COMMUNITIES RALLY TO SAVE OUR SCHOOLS

 

“OPEN DOORS: SAVE OUR SCHOOLS” VIDEO Santa Monica -Malibu parents and renowned actors, Ed Harris and Amy Madigan speak out on behalf of SMMUSD students. In the three short weeks that Save Our Schools has been in existence, a team of determined volunteers led by independent filmmaker Varda Hardy, conceived, produced and completed this film.  

“Save Our Schools”, the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation led emergency fundraising effort to raise as much money as possible to lower class sizes, save teacher and staff jobs, and protect music, library and counseling programs in Santa Monica and Malibu schools for the next school year announces new partnerships as it enters its third week.

“Thanks to the incredible outpouring of support and volunteer efforts for Save Our Schools, we’re nearly half-way to restoring class sizes in 1^st grade district wide for next year,” says Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation Executive Director, Linda Gross. 

SANTA MONICA FOURTH OF JULY PARADE

The Save Our Schools effort will be represented at the Santa Monica Fourth of July Parade with a Save Our Schools float and more than a hundred education activists marching.  SOS volunteers are crafting a life preserver theme for the effort and hope to pass out Save Our Schools materials and collect donations during the parade.  

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS AT THE SANTA MONICA FARMERS MARKET AND OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES

Look for Save our Schools on Wednesdays at the Santa Monica Farmers Market, at Broadway and the 3^rd Street Promenade.  In addition, Spruzzo Restaurant and Bar and the Sunset Restaurant and Beach Bar in Malibu, will contribute 10% of purchases to Save Our Schools.  Rosti Tuscan Kitchen in Santa Monica will contribute 15% of purchases made on July 6^th, 20^th and August 10^th to Save Our Schools.

FUNDRAISING PROGRESS

Despite school being out for the summer, more than 150 volunteers are working on the Save Our Schools effort, and nearly 500 individual contributions been received to date.  Contributions are earmarked for one of three “buckets”; to lower elementary class size, lower secondary class size and hire back counselors, or to restore music and library programs.  To date, more than $400,000 has been raised, representing 45% of funds needed to reduce 1^st grade class sizes from 27:1 to 23:1, 16% of funds needed to restore the elementary music program, 13% of funds needed to keep elementary libraries open, 21% to hire back middle and high school counselors, and 3% of funds needed to lower class sizes in grades 6-12.

 

 Access: http://savesantamonicamalibuschools.org/SOSevents.html for ongoing updates and details about Save Our Schools’ generous community partners, and grass-roots events, such as an upcoming multi-family yard sale on July 24^th and bake sales throughout Malibu.