I would like to thank the Malibu community for its support on Election Day. I am very excited to have the opportunity to give back to the school system that raised and educated me, but am also well aware of the grave challenges that we face. Just this past week, Governor Schwarzenegger announced $2.5 billion in proposed mid-year cuts for the state’s K-14 public education system. As a school district, we have work to do to repair relationships with Santa Monica’s and Malibu’s City Councils, rebuild faith in our special education program, provide our teachers with the tools they need to teach, protect our arts and athletics programs, and continue to pursue academic excellence.
For the first time in many years, there will be no Malibu resident on our School Board. Kathy Wisnicki is leaving the board, and we are all immensely grateful to her for her service and hard work in looking to the needs of the Malibu community and to the good of the entire district. I want to work hard to make sure that the new board continues to look to the needs of Malibu, and I hope that more Malibu residents will join me in advocating for Malibu youth by getting involved. There are many ways to help with the governance of our district, including serving on our citizens’ District Advisory Committees (DACs). Several positions will be opening up on the District’s Financial Oversight Committee, for example, and Malibu representation is needed there.
For more information about our DACs, including applications, please visit http://www.smmusd.org/DAC/index.html. I’d also encourage more parents (and others) to get involved with our wonderful school site-based PTA organizations, Proposition BB site committees, school booster groups, the Malibu Special Education Foundation, The Shark Fund, and/or THE CLUB, Boys and Girls Club of Malibu Teen Center. There are so many ways to contribute to our community’s youth, and we need your help! I look forward to working together to make our school system the very best it can be for our kids.
Ben Allen, member-elect
Santa Monica-Malibu School Board