Save Jan. 13 at 6:30 for community forum with superintendent

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 14^th, 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 13^th 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.