There's more below the surface! If you're viewing this on a computer, your email may be clipped. Be sure to click "View Entire Message" at the bottom to read the full newsletter!
| | Superintendent's Weekly Message | | |
Dear HBCSD Families and Community,
Our students and teachers have launched the school year by engaging in Module 0 of Wit & Wisdom, a brief but powerful introduction to this high-quality English Language Arts curriculum. This module is designed to cultivate a vibrant community of readers and writers while familiarizing students with the program’s key features. It nurtures a love of reading, builds stamina for close and careful analysis of texts, draws attention to the beauty and power of language, and fosters rich academic conversations grounded in inquiry, open-mindedness, and reasoning.
Across our classrooms, students are exploring how books open doors to knowledge, imagination, and new perspectives. They are reading joyful and meaningful texts such as Wild About Books (K-2), Thank You, Mr. Falker (3-5), and “A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long” (6-8), while practicing how to write about what they read and share their thinking with others. Students are also beginning a yearlong study of visual art—analyzing works by artists like Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Rousseau—to practice observing carefully, thinking critically, and expressing their ideas about what they see.
We are inspired by the curiosity and engagement we are already seeing as our students build the habits of mind that will serve them as lifelong readers, writers, and thinkers.
With pride and excitement,
Dr. Susan Wildes
Superintendent of Schools, Hermosa Beach City School District
| | |
CAC Parent Workshop - Building Routines & Encouraging Positive Behavior
Southwest SELPA is hosting a virtual Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Parent Workshop - Building Routines & Encouraging Positive Behavior on Friday, September 19, from 10:00-11:30 AM via Zoom. This session is designed to provide valuable strategies to support families and promote positive development. See flyers for more information about upcoming parent workshops this school year.
| | |
Hermosa View School Principal News | |
It’s hard to believe we’re already 3½ weeks into the school year! Our View students have been busy learning, growing, and adjusting to classroom routines.
Our TK Dolphins are continuing with the Frog Street curriculum theme, “My School and Me”. They are learning that bodies come in different shapes, sizes, and colors, that every body part has a name, and that we can move our bodies in different ways! In Fundations, they are learning the letters P and Y using the Letter-Keyword-Sound visuals.
In Kindergarten, students are exploring attributes, classifying numbers, and building number sense. They are also working on the letters B, F, and T in Fundations, practicing with letter tiles, whiteboards, and their workbooks.
Our 1st graders are reviewing letters and sounds and will begin working with CVC words this week. They have also started Module 0 of Wit & Wisdom, and in math, they’re learning to add unknown products.
Picture Day was a huge success. The Preschool and View Make-Up Picture Day will be on Thursday, October 30.
Starting Monday, September 15, we are very excited to participate in the Start with Hello week of activities. See the infographic below.
We’re off to a great start and can’t wait to see all the growth and learning ahead this year!
Warmly,
Dr. Jessica Ghobrial, Hermosa View Principal / HB Preschool Director
| |
We Love Our View Library!
I’m Mrs. West, and as your new View librarian, I’m excited to share my love of books and reading.
Weekly Library Visits
Students will join me in the View Library weekly for a relevant read-aloud and then choose a book to borrow. We’ve discussed how to take care of books and the importance of bringing their books back each week so they can find new favorites.
View Library Open for Families After School
Families are welcome to visit the View Library after dismissal until 3:00 PM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
LA County Library Collaboration
We’ll sometimes collaborate with our local Hermosa Beach Library. First up is the annual LA County Library Bookmark Contest, which students may choose to work on during their View Library visits. For more about children’s storytime, crafts, and reading-related activities, visit the Hermosa Beach Library website.
| | |
Hermosa Vista School Principal News | |
Our Vista students looked wonderful on Picture Day! It was so fun to see their bright smiles and personalities shine through. If your student was absent, our Vista Make-Up Picture Day is on Thursday, October 30.
Students are working hard in their classrooms. In math, they are exploring the importance of place value in understanding numbers. In Wit & Wisdom, students are continuing to work through Module 0, which serves as an introduction to the program’s key components and teaching routines. In 2nd and 3rd grade, Fundation lessons focus on foundational reading skills that help to develop students in both reading and spelling proficiency.
I would also like to encourage Vista students to use kind words with one another. Families, please support this at home by reinforcing the message that words have power and choosing kind ones makes a big difference.
It’s Start with Hello this week, which teaches our students the power of inclusion, connection, and kindness. At Vista, we are focusing on reducing social isolation by encouraging students to reach out to peers who may be feeling left out, lonely, or disconnected. We strive to start with small acts of kindness to build a stronger and more welcoming school community where everyone feels they belong. Please join us by encouraging your child to reach out to peers that they don’t normally interact with, because even a simple hello can make a big difference.
Warmly,
Grace Yang, Hermosa Vista Principal
| |
Start with Hello Week: Building Belonging Together
HBCSD is excited to join thousands of schools across the country in celebrating Start With Hello Week from September 15 to 19! This special week is all about building new friendships and helping every student feel a strong sense of belonging. We invite all students to take part in the fun and inclusive school-wide activities that highlight the importance of kindness and community. Families can help by encouraging their students to join in and spread the spirit of inclusion throughout the week.
| | |
Hermosa Valley School Principal News | |
Valley families, we have lots to share with you, from exciting academic opportunities to fun campus activities and new ways for our Hermosa Valley students to get involved.
Hermosa Valley Science Fair Information
We’re excited to host our first Hermosa Valley Science Fair in many years! This is a wonderful opportunity for middle school students to explore, experiment, and share their discoveries with the school community. Our Mr. Underwood, 6th Grade Science Teacher, is leading the way!
Important Science Fair Dates:
-
9/19 - Commitment Google Form Due
-
9/25 - After-school Science Fair Expectations/Q+A Meeting
-
10/8 - Project Submission Deadline
-
10/10 - Student Option to Prep with Mr. Underwood
-
11/17 - Project Deadline / Preview Day
-
11/18 - Hermosa Valley Science Fair: All middle school science classes and 5th grade visit
Learn more by reading Mr. Underwood's Hermosa Valley Science Fair Parent Letter.
| |
This Week at Valley
We have a fun and exciting Start With Hello Week planned this week at Valley thanks to our fantastic school counselor, Ms. Ryley! Be sure to check out the daily events in the infographic above my message.
One of the highlights of the week is Valley Club Rush on Wednesday, September 17, during lunch, where club officers and teacher sponsors will showcase each club’s purpose, meeting date, and location around The Bowl. Students will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of clubs, ranging from Pokémon Go Club, Harry Potter Club, and Builders Club.
Clubs are open to all students who are interested in getting involved. Please encourage your child to sign up. Those who participate in school activities feel more connected to their community and are more successful overall.
Students: If you’re interested in starting a new club, please complete the Club Proposal Form. Remember, you must have a teacher sponsor to be included on the HVS Official Club List.
The club schedule will be posted and shared with students and families following our Valley Club Rush!
| |
Valley Voices Choir Club
🎶 Do you like to sing? Or better yet, do you love to sing? 🎶 Then the brand-new Valley Voices Choir Club is perfect for you! Join Valley Voices for fun, no-pressure rehearsals where everyone is welcome. There are no auditions or fees, just music. They will meet after school once a week and work together toward exciting holiday and end-of-year performances.
Come be part of something special and let your voice shine! See the flyer and sign up today.
| |
After-School Enrichment Opportunities
We are expanding our after-school opportunities by creating unique ways for students to engage in a variety of activities. Check out our full list of after-school opportunities, and if you have any questions, please reach out to the teacher sponsors listed below:
Information Coming Soon
- Chess Club (November)
- Invention Convention (December)
- Coding Club (Spring 2026)
| |
School Counselor Referrals
At Hermosa Valley, Ms. Ryley offers brief, skill-based support to students experiencing transitions, stress, or critical changes that hinder their social, emotional, or academic development. School-based counseling is a six to eight-week individual or small-group focused intervention with the goal of equipping students with the skills to manage situations independently and return to class, or facilitating referrals for longer-term external support. If you have concerns and would like to refer your student for school-based counseling, please use the HVS Counseling Referral Form.
Have a wonderful week!
Warmly,
Jessica Bledsoe, Hermosa Valley School Principal
| | |
8/25-9/21: HBEF: Back-to-School Annual Giving Campaign at HBEF.ORG
9/15-19: HVS: Start with Hello Week
9/17 (7 AM-4 PM): HVPTO YUMraiser: Lavender & Honey (Redondo Beach location only)
9/17 (During Lunch): Valley: 5th-8th Grade Club Rush
9/18 (7 PM): HBEF's Bring the Thunder: Parents' Back-to-School Bash at Saint Rocke; Buy Tickets
9/20-21: HVPTO: Family Portrait Fundraiser at HB Pier; Book Your Reservation
| | IMAGES BELOW ARE CLICKABLE WITH MORE DETAILS | |
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 | | | | |
