ed, independent school, enrolls 470 students from more than 50 zip codes annually. As a balanced progressive educational leader, experiential learning, technology and arts are integrated into cutting-edge curriculum. Seeking a diversity of race, ethnicity and socioeconomics, 43% of students at The Willows are students of color.

The post The Willows Community School Leader Honored for Excellence in Emotional Intelligence Education appeared first on L.A. Parent.