The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory: A History of Individualized Education
The Learning Castle (TLC) and La Canada Preparatory (LCP) stand as testaments to an educational philosophy centered on the individual. From its inception, the schools have championed the idea that every child learns and develops at their own unique pace.
Founding Principles and the Individualized Approach
Founded on the tenant that every child develops at a different pace, The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory schools' teaching methods and consumable curriculum are geared toward allowing each student to progress at his/her own rate without regard to benchmarks, beginning at four years of age. This approach contrasts sharply with the conventional model where entire groups of students are expected to advance at the same rate. TLC/LCP's program ensures that no child is left behind, and some students achieve amazing results. The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory schools have documented cases of 4-year-old students who can read, write and do math at or above a third-grade level and beyond.
A Historical Overview
The Learning Castle was founded in 1992 by Terry Villanueva with a very simple idea in mind: that every child is different and every child deserves to be treated as an individual. By 1997, the student body had grown to over 100 students. Three new portable classrooms and a garden had been added to the campus along with numerous teachers, various enrichment programs, and an office with two administrators (who weren’t teachers).
In 2002, with enrollment topping 200 students, The Learning Castle expanded to a new campus on the opposite side of Cornishon Avenue, and a new school was born, La Cañada Preparatory.
Campus and Facilities
TLC/LCP is located on the former campus of the Foothill Intermediate School. The facilities include 22 classrooms on 2 campuses; three fields; eight tennis courts; two outdoor basketball courts; gymnasium; 840-seat theater.
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Academics and Curriculum: Color Me Smart®
At The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory, teachers, parents and students accept responsibility for the academic success of every child. The teachers take pride in organizing a curriculum that is tailor-made for each student while ensuring the student not only meets the state standards but is also challenged to progress beyond grade-level concepts. The Color Me Smart® curriculum, developed and honed over the past thirty years inside TLC and LCP classrooms, provides the teachers with the precise tools to accelerate learning and to aid in the recovery of remediation.
Extracurricular Activities
Today, the total enrollment for TLC and LCP has grown to 445 students with a faculty of over 70. Enrichment programs are offered in art, computers, dance, and Spanish, and LCP offers interscholastic athletic opportunities in boys’ and girls’ tennis; boys’ flag football; girls’ volleyball; boys’ and girls’ basketball; and boys' and girls' soccer. Extracurricular activities are offered in chess, debate and student government.
Technology Integration
LCP TECHNOLOGY RATIO: 1:1. Keyboarding begins in Transitional Kindergarten. Computer usage begins in first grade.
The Sand Castle Preschool
In 2015, construction of The Sand Castle Preschool began. The Sand Castle program had been long planned by the founders and owners of The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory schools. The vision was for a preschool program for two and three-year olds which would prepare them for the academically focused TK through third-grade program at The Learning Castle. The Learning Castle's program accentuates fine-motor skills in order to access a student’s ability to learn independently and to be individually assessed and programmed for. For nearly thirty years, The Learning Castle (TK-3rd) and La Canada Preparatory (4th-8th) have built their reputation on outstanding, accelerated, academic achievement. The Sand Castle Preschool was designed and created to serve those same goals. The design and construction focused on creating a clean, safe, playful environment that engenders an early love of learning. Today, the preschool has grown to 100 students with a faculty and staff of 20. In addition to the traditional free play, circle-time learning, and gross-motor skill development, enrichment programs are also offered in art, movement, Spanish, and science. The Sand Castle is founded on the premise that made The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory so successful.
The Sand Castle program had been long planned by the founders and owners of The Learning Castle and La Canada Preparatory schools. The vision was for a preschool program for two and three-year olds which would prepare them for the academically focused TK through third-grade program at The Learning Castle. The Learning Castle's program accentuates fine-motor skills in order to access a student’s ability to learn independently and to be individually assessed and programmed for.
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Diversity
DIVERSITY: 55%.
Key Statistics
GRADES: Transitional Kindergarten - Eighth GradeENROLLMENT: 445TEACHER-STUDENT RATIO: 9:1FOUNDED: 1992 by Terry VillanuevaFACULTY: 70 (30 Head Teachers, 7 Enrichment Teachers, 33 Teacher’s Assistants)FOREIGN LANGUAGES: Spanish, French and Armenian
A Broader View: The Learning Company (TLC) - A Software Connection
The Learning Company (TLC) was an American educational software company founded in 1980 in Palo Alto, California and headquartered in Fremont, California. The company produced a grade-based line of learning software, edutainment games, and productivity tools. Its titles included the flagship series Reader Rabbit, for preschoolers through second graders, and The ClueFinders, for more advanced students. employee who had programmed the game Adventure.[3] They saw the Apple II as an opportunity to teach young children concepts of math, reading, science, problem-solving, and thinking skills. In the first half of 1985, the board hired as CEO Bill Dinsmore. Shortly thereafter, Reece Duca, a founding Partner of the Investment Group of Santa Barbara (IGSB), became a member of the board of directors and purchased shares from several founders and original venture firms. In late 1986, Duca was elected chairman of the board. Between March 1985 and September 1995, TLC's revenues grew at a 36% compounded rate from $2.4M to $53.2M and profitability increased from breakeven in 1985 to a 20% pre-tax margin. TLC went public on April 28, 1992, in an IPO led by Morgan Stanley and Robertson, Stephens & Co. From 1992 to 1995, TLC achieved 16 consecutive quarters of revenues and profits growth, never experiencing a down quarter or year. In 2001, the entertainment division of Learning Co. In 2006, The Learning Company became a brand of Houghton Mifflin Company, which later changed its name to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2007 following the acquisition of Harcourt Publishing. Most recently, in July 2024, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt rebranded as simply "HMH" to reflect its focus as a digital-first learning company, moving beyond its legacy as a traditional publisher. The company now provides K-12 adaptive learning solutions, including curriculum, assessment, and professional learning resources. In December 1995, TLC was acquired by SoftKey for $606M[6] in a hostile takeover bid, and a large percentage of the staff was fired. After the acquisition was complete, SoftKey changed its name to The Learning Company and continued to use its brand. Note: When The Learning Company purchased Broderbund Software and MECC, they gained the rights to the long-running Carmen Sandiego and Trail series, respectively. Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? The ClueFinders: The Incredible Toy Store Adventure! Treasure Mountain! Treasure MathStorm! Treasure Cove! Treasure Galaxy! Midnight Rescue! (later re-released as Super Solvers Reading and then Leap Ahead! OutNumbered! (later re-released as Leap Ahead! Challenge of the Ancient Empires! Spellbound! (later re-released as Leap Ahead! Gizmos & Gadgets! Mission: T.H.I.N.K. Think Quick! Achieve! Achieve! Achieve! Achieve! Achieve! Arthur's Absolutely Fun Day!
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