SAVE OUR SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN

60 DAYS TO SAVE 60 TEACHERS

Who remembers this poster from the 2003 Measure S Campaign?  That was the campaign launched in response to the last time that the State of California slashed education funding, forcing lay-offs and cuts to core programs and services to students.  I remember passing that measure by fewer than 200 votes.  This time, however, we didn't our local school funding measure.  As a result, last Thursday the Santa Monica Malibu Board of Education was forced to respond to State budget cuts with lay-offs, program cuts and class size increases.

The response from our community to the loss of  Measure A has been equal to the effort put forward by the more than 1,000 volunteers to pass it.  I have heard from neighbors and from parents --  in all areas and at all of our schools calling for a Districtwide  Fundraising effort save teachers and protect our schools!   

In fact, the Board of Education has also heard those calls and has agreed to allow districtwide fundraising for this purpose to take place through the Santa  Monica Malibu Education Foundation.  The Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs and PTAs from every school have joined forces with  the Education Foundation to help make this a reality.  Of course, Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) will be actively involved in this effort. 

SAVE OUR SCHOOLS ORGANIZING MEETING, MONDAY JUNE 7

Now the hard work begins.  Please join us at an organizing meeting for the Save Our Schools campaign.  This 60-day campaign hopes to protect class sizes at current levels.  In order to do that for next year, we must raise $3.28 million in  tax-deductible contributions.  Funds must be raised by THE BEGINNING  OF AUGUST in order to hire back teachers in time for the start of school in early September!

The  details of how we will try to do this will be discussed on Monday at 7pm in the Board Room at the SMMUSD District Offices - 1651 16th Street in Santa Monica.   Please come. 

We may have lost Measure A, but we are still all members of one of the  most dynamic and effective communities anywhere.  We can do this if  everyone pulls together!  Thanks so much for helping lead the charge, and  please bring anyone you know to the meeting who wants to help work to Save Our  Schools!

Cheers,

Rebecca  Soladay Kennerly
Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS),  Chair