A Community that Works Together
Hermosa Schools and Businesses Partner together to bring a unique partnership to Hermosa.
By Dr. Jason Johnson Hermosa Beach City School District Superintendent
Welcome to Hermosa Beach, the best little beach city with the best little beach schools! We may be small, but that’s what makes us so special. Our collaborative spirit is built upon our deep connections with our staff, families, and the City of Hermosa Beach, including the police and fire department, Hermosa Beach Chamber, Hermosa Beach Youth Basketball, Hermosa Baseball, Hermosa Beach Rotary Club and Kiwanis, and Hermosa local small businesses, like Spyder Surfboards, Uncorked the Wine Shop, Indivisible Arts, and Gum Tree Shop, to name a few. Together, we work to help educate, inspire, and support our youth.
We believe when our business community does well, our schools benefit. So many local businesses, some owned by current and former Hermosa Schools parents, provide continued support to our small school district. Whether through donating monetary or in-kind donations, event sponsorships, hosting fundraising events with our parent organizations, or simply putting enrollment flyers in their storefront windows, big or small, their support is an invaluable, impactful resource.
The Hermosa Beach Chamber has played a crucial role in strengthening our community ties. As a reliable partner, they have actively promoted the school district and interacted with our students, like inviting the Hermosa Valley Band to march in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. We feel fortunate to have a strong working relationship with our Chamber, whose president regularly contacts our school superintendent to say, “I have a great idea for kids!”
Hermosa businesses have a genuine vested interest in our schools, as we have a mutual investment in each other. Most of the commercial donations received by the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation come from local businesses, which is amazing considering our one-square-mile size. Our local businesses consistently outpace most other cities in contributions to public schools.
Hermosa Schools work hard to build strong relationships with our local businesses. This year, we joined the City of Hermosa in promoting their new “Shop Local” initiative. We encouraged our staff, parents, and community to shop and dine locally. We will continue these efforts and look for more opportunities to guide the school community toward Hermosa businesses that have demonstrated their love of local education.
Our partnership with local businesses has directly impacted Hermosa Schools. As a result, we are thriving with the highest enrollment growth and academic achievement in the South Bay. Did you know your children can attend our schools if you work in Hermosa? It’s true! This year alone, we have been honored with two outstanding recognition awards – a California Distinguished School Award and a Golden Bell Award for student achievement and whole child programs. In addition, at this year’s Best of Hermosa event, one of our school board members was among the three Person of the Year nominees. All three shared a common goal of serving children, a testament to the Hermosa Beach business community’s recognition and promotion of its greatest asset: our youth.
Together, we are building a better community and bringing out the best in Hermosa Beach.