Superintendent's Newsletter
April 29, 2022
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Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,
I hope this letter finds you well. Today’s newsletter spotlights Manhattan Beach Middle School, the District Teacher of the Year announcement, our new health & wellness resources hub, the Girls Cross Country team setting yet another record, and much more!
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Spotlight on MBMS (Special thanks to Social Science Department Chair, Farah Kamal, and Principal Rose Ahrens)
Seventh graders at MBMS have been learning about Medieval Europe and understanding how feudalism came to an end by way of political changes, the bubonic plague, and the Hundred Years’ War. Students created stop motion films about the black death and also reenacted the trial of Joan of Arc.
Eighth-grade students have been learning about the American Civil War. They also have been practicing the 21st-century learning skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, to examine historical themes and take action. These skills are woven into the curriculum to foster mastery and will stay with them as they progress through their future years in school and beyond.
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Manhattan Beach Unified School District Teacher of the Year:
Teresa Nielsen
Mira Costa AP and Honors Chemistry teacher Teresa Nielsen is our District Teacher of the Year!
She will now move on to the Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year annual competition and represent our District. It is the largest of its kind in the state and is part of the oldest and most prestigious honors contest in the U.S. for public school teachers. Congratulations!
Watch the video below to see the Teacher of the Year announcement!
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Teresa was chosen by the MBUSD Teacher of the Year committee, composed of three District administrators and four teachers. The committee observed each school site’s Teacher of the Year recipients in their classrooms and interviewed each one before making the decision.
While all of our teachers are stellar, Teresa’s passion for teaching and the unique ways she engages her students on a tough academic subject impressed the committee. As an AP Chemistry teacher, Teresa finds ways to make difficult concepts and labs very engaging while still preparing her students to be very successful for the end-of-the-year AP exam.
She will be formally honored at the June 1 Board of Trustees meeting.
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Congratulations to all of our Teacher of the Year Recipients |
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Pennekamp:
Dawn Curry
5th Grade
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Robinson:
Jaclyn Masciel
1st Grade
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Manhattan Beach Preschool:
Desiree Abel
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Mira Costa Ranks Among Nation's Best by U.S. News and World Report
Once again we are among the nation’s best according to the U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 Best High Schools ranking. Mira Costa ranked in the top 2% nationwide of the 23,800 high schools that were considered.
According to the U.S. News & World Report rankings methodology, the highest-ranked schools, “are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math and reading state assessments, earned qualifying scores in an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.”
At Mira Costa, we have a 98% graduation rate with 85% of our students attending a 4-year university.
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MBMS Scholar Quiz Finals
Two teams competed for the title! The “Tall” team was made up of all 7th graders and the “Dumpster Fire” team was 8th graders.
The finals were a true nail-biter! Mr. Levy, the drama and yearbook teacher, was the reader for the event, and Board of Trustees Vice President Cathey Graves was the flag judge. After the scores were tallied, the 8th-grade team won with a final score of 175 to 155.
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Mira Costa's Band Program Brings Home the President's Cup
The band program was selected to participate in the National High School Concert Band invitational in Washington D.C. where they were awarded the prestigious President’s Cup.
The most accomplished high school music programs are invited for this opportunity. Students attended clinics hosted by some of the best retired and active-duty military musicians. They also performed during the President’s Cup Concert Band Festival.
This is extra special because, in 2020, the concert and trip were canceled but they were still invited back. Students and staff transported more than 100 instruments across the country to use during the concert. Watch their performances here.
Special thanks to our staff and families who made this possible.
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Mira Costa Athlete Kelly Giese Plays in Renowned Tennis Tournament
We are proud of your accomplishment!
Kelly was one of more than 1,500 players who competed in the esteemed Ojai Tennis Tournament. In its 120th year, the annual competition brought together the top 64 CIF Boys in Southern California.
Kelly is the second student in Mira Costa's history to make it to these finals. He will be graduating this year.
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Costa's Girls Cross Country Sets New School Record |
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The Girls' Distance Medley Relay team was selected to race at the University of Oregon Hayward field, which was the site of the recent Olympic Track and Field trials and is the site of the World Track and Field Championships for this summer. Only the best high school DMR teams in the country were invited to this meet.
The relay is unique in that it brings together sprinters and distance runners who don’t normally race or train together.
The Costa team finished at 11:43 setting a new school record.
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Staff Member Spotlight
This week, we are excited to highlight Nela Forbes! She was hired in 2019 and is an Instructional Assistant for Special Education at Grand View Elementary. Nela says she has worked in the early educational field since 2012 and chose MBUSD because of the many growing opportunities it offers.
Nela’s favorite part of her work is making a positive impact on students' lives and their learning experiences.
She says when she interacts with her students it’s a genuine encounter and a safe place where the student can be exactly who they are. She says MBUSD has an amazing support staff and administration team that ensures that the children are getting the best quality of education.
Thank you for your dedication to our students and families!
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2022 Summer Expanded Learning Opportunities
The primary purpose of Expanding Learning Opportunities is to prepare students for the next grade level/course by building their foundational skills in previous courses and/or grades. Invitations for ELO, ELA, and Math have been sent out.
Dates: June 27-July 21, 2022 | Monday-Thursday
We will have more details posted on May 13.
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Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment
The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (SBAC), California Science Test (CAST), and California Alternate Assessments (CAA) are online tests that measure what your student knows and can do.
The tests include many different types of questions that allow students to interact with the test questions. Results help identify gaps in knowledge or skills early on so your child can get the support needed to be successful in school.
This year students in grades 3-8 and 11th grade will take SBAC English Language Arts and Math.
Students in 5th, 8th, and 11th will also take the California Science Assessment. CAA is for eligible students with an active IEP in grades 3-8, and 11th for ELA and Math. CAA Science is for students in grades 5th, 8th, and 11th.
Dates: Elementary | May 2-13
MBMS & MCHS | May 16-June 3
How can I help my child prepare for the test?
You are an important part of your child’s education. Some things you can do to help your child are:
- Discuss the test with your child and make sure they are not scared or anxious.
- Tell your child that you and their teacher have high expectations and that you are both there to help them every step of the way.
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Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast before testing.
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Mira Costa Community STEM Night Rescheduled
STEM Night will take place on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at the Mira Costa Athletic Complex, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
This event involves exciting interactive projects, expert talks, and innovative demonstrations for the whole family and the wider community.
The event is open to students of all ages and their families. STEM exhibits and activities will be hosted by leading companies, colleges, and community organizations as well as Mira Costa clubs and classes.
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Join us at the 5th Annual MBUSD International Day! |
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MBUSD’s Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program promotes the joy of learning in a positive and nurturing environment. TK programming creates critical thinkers, effective oral communicators, and life-long learners. The classroom environment includes many opportunities for fine and gross motor activities, oral language development, and social-emotional learning. Our program prioritizes intentional teaching that is hands-on and child-centered, purposeful structured play, and small-group instruction.
All children who will be five years old as of September 1, 2022, are eligible to enroll in Kindergarten, and all children who will be five years old as of February 2, 2023, are eligible to enroll in Transitional Kindergarten.
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Self-Screening Before Coming to Campus
It is a requirement and each individual’s responsibility to self-screen at home every day before coming to campus.
Parents should ask students, and employees should ask themselves, whether they are experiencing any symptoms that could potentially be related to COVID-19. If they have symptoms, they must contact the school (students) or District (employees) to determine whether they should come to campus.
In addition, if a student or an employee has been in close contact with anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19, they must contact the school (students) or District (employees) to determine whether they should come to campus.
If a student or an employee is positive for COVID-19, they must stay home, follow home isolation guidelines, and contact the school (students) or District (employees) to report the case.
We ask all students, staff members, parents/guardians, and volunteers to continue to monitor themselves and their household members for symptoms of COVID-19 and to stay home and test if any symptoms develop, or if they find out they have been in close contact with anyone positive for COVID-19.
Testing
Testing for students and staff members who are symptomatic or who are identified as close contacts is available through the Beach Cities Health District.
Staff and students can sign up for a test using this registration link. (Students will need their Aeries ID number and the primary parent email address linked to their Aeries profile; employees will need the last 6 digits of their Employee ID number and their mbusd.org email address.) BCHD testing is available Monday through Friday from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Additional testing resources can be found here.
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Vote Now for South Bay's Best in the Education Category!
South Bay’s Best Readers’ Choice is back! You can vote from now through May 8 for your favorites across 8 categories.
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Respond to Four MBUSD Questions
I have been asking students, staff, and MBUSD families the four questions below to learn more about our community.
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The next Superintendent Newsletter will be published on Friday, May 6.
Thank you again for your continued support and collaboration as we head into the final stretch of the school year. I look forward to many of the exciting events coming up across our District, including graduation!
Together we continue to grow and improve every day. I appreciate all of our staff, students, and families for helping keep our community safe and healthy. Have a wonderful weekend!
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John Bowes, Ed.D.
MBUSD Superintendent
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Manhattan Beach Unified School District
325 S. Peck Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.318.7345
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