Anonymous
Source: Santa Barbara Unified School District
Santa Barbara Unified School District Board of Education, Superintendent Cary Matsuoka, and San Marcos High School held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of the San Marcos High School pool deck resurfacing project.
The San Marcos High School resurfacing project was made possible by Measure I community bond funds and completed over the summer of 2018. The project cost was $715,000, which helped the district proactively replace failing concrete and create a safe environment for students and athletes.
“Aquatics are very important for San Marcos. It’s a part of what makes our Royals so proud,” said Isabel Huerta, Associated Student Body President. “Celebrating milestones, like the completion of this project, give us an opportunity to say thank you to the community for believing and investing in us. This will not go unrecognized by the many students who make use of this space every day.”
“Quality facilities make a big difference in student learning,” said Jacqueline Reid, Santa Barbara Unified School District Board President. “In addition to champion winning athletic programs, the school teaches between 125-175 students, per year, how to swim. The culture and curriculum of our physical education department helps give all students the confidence to enjoy the beauty and fun of our nearby beaches and lakes.”
The San Marcos High School Physical Education department teaches beginners and more emerging students. The curriculum includes: snorkeling, water safety, swim training, ocean training, survival swim, and culmination beach body swim at the end of the year. Access to pools is a limiting factor on student’s ability to be water safe.
In November 2016, Santa Barbara Unified School District received $193 million dollars of bond funds to invest in safe, modernized facilities throughout the district (elementary, junior high and high schools). The district is moving forward on utilizing these important local resources by upgrading learning environments in every school in the district. Projects completed over the summer of 2018 include renovation of the Multipurpose Rooms at Harding University Partnership and Roosevelt Elementary as well as installing a new, modernized fire alarm system at McKinley Elementary School
Swimming is an activity that gives a life-time of benefits. Football, soccer, basketball, baseball, rugby, lacrosse require teams and are not kind on aging bodies. Many disabilities and consequences of aging, even diseases benefit from swimming. “Rah, rah, ree, kick’em in the knee,” swimming is the place to put money for maintenance of athletic facilities and education for their use.