Malibu contingent zeroes in on working with the city of Malibu and Santa Monica College to build a state-of-the-art library, community meeting room and Internet studio at the school’s campus in western Malibu.
By Hans Laetz / Special to The Malibu Times
The possibility of replacing a 1960s-style library with a combination Internet lab, TV studio and community library emerged as the highest priority for a group of Malibu High School parents, teachers and administrators making recommendations for future campus improvements.
But details about just where the new library would be located are far from being decided, said participants at a weekend planning session that took place at Webster Elementary School.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has hired consultants to help community members draw up a Facilities Master Plan-a priority list for the district’s 10 schools’ construction needs over the next 20 years. Last week’s meeting was aimed at identifying potential partners who can help finance and utilize school buildings and fields.
The Malibu contingent zeroed in on working with the city of Malibu and Santa Monica College to build a state-of-the-art library, community meeting room and Internet studio at the school’s campus in western Malibu.
Students at the school were given a survey, and overwhelmingly said the lack of creature comforts at the school was of concern: things like lockers, modern and clean bathrooms, and general school maintenance placed high on the list of student concerns, said school consultant Rebecca Newman.
“These kids said better vending machines was more important than better educational technology,” Newman said, provoking laughter.
School leaders such as Principal Mark Kelly and school board member Kathy Wisnicki urged participants to look at increased partnerships with the city of Malibu and Santa Monica College District.
“They would be most likely to support a combination library-media center-education center,” Wisnicki said.
Kelly said there are only a few small classrooms at the school, and that classroom additions are not viewed as a priority by faculty or administrators.
Parent Colleen O’Beirne Brydon said the proposed shared school facility “would benefit the surrounding community, and to alleviate concerns about development and views, we should aim to make it a green facility that is compatible with the surrounding area.”
O’Beirne Brydon said the new facility could house smaller, varied education programs targeted “to keep those children that right now we lose to private schools.”