The John Gogian Family Foundation has awarded the school $10,000 to purchase augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and visual devices. The equipment is designed to increase communication skills of children with disabilities. The state-of-the-art technology helps children gain added independence in the areas of writing, expressive communication, math and social interaction.

The PacifiCare Foundation has awarded the school $10,000 to hire a part-time licensed vocational nurse for two years to provide health-related services and education to the children, their families and teachers. School officials said the nurse will play a key role in developing a model health plan for a "healthy" school culture through a new health and wellness curriculum.

"This kind of support from organizations in our community is amazing because it goes directly and immediately to the heart of what children need for a successful school experience," said CHIME Charter Elementary principal Julie Fabrocini.

CHIME Charter Elementary School, located in Woodland Hills, and its sister campus, CHIME Charter Middle School, are independent schools that provide free public education through affiliation with the Los Angeles Unified School District. The schools serve as demonstration and teacher-training sites for Cal State Northridge's nationally acclaimed Michael D. Eisner College of Education. Last year, CHIME Charter Elementary was named "Charter School of the Year" by the California Charter Schools Association.

Both schools are part of the CHIME Institute, located in part at Cal State Northridge, which is a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education. The institute's research and training center is housed in the Eisner College of Education. The CHIME Institute also offers an infant/toddler program and a preschool/kindergarten inclusion program which is located at CSUN.

CHIME has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national model for full inclusion of students with disabilities and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.