We are very excited about our potential
state-of-the-art performing arts facility serving all students and campuses on
the west end of the San Juan Unified School District. But at this point in
time, we are only a potential project and not yet a reality. We need
your help: please attend an open forum with Interim Superintendent Kent Kern and
district leadership to show your support for this needed project:
Monday, January 13, 2014
6:30pm – 8:00pm
El Camino cafeteria
The recent passage of Bond Measure N will be a huge
benefit to this and other needed projects around the District, but it presents
some management issues for the District and the school board--the most
significant problem being that there are roughly $1 billion in identified
projects competing for about $275 million in Measure N funding.
Nonetheless, with ecARTS, Inc. at the helm, the
performing arts center project enjoys an existing volunteer team that has
worked closely with the District for several years. It was the result of that relationship which
prompted Superintendent Kern to offer to address our community and provide the
latest and most accurate information on the subject of a performing arts
center. There will also be a question
and answer session at this forum.
Why should you
attend?
On October 14th, a community forum was
hosted by DLR, the company hired to produce the SJUSD Facilities Master
Plan. In attendance were El Camino and
its feeder middle and elementary schools.
The performing arts center was at
the top of the list of projects for our community. Each
high school will most likely receive one “signature project” through Measure N
funding in the neighborhood of $10-$12 million.
However, the School Board has already approved all-weather tracks and athletic fields for El
Camino and Del Campo—at
$2 million each. It is proposed that
funding for the athletic facilities will come from the $10-$12 million for the
El Camino community’s signature project—the performing arts center. We disagree with that logic, especially since
the football field at El Camino is a District field that serves four high
schools.
More importantly, other high schools have received
upgrades and new structures from previous bond measures so the idea that all
nine high schools will receive an equal share of the Measure N Bond is an issue
on the table.
It is for these reasons that we need you to attend
this forum meeting on January 13th and impress upon the District
leadership that we are united behind our performing arts center and that we
want it to receive the funding necessary to get this sorely needed facility
built.
The San Juan School Board is an elected body and
therefore sensitive to public sentiment. Our united presence will have the added
benefit of reminding them of what they might hear from the voters should they
feel that their Measure N vote was in vain. Our presence is the strongest way to show our
level of commitment to and expectation for the performing arts center. Please
take the time to attend.
Once again, save the date, Monday, January 13, 2014,
6:30 – 8:00pm in the El Camino cafeteria. Planning to attend? Please send us an email at performatec@yahoo.com.
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