CHA has grown into a premier college preparatory school.
HISTORY
Led by Liz Stillwell Shapiro, Chatsworth Hills Academy was founded in 1977. The school's present site was secured,
and parents volunteered their time in their areas of expertise to clear the land, pour concrete, install buildings,
run wiring, develop curriculum, buy books, and hire instructors. The Chatsworth campus opened in the fall of 1978
with grades 4-8, and a second site in Van Nuys held grades 1-3. The school was originally named the Neighborhood
School and organized as non-profit, identified officially as the Neighborhood School Planning Corporation. In 1980,
the Van Nuys location was closed, and students in grades 1-3 were moved to the Chatsworth campus; and the ninth
grade was added. In 1981, the name of the school was changed to Chatsworth Hills Academy, and it continued to
prosper under the direction of Ms. Shapiro and a proactive Board of Trustees. Towards the end of the '80s,
enrollment at the middle school level decreased, grades 7-9 were eliminated, and Chatsworth Hills Academy became
Preschool through grade 6 from 1988-1996. By 1998 middle school enrollment had surged, and grades 7 and 8 were
returned permanently to the School.
Chatsworth Hills Academy has evolved over the years and is no longer a "parent-run" school. The self-perpetuating Board of Trustees
is comprised of fourteen current and former parents, community leaders and, with the Head of School, continues to strategically
plan for the future of Chatsworth Hills Academy. A summer camp for students Preschool through 8th grade was inaugurated
in June of 2000 and has become a very successful addition to CHA. Since 1977, Chatsworth Hills Academy
has grown into a premier college preparatory school for girls and boys in Early Childhood through grade 8.
Graduates are prepared for admission to very selective secondary schools and later matriculate into colleges/universities
of similar reputation. Accredited by both the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association
of Schools and Colleges, CHA is also most proud of its membership in the National Association of Independent Schools.
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