Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well! In today’s issue, we highlight Pennekamp Elementary, details about our TK/Kindergarten Information Day 2025, and tonight's first show for MBMS's Drama fall production.

Spotlight on Pennekamp Elementary (Special Thanks to Dana Cannon,

Tami Freeman, Anne Vanderpool, and Principal Sharon Witzansky)

Pennekamp’s 2nd-grade teachers conduct “Math Center Wednesdays” each week. During this time, teachers and parent volunteers run math-based activities and games to review and challenge the student’s math skills and thinking. The most popular activities are “Math Tiles” and “Math Palettes.” 

These differentiated activities require students to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They support the Grade 2 Content Standards domains of operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations in base ten, measurement and data, and geometry. Each activity is highly engaging, making learning fun while also increasing students’ overall math proficiency.

Staff Spotlight: Brianni Webb | DHH Teacher

This week’s spotlight features Brianni Webb, a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Teacher at Pennekamp Elementary, serving students from TK through 2nd grade.



Before joining MBUSD, she taught 1st through 3rd grade in a Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) classroom in the Centralia Elementary School District. She holds a degree in Deaf Studies with a focus on Pre-Deaf Education and an Education Specialist credential from California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Her commitment to the DHH community has enriched her life and continues to shape her career. “There is always more to learn from diverse communities, and my life has been so enriched because of it,” she says. Since joining MBUSD, Brianni has been met with kindness and support from her colleagues. “I feel supported daily by my peers and know that I can confide in them when times are hard or challenging,” she shares. Her time at MBUSD has been both enjoyable and fulfilling.

For Brianni, her students are the highlight of her work. “They teach me just as much about myself as I teach them about language, math, and other subjects,” she says. As a language model for her students, she enjoys witnessing their “AHA” moments. “Seeing them realize they can communicate motivates me to keep going. They have so much to say, and I help provide the key to unlocking that potential.”

Originally aspiring to become an OB/GYN, Brianni’s career path shifted when she took a Deaf Culture class while studying American Sign Language (ASL) as a foreign language. “It just clicked,” she recalls. Her passion for deaf education has flourished ever since. She chose MBUSD for its DHH program and appreciates the open-mindedness and warmth of the staff, students, and community.

This school year, she is eager to increase awareness about the deaf community within the district. She aims to promote inclusivity by sharing more about ASL with staff and students. “From the activities we did last year, there has been so much more interest in the language and our students,” she says. She hopes to grow the DHH program into a thriving community of communication and connection. She says students notice when others have a relationship with them despite communication differences.

When she’s not teaching, Brianni enjoys good food, spending time with her family, walking and camping with her Great Dane, Baili, and exploring new experiences. Some fun facts about Brianni are that she is left-handed and has seven siblings!

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in Action

This week, students in Taylor DiBernardo’s English 9 class at Mira Costa focused on the second stage of their Greek myths project, working in groups to create adaptations of their assigned myths. During this phase, students had the creative freedom to tell the story in any form they chose - whether as a documentary, poem, or another format. 

This part of the project aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which emphasizes student engagement and initiative. By offering students the opportunity to express their understanding in unique ways, UDL helps accommodate diverse learning needs and ensures that all students have an equal chance to succeed.  

The project also supports California’s English Language Arts standards, covering skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and presenting. The first step involved researching the Mira Costa library using various search engines. For the next stage of the project, students will present their adaptations and lead a class discussion on their work. 

MBUSD TK/Kindergarten Information Day

Our largest enrollment event is on Saturday, January 11, 2025. If you have a future Transitional Kindergartener, Kindergartener, and/or are interested in MBUSD, we welcome you to attend!

At the event, you will discover what makes Manhattan Beach Unified School District exceptional and prepare for an exciting educational journey! We invite you to learn about our outstanding TK and Kindergarten programs, designed to ensure a smooth and successful transition into elementary school for every child. 

Event details:

Date: Saturday, January 11, 2025

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Location: Grand View Elementary School

Performing Arts Center | 2617 Bell Avenue, Manhattan Beach

There will be a Q&A session with District leaders, elementary principals, and teachers. Current MBUSD students will share their MBUSD experiences, and attendees will have the opportunity to connect with the community!

Thanks to the generous support of our community partner, Beach Cities Health District (BCHD), we are pleased to offer free childcare (ages 4-12) during the event. Spots are limited, and registration is required, so sign up early! Click here for registration.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us at mbkinderevent@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing all the wonderful things that make MBUSD an excellent place for learning!

MBUSD Director of Fiscal Services Opportunity 

Manhattan Beach Unified is looking for a Director of Fiscal Services. Under the direction of the Deputy Superintendent, Business Services, this position is responsible for:

• Preparing and revising budget estimates for all District programs and projects.
• Overseeing all District accounting functions.
• Coordinating the flow of financial information to District administrators to support informed decision-making.
• Assisting with analysis and administration of key business functions, such as bids and purchasing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, accounting, and payroll.
• Ensuring timely and accurate preparation of all required financial reports.
• Supervising and evaluating the performance of assigned personnel.
• Performing additional duties as assigned to support the District's financial health and operational efficiency.



This key leadership role offers the chance to collaborate with a dynamic team and be part of a top-ranked school district in the state. If you have a passion for serving children and families, supporting the work of school sites, working with budgets and timelines, and assisting in leading district-level initiatives, we want to hear from you! To learn more, please visit here. 

MCHS Model United Nations Hosts 30th Annual LAIMUN Conference

Mira Costa High School recently hosted the annual Los Angeles Invitational Model United Nations (LAIMUN) conference on December 7-8, bringing together 1,100 delegates from middle and high schools across Southern California. Over two days, students gathered to debate a wide range of global issues, tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. During the conference, delegates simulated United Nations discussions about global affairs, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.

The Mira Costa Model UN team, which began preparations for the event in June, worked tirelessly to ensure its success. MBUSD parents and students had the chance to participate in a LAIMUN tour, gaining insight into Mira Costa's nationally ranked MUN program. The event was a rewarding experience for everyone involved, and Costa's Model UN students are already looking forward to next year's conference!

MBMS Drama Presents the Debut of INVISIBLE Tonight!

Students in the year-long performance-based Drama 7/8 class have been hard at work since October, preparing for the big show.



INVISIBLE tells the story of Kita, a perfectly typical girl who has stopped caring about being unique and has lost sight of the simple fact that everyone is special. As a result, she's become invisible . . . literally. After meeting other kids who have vanished from the world, she must make a choice: embrace her place in the world or forever be a shadow in the background. Inspired by H. G. Wells's The Invisible Man, the play deals with teen socio-emotional issues, bullying, and personal choice.

You can purchase your tickets here. 

Mira Costa Winter Concert Series Highlights!

Over the past week, the MCHS Band and Choir have delivered outstanding performances during their annual Winter Concert Series, highlighting their incredible talents! Tonight, at 7:00 p.m., the series' final concert will take place in the auditorium, featuring the GRAMMY^® Award-winning Mira Costa Orchestras.

Screenagers: Elementary School Edition

Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) and South Bay Families Connected are partnering with MBUSD and other Beach Cities school districts to host community showings of the documentary “Screenagers: Elementary School Age Edition.” This week, the Pennekamp community was able to watch the special screening. The movie addresses issues that elementary school-aged kids, parents, and educators face from smartwatches in class, unhooking from and monitoring video gaming, social media pressure, and youth exposure. 

The screening gives parents/guardians an opportunity to learn about existing research, solutions, and other challenges around these topics.

The movie was created and directed by Delaney Ruston, a physician and film director, to describe growing up in a tech-saturated world where it is her opinion that a balance should be struck between screen time and screen-free time. The film’s perspective may be interesting for families who are contemplating how and when to introduce devices for children and teens. This screening was open only to Pennekamp parents/guardians.  

Waste Management Holiday Day Shoe Donation Drive 

Our community partner, Waste Management, is hosting its annual Holiday Shoe Donation Drive across our campuses. From now through December 19, you can give back by dropping gently used shoes in the collection box at your student’s school front office. Waste Management requests that shoes be tied together when donated. 

As a Green School District, we are proud to partner on this initiative and give back to the community. This year, the donations will be given to Soles4Souls.

The L.A. Kings have announced they will provide two free tickets (an estimated processing fee of $7.50 will apply per ticket) to each student and each staff member for upcoming games at the Crypto.com Arena!

You can find the complete list of games and instructions on redeeming your tickets here. 

On November 14, all staff and families received an email with details on how tickets can be redeemed. Every student and staff member received a unique code that can only be used once. (Student codes were sent to the first parent listed in Aeries—if you did not receive your student(s)’ unique codes, please check with your spouse.) We hope you take advantage of this wonderful offer! Go, Kings, Go!

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on December 20. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely, 

Manhattan Beach Unified School District

325 S. Peck Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345