Malibu Elementary, Middle, and High Schools Will Reopen Monday
Gail Pinsker, Community & Public Relations Officer of the Santa Monica – Malibu Unified School District has updated the status of the Malibu School District for next week. Through an emailed statement from SMMUSD Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton, the district has announced the schedule for reopening the schools in Malibu and the resources that will be available for families.
Dear Malibu Families and Staff,
I hope this weekend provided you some time to rest and get together with your loved ones, following a very distressing week. We understand that some families may still be cleaning up from smoke damage, ash, and soot, and sadly a few of our families lost their homes to the Franklin fire. Our Malibu families, staff, and community continue to be in our hearts and thoughts as the recovery efforts have begun.
I would like to remind you that we are reopening three of our four Malibu schools on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. This includes Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle, and Malibu High Schools. Webster Elementary School students and staff will relocate to Malibu Elementary School beginning Tuesday, Dec. 17 for those families who are ready for their students to return to learning. As mentioned previously, Webster sustained some damage, and we are working on repairs and cleanup for students and staff to return on Jan. 6, 2025.
We look forward to welcoming families and staff back to our schools this week. I will be visiting campuses on Monday and look forward to connecting with many of you. Our campuses have undergone cleaning by our trained staff, and all heating, air conditioning, and ventilation system filters have been replaced. We are ready to support our students with a focus this week on social-emotional learning and overall wellness. I expect other district leaders to stop by Malibu schools this week as well for ongoing support.
These plans are based on no setbacks with regard to the status of the Franklin fire, now reported at more than 40% contained or any new advisories on the horizon. Evacuations have been lifted and most roads have been reopened. Malibu Canyon remains closed. The City of Malibu continues to be the best resource for updates to road status as some areas may be open to residents with identification only.
Our partner, the Malibu Boys & Girls Club, has identified support services and resources for our students and families that you can find here: Franklin Fire Support Services. This includes mental health services for students and families, social support services, shelter information, and mental health hotlines. The City of Malibu will open a Local Assistance Center at Malibu Bluffs Park on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives from Los Angeles County Public Works, Waterworks District 29, USPS, Southern California Edison (SCE), the Red Cross, and the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu will be available to assist residents in reconnecting services and accessing recovery resources. The City of Malibu also plans a town hall for Wednesday evening, Dec. 18. Please check the city’s website for more information.
Our schools and district office have started a grocery card fundraiser for our families who need to replenish food lost in their refrigerators during the power outages. If you would like to donate, please drop Ralphs or Pavilions gift cards off at any Malibu campus (except the Webster office is closed) or the District Office at 1717 4th St. Santa Monica. Our school teams will distribute these cards to families as needed by the end of this week. We appreciate the community support for our families who are struggling right now.
For our students participating in the weekend food bag program, we expect bags to be available on Monday and Tuesday next week at your usual pick-up location on campus. Webster families may pick up their bags on Tuesday at Malibu Elementary School. You may reach out to your school site contact for more information.
I very much appreciate our four Malibu principals and all they are doing to support families, staff, and each other. Our district leadership team has been working hard to ensure a smooth return to school this week. We understand that some families may choose to not return this week. Please contact your school to let them know. We will count any days out this week as excused absences.
We appreciate and thank all firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement who are involved, along with Malibu city officials who have been working tirelessly to support the community.
Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Sincerely,
Dr. Antonio Shelton, Superintendent
