Dear San Marcos Unified community,
As superintendent of San Marcos Unified, I want to extend my sincere and deep gratitude to you, our community members, for your support and passage of the recent school bond, Measure JJ.
Your vote of confidence is so much more than an investment in our facilities — it is a profound statement about the value we place on our children and their education. It represents our collective belief that excellent, high-quality schools are one of the pillars of a thriving community.
As one of the top five school districts in San Diego County, our long-standing reputation of educational excellence often attracts families to our community. In SMUSD, we understand that award-winning schools are a large part of what makes our community so special, and we don’t take this lightly.
The passage of Measure JJ will only continue to help SMUSD students reach new heights, ensuring that all students will have safe, modern, and inspiring Future Ready learning environments for decades to come. Most importantly, it is about honoring the hopes and dreams of the families we serve and ensuring that every child in our community has access to state-of-the-art facilities and 21st-century learning opportunities.
Because California does not provide funding for facilities or school buildings in a district’s annual operating budget, the funds from this bond will be used to address critical infrastructure needs of our school facilities across our district.
According to state law, Measure JJ funds can only be used to repair and rebuild schools, not for salaries or other general operating expenses.
As many of you know, SMUSD has schools that are over 30 years old. While they have served generations of families, school facilities have a lifespan. Your support ensures that these needs will finally be met so that our buildings are not only safe but equipped to support modern teaching and learning.
Additionally, Measure JJ will allow us to invest in technology, security, and 21st-century learning spaces that align with the needs of today’s students. In the many presentations I made throughout our community, I heard one thing loud and clear — the students in our community must be prepared for a complex and ever-changing world, and we must ensure that our schools adapt and grow to prepare our students for this changing future.
It is never lost on me that a school bond represents a commitment of resources and trust. For many of you, the decision to support Measure JJ may have meant careful consideration of priorities and finances. I want you to know that your investment and your trust are stewarded with great care and responsibility.
We will soon be forming our mandated Citizens Bond Oversight Committee to ensure that every dollar is spent transparently, efficiently, and in alignment with the voter-approved ballot language. We are dedicated to maintaining open lines
of communication, providing regular updates, and holding ourselves accountable to the promises we made.
In early 2025, we will have more information available about how you can consider joining the Measure JJ Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, including the application and selection process. Please stay tuned.
Thank you to those who volunteered their time, spoke with neighbors, shared information on social media, canvassed the community, and worked tirelessly to support Measure JJ. Thank you to the parents, teachers, local businesses, and community leaders who came together to make this possible. Thank you to every voter who said “yes” to our schools and children.
Our work is just beginning. In the weeks and months ahead, we will begin the important process of turning our Facilities Master Plan into reality. We will involve stakeholders, communicate our progress, and ensure that every phase of this process reflects the integrity and care you expect and deserve. This bond measure is not just about improving buildings but about strengthening the relationships and trust that hold us together as a community.
As your Superintendent, I am incredibly proud to serve a community that so clearly values its children and their futures. Together, we have taken an essential step toward ensuring that our schools remain places where students can dream big, work hard, and achieve great things. Your support is an investment in our schools and tomorrow’s leaders, innovators and citizens.
Thank you for believing in our mission, our students, and our future. With your continued support, we will continue to accomplish great things for San Marcos’s youth.
With gratitude,
Dr. Andy Johnsen
Superintendent, San Marcos Unified School District
