Santa Maria Measure J meeting to address high school overcrowding
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Future Leaders of America (FLA) will hold a press conference Wednesday evening to support Measure J and address the need for a new high school in the Santa Maria Valley.
Locals said they are concerned students at Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) are in overcrowded classrooms with limited staff. Representatives for Measure J say the high schools in the district were originally built to serve 2,000 students, but are now averaging 3,000 students per year.
The $194 million facilities improvement bond measure will help student overcrowding by funding the construction of a new high school.
Representatives say students are severely overcrowded and learning in classrooms that are deteriorating from old age. Portable classrooms are over two decades old with structural damage and water leaks.
According to Measure J, studies show conditions of classrooms can cause physical health issues, campus violence, and lower education levels.
Measure J will provide the resources needed to build a new high school, relieve overcrowding, and create safe, modern learning environments for students. Safety for students and staff is a reason why locals are pushing for Measure J to pass this November.
FLA Executive Director Gloria Soto, Santa Maria High School Teacher Ricardo Valencia, SMJUHSD Board of Trustee Alma Hernandez, and students will speak at the press conference.
The conference will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Ethel Pope Auditorium located in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District on 901 S. Broadway, Santa Maria, CA 93454.
