A litany of Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District construction projects were discussed by the SMMUSD Board of Education this past week, all centered around updates on the district’s bond program.
The first measure spoken of by district staff was Measure ES, a four-way split of $385 million between Malibu, Samohi, SMMUSD technology and other Santa Monica projects. The vast majority of the funds have already been used, with just $919,200 unpaid funding left, with another $1.63 million in anticipated technology costs.
Measure SMS, passed by Santa Monica voters in 2018, is a $485 million general obligation bond for Santa Monica facilities, divided into Samohi ($260 million) and other Santa Monica ($225 million) projects.
One Measure SMS project that was just completed was the John Adams Middle School library, which held its ribbon cutting on Feb. 19. The library, district staff noted, was “a real mess” before the construction, with extra repair work bringing the construction costs above its original $1.5 million budget.
Another SMS endeavor completed is the new Exploration Building & Gold Gym at Samohi, though minor items like water leaks from February rains still remain. Construction of a groundwater recharge system and permanent bleachers for the Samohi track and field are anticipated to complete in early May. Other SMS projects include the Will Rogers Learning Community Early Education Building (on schedule to open Fall 2025) and the McKinley Elementary School Administration & Classroom Building (on schedule to complete in February 2026).
Measure M was primarily a way to forge forward in the Malibu Campus Plan, identifying needs at the Malibu Middle School and Malibu High School campus. A total of over $189 million in funding has gone toward the new Malibu High School building, which commenced in October 2023 and is now 80% complete. The project, staff noted, is “significantly ahead of schedule” and will be complete by the Spring 2026 semester, despite recent fires and winds delaying certain work.
The latest bond measure was passed by Santa Monica voters in November, that being Measure QS, totaling $495 million broken down into $104 million for Samohi, just over $252 million for middle and elementary projects, and just over $138 million for Santa Monica-wide endeavors. The highest-costing project from QS will be the Samohi Phase 4A undertaking, which is the Student Services and Student Center Building.
The building, at 51,000 square feet, looks to replace the Samohi Business Building by having a College and Career Center, space for clubs, a Health and Wellness Center, a Black Box Theater (replacing the Humanities Center) and designated classrooms. Construction commencement on the building looks to be in December 2026, with building occupancy anticipated for August 2028.
Another part of QS is the modernization and construction of Early Education spaces at Grant, Roosevelt and Franklin Elementary School. The Grant project is a modernization, while the other two are new constructions. Roosevelt Principal Amy Onyendu was thankful for the addition of new Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten classrooms, as well as new teacher meeting areas, that will come with construction.
“Ultimately, this project will positively impact student learning by providing inviting, functional spaces that support holistic development and foster a love for learning at Roosevelt,” Onyendu said.
