Our Mission Statement
The Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs support families and educators in providing quality educational experiences imbued with equity and compassion. We advocate on behalf of every child in order to develop informed and engaged citizens for the future.
Our Programs
Advocacy and Support for Excellent Public Education
With 15 PTA units, the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council is where all SMMUSD PTAs come together to share and exchange information, connect with the broader education community and build leadership skills as advocates for all children and families.
Our members–7,000 parents, students, staff and community members–volunteer more than 120,000 hours annually to support children and families in our community.
PTA Council partners with the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation to coordinate our Summer Adventure program for K-8 graders — a fun, affordable series of enrichment classes over five weeks each summer.
As an arm of California State PTA — an active children’s advocacy organization — SMMPTA Council has successfully mobilized our grassroots network of volunteers around local and state school funding measures and legislative issues. We host candidate forums, register voters, and send delegations to Sacramento for Thirty-Third District PTA’s Sacramento Safari, as well as the CA State PTA Legislation Conference (statewide gathering of PTA representatives). We also send delegates to the CA State PTA Annual Convention.
Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council convenes monthly meetings which include community allies — connecting PTA to other local children’s advocacy efforts. We conduct trainings for PTA officers and serve as their link to CA State PTA and Thirty-Third District PTA for additional training and resources.
Our PTAs and PTSAs facilitate communication between school and home through multiple channels of communication. We organize parent education seminars and community-building events. Field trips, assemblies, and educational materials are a few of the important items funded with help from our PTAs.
We also partner with the Santa Monica Education Foundation to raise funds for essential academic and enrichment programs, as well as professional development for all staff to ensure a high quality education for all SMMUSD students.
Connect with us on our Facebook page. We encourage you to support our mission, and join your local PTA or PTSA.
PTA Mission
- To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children;
To assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children;
To encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation.
PTA Objectives
To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship;
To raise the standards of home life;
To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth;
To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth;
To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education.
PTA Past Presidents
2022 – 2024: Erika Bell
2020 – 2022: Gabrielle Cohen
2018 – 2020: Claudia Seizer
2016 – 2018: Jennifer Smith
2014 – 2016: Rochelle Fanali
2012 – 2014: Patti Braun
2011 – 2012: Kelly Pye
2009 – 2011: Shari Davis
2007 – 2009: Rebecca Kennerly
2005 – 2007: Laura Rosenbaum
2003 – 2005: Maria Rodriguez
2001 – 2003: Cheri Orgel
1999 – 2001: Rick Gates
1997 – 1999: Louise Jaffe
1995 – 1997: Karen Carrey
1994 – 1995: Joyce Horowitz
1992 – 1994: Mary Ramming