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| | Superintendent's Weekly Message | | |
Dear HBCSD TK-2 Families,
We wanted to remind you that the Hermosa Beach City School District will host an SB 114 Family Informational Meeting for TK-2 families on Friday, January 23, 2026, from 9:00-10:00 AM, in the Hermosa View MPR. This meeting will provide an overview of Senate Bill 114 (SB 114), a new California state law that requires school districts to begin universal screening of kindergarten through 2nd grade students for risk of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, starting in the 2025-2026 school year (unless a parent opts out in writing).
During the meeting, we will:
- Provide a clear, parent-friendly overview of SB 114.
- Explain how the screening tools work (what they measure, how long they take, etc.).
- Describe how we interpret results and what follow-up supports your child may receive.
- Discuss parental rights, including opting out, and how results will be communicated.
- Answer your questions and gather your input.
We encourage TK-2 families to attend so you feel informed and prepared as we move forward with implementation this school year.
If you have questions prior to the meeting, please contact:
Dr. Jessica Ghobrial, Hermosa View Principal at jghobrial@hbcsd.org
Grace Yang, Hermosa Vista Principal at gyang@hbcsd.org
We appreciate your partnership as we work together to support every child’s reading development.
Sincerely,
Dr. Susan Wildes
Superintendent of Schools, Hermosa Beach City School District
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Prospective Hermosa Valley Preview Day is on Saturday, January 24!
Join us at our Prospective Hermosa Valley Preview Day on Saturday, January 24, from 10:00-11:30 AM in the Hermosa Valley Gym. Incoming 5th-8th grade students and families are invited to a presentation and campus tours.
Learn about:
- Hermosa Valley's programs (electives, clubs, & after school athletics)
- Enrollment process
- Interdistrict attendance permits
- Volunteer opportunities with HVPTO & HBEF
- Why we’re the Best Little School District in the South Bay
Kindly RSVP to attend.
New student enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year opens Monday, January 12, at 9 AM, at HBCSD.ORG.
Help us spread the word! Tell your friends and neighbors!
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HBCSD Multicultural Week & Multicultural Night - Sign Up to Host a Cultural Table by January 20th!
We are excited to announce HBCSD’s first annual Multicultural Week, taking place February 2-6, 2026, celebrating culture, community, and belonging across our Hermosa Schools. The week will culminate in Multicultural Night on Thursday, February 5, from 6:00-8:00 PM in the Hermosa Valley MPR.
Families and community members are invited to host a culture table that highlights a country, region, or tradition through decorations, flags, photos, artifacts, games, music, cultural clothing, and optional food samples. Tables may be simple or interactive, and all approaches are welcome.
If you are interested in hosting a cultural table, please sign up by Tuesday, January 20, at 5:00 PM. This event is organized by the HBCSD S.E.E.D. Committee, and we are grateful for their leadership in creating opportunities to celebrate inclusion, learning, and community.
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Student Intent to Return for 2026-2027 School Year Form
As we prepare for the 2026-2027 school year, we kindly request that each family complete the Intent to Return Form in their PowerSchool Parent Portal beginning Sunday, January 4, 2026. A separate form must be completed for each child who is currently enrolled in the District. Parents/guardians will need to complete this form by Friday, January 30, 2026. If needed, you can review the PowerSchool Parent Portal Directions to create or reset your password. We appreciate our HVS families completing this form.
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Parenting in the Digital World: Free On-Demand Video for HBCSD Families
HBCSD families are invited to watch a Parenting in the Digital World on-demand video presentation from the Cyber Safety Cop. This video is similar to the presentation shared at our January 8 Parent Talk at Hermosa Valley, and it is available free to the HBCSD community as part of our partnership. Parent handouts are also available to download on the video’s webpage.
To view the video, complete the registration page and enter the coupon code 2T1Rjl when prompted. This video will only be available until February 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM, so we highly recommend families take time in the coming days to access this resource.
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Hermosa View School Principal News | |
Another great week in the books at Hermosa View! We recently held a fire drill, and I’m happy to share that it was very successful. Students and staff evacuated smoothly and efficiently.
With flu season underway, we appreciate your help in keeping our campus healthy. Please continue to remind your child(ren) to wash their hands regularly and practice good hygiene.
We are pleased to share that our community partners at Taking Time will facilitate a short-term small-group counseling opportunity for students experiencing divorce or parental separation. If changes in your family situation are impacting your child, they may be a candidate regardless of when the separation occurred. This group will meet for 6 weeks for 30 minutes during the school day. If you are interested in this opportunity for your child, please reach out to our school counselor, Sabrina Okuda, at sokuda@hbcsd.org.
Lastly, we want to emphasize the importance of strong attendance and arriving on time each day. Research shows that consistent attendance, even in the early years, helps establish positive habits and supports long-term success in school. We want our students to "Show Up to Thrive." Every day matters.
Warmly,
Dr. Jessica Ghobrial, Hermosa View Principal / HB Preschool Director
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Hermosa Vista School Principal News | |
It was a great week of learning at Vista that ended with a wonderful Vista Author Visit! New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Lang, creator of the beloved Grumpy Monkey series, stopped by to visit with our 2nd and 3rd grade classes. Students enjoyed hearing from Ms. Lang as she first read her newest book, Archibald and the Furry Dinosaurs, and then had time to share a second book, Grumpy Monkey Valentine Gross-out. The visit wrapped up with a fun Q&A, giving students a chance to ask questions and learn more about being a children's book author.
A special thank you to Ms. Meyers, our Vista Librarian, and {pages} a bookstore for coordinating Ms. Lang's visit and helping make this a memorable experience for our students.
This week, we will be holding our first Run, Hide, Distract Safety Drill to help students learn and practice what to do in the event of an intruder on campus. Teachers will be having age-appropriate conversations with students using this slideshow in their classes. We encourage families to review the slides at home as well to reinforce these important messages together.
Thank you for being such a supportive part of our Vista community!
Warmly,
Grace Yang, Hermosa Vista Principal
| | Hermosa Valley School Principal News | | |
As we head into the weeks ahead, here are a few important updates and reminders.
HVS Athletics Winter Sports Begin Next Week!
Our HVS Athletics Winter Sports kicks off next week, and we invite families of all ages to come out and cheer on our scholar-athletes and coaches. Our teams work incredibly hard to build skills, compete with pride, and showcase their talents while representing our school community with sportsmanship and heart.
Sports offered this season include soccer, basketball, and cheer. Please check the HVS Athletics Program website for the Winter Sports game schedules and start times. Your support makes a big difference!
HVS MUN Club - Seeking New Members
Hermosa Valley’s Model United Nations (MUN) Club is inviting new members in grades 6-8 to join. Students will learn public speaking, develop research skills, discover more about the world, and have fun learning how to debate! Our Model UN Club is led by high school students from Mira Costa’s nationally ranked program. Meetings take place every Monday from 3:00-3:40 PM in Ms. Lee’s Room #26. They can’t wait to see you there!
Attendance Reminder
Attendance calls are sent out at 9:05 AM each day. Please know that our staff works each morning diligently to manually enter all tardies and absences. We are committed to reviewing and processing your online attendance submissions for Valley as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience and partnership.
If your student will be absent, please remember to submit an online absence so our staff can accurately document attendance and keep your student’s records up to date.
Lunchtime Expectations & New Cleanup Initiative
We have noticed that the lunch area has been especially messy following both 5th/6th and 7th/8th grade lunch periods. To help build responsibility and pride in our shared spaces, we are launching “Operation Leave It Better”, a lunchtime cleanup initiative. Students may volunteer to support our lunch staff, custodians, and noon duty aides with lunch cleanup and earn PBIS Points for their efforts. More information will be shared on the lunchtime LCD screens for students who are interested.
Additionally, students who consistently leave their lunch areas messy, including leftover food, trash, or full trays, will be identified and assigned school discipline, which will be documented in PowerSchool. Our goal is to help all students take responsibility for our shared spaces and contribute positively to our campus community.
E-Bike/E-Scooter Safety Reminder
All students who ride e-bikes or e-scooters must have completed an approved safety course and have the Hermosa Valley sticker on their motorized device. E-Bikes/E-Scooters without a sticker will be temporarily removed, the student will be spoken to, and parents will be contacted.
Please remember that e-bikes and e-scooters may not be parked outside of campus. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this message by ensuring your student has completed the course, displays their Hermosa Valley sticker, and parks only in approved areas.
Thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Jessica Bledsoe, Hermosa Valley Principal
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1/4-30: HBCSD: Student Intent to Return for 2026-2027 School Year Form
1/5-3/13: Valley Yearbook: 8th Grade Dedication Pages & Baby Pictures
1/20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School
1/23 (9-10 AM): HBCSD: SB 114 / Risk of Reading Difficulties Screener - Family Informational Meeting in the View MPR
1/24 (10:00-11:30 AM): HBCSD: Prospective Hermosa Valley Preview Day in the Valley Gym followed by Campus Tours (RSVP to attend)
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STAR Education Program (TK-5) | | |
HERMOSA VIEW
STAR NOVA - Session 3
February 2-April 3, 2026
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HERMOSA VISTA
STAR NOVA - Session 3
February 2-April 3, 2026
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Hermosa STAR Galaxy for the 2026-2027 School Year
Registration Times
Hermosa View (TK-1st Grade) at 10:00 AM
Hermosa Vista (2nd-6th Grade) at 11:00 AM
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HERMOSA VIEW
PRESIDENTS' WEEK CAMP
February 9-13, 2026
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HERMOSA VIEW
SPRING CAMP
April 6-10, 2026
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Stay Connected with Community Flyers!
Visit our Community Flyers webpage to explore more opportunities and events from our community and education partners, including the City of Hermosa Beach, Mira Costa High School, and Redondo Union High School. To submit a flyer for consideration, please complete this form.
| | | Hermosa Schools Office Staff | | | | |
