The Culture and Language Academy of Success was founded by seasoned public school educators, Janis Bucknor, Sharroky Hollie, and Anthony Jackson, who believed that an instructional program could support students’ development of cultural and linguistic knowledge and awareness of themselves, their community, the nation, and the world as an entrée to a standards-based, academically rigorous, and intellectually stimulating curriculum. Janis, Sharroky, and Anthony, through their varied professional experiences and excellent academic preparation, collectively offer the best in instructional leadership.

Largely inspired by the work of renowned educator Dr. Noma LeMoine in the area of cultural and linguistic pedagogy, CLAS was born in 2002. CLAS provides a chance to create a schoolwide instructional model based on the principles and pedagogy heralded by LeMoine for many years.

In April 2002, CLAS received a start-up grant from the California Department of Education. In March 2003, official approval of CLAS as a charter school was granted by the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education.

CLAS opened in Fall 2003 with a student population of 132 students. We will begin the 2008-2009 school year with approximately 550 students.

In addition to communicating with us on the web and by e-mail, CLAS can be reached by phone and/or U.S. mail:

Culture and Language Academy of Success

Administrative Offices
2930 W. Imperial Hwy., Suite 514
Inglewood, CA 90303

Phone: (323) 756-9334 • Fax: (323) 756-9393