Crossroads is a California Department of Education certified non-public school serving learning disabled and emotionally disturbed adolescents between the ages of 12 and 22. Our sole purpose is to promote the academic and emotional well-being of our students.

Our Mission... To be a valued provider of educational services for learning and behaviorally challenged students, providing the highest quality learning environment based on standards of excellence and a passionate commitment to the needs of our students.

To employ a team skilled and disciplined in helping our students meet their educational and behavioral requirements.

• Ensure literacy • Achieve proficiency in basic academic subject areas
• Stimulate a desire to learn
• Comply fully with each student's IEP
• Team with parents and the community
• Increase Self-Esteem
• Help develop effective human relationships

Who We Are…

Mike Madhin, Director Mike Madhin was born in Ethiopia, where he learned the importance of education as a road out of poverty. Governments in third word countries do not have the wealth to create the safety net that western countries provide for their poor and underprivileged citizens. In these countries the only sure way out of poverty is to go to school. Therefore, at a young age Mike was taught the importance and the privilege of education. Upon arriving in New York City at the age of eleven with his parents, Mike was excited by the abundance of opportunities that this new country afforded. He noted the tall buildings and expansive bridges designed and built by engineers and architects educated at the best colleges and universities. If he wanted to emulate their success, Mike realized that he had to first learn English. With his father’s help, he set about learning twenty new words a week. His father, who had been the Director of all the high schools in Ethiopia, tutored Mike each night. Mike learned the language very quickly and enrolled in public school. In order to improve his reading ability, he was put in a special reading class, and with the help of his father at home, the teachers at school, and his own perseverance, he was able to accelerate his education. Upon graduation, Mike was awarded the school’s Achievement Medal. When the opportunity to run Crossroads presented itself, Mike realized that it offered him a chance to return what his parents and his teachers had given him- the gift of their time and energy so that he could succeed. He saw this challenge as a calling; a gift that could only be from above, and the fulfillment of his father’s constant reminder to give back to society. For these reasons, and for the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, Mike decided to take on the directorship at Crossroads. Mike’s tenacity, understanding and respect for education are the guiding principles he brings to his role as Director of Crossroads, along with a vision to create a learning environment that nurtures respect for the student and the staff, and a personal dedication to the needs of the students academically and socially. His dedication to excellence, extensive business consulting experience, and academic preparation make him a strong candidate to lead Crossroads School into the next century and beyond.

Dennise Perez, Principal Born and raised in San Fernando, Dennise is the oldest of three girls, all of whom work in the field of education. Dennise is not only the first in her family to graduate from college, but from high school as well. She is a proud alumnus of Cal State Northridge. Fourteen years of work with at-risk youth in the areas of education, employment opportunities, college assistance, GED preparation, probation, and residential treatment have made Dennise well-qualified for her position at Crossroads. She is the recipient of the City of Los Angeles Certificate of Recognition for 2009. Dennise is married and the mother of two young children, Alyssa and Noel. She enjoys spending time with her family, writing poetry, and learning new things.

FAQs

• Student to teacher ratio is 12:1 • Paraprofessional in each class
• Free breakfast and lunch
• Roundtrip transportation

Fieldtrips Contact Information Crossroads School 6843 Lennox Avenue Van Nuys, CA 91405 Tel. 818.782.2470 Fax 818.994.8742 Mike Madhin, Director: mmadhin @ecrossroadschool.org Dennise Hernandez, Principal: dperez@ecrossroadschool.org

In an effort to provide the highest quality learning environment, Crossroads offers academic, vocational, and extra-curricular programs based on standards of excellence and a passionate commitment to the needs of our students. • Special emphasis on reading, writing and mathematics

• CAHSEE preparation courses (90% pass rate among seniors)

• Weekly therapy provided

• Anger management counseling available

• Substance abuse counseling available

• Fitness program incorporating league basketball and football, dance, weight training and track

• Student workability program, helping students find and keep employment

• Vocational classes in culinary arts, child development, computer repair, automotive repair, graphic design, construction and art offered in affiliation with participating institutions, including the Los Angeles Mission College Culinary Program, Los Angeles Valley Community College, West Valley Occupational Center, North Valley Occupational Center, Pacoima Skills Center, and Pierce College

• Fire fighting, leadership and community involvement taught at the Los Angeles Wildland Fire Academy

• The Dream Project, an educational empowerment program based on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs) whose mission is to inspire students, teachers, and parents to see themselves and relate to one another as leaders who embody global responsibility, compassion, and a desire to create a world that works for everyone. Students discover and invent solutions to local and global problems through The Dream Project.