The following is a submission from SMMUSD. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Board of Education approved the District’s 2026-27 45-Day Budget Revision at its Aug. 6, 2026, regular meeting, incorporating approximately $11.23 million in new and increased state…
Via SMMUSD. The Board Action referenced in the piece was taken before last week’s article on the disagreement between SMMUSD staff and Coastal Commission staff on the turf surface at the Ocean Park School House. The Santa Monica–Malibu Unified School…
We appreciate Santa Monica Next’s coverage of SMMPTA Council’s legislative study on artificial turf and its decision to publish a link to the full report (“Coastal Commission Staff Fumes at ‘Unpermitted’ Turf Replacement at Ocean Park School House,” July 28).…
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District prioritizes student safety and well-being, including a commitment to safe, accessible outdoor learning and play spaces. Physical Education is part of the curriculum and a central component to every student’s educational experience. While there are…
Update, July 31 – SMMUSD responded to this story with a letter, reprinted here, that takes issue with several pieces of this story. We have reached out to the Coastal Commission for comment. In January, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School…
Last night, the Santa Monica Democratic Club held its annual endorsement meeting, and, in a sign of both how hotly contested this year’s election will be and the rightward drift of its membership, it failed to reach consensus on any…
The following is a submission from the Police Activities League. Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL) celebrated the academic achievements and future aspirations of local youth during its annual Chris Carrey PAL Education Fund Recognition Dinner on Thursday, July 9,…
The Santa Monica City Council will officially decide Tuesday (Agenda, Item 11a) whether to place a proposed school funding parcel tax before voters this November. The citizen-sponsored initiative would levy a $495 annual parcel tax on property owners, with all…
This week, the Santa Monica Democratic Club published the responses to their questionnaires for all four city elections: City Council. School Board, College Board, and Rent Control Board. In a random order determined by ChatGPT, here are the answers from…
John Adams Middle School (JAMS) eighth-grade student Steven Hernandez has been named a regional recipient of the Marian Huhn Memorial Award, recognizing his academic excellence and service to both his school and the broader community. The award, presented by the…
Ted Winterer is a former Mayor and City Councilmember and chair of Santa Monicans for Reliable School Funding I recently read that “Massachusetts, with no significant natural resource extraction industry, has leveraged its highly educated workforce and research institutions to…
The following is a letter to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District from Superintendent Antonio Shelton concerning a new math curriculum recently approved for SMMUSD. At the April 23 SMMUSD Board of Education Meeting, the Department of Educational Services, math…
The following is a submission from the Big Blue Bus. Big Blue Bus is celebrating Bike It! Walk It! Bus It! (BIWIBI) Week by offering free rides to Santa Monica K-12 students from Monday, May 4, 2026, through Friday, May 8, 2026. BIWIBI Week is held twice a…
The following is a submission from SMMUSD. A student from John Adams Middle School (JAMS) has earned top honors in two writing competitions hosted by the Elks Lodge, highlighting student voice and critical thinking across the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School…
The following is a submission from SMMUSD. Image: From left to right, Brandon Kirbyson, Landon Kummer and Tobin Palmer Three Santa Monica High School (Samohi) students have been named finalists in the prestigious 2026 Conrad Challenge, an international innovation and…
