College Ready Middle Academy #5 - Part II

So I looked up more information on College Ready Middle Academy #5, since it is always a significant requirement to know more about the school that interests me. That way, I'll be able to know about the student demographics, their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to standardized tests (even though that is not a genuine portrayal of their abilities), and just random information that might be helpful for me.

First of all, CRMA#5 is part of a larger network of schools called Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. Through searching the site, I came upon the following information:

"College-Ready Middle Academy #5 (CRMA#5) is a free public charter school authorized by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Performance

College-Ready Middle Academy #5 achieved a 2010 Academic Performance Index (API) score of 671. CST results: 30% Advanced Proficient in English, 29% Advanced/Proficient in Math.

Community

College-Ready Middle Academy #5 is located in the Lincoln Heights area of northeastern Los Angeles. Many of the schools in this community serve a range of 1,500 to over 3,000 students per campus.

Demographics and Average Daily Attendance

95% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 1% African-American, 30% English Language Learner (ELL) students, and 97% free or Reduced meal program participants. To date, average daily attendance is 98%."

http://www.laalliance.org/schools/crma5/

I would love to be given the opportunity to teach in this school! The students come from low socioeconomic background/communities and they are struggling in all areas of the standardized tests. It is also a pretty new school opened since September 2009. As a result, they have the potential to become even greater given time, dedicated teachers, and a motivating plan.

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In addition, I waited a week before emailing W** B***, the person you forwarded my resume directly to the principal:

"Hi W*****! 

I was about to call you, but decided it would be easier to just email you.

I have been thinking about particular questions about the school:

- How much parental involvement/support is there? 
- I noticed it is a fairly new school, opening in 2009. Does the school offer after school outreach programs? 
- How many grade levels behind is the average student? 
- Is there currently a Humanities Core program offered through the school curriculum (i.e. a teacher teaching both History and Language Arts to a particular group of students)? 

In addition, I was wondering if it is at all possible I could visit the campus, meet Ms. Torres if she's not busy, and observe history/English teachers, if they're comfortable, as well as the students? If that is too intrusive, then I apologize for overstepping boundaries. 

If it is at all possible, what day would be best.

I have a long-term substitute position starting Monday, April 25th, so I'll most likely be free before then depending on the day. 

Hope to hear from you soon! 

Regards,

Diana"

Hopefully, I'll be able to visit the campus and see how things are there and be able to ask him more questions in person as well as meet the principal, Suzette Torres. I do have a confession to make, while en route to Glendale, I did stop by in front of the school just to see what it looked like. This was a somewhat bad decision because it made me even more desperate to teach there.