Via Santa Monica Malibu Education Foundation press release.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation has granted the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) just under $2.5 million for programs during the 2017-2018 school year. The grant will support a variety of programs for students at all 16 SMMUSD schools in Santa Monica and Malibu.
“We are thrilled to present these funds to the school district,” said David Vukadinovich, President of the Ed Foundation’s Board of Directors. “Each dollar was contributed by a parent, business or other member of our community who believes in the promise of public education and wants to ensure that every child in our district has access to outstanding programs throughout their education. Thank you to all 3,094 donors who made this possible!”
Representatives from the Ed Foundation presented a check and the results of their fundraising campaign to the SMMUSD Board of Education at the Board’s August 30 meeting.
“We are so grateful for these funds,” said Laurie Lieberman, President of the SMMUSD Board of Education. “The grant from the Ed Foundation allows us to provide crucial programs for students, above and beyond what is provided by state and local TK-12 education funding. It is not the norm to have the tremendous arts programs, science programs and additional staff that our students benefit from every day. We are fortunate to be part of a community so dedicated to education.”
$2,010,102 of the grant comes from annual donations to the Foundation during its 2016-2017 annual campaign. These donations will fund P.S. ARTS, the district-contracted elementary arts program; instructional assistants in classrooms; ballroom dance for fifth graders and a stretch grant for each school.
Each school’s site council determines how to spend their stretch grant. Most use the funds for STEM, arts or student health and wellbeing programs. $471,400 of the grant comes from the Ed Foundation’s endowments and scholarship programs. These funds support recorders for all third graders as they are starting their music education, music lessons and instruments for qualifying students, music teaching assistants at Title I schools, middle and high school drama programs, middle school dance programs, library support, secondary visual arts supplies, scholarships and more. For more information or to donate, go to smmef.org.
About the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation
Established in 1982 by a dedicated group of parents, community leaders, and local business owners, the Ed Foundation raises funds to enhance and supplement the curriculum of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. The Foundation’s mission is to engage the community to invest in a vibrant educational experience for all students in the Santa Monica and Malibu public schools.
