Jane Cooper Keeps on Giving

It’s Jane Cooper’s last year after nine years. She has an eighth grader at , and her fifth grader is now graduating

“It is bittersweet leaving here,” she sighs. She also isn’t sure she will be as involved in her children’s middle school activities as she was at Carpenter. “My daughter doesn’t want me to be as involved in Reed. And I prefer to be behind the scenes.”

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS: For Carpenter, that behind-the-scenes work meant some valuable contributions. She ran the Giving campaign for two years and she does the Enrichment schedule. She ran the Walkathon for two years and did some major fundraising.

“I love what I’m doing now with the Enrichment,” she says. “I’m a liaison to all the teachers. We all discuss whatever we are doing.”

WISHES FOR THE FUTURE FOR SCHOOL: “Every year is gaining momentum. More people are getting involved in a bigger level.”

A significant number of people with longtime activism at the school are leaving this year. But, Cooper thinks it will all be OK. “Sure, a lot of people are leaving, but new people are going to come in to be even better.  Because we are a charter school, the parents are more involved. We saw what it took to get it to where it is now.” 

She believes it is important to explain the charter system to new parents, and explain the affiliated charter system and how the school is connected to the Los Angeles Unified School System. It took her this long to understand it herself. “Now I understand the details, it’s a great situation for all,” she says. “No one understands it, even a basic charter school, and every charter school is different.” 

FAVORITE MEMORY: “I’ve met some of my best friends here. It was not only good for my kids, but for my perspective, it gave me community. These people will continue to be my best friends. I grew up in South Dakota and went to the University of Iowa. When I was coming out to California I thought it was going to be snotty and stuck up but I love it here.”

She adds, “Studio City is a small town in a big city. My sister was recently down from Minneapolis and we ran around and I ran into so many people I knew everywhere I would go, and she couldn’t believe it.”

“It says something about the community here in Studio City,” Cooper adds. “It’s artistic L.A. I love that.”

Find out more about Carpenter's fundraiser here: