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SR 02-12-2019 13E 13.E February 12, 2019 Council Meeting: February 12, 2019 Santa Monica, California 1 of 1 CITY CLERK’S OFFICE - MEMORANDUM To: Mayor and City Council From: Denise Anderson-Warren, City Clerk, Records & Elections Services Department Date: February 12, 2019 13.E Request of Mayor Davis and Councilmembers Jara and Winterer that the City Council allocate $7000 of discretionary funds to the John Muir PTA to enable low income 5th graders to attend a three day science camp, in accordance with the City's strategic priority of an Engaged and Thriving Community. John Muir Elementary is a Title I school and the PTA is a 501(c)3. John Muir Elementary Parent-Teacher Association February 6, 2019 Dear Councilmember Winterer, It was a pleasure running into you at the Ocean Park Neighborhood Association meeting on January 14, 2019. I very much appreciate that you took the time to listen to me and offered assistance to help fund John Muir’s Fifth Grade Outdoor Science trip. The Fifth Grade Outdoor Science Trip is a tradition at John Muir; as it is at all the other elementary schools in our district. The study of ecosystems, in the area of life science, corresponds to our California state curriculum. Students stay in cabins, and are guided by naturalists as they experience hands-on learning about our southern California terrain, flora and fauna, and explore the eco-system. As you know, we are a Title 1 school; half of our fifth-grade families are socio-economically disadvantaged. This makes it a little more difficult this year to fund Outdoor Science Camp. There are additional complications: the program and coastal location we used last year is not available; the camp itself burnt in the Woolsey fire. The camp program to which we switched—the well-respected Pali Institute, is more expensive and further away in the San Bernardino Mountains. The buses are more expensive. Families will need to invest in winter jackets, an added expense. Fifth grade science camp is a tremendous educational opportunity and John Muir PTA wants to ensure every student has the possibility to participate. Last year, John Muir Elementary paid a total of $14,016 for 42 students for Fifth Grade Outdoor Science Camp. The cost was $323 per student for 5 days. Buses cost an additional $1,647.77. This year, John Muir was forced to shorten the Outdoor Science Camp experience—from five days of study to three days, in order to reduce costs considerably. Please find attached the invoice from the Pali Institute. The total cost to our school is $14,400.00. The cost is $300 per student for 3 days. 27 families, representing over half of our 5th grade students, have requested scholarship funding, and we expect this number to go up. PTA has a ready advanced the funds to cover this trip, funds that we have earmarked for afterschool tutoring programs and STEM classes this spring, that will help close our achievement gap. As previously mentioned, half of this particular year’s fifth graders qualify for free or reduced lunch; our PTA wants to help lift some of the financial burden for this 5th grade class and their families. Our PTA has already paid the down payment of $1,500. The PTA is also committed to covering the buses, an estimated cost of $3,000.00, and working with our fifth-grade parents to ensure that all our students have the proper attire for harsh weather. In addition, our Community Liaison, Elena Uliantzeff, was able to obtain a $5,000 donation towards our Fifth Grade Science Trip this year from the Assistance League of Santa Monica. John Muir Elementary PTA is requesting a donation of $7,000.00 from the City of Santa Monica City Council’s discretionary funds, to be used for partial scholarships, so that disadvantaged fifth graders can take part in Fifth Grade Outdoor Science Camp. John Muir Elementary PTA is a 501© (3) non- profit (Group Exemption number for PTA of California GEN-0646, U.S. Tax ID number (EIN) 95-6204221). I am writing to ask that our request be added to the agenda for the February 12, City of Santa Monica City Council meeting agenda. This request stems from an unusual year in which many fifth-grade families are economically challenged. We do not anticipate this request next year. I would be happy to come before the City Council and formally request this assistance at the meeting. Lastly, I want to thank you personally for standing up for our community and our neighborhood school. If you have any questions or require any other paperwork from us, please feel free to contact me directly. With appreciation, Sylvia Mendoza-Johnson PTA President, John Muir Elementary (310) 487-9162 1 Thania Montoya From:The SEO Doctors <theseodoctors@gmail.com> Sent:Monday, February 11, 2019 8:33 PM To:Clerk Mailbox Subject:Council 2/12/19 - Item 13E Follow Up Flag:Follow up Flag Status:Flagged $7000 allocation for John Muir 5th graders to go to science camp. Yes. Korie Schmidt (310)600-2278 TheSEODoctors@gmail.com Item 13-E 02/12/2019 1 of 1 Item 13-E 02/12/2019