SMMUSD Unveils Spectacular Classroom Building Plans – But New Pool, Gym, Arts Center Would Double Project’s Cost
Written by 991KBU on October 9, 2020
School district officials have breathtaking plans for the new Malibu High School.
But they have nowhere near enough money to pay for the video production rooms … community performing arts center … and new olympic size pool that they want to provide for Malibu’s entire community.
last night … the district showed the general public just what exactly is being planned at the new classroom building.
Michael; P{into says these new buildings will not be anything like what they are replacing … the traditional classrooms at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School.
NEWSCART 73045 PINTO FLEX
“We’re dialing in on an educational model that fits how we want to teach … how we want to tach how we want kids to learn
“We get to something that is more flexible … much more interactive.
“Where students really are the drivers of their own education … supported by teachers.”
Classrooms?
Think learning spaces … room for collaboration … or instruction … o teachers just moving about.
Think of a science lab with a literature teacher milling around … helping students research great reading and science simultaneously.
This new building is already funded through three school bond measures.
When phase one is finished … the district can stop.
Or .. if voters approve another bond…
Architect Michael Pinto …
NEWSCART 73046 SCHOOL MICHAEL PINTO
“We’re working with our architect and their estimators put together a total cost of Phase One.
“And we’re trying to determine what the about of money .. I don’t want to say left over because that sounds wrong .
“What amount of money that would be available for other projects.
“We’ve looked at a couple of other projects that could utilize that …
“One of them is the pool … … one of them is the multi purpose room for the middle school …
“And I think we are looking at the theater as well … one of them is the e theater also … the performing arts center.
“At this point … it does not look like there would be any funding available to complete any of those large projects.”
Again … the Santa Monica Malibu School District has enough money for the first phase .. the classroom building.
There are three additional phases that could be built.
A replacement swimming pool … a new gym and locker rooms.
And maybe … a 47 million dollar performing arts center … for community use.
How much for the whole package???
A whopping 392 million dollars.
Remember … somewhere near half that is already in the bank from earlier bond issues.
And before anyone has a heart attack about another school bond issue … there might be another source for some of the next phases.
Santa Monica College needs to pass a bond issue for construction in Santa Monica.
And to get passage of its next bond issue … it will need to give Malibu taxpayers something in return.
The College district gets 35 percent of its tax revenue from Malibu.
There is no free money… and school district officials say taxpayers will see the Phase One construction before they are asked about swimming pools … performing arts centers … or other fancy add-ons.
Phase One of the high school project will take two years to even get to construction Rough plans have to be turned into designs … which then have to be approved by the Planning Commission … City Council and probably the Coastal Commission.
One thing to consider.
The first meetings on designing these structures at Malibu High started in 2004.
Children who were born that year may still not see the new complex finished by the time they graduate from high school.
