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# Bend, Ore. We did it for the kids, together
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/bend-ore-we-did-it-for-the-kids-together-editor/
- Published: 2004-05-19T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:21:02.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Malibu, #archive-import

*By Leslie Wizan, PTA President; Melissa Dinolfo, Site Governance co-chair; Abby Adams, Site Governance; Reiko Alemania, PTA executive vice-president; Susan Giesberg, Site Governance; Paula Goldman, Site Governance; Laurie Yehia, Site Governance*

We, the following Franklin Elementary School leaders and parents, wish to thank the Santa Monica City Council and city manager, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board and superintendent, the CEPS organization, and the myriad of other volunteers for their efforts in securing a stable funding base for our schools. The city of Santa Monica’s $6 million annual allocation to our schools will enable our district to weather the current fiscal crisis, and we are appreciative of all the efforts that went into this undertaking. Our thanks to those of you who spearheaded this effort.

Most importantly, we want to thank these individuals for setting aside personal philosophies and tensions in order to create a workable solution that was obviously for the benefit of the children of our school district. To all who planned, strategized, negotiated, and held endless meetings, we appreciate your efforts in ensuring that we continue to turn out well-educated future citizens of our community and the world. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Well done is better than well said.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 19, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051904.pdf?ref=smdp.com)