Past Sendak Events

     Board Member Mónica Ratliff and Board District 6 Chief of Staff Ruby Chavez were happy to participate in the City Year AmeriCorps and Walt Disney Company’s Day of Service at Maurice Sendak Elementary School in North Hollywood, along with Sendak Principal George Khatchadourian and staff members. This was a wonderful opportunity to participate in various painting projects to help beautify the campus and inspire the young scholars of Sendak Elementary School.

     The day started off with an inspirational opening ceremony where the dozens of volunteers gathered for morning exercises and to be greeted by representatives from City Year and the Walt Disney Company, as well as Los Angles City Council Member Paul Krekorian, Board District 6 Chief of Staff and Sendak Elementary School Principal.  The volunteers were thanked for giving up their Saturday to contribute to the improvement of a neighborhood school and to encourage more student success. The volunteers were divided into teams where project leaders gave instructions for the various mural projects to be completed throughout the school campus. 

     Board Member Ratliff, her mother and her Chief of Staff were able to join in on a project where favorite storybook characters and inspirational quotes from these stories were painted in a classroom building, along with the logos of various colleges and universities. Board Member Ratliff was also able to thank the volunteers during the lunch that concluded the day’s work projects, along with Principal Khatchadourian, whose own son also volunteered that day alongside his father and the many other dedicated volunteers from the school, the Walt Disney Company, and City Year AmeriCorps Los Angeles.

On April 26, 2016, author Katherine Applegate visited Sendak Elementary and shared her new book, Crenshaw, an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience. Katherine Applegate is the author of the bestselling Animporhs series, and the novels Home of the Brave and The One and Only Ivan, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.

In conjunction with the theme of her new book, our 5th grade students conducted a Canned Food Drive to support the Community Distribution Center, a local food bank that helps families in our neighborhood. The 5th graders were able to raise close to 200 bags and boxes of canned and non-perishable food items.

Mrs. Applegate was moved and overjoyed by our 5th graders efforts to help our community.

Our 1st Grade students were featured on Channel 2 and 9 as they prepared their Mother's Day gifts and told reporter Amy Johnson why they loved their moms.