SMMUSD Announces Continued Closures for Malibu Schools, Resources for Families
As promised, The Santa Monica-Malibu School District has updated the status of the four Malibu schools that have been closed since Tuesday after the outbreak of the Franklin Fire. Gail Pinsker, Community & Public Relations Officer for SMMUSD shared the email from Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton giving parents and students of the Malibu Schools more information on what they can expect in the coming weeks and resources that will be available for families as Malibu recovers.
All four Malibu schools will be closed on Friday, December 13. These closures will not affect any of the eleven schools in the Santa Monica school district.
** Email on behalf of Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton **
Malibu Schools will Remain Closed, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024
Dear Malibu Families and Staff,
All four Malibu schools will continue to be closed on Friday, December 13, 2024, due to road closures and the active Franklin fire in the area. Evacuation orders, road closures, and power uncertainties remain in some neighborhoods. We have been unable to access our schools to professionally clean ensuring good indoor air quality for all students and staff upon return and clean outdoor spaces that may have debris from the strong winds, soot, and ash.
As we complete our third day out of school for our Malibu families and staff we understand the interest of families to have their children return to school to be with their friends and find support and comfort in their teachers and familiar spaces where they spend many hours each day. We are interested to see this as soon as possible, too, and continue to work toward this goal.
Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle, and Malibu High Schools all were spared from any damage; however, thorough cleaning by a professional restoration and cleaning company must be completed before reopening the school. This includes cleaning and changing filters in all heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems. We hope to clean on Friday, December 13, or over the weekend with the expectation to return to school on Monday, Dec. 16. We will notify all families and staff on Sunday, December 15 with this confirmation. This will depend on Pacific Coast Highway reopening and access to our school sites.
As we have announced to our Webster Elementary families and staff, electrical damage and some fire damage to the school will require additional repairs before this school reopens. The work will begin as soon as we have access, and we are hopeful to reopen this campus following winter break on January 6, 2025. Webster families have been asked to complete a survey regarding interest in attending in-person classes at Malibu Elementary School with Webster teachers next week as early as Tuesday, December 17, for families interested in returning to school next week. Options are being considered with that community, and decisions will follow.
We appreciate our educational partner, the Malibu Boys & Girls Club, who will provide childcare services to Webster families at Malibu Elementary School next week, along with mental health support for any Malibu students in need.
Upon return to school, we understand that some families will still be dealing with the aftermath of this distressing event, including a few of our families who have lost homes or have damage. During this challenging time, parents may contact their school site to discuss excused absences. We know that evacuations and the concerns of this fire have some families temporarily located out of the area.
Continue to watch for messaging from your site administrators with information and guidance directly regarding your school.
We will continue to be in touch and share your hope that a sense of normalcy returns to Malibu very soon. Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other.
Sincerely,
Dr. Antonio Shelton
Superintendent
