SOAR Staff Trades in Lesson Plans for Spatulas during McTeachers Night

Just before 5 p.m. on Oct 28, customers stood by while the staff of SOAR Charter Academy began a countdown behind the counter of McDonald’s on E. 40th St. before taking orders. More families soon turned up in droves and filled the fast food restaurant from 5 to 8 p.m. to support SOAR Charter Academy on McTeacher’s Night. Ten of SOAR’s staff took over the fast food joint, manning the registers, working in the kitchen, and calling out orders. SOAR Charter Academy opened in August 2008, and was founded by Susie Dryden and Tammi Fort. It was first open to grades K through 3, before expanding to include 5th through 8th graders. Dryden said that the school focused on educating the “whole child.” Character education is as much as part of the curriculum as the required subjects are, she said. SOAR admits a smaller student body than other public schools, which allows for smaller class sizes. “We’re not tied to the district financially so we rely heavily on donations and fundraising,” said Fort. “We do all kinds of events just to bring in extra money, so we can keep the technology going and keep a lot of stuff that schools unfortunately have to do with P.E., the arts, and the sciences.” “And field trips,” added Dryden. “A lot of schools have taken that away, and we don’t want to take that away. It’s fun for us, too.” SOAR dad Jimmy Langston, along with his children Annie, 8, and Jimmy, 7, was also on hand to volunteer wherever needed. His wife Latausha works as a recreational aide at SOAR. Langston said he enjoyed “the close family orientation of the school. It’s a great school, it’s a family. It’s more than just a school. Everybody knows everyone there. Everyone’s able to talk to everyone and be friends.” He shared that when he had a heart transplant in May, the school helped his family “financially and spiritually.” Also present was Fred W. Hickey, who has volunteered for the second grade for three years. His grandchildren attend SOAR Charter Academy. “They call me the school grandpa,” he shared. A raffle drawing was held every 15 minutes. Guests whose orders totaled $15 or more were eligible to enter the raffle, and winners received toys and coupons for free meals. LaKeisha Chaney, who said she comes to McDonald’s often with her daughter, is not a SOAR mom, but she enjoyed the event nonetheless. “I think [they did] a good job with a good cause,” she said. “We need more schools with smaller settings, so that way kids could be able to learn.” Chaney herself works for a school, The Oak Grove Center for Education Treatment & the Arts, in Perris. Face painter and clown Payasita Bella painted the McDonald’s staff’s faces and gave free face painting for families whose orders came to $15 or more. Ronald McDonald, the well-known mascot for the franchise, also showed up to the fundraiser, taking pictures and guests and performing a kids-only magic show in the play place. McDonald’s manager Veronica Tan-Mahilum said she was pleasantly surprised by the number of people who showed up and took pictures of the event for her staff’s Christmas party. She said this was the second time her store has hosted a school fundraiser. “It creates a very good relationship between McDonald’s and the school teachers,” said supervisor Henry Mahilum. The actor who played Ronald McDonald, and travels around the country visiting hospitals, schools, day care centers and “anything that has to do with the community and bringing the community together,” said McTeacher’s night was a “wonderful event” and liked that “children get to see their teachers in a different light.”