School Board to Determine Goals for Upcoming Year

As the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education prepares for its annual retreat, Malibu education activists are hopeful the board will include its goals in the conversation.

During the retreat the Board of Education will work with the superintendent to discuss their roles and responsibilities and district goals for the upcoming school year. The meeting is set for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at the District Offices in Santa Monica.

Seth Jacobson, a former candidate for the Board of Education, said he hopes the district puts its focus on kids and not politics and give the superintendent more authority to implement policies.

Jacobson, who is also part of the Advocates for Malibu Schools, said he would also like the board to support Malibu's efforts to separate. He said the district also needs to focus on closing the achievement gap with greater after school programs and funds gained by cutting administrative costs by up to 40 percent.

Jacobson is part of a slate of Malibu candidates, including Craig Foster and Karen Farrer, that ran for three seats on the board in the November 2012 election. Incumbents Ben Allen, Maria Leon-Vazquez and Jose Escarce were re-elected.

During the race, Malibu's lack representation on the school district was a dominant theme throughout the race. The last Malibu resident to serve on the board opted not to seek another term in 2008.