It's Public Schools Week!
This week is Santa Monica and Malibu’s first Public Schools Week and Districtwide we have arranged to open our schools to the community.
Everyone in Santa Monica and Malibu is invited to come and see firsthand what’s happening in our local public schools. Each school is hosting a Coffee with the Principal, a short presentation and a school tour. All schools are in session so you’ll be able to see the teachers and students in action. I think you’ll be pleased and impressed by what you see. The high quality of local public schools is a direct result of our full community’s support. They are truly our schools. Come visit!
The Open School schedule:
Santa Monica Pre-K and Elementary Schools:
Wednesday, December 5, 10:30am
Edison Elementary
2425 Kansas Ave.
(310) 828-0335
Principal: Lori Orum
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
Franklin Elementary
2400 Montana Ave.
(310) 828-2814
Principal: Tara Brown
Thursday, December 6, 9:00am
Grant Elementary
2368 Pearl St.
(310) 450-7651
Principal: Al Friedenberg
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
McKinley Elementary
2401 Santa Monica Blvd,
(310) 828-5011
Principal: Irene Gonzalez
Wednesday, December 5, 9:00am
John Muir Elementary
2526 Sixth St.
(310) 399-7721
Principal: Martha Duran-Contreras
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
Roosevelt Elementary
801 Montana Ave.
(310) 395-0941
Principal: Natalie Burton
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
SMASH Alternative School (K-8)
2525 Fifth St.
(310) 396-2640
Principal: Carrie Ferguson
Wednesday, December 5, 10am
Will Rogers Elementary
2401 14th St.
(310) 452-2364
Principal: Irma Lyons
Thursday, December 6, 10:00am
Child Development Services
& Washington West School (preschool)
2802 Fourth St.
(310) 399-5865
Director: Judy Abdo
Malibu Elementary Schools:
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
Juan Cabrillo Elementary
30237 Morningview Dr.
(310) 457-0360
Principal: Barry Yates
Wednesday, December 5, 8:30am
Point Dume Marine Science Elementary
6955 Fernhill Dr.
(310) 457-9370
Principal: Chi Kim
Wednesday, December 5, 10:15am
Webster Elementary
3602 Winter Canyon
(310) 456-6494
Principal: Phil Cott
Middle and High Schools
Wednesday, December 5, 10:00am
Olympic High School (9-12)
721 Ocean Park Blvd.
Santa Monica
(310) 392-2494
Principal: Janie Gates
Thursday, December 6, 10:00am
John Adams Middle (6-8)
2425 16th St.
Santa Monica
(310) 452-2326
Principal: Martha Shaw
Thursday, December 6, 10:00am
Lincoln Middle (6-8)
1501 California Ave.
Santa Monica
(310) 393-9227
Principal: Tristan Komlos
Thursday, December 6, 10:00am
Malibu High (6-12)
30215 Morningview Drive,
Malibu
(310) 457-6801
Principal: Mark Kelly
Friday, December 7, 10:00am
Santa Monica High (9-12)
601 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica
(310) 395-3204
Principal: Hugo Pedroza
Malibu High is a Top 100 School Nationally
US News & World Report, known for its publication of college rankings, has named Malibu High School #98 in the nation, earning a Gold Medal for excellence. Previously, Newsweek had ranked Malibu and Samohi in the top 203 High Schools.
Malibu’s Honor confirms what we already knew. It’s a great school! US News & World Report evaluated over 18,000 public schools in three categories: how well the students performed in state-mandated tests; how well the school’s disadvantaged students performed, and how the schools prepared their students for college. Malibu High exceeded the standard in all three categories.
66% of the senior class at Malibu High School has taken at least one Advanced Placement course while at high school and more than 55% passed at least one AP test.
Malibu’s Honor was earned by all its students performing well above average.
The District Newspaper
Last week the District’s first newspaper, Our Schools World hit the streets. Mostly written and photographed by SMMUSD High School Journalism Students, 68,000 copies were distributed widely through The Santa Monica Daily Press, The Mirror, and The Malibu Surfside News. Full of great stories about our schools, complemented by some impressive facts it can be downloaded here. http://www.smmusd.org/news/winter07.pdf
CNN spotlights SMMUSD senior Josh Miller
Josh Miller, a senior at Santa Monica High School, has been selected to receive CNN’s Hero award for his efforts to help students of all backgrounds succeed academically and in life. He will be honored during a live global telecast on CNN on Thursday, December 6th, at 6:00pm PT.
In its first ever “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” CNN will be honoring ordinary individuals from six different categories who have accomplished extraordinary missions. The categories included Medical Marvel, Young Wonder, Championing Children, and Community Crusader, Defending the Planet, and Fighting for Justice.
Josh’s “Young Wonder” Hero award is given for outstanding achievement by a person under the age of 18.
Josh, always interested in positive change, was inspired to establish the Resilient Youth Foundation after his friend Eddie Lopez was killed in a drive-by shooting. The foundation is a student-run non-profit group whose goal is to motivate all students to achieve and excel. Josh established a scholarship program that recognizes students who demonstrate academic excellence. Josh produced a documentary and created a program called “Rewards for Results,” in which at-risk middle schools students are rewarded for improving their grades. As a result of Josh’s efforts, more than 700 students have improved their GPAs, work ethic, and citizenship. Also, five students have received the Eddie Lopez scholarship.
“He’s a great guy and quite inspirational,” said Shane McLoud, a teacher who worked with Josh at one of the inner city schools and a former SMMUSD Board of Education member.
Josh is a shining example of how one person can create real and positive change. From May through September of 2007, CNN received over 7,000 nominations from viewers in 80 countries. Details here: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/cnn.heroes/.
Regards,
Dianne Talarico
Superintendent of Schools
Santa Monica-Malibu United School District
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