SAVE THE DATE! -- January 30 & 31 State of Our Schools

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:  Sarah Wahrenbrock                       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

310.450.8338, ext. 70229                                   19 JAN 2012

SEVENTH ANNUAL STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS EVENT

SMMUSD Teams with PTA, CEPS, and Education Foundation to Present Informational Report

On January 30 and 31, SMMUSD will once again partner with the Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), and the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation for the Seventh Annual State of Our Schools, a community report on Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District student achievement, initiatives, and financial health.

The State of Our Schools event will take place in Malibu on Monday, January 30 from 6:30-9:00 pm at City Hall (23825 Stuart Ranch Road).  On Tuesday, January 31 from 6:30-9:00pm, the State of Our Schools event will take place in the Thelma Terry Building at Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica (2200 Virginia Ave.)

This year’s report will feature the very latest news and information in a comprehensive report from Superintendent Sandra Lyon about the ever-changing financial picture for SMMUSD in light of recent budget announcements from Sacramento.  Ms. Lyon’s State of Our Schools presentation will also provide a report on student achievement and District initiatives to help students succeed.

In addition, school Principals will report on innovative educational programs and initiatives that help students make successful transitions to their next grade level.  At the Malibu event on January 30, all Malibu Principals will present; Phil Cott from Webster, Rebecca Johnson from Point Dume Marine Science, Barry Yates from Joan Cabrillo, and Mark Kelly from Malibu High School.  At the Santa Monica event on January 31, Irene Gonzalez-Castillo from McKinley Elementary, Eva Mayoral from John Adams Middle School and Laurel Fretz from Santa Monica High School will make presentations. Ms. Judy Abdo will speak at both events about the SMMUSD preschool programs.  Each event will also feature musical entertainment from student performers.

These educational forums are free and open to all members of the public.  Spanish translation is available and light refreshments will be served.

“Please join us at one of the State of Our School events next week,” encouraged Sandra Lyon, SMMUSD Superintendent.  “Our Santa Monica-Malibu schools pride themselves on excellence and accomplishment – but the District is facing significant challenges.  As parents, community leaders, and concerned citizens, I hope you will take this opportunity to hear the very latest information about our schools; the challenges they face and some of the wonderful accomplishments our students make every day.  I look forward to seeing you at one of these events.”

“The State of Our Schools event has proven to be a meaningful and important way for parents to learn more about our District,” says Kelly McMahon Pye, President of the Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs.  “This year’s program will be especially significant as Superintendent Lyon and members of her administrative team will discuss their plans for our District’s future.”

“In light of the strong and special relationship between our schools and our cities”, says Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) co-chair Shari Davis, “we feel more committed than ever to help facilitate clear user-friendly communication.  Our schools are very special places that impact families and residents across our cities.  This annual report is a unique opportunity to hear the latest about the successes and challenges of our excellent public schools.”

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SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

1651 16^TH Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404

ph: 310.450.8338; fax: 310.581.1138

www.smmusd.org

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year from Community for Excellent Public Schools

With 2011 finished and 2012 starting to wake up, Community for Excellent Public Schools looks ahead to another critical year for public schools advocacy.

Local and statewide education advocates took a wild roller coaster ride in 2011, facing the prospect of deep cuts and 11th hour reprieves to education funding on a regular basis.  We saw headlines like State faces midyear cuts, more budget strife ahead, and Schools Had to Make Do With Less.  

Due to SMMUSD's excellent financial planning and critically needed local revenues, our local schools were able to weather State funding reductions this year and look poised to do the same in 2012 without significant cuts.  However, the future could not be more uncertain for public education, both locally and statewide.

For that reason CEPS knows that the elections in November 2012 could be among the most important in recent memory.  We have been working hard to put the structure in place to help inform voters about issues and candidates as they relate to public schools.

Early 2011 saw CEPS leadership providing input to Santa Monica City and Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District on the mechanics of implementing the recently passed City Propositions Y + YY.  These propositions, passed by 61% and 68% of Santa Monica voters on November 2, 2010, implemented a .5% transaction and use tax within Santa Monica and then indicated voters’ desire that half of the new revenues generated by Proposition Y be directed to local SMMUSD schools.  CEPS leadership had been very involved in the Yes on Y + YY campaign and were thrilled by its passage and subsequent implementation.

In June, CEPS welcomed back its former Chair Shari Davis as Co-chair.  Shari had taken a temporary leave from CEPS leadership to serve a distinguished term as President of the Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs.  CEPS was happy to loan Shari to PTA for a short time, and is even more pleased to welcome her back.

As the school year started, CEPS partnered with SMMUSD’s new Superintendent Sandra Lyon and PTA to plan the 7^th annual State of Our Schools event.  This year, new sponsoring partner, the Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation joined the planning team.  The events will take place this month!  January 30^th in Malibu and January 31^st in Santa Monica.  Click here for details.

CEPS Co-chair Shari Davis addresses Santa Monica advocates
at the one-year birthday party for Propositions Y + YY

In November, CEPS celebrated the one-year anniversary of the passage of Propositions Y + YY in a wonderful event hosted by the Santa Monica Miramar.  The focus of this event was to celebrate and reinforce the importance of City-School partnerships, particularly as so many of the cultural and financial objectives of both institutions intersect.

CEPS has had a busy 2011 and expects an even busier 2012.  We thank you for your for your support and involvement, and hopes to see more of you in 2012 as we work together to preserve and protect our excellent local public school.

Please visit us at www.excellentpublicschools.org to become a member of CEPS and make a contribution to help keep Excellent Public Schools a priority in Santa Monica and Malibu.