SAMOHI/District Win National Grant

By Lookout Staff

Before she left her post as principal of Santa Monica High School, Sylvia Rosseau told the Board of Education she was applying for a national grant that would allow the large school to create smaller schools to bolster student achievement.

Last week SAMOHI and the school district won that grant. The district was among 84 of 461 applicants nationwide to be awarded a $50,000 Smaller Learning Communities Planning Grant from the United States Department of Education.

The district was selected following a rigorous application process that included reviews by three peer panels composed of teachers, administrators, community-based organizations, businesses and researchers.

The grant will be used by SAMOHI to plan, develop and implement smaller schools within the large high school, which serves more than 3,000 students. The $50,000 grant will be matched by state funds and SAMOHI's co-principal Kristen Hibert will serve as the project director.

Research shows that a school's size may effect student learning and success, according to a statement released by the district. Smaller schools can result in students experiencing a greater sense of belonging and satisfaction, which results in a decrease in dropout rates and increases in graduation rates and student attendance.