Santa Monica, a Lifelong Learning Community
Lifelong Learning Community News - APRIL 2010
Spring is here. Happy April!
As far as good lifelong learning community news goes, the best news I’ve heard is the passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) which President Obama signed into law Wednesday. SAFRA eliminates banks as the middle man between federal financial aid and college students and uses the savings to serve more students with more funding. An additional $2 billion will go to community colleges to improve education and job training.
President Obama signed SAFRA at the community college where Jill Biden is a professor, highlighting the administration’s recognition of community colleges as the gateway to higher education and good jobs for millions of Americans.
SMMUSD Strategic Plan Update: Community Open House Events
Community members are invited to attend a Community Open House event as part of the process of updating the School District’s Strategic Plan. According to Superintendent Tim Cuneo, the “idea is to give the communities that the District serves an opportunity to tell us what they think are the most important issues we in the District should be addressing, to clarify those assets and strengths that should be preserved and protected, and to better understand the opportunities for improving the District and our schools.” Open House events are scheduled for Monday, April 12, 6-9pm at John Muir Elementary School (cafetorium); Tuesday, April 13, 6-9pm at Lincoln Middle School (auditorium); and Thursday, April 15, 6-9pm at Malibu High School (old gym). Please see the calendar entries below for more information or visit www.smmusd.org
Congratulations to John Maceri, Public Citizen of the Year!
Last month, the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers honored John Maceri, Executive Director of the Ocean Park Community Center with their Public Citizen of the Year award! Congratulations to John for this much-deserved recognition and thank you for your service to our community!
Speaking of congratulations....
In last month’s Lifelong Learning Community News, I wrote about SMMUSD students excelling in “academics, arts, sports, and life.” I forgot to mention work! Four Samohi student entrepreneurial teams participated in the 6th Annual High School Business Plan Competition held at the Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Our teams swept it!
Three Samohi Regional Occupational Program (ROP) student business teams took the top three prizes in the category of “Existing On-Campus Businesses” and the fourth ROP team took first place prize in the category of “New On-Campus Business.” The students have been working with their instructors and their business and university mentors mornings, noon, nights and weekends for months and their dedication and commitment paid off in their results. Congratulations to everyone involved and most of all the students!
Check out who’s on facebook and become a fan!
Facebook is becoming a good source for posting lifelong learning special events. You can now become a fan of Santa Monica Cultural Affairs, of Virginia Avenue Park, and of the Santa Monica Youth Collaborative.
The Youth Collaborative is fairly new. Their mission is to “promote the well-being, education and civic participation of youth in our community” with the goal of “supporting and facilitating collaboration among existing organizations."
Please visit the Santa Monica Youth Collaborative facebook page, become a fan and begin posting your school’s or organization’s special events. Keeping up with everything going on will get a whole lot easier if we can all begin to post on some common pages. Yep, I’m thinking that will mean less work for me! :)
Complete this 10 minute survey to inform the SM Consolidated Plan for 2010-2015
The City of Santa Monica is in the process of developing a new plan that will address priority housing and community development needs. The plan will cover 2010-2015 and will identify the City’s priorities for allocating federal grant funds to meet community needs. City staff would like you to provide your perception of critical needs in the community. The deadline for completion is April 4. Here’s the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SMneeds
As usual in our extraordinary town, there are some interesting, some wonderful, and some both interesting and wonderful lifelong learning special events this month! Please read on and learn on....
Saturday, April 3, 10am – 1pm
The Politics of Plastics
Santa Monica Main Library Community Room
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Free
The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica is hosting this educational forum on 'The Politics of Plastics" featuring a panel discussion with special guests from public agencies, government, and business involved with managing plastic waste in the environment.
Panelists include Jonathan Bishop, Chief Deputy Director State Water Resources
Control Board; City Councilmember Richard Bloom, Commissioner, California Coastal Commission and Chair, Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission; Sonia Diaz,: Legislative Analyst for Heal the Bay; Lisa Foster, Owner/CEO, 1 Bag At A Time; Dean Kubani, Senior Environmental Analyst, City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment; Coby Skye, Civil Engineer, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.
The event is open to all community members. Light refreshments. Bring your own bagged lunch. RSVPs are appreciated but not required. To RSVP or for more information please call the League at (310)394-4661 or email League@lwvsantamonica.org.
Monday, April 5 – Friday, April 9,
SPLASH Week! Teaching Children to be Safe in and Around Water
Santa Monica Family YMCA
1332 6th Street
Free
The Santa Monica YMCA presents SPLASH Week, a free five-day swim program that teaches children (ages 5-12) basic swimming skills and water safety practices along with YMCA core values – caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. For more details, including the SPLASH Week schedule and what to bring, please call Aaron A. Arefe at
(310) 393 2721 or email aaron@ymcasm.org
YMCA Splash Programs are FREE and open to the Community. Call Today!
Wednesday, April 7, 6:30pm
Community Workshop: Draft LUCE is done!
Lincoln Middle School
1501 California Avenue
Free
The Santa Monica Planning Division is hosting this community workshop to celebrate the completion of the Draft Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE). Thousands of Santa Monicans have worked intently to frame the City’s long-term land use, urban design, and transportation vision for the future. Through lots of meetings, workshops and group discussions, a cohesive community blueprint has emerged to ensure the City’s commitment to think, act and plan sustainably.
At this workshop, planners will show how the Draft LUCE is responsive to the ideas, concerns and visions that the Santa Monica community expressed throughout the life of the project. Following this, the Draft LUCE will head towards spring and summer Planning Commission and City Council meetings.
Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10, 8pm
Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 11, 3pm
The World Premiere of NO-NO BOY
The Miles Memorial Playhouse
1130 Lincoln Boulevard
Tickets: $25.00 (group, senior, and student rates available)
The World Premiere of NO-NO BOY, a new stage adaptation of the John Okada novel plays weekends through April 18. Set after World War II as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast, the play by local playwright Ken Narasaki follows draft resister Ichiro Yamada after he is released from prison and struggles to come to terms with the consequences of his choices, while the rest of the community tries to get back on its feet after a war that has uprooted them all. More information available at: www.nonoboy2010.com and http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/91917
Friday, April 9, 7:30pm
Benefit Concert: Healing for Haiti
Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, Edye Second Space
1310 11th Street
Suggested Donation: $20
The Santa Monica College Music Department is pleased to present this “Healing for Haiti” Benefit Concert featuring a musical exploration of the richness of American folk songs. The concert – “Music of the People, by the People, for the People” – will feature soprano Karen Benjamin, tenor Charles Lane, pianist and SMC music professor Yulia Kozlova and KUSC morning host Alan Chapman, who will provide commentary for the program.
The benefit concert is presented in coordination with SMC’s Asian American & Pacific Islander Achievement Project, Black Collegians and Pan-African Support Group.
Saturday, April 10, 11:00am
Forum On Affordable Quality Long Term Care Housing In Santa Monica
Santa Monica Public Library, Multipurpose Room
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Free with free parking validation for the library parking structure
Wilmont, the Wilshire Montana Neighborhood Association, is hosting this forum at the library. Voice your concerns, meet your neighbors and learn about this issue that is particularly critical for the elderly, about the younger generation who will be responsible for their care, and about those who might be in need of long term care themselves.
The forum will feature a panel discussion with guest speakers John H. Cochrane, III, President and CEO, Southern California Presbyterian Homes; Stella Mora Henry, RN, Senior Care Specialist; Francie Stefan, Manager, Community and Strategic Planning, City of Santa Monica; Dr. Katherine Ward, Santa Monica/UCLA Hospital, long term care specialist. Moderator: Jay Johnson, Planning Commissioner, City of Santa Monica.
Topics for discussion include: why we need long term care housing; ideas for creating additional affordable long term care housing; political/financial issues that stand in the way of creating this type of housing; actions citizens can take to raise the consciousness of politicians and the community about this need. A question and answer period will follow.
Registration begins at 10:30 am and refreshments will be served. If you have questions or need additional information, contact Elaine Blaugrund, Wilmont Board Member at (310) 840-2257 or info@wilmont.org
Monday, April 12, 6-9pm
SMMUSD Community Open House: Tell Us What You Think
John Muir Elementary School, Cafetorium
2526 Sixth Street
Free
Attend this Community Open House event, part of the process of updating the School District’s Strategic Plan. These initial meetings are designed with a “drop by when you can” format – stop by anytime between 6-9pm and spend twenty minutes or two hours, strolling through and reading the information posters set up in “stations” around the room. You can also leave written comments regarding the information on large format post-it notes at each of the stations. All of the comments will be captured and summarized in an Open House summary report. District staff, along with members of the Strategic Plan Team will be on hand to answer questions and guide participants through the Open House process.
Free childcare will be available at each of the Open House events – please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338, ext 229 to hold a spot. Food and refreshments will also be provided. All the information in the Open House will be in both English and Spanish. Spanish-speaking hosts will also be in attendance to lend support with the Open House information.
Questions? Please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338 ext.229.
Tuesday, April 13, 6-9pm
SMMUSD Community Open House: Tell Us What You Think
Lincoln Middle School, Auditorium
1501 California Avenue
Free
Attend this Community Open House event, part of the process of updating the School District’s Strategic Plan. These initial meetings are designed with a “drop by when you can” format – stop by anytime between 6-9pm and spend twenty minutes or two hours, strolling through and reading the information posters set up in “stations” around the room. You can also leave written comments regarding the information on large format post-it notes at each of the stations. All of the comments will be captured and summarized in an Open House summary report. District staff, along with members of the Strategic Plan Team will be on hand to answer questions and guide participants through the Open House process.
Free childcare will be available at each of the Open House events – please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338, ext 229 to hold a spot. Food and refreshments will also be provided. All the information in the Open House will be in both English and Spanish. Spanish-speaking hosts will also be in attendance to lend support with the Open House information.
Questions? Please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338 ext.229.
Wednesday, April 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. or
Thursday, April 15, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
National Healthcare Decisions Day Program
“Your Decisions Matter—Make Your Wishes Known”
Santa Monica Public Library, Martin Luther King, Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Free
Reservations required. Contact Community Education at 310-829-8453.
Making healthcare decisions is difficult. Making decisions for others is more difficult. This presentation will provide a clinician’s perspective on end-of-life medical issues, guidelines for adult child caregivers and conversations with physicians, a review of advance healthcare directives, and information on estate planning (living trust, wills, durable power of attorney), and legal issues in healthcare directives.
Speakers include: Alicia Puppione, RN, MSN, APRN-BS, Advanced Practice Nurse, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Gerontological Clinical Nurse Specialist, Saint John’s Health Center; Tish Starbuck, RN, MSHA, Vice President, Mission and Ethics, Saint John’s Health Center; Stella Mora Henry, RN, SeniorCare Specialist and author of The Eldercare Handbook: Difficult Choices, Compassionate Solutions; Ann J. Elkin, PhD, Clinical Psychologist; and Elizabeth A. Bawden, Esq., Attorney with Larson & Baden, LLP. A question and answer session is included at the end of the program.
“Your Decisions Matter—Make Your Wishes Known” is part of The Flora L. Thornton Community Health Education Program, sponsored by Saint John’s Health Center. Reservations required. Contact Community Education at 310-829-8453.
Thursday, April 15, 6-9pm
SMMUSD Community Open House: Tell Us What You Think
Malibu High School, old gym
30215 Morning View Drive, Malibu
Free
Attend this Community Open House event, part of the process of updating the School District’s Strategic Plan. These initial meetings are designed with a “drop by when you can” format – stop by anytime between 6-9pm and spend twenty minutes or two hours, strolling through and reading the information posters set up in “stations” around the room. You can also leave written comments regarding the information on large format post-it notes at each of the stations. All of the comments will be captured and summarized in an Open House summary report. District staff, along with members of the Strategic Plan Team will be on hand to answer questions and guide participants through the Open House process.
Free childcare will be available at each of the Open House events – please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338, ext 229 to hold a spot. Food and refreshments will also be provided. All the information in the Open House will be in both English and Spanish. Spanish-speaking hosts will also be in attendance to lend support with the Open House information.
Questions? Please contact Sarah at 310.450.8338 ext.229.
Friday, April 16, 7pm
Saturday, April 17, 7pm
Sunday, April 18, 2pm
Grease
Lincoln Middle School, Auditorium
1501 California Avenue
Tickets: $5 for students; $10 adults and general admission
Grease is always fun to see. This production is sponsored by the Lindoln PTSA. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, please call Lincoln Middle School at 310.393.9227
Saturday, April 17, 10am – 2pm
YMCA Healthy Kids Day & Community Block Party
1332 6th Street
Free
Put play in your day! The Santa Monica YMCA invites the community for this free event. There will be a moon bounce, rock climbing, dancing & more! Healthy Lifestyle Workshops Booths from local community organizations and Healthy Food & Refreshments. Also Camp Tours & Sign-Ups. Featuring Live Music from
“Otherwise Normal” from 12:00-2:00pm. For more information, please call the Y at (310) 393-2721 or visit http://www.ymcasm.org/
Sunday, April 18,11am - 4pm
Highlights of The REDCAT International Children's Film Festival
Films shown at 11am, 1pm, & 3pm
Festival: noon - 3pm in the courtyard
Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage
1310 11th Street
Tickets: $10-15.
This promises to be an extraordinary event: The Broad Stage will present Highlights of The REDCAT International Children's Film Festival, a festival for the whole family featuring short children’s films from all over the world! Don’t miss this fresh collection of inspiring stories, exhilarating adventures and pure movie magic. Now in its fifth year, REDCAT’s International Children’s Film Festival will be presented for the first time at The Broad Stage, offering the Westside a treasure trove of cinematic delights for filmgoers of all ages.
This mid-day program features shorts with wondrous animation, exhilarating live action, and rarely shown classics. And you’ll find fun food, live music with Aaron Nigel Smith of PBS’s Between the Lions, and visual art workshops led by teaching artist Irina Contreras. Young and young at heart will delight in dancing, creating, and feasting their eyes on some of the most exciting children’s entertainment in the world! Picnic blankets welcome.
FESTIVAL: Courtyard. Noon-3PM:
Screenings will be accompanied by a midday festival in our courtyard. Free food from LA Magazine, music by Aaron Nigel Smith, and art with Irina Contreras
FILMS: The Broad Stage. 11AM, 1PM, & 3PM. Three films have English subtitles--so be prepared to snuggle close and read along!
11AM - CREATURE COMFORT - Ages 3 and up.
The festival's youngest viewers will love this tailor-made collection of films filled with colorful animals, cheerful music and gentle stories.
1PM - MAGIC CARPET - Ages 7 and up.
This screening of inventive international animation will make you see the world in a whole new way.
3PM - TOTALLY TALL TALES - Ages 7 and up.
Gather around for a high-spirited collection of Greek myths, African fables,
Mexican and Brazilian legends, Hungarian folk tales, Irish yarns and new
fantastical tales.
Tickets can be purchased at the box office at 310-434-3200 or online at www.TheBroadStage.org
Friday, April 23 and Saturday, April 24, 7:30 p.m.
Santa Monica College's Synapse Dance Theater
SMC Performing Arts Center, The Broad Stage
1310 11th Street
Tickets: $15 general admission, $12 for SMC Students (with current ASB sticker) and Senior Citizens. Free Parking.
Come see SMC’s amazing Synapse Dance Theater at the Broad! Artistic Director: Linda Gold.
Saturday, April 24, 8:30 – 12:00 pm
Women Shine in Santa Monica
Ken Edwards Center
1527 4th Street
Free
The Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women (COSW) is hosting Women Shine in Santa Monica. This event begins with an impressive panel of women leaders addressing key concerns faced by women today. Panelists include Therese Hughes, LA Chapter of Women Lead; Ginny Hatfield, State Representative of the American Association of University Women (AAUW); Julia Miele, Executive Director of the YWCA of Santa Monica; and Hollis Harman of Kids Finance.
Following the panel presentation, the COSW will release its DRAFT FY 2010-2015 Strategic Plan to the public. The document gives the COSW guidance on what areas they should pursue over the next five years. The COSW is seeking extensive input from the Santa Monica public to determine that the Strategic Plan does not include any gaps in priorities. For a copy of the DRAFT FY 2010-2015 Strategic Plan, please go to the COSW website at http://www01.smgov.net/hsd/cosw/
Wednesday, April 28, 7-8:30pm
Living Room Series: Who will I Be When I Grow Up?
Santa Monica Main Library, MLK, Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Free
A dynamic interactive 90 minutes to discover purpose, creativity, beauty and joy: practical and entertaining strategies to express your unique living legacy.
Speaker: Doug Kaback, MFA, playwright, director, actor, Department of Theatre faculty – CSUN
This event is part of The Living Room Series and is sponsored by The Older Adult Task Force (OATF). The OATF, part of the Lifelong Learning Community Project, is a consortium of over 35 organizations. OATF promotes lifelong learning for adults through its various projects and collaboration amongst its member organizations.
Thursday, April 29, 2:00 pm
Listening to Your Voice with Poetry of Memoirs
Santa Monica Public Library, Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium
601 Santa Monica Boulevard
Free
The Senior Arts Foundation and the City of Santa Monica present “Listening to Your Voice with Poetry of Memoirs.” This Forum will help you to find your inner voice through words. “Poetry” can bring great joy as well as relief to wounds or grief confronted in life while providing a creative outlet for our personal history. Several local poetry groups such as Manhattan Beach Older Adult Poetry Club, Sunrise Senior Living Poetry Group and Santa Monica Senior Center Poetry Workshop Group will present a poetry reciting before the Panel.
The Senior Arts Foundation, a local nonprofit organization is dedicated to making the arts more accessible to seniors. For more information about the Senior Arts Foundation, visit www.SeniorArtsFoundation.org.
Thursday, April 29, 7-9 pm
Santa Monica College Public Policy Institute: It Only Hurts When I Cut: Impacts of the State and Federal Budget Wars on Everything Local
Santa Monica College, Bundy Campus, Room 123
3171 S. Bundy Drive
Free
This community forum is the very first event for Santa Monica College’s new Public Policy Institute led by former State Senator Sheila Kuehl! "It Only Hurts When I Cut: Impacts of the State & Federal Budget Wars on Everything Local" will be moderated by Senator Kuehl and feature the following speakers: Assemblymember Julia Brownley; West Hollywood City Councilmember Abbe Land; Metropolitan Transit Authority Board Member Richard Katz; and former Santa Monica City Manager P. Lamont Ewell.
Seating is limited. For reservations, please call (310) 434-4003 or email ppi.rsvp@smc.edu.
More special events are listed on the Lifelong Learning Community Calendar at http://smllc.org/calendar.html
And please be sure to check out and bookmark the following websites:
City Master Calendar: The City of Santa Monica now has a master calendar, sortable by locations, event type, and age group. It includes a LOT of information. Please bookmark it and use it! You can get to it from the City home page, upper right hand corner, or just go to http://calendar.smgov.net/city/eventcalendar.asp
Santa Monica College (www.smc.edu/events,) the Santa Monica Public Library, (www.smpl.org,) and The Broad Stage, (www.thebroadstage.com) are all in full swing now with many, many engaging events scheduled. Please check their websites now and regularly for more information.
To receive weekly emails from the City of Santa Monica highlighting upcoming arts events, please subscribe to the Santa Monica Arts Palette at http://www.patronmail.com/pmailweb/PatronSetup?oid=902
At this same site, you can also sign up to receive emails about events at the Annenberg Community Beach House, at Miles Play House, at the Civic Auditorium, and Festivals. Please don’t rely on me. Sign up!
To receive emails about upcoming events at the Santa Monica Pier, please subscribe at http://www.santamonicapier.org/subscribe.html
Lifelong Learning Community Links provide additional useful websites including local theatrical companies – listed under “Local Museums and Special Venues.” To stay current on upcoming events and to keep abreast of these wonderful local organizations, please bookmark Links at http://smllc.org/links.html
That's all for now!
Thanks, Cheers, and Onward,
Thank you for forwarding this email to others who may be interested.
Louise Jaffe
If you would like to receive Lifelong Learning Community eNews, please go to http://smllc.org/subscribe.html
To post an event, please fill out and submit the form at http://smllc.org/inform.html
To be removed from this E-mail list, simply reply to LCJaffe@aol.com and ask to be removed.
For more information about the Lifelong Learning Community, contact
Louise Jaffe
lcjaffe@aol.com
310-450-2487
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