We are in Phase 5 (detailed below) of our Campus Assessment process that is looking at potential improvements to elementary and middle schools in Santa Monica. The process aligns the instructional programs and school facilities to support student learning and prepare students for further education and future jobs. Meetings to include the community in ideation and planning were held in spring and fall of 2020

What is a campus assessment? It is the a major step in planning changes to campuses and classrooms to align them with the district’s educational specifications, which were finalized in 2019. The district hired architects to assess nine Santa Monica elementary and middle school campuses. The assessments include taking deep look into how our campuses currently operate, looking at how they match the ed specs; imagining a future campus that brings the site up to the goals of the ed specs and determining first projects to be allocated funds from Measure SMS.

The assessments are also guided by the district's sustainability plan.

Here's how the assessment and planning cycle works:

Phase 1: Architectural consultants were hired and began visiting campuses and documenting information such as current classroom space and how it aligns with future-projected needs.

Phase 2: Based on what they found in Phase 1, architects created possible projects for each campus, ranging from new classroom buildings to outdoor learning gardens to on-site learning kitchens. These were presented to educators, staff and community members for feedback.

Phase 3: Based on feedback and new information found during Phase 2, architects worked with district staff to refine their plans to include phasing, or a suggested order of projects (for instance, removing portables, relocating parking and then erecting a new classroom building). They also estimated costs for each possible project.

Phase 4: In the fall of 2020, district staff and architects held more meetings with staff and educators and then once again with the community. 

Phase 5: After ensuring alignment with educators and community input, district staff is working with the Santa Monica Facility District Advisory Committee to make project recommendations to the Board of Education, which would allocate Measure SMS funding and approve projects to move forward.

Design would likely begin in January 2021 with construction scheduled to begin in 2022 and 2023 depending on the complexity, movement of the project through the Division of State Architects and ability to schedule the project.