Santa Monica : New Private School to Open

Westside Prep, an independent, private school in Culver City, is scheduled to start its first full year in September, with seats for 126 students in kindergarten to 12th grade.

The school, which will have multiage learning groups, rather than traditional grade groupings, will emphasize role playing, data collection and analysis and other methods to develop thinking skills, said Headmaster Les Birdsall.

“We want to attract high-performing students, but also . . . kids who have not yet achieved their full potential,” he said.

A group of Westside Prep teachers and administrators are coming from the 18-year-old Newbridge School, which has sold its site at 1619 S. Robertson Blvd. and is looking for a new home. Newbridge Headmaster Myron Jacobson said the split was caused by financial difficulties, which forced the school to sell its building and personality clashes within the faculty and the administration.

He added that the educational philosophies of Westside Prep and the Newbridge staffs are similar. Both schools say they focus on critical thinking and skill development and college-preparatory courses with students of all achievement levels.

Newbridge is considering sites near its former location and near West Los Angeles College, Jacobson said.

Westside Prep will be operating in part of the Culver City Unified School District’s El Marino School, at Port Road near the San Diego Freeway. The fall term will begin Sept. 10, with 14 teachers, Birdsall said. Tuition is $6,000 to $8,000 a year, he said.

The school also offers a summer session, which begins June 25. For more information, call (213) 210-0056.