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Est. 1915
Rooted below the iconic Hollywood Sign off the streets of Franklin Avenue and Beachwood Canyon Drive, Cheremoya Elementary has been Hollywood's community school for over 100 years. Cheremoya opened in the late 1800s to early 1900s, just ten years after Hollywood was annexed to Los Angeles and only two years after the Los Angeles Aqueduct started supplying water to the area. The school's name comes from the surrounding agricultural area when, in the late 1800s to early 1900s, orange groves, pineapples, and cherimoya trees lined the hills of Beachwood Canyon. There are three cherimoya trees on the school's campus today.
In the District's early days, many schools were built in phases. Cheremoya was opened in 1915 as probably a small wooden building. Within the next few years, the school began to see remodels, alterations, and additions, which would include building the main office, having a building from Los Feliz Elementary brought over to the Cheremoya site, and construction the additional facility that now houses our cafeteria, library, and upper classrooms.
The school’s distinct Spanish Revival historic architecture has made it a magnet for film and television productions. The campus was featured in the television series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” In addition, the school was the backdrop for the title character in Janet Fitch’s #1 National Bestselling book, White Oleander.
Cheremoya Today
Cheremoya Elementary is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, with UTK through 5th Grade. Current enrollment is at just over 160 students. Cheremoya is also home to a PAL Program (Preschool for All Learners) and the State Preschool Program for students still too young for Universal Transitional Kindergarten.
Chermoya has one class per grade with 11 fully credentialed certified teaching staff. The staff's average number of years of experience is 19 years. The 2015 school year marked Cheremoya's 100th year anniversary. Cheremoya was recognized in 2014 and 2020 as a California Distinguished School and has had an Honor Roll School distinction since 2015.
As a 100% inclusive school, Cheremoya has a full-time special education teacher as well as a full-time resource teacher. Cheremoya also has a G.A.T.E. program and is home to a diverse and talented population of multilingual learners.
Designated as an Arts Pathway school in the local district west, we are a creative network site where students experience all four disciplines in the arts: theater, dance, visual arts, and vocal music.
Meet the Principal
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Hello, Cheremoya community!
My name is Sara Lucas, and I am so proud to be the Principal of Cheremoya Avenue Elementary. Cheremoya is unique in so many ways, from the diverse community that we serve to the buildings steeped in history. I fell in love with this little school as a first-year teacher many years ago and never envisioned that I would return as principal.
In my time away from Cheremoya I taught Special Education at Sherman Oaks Elementary and then supported Special Education programs first as a Program Specialist and then a Least Restrictive Environment Specialist. I moved from there into an Assistant Principal position in Special Education at Valerio Elementary, and here I am now.
I have my own child, and can relate now more than ever to a parent’s desire for their child to receive the best education so that they can achieve their dreams. I want this for your child, too.
My door is always open, and I promise to listen to your needs fully while maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our young learners.
What Makes Cheremoya Shine?
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The Mindfulness Space
The Mindfulness Space was established in 2022 by Christina Lincoln-Moore, former principal of Cheremoya Elementary School who noticed a rise in mental health concerns following the pandemic, COVID-19. The room is designed for mindfulness and is a safe space in which students can increase their focus, build resiliency, and improve their overall sense of wellbeing so that they are able to manage their stressors and return to the classroom as learners. The Mindfulness Space currently houses Ms. Jacobo, Psychiatric Social Worker, who utilizes the tranquil space to provide students social-emotional support such as brief individual and/or small group counseling services. The room welcomes students to process stressors, practice emotional regulation skills with the support of Ms. Jacobo, seek counseling, and/or fosters a space to establish positive connections with peers. In the mindful space, students learn they have power and choice when it comes to how they react to their external and internal world.
The Cheremoya Star
The Cheremoya Star was designed in 2021 by a Chremoya parent and foundation member. After several iterations, her final design was inspired by the five-point Hollywood walk of fame star. The five points of the Cheremoya star are made of fountain pen nibs (the pen’s tip) to represent the creative writing and art strengths of Cheremoya. The star’s organic shape is also reminiscent of a starfish, bringing in links to science. Stars have long been navigational guides, relied upon by humans to both explore and to find their place in the world, much the way a Cheremoya education helps to both guide students and expand their horizons.