The SMMUSD Wave- Dec. 2025

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff, Students and Community Members,

As we prepare to close out 2025, I want to take a moment to reflect with gratitude on all that our students have accomplished this year. From academic achievements and artistic performances to athletic milestones and acts of service, our students continue to show what is possible when they are challenged, supported and believed in. Their success is a direct reflection of the care and dedication of the adults who surround them every day.

I am deeply grateful to our teachers, support staff, school leaders and district teams for their unwavering commitment to student learning and well-being. I am equally thankful for our families and educational partners who walk beside us. Our community organizations, including the Santa Monica Education Foundation, the Malibu Education Foundation and our PTA/PTSAs, help provide experiences, programs and resources that enrich our campuses and open doors for students. Together, you make a powerful difference in the lives of our young people.

Winter break is an important time to pause, rest and reconnect with the people who matter most. I encourage you to use the break to recharge, celebrate your traditions and create memories with loved ones. Taking care of ourselves allows us to return in January ready to support our students as they continue to grow, learn and reach their full potential in 2026.

Thank you for all you do to make SMMUSD a place where every student is known, cared for and encouraged to thrive. I look forward to all we will accomplish together in the new year.

We look forward to seeing our elementary students back on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, and our secondary students on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.

Warm wishes for a safe, peaceful and joyful holiday season.

Dr. Antonio Shelton
Superintendent

You can read prior Superintendent Messages here.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) announced several major financial milestones demonstrating continued fiscal responsibility, careful stewardship of public funds and strong management of community resources. These achievements include significant taxpayer savings from refinancing general obligation bonds, the successful sale of Measure MM Series A bonds, clean financial audit performed by an independent third party auditor and continued stability reflected in upcoming budget planning.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/YearEndFiscalHighlights2025.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) has named Crystal Gonzalez as its new transportation supervisor. Gonzalez brings more than a decade of experience in school transportation services, dispatch operations, staff training and customer support. She began her role Dec. 1.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/CrystalGonzalezAnn2025.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) congratulates students, educators and arts programs across the district for an outstanding season of visual and performing arts achievements. From statewide music honors to award-winning theatre performances, students continue to demonstrate exceptional creativity, talent and dedication.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/VAPAFallHighlights2025.

John Adams Middle School (JAMS) student Andrew Lee has been selected as the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 14 honoree for the 2025-26 Every Student Succeeding Award. The distinction celebrates students who have overcome serious challenges and continue to thrive through determination and resilience.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/AndrewLeeJAMSACSAhonor25.

All SMMUSD school websites are now live on the District’s new website platform. The Facilities Improvement Projects website was the final site to make the transition, bringing all District and school websites together.

These sites went live on Mon., Sept. 8:

• The District: https://www.smmusd.org/
• Malibu High School: https://malibu.smmusd.org/

These sites went live on Fri., Oct. 31:

• John Adams Middle School: https://jams.smmusd.org/

• Lincoln Middle School: https://lincoln.smmusd.org/

• Malibu Middle School: https://malibums.smmusd.org/

• Olympic High School: https://olympic.smmusd.org/

• Santa Monica High School: https://samohi.smmusd.org/

These sites went live on Thurs., Nov. 13:

• Franklin Elementary School: https://franklin.smmusd.org
• Malibu Elementary School: https://malibues.smmusd.org
• McKinley Elementary School: https://mckinley.smmusd.org
• Roosevelt Elementary School: https://roosevelt.smmusd.org
• Webster Elementary School: https://webster.smmusd.org

These sites went live on Wed., Nov. 26

• Edison Language Academy: https://edison.smmusd.org
• Grant Elementary School: https://grant.smmusd.org
• SMASH: https://smash.smmusd.org
• Will Rogers Learning Community: https://rogers.smmusd.org

This site went live on Tues., Dec 16:

• Facility Improvement Projects: https://fip.smmusd.org

We appreciate our families’ patience as we complete this work and address small fixes that come with any large digital transition.

At its annual organizational meeting, the SMMUSD Board of Education elected Alicia Mignano as president and reelected Laurie Lieberman as vice president for 2026. A special thank you to outgoing president Jennifer Smith for your exceptional service.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District thanks the SMMPTA Council for hosting its Annual Holiday Breakfast, a meaningful tradition that brings the community together in support of students and schools. The District’s strong partnership with PTA leaders across Santa Monica and Malibu continues to strengthen campuses and enhance student experiences. Rooted in shared values of belonging, inclusion and empowerment, this collaboration helps ensure every student feels supported and celebrated. The District is grateful for the time, care and dedication the PTA Council brings to this annual event and to school communities throughout the year.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Annual Holiday Breakfast brought together members of the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC), Bilingual Community Liaisons and staff to celebrate the season and strengthen community connections. The gathering provided an opportunity to share a meal and recognize the dedication and partnership that support students and families throughout the year. Board of Education Member Maria Leon-Vasquez joined the celebration, along with Educational Services support staff who helped make the event possible. The event reflected the District’s appreciation for collaboration and continued commitment to serving students and families.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) recently collaborated with Subject to highlight student-centered learning and its impact on student voice, engagement and positive outcomes. Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton, shares how instruction grounded in students’ experiences strengthens belonging and meaningful learning. The collaboration reflects the District’s commitment to partnerships that support innovative tools aligned with student needs.

Watch the video to learn how SMMUSD is advancing student-centered learning.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is grateful to the Assistance League of Santa Monica for its generous donation of more than 200 pairs of shoes to students in need across the District. Through its partnership with school nurses, this thoughtful contribution helps ensure students are comfortable, confident and ready to learn. The District sincerely appreciates the Assistance League’s continued support and collaboration in promoting student health, well-being and success.

Photo: Nurse Priscilla and Nurse Dan picking up the shoes from Sketchers in Santa Monica..

The Humanities Department at John Adams Middle School (JAMS) hosted an Ancient Egypt Exhibition of Learning, highlighting weeks of student research, creativity and hands-on exploration. Students stepped into the role of archaeologists by creating artifacts, conducting research, writing formal reports and documenting their discoveries through journals and presentations. With support from the JAMS librarian and library assistant, the campus library was transformed into an exhibition space where families, staff and students celebrated the depth and quality of student work. The event reflected student pride, confidence and joy as young scholars shared their learning with the community.

Lincoln Middle School Theatre will present its 16th annual production, Frozen, on Jan. 23, 24 and 25, 2026. The student-led production showcases months of collaboration, creativity and dedication from the school’s theatre community. Performances reflect the strong arts programming at Lincoln and provide students with meaningful opportunities to grow in confidence, teamwork and performance skills.

Get tickets today: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/lincolntheatre/1974921.

Franklin Elementary School welcomed author and illustrator Barney Saltzberg for a special visit that brought storytelling, music and creativity to campus. Through singing, reading and drawing, Saltzberg engaged students and inspired smiles throughout the day. The visit highlighted the power of arts and literacy experiences to spark imagination and joy in young learners.

Samohi Bands invites all SMMUSD families to its Winter Concert 2026 on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the newly refurbished Barnum Hall. Featuring Samohi’s Symphonic Band and Symphonic Winds, who will be joined by the Samohi Jazz Bands for their first concert of the year. Food will be available for purchase at 5:30 p.m. The concert starts at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit www.samohiband.org

As we close out the year, we want to pause to recognize a moment of reflection, resilience and possibility for our Malibu school community.

This year tested us. The wildfire impacted homes, families and daily life, and yet our schools remained a place of steadiness, connection and hope. In the midst of recovery, our community came together to ensure students continued to have access to the programs and support that help them thrive. The ability to maintain momentum during a year like this speaks volumes about the strength of Malibu.

This fall also marked an important milestone, with the Board and City voting in favor of unification, a meaningful step toward a potential Malibu Unified School District. While the work ahead will take time and thoughtful collaboration, this moment reflects a shared belief in the future of Malibu’s public schools and the opportunity to shape what comes next together.

Despite the challenges of the year, the Malibu Education Foundation was proud to host the first of what we hope will be many MEF galas and to recently wrap our first student-led holiday tree lot, experiences that brought our community together and highlighted the leadership, creativity and commitment of our students.

Throughout the year, MEF was honored to support staff and programs across all four Malibu public schools, working in close partnership with educators, families and the district. Our focus remains on sustainability and long-term investment, ensuring that as Malibu rebuilds, our schools emerge stronger, supported and positioned for lasting success.

Thank you to everyone who has shown up for our students and schools during a year that demanded so much. Wishing you a restorative holiday season and a hopeful start to the new year.

Website:

https://www.smmusd.org/

Facebook:

@smmusd

@MalibuSchoolsPathway

Twitter:

@smmusd

@malibupathway

Instagram:

@smmusd_official

YouTube

@Santa Monica-Malibu USD

LinkedIn

Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District