Building Tomorrow's Future

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District is excited to share the successful passage of Bond Measure QS for Santa Monica in November 2024. The District is grateful to the community for their overwhelming support and trust in this initiative. The funding represents a significant investment in the future of our students and families, allowing us to move forward with the much-anticipated modernization of the new STEM building.

Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2025.

The existing science building, originally constructed in 1948, no longer meets the demands of modern STEM education. Designed for a different era, it lacks the infrastructure, flexibility, and technology integration necessary to support today’s hands-on, collaborative, and innovation-driven learning experiences in STEM.

A new STEM building will be approximately 34,000 square feet and will replace the old science building with seven state-of-the-art laboratory classrooms, an engineering lab and a makerspace. Along with interactive common areas and outdoor learning spaces, this unique facility will inspire learning in a whole new way. Students will be able to experiment, construct and reimagine their world while learning fundamental ideas and concepts.

As soon as school concludes in June 2025, teacher learning materials will be moved to their swing space classrooms. Usable equipment in the building will be salvaged and the building will be abated for hazardous materials. An essential part of the summer work is moving the electrical switch gear from the current building into a standalone building. The old building will be demolished, and materials will be recycled and removed during the summer. Site and utility work will continue into the beginning of the fall 2025. Construction on the new building will commence in November 2025.

During summer break a new parking lot will be constructed at Will Rogers’ Learning Community. This temporary new parking lot will provide additional parking for JAMS when construction closes the parking at JAMS around the old science, music and pre-school buildings.

Construction on a working campus always presents challenges, but the SMMUSD Facility Improvement Projects Department is committed to minimizing disruptions for students and staff while ensuring these enhancements benefit generations to come.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to build the future of JAMS!

Learn more about the new STEM building here.

The future is bright for JAMS and with the community’s support the sky is the limit!

"A school building is more than a physical structure providing housing, light, heat, and shelter from the elements; it is the one expression of the community’s commitment to education. " -Donald Leu