Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. As we close out the 2024-25 school year, I want to thank every MBUSD staff member, student, and family for your support and partnership shown throughout the year. I also want to express my gratitude to MBEF, our PTAs/PTSAs, MBX, and community partners for their continued support and dedication. This year brought both challenges and opportunities for growth, and through it all, our community remained committed to student success. Thank you to everyone who partnered with us along the way. 

Congratulations to the remarkable Class of 2025! It is always an honor for us to celebrate our graduating and promoted students. Your hard work and dedication were evident throughout the year. Thank you to our educators and staff who were there for our students and supported them to reach these milestones throughout the years. We are grateful for your continued dedication and the meaningful impact you make each day in educating and supporting our students.

We are proud to share that MBUSD continues to be recognized for excellence. According to Niche’s 2025 rankings of more than 10,000 public school districts, MBUSD ranks in the top 5% statewide and the top 1% nationally.

This year, we welcomed new families to our community who were affected by the local fires. We hope the rest of the school year brought them hope and a sense of connection to our community. We also launched our E-Bike Safety Program and a District-wide student attendance awareness campaign. Thanks to these efforts, our chronic absenteeism rate dropped by more than 5%.

Academic achievement across MBUSD continues to shine. Our District ranks among the top 5 in English Language Arts and the top 7 in Mathematics among K-12 unified districts in the state. We also expanded access to the arts thanks to Proposition 28, introducing new drama and musical theatre classes for our youngest learners. At Mira Costa, students without prior musical experience were also able to join our GRAMMY^® Award-winning instrumental music program. 

We are especially grateful to the Manhattan Beach community for supporting Measure RLS, a $200 million measure that will be used to repair and upgrade our schools. This year also marked the completion of our final Measure C project: the new Stadium Way at Mira Costa. This renovated entrance to Waller Stadium improves accessibility and enhances the campus experience for everyone who visits the campus. 

Improving safety across our District continues to be at the forefront. Most recently, members of our District team have been walking campuses, observing in classrooms, and speaking face-to-face with school leaders, staff, and parents, alongside our safety partners: Chameleon and Associates, ICS4Schools, and Emergency Management Safety Partners (EMSP). Moving forward, we will be:

• Continuing site visits to identify and address school-specific safety needs
• Clarifying and standardizing emergency procedures across all campuses
• Providing consistent, role-specific safety training for all staff, including aides, substitutes, and new employees
• Improving communication tools and protocols for staff and families
• Hosting a District-wide safety training in August for all school employees focused on emergency preparedness, decision-making, and response roles

Thank you to the MBUSD Board of Trustees for your leadership and contributions. Each of you is devoted and committed to the District’s goals and community. Your guidance has been instrumental to the success of MBUSD. I would like to thank our talented administrators, who lead our schools every day and foster environments where our staff and students thrive. 

Thank you to MBEF for providing the necessary funds to support enrichment programs and positions that wouldn’t be possible without your tireless efforts throughout the year. 

To the parents and community members, your contributions and partnerships have been instrumental in our success. Your involvement, encouragement, and assistance have enriched the educational experience of our students. We are grateful to you and look forward to continuing this essential collaboration as we work together to shape the future. I wish everyone a safe and wonderful summer!

Caps Off to the Class of 2025!

Our students have shown determination and growth throughout their journey at MBUSD. For students promoted this week, I can’t wait to see what the rest of your time at MBUSD will hold. For our Mira Costa graduating Class of 2025, you have created memories, friendships, and accomplishments that will last a lifetime. 

Whether you’re heading to college, pursuing a career, or exploring new paths, we are proud of you and excited for all that lies ahead. We wish you continued success in your future endeavors!

This year, we celebrate 648 graduates, many of whom have earned prestigious honors. Among them, 69 received Magna Cum Laude (3.8-3.99 GPA) and 298 received Summa Cum Laude (4.0+ GPA). Congratulations!

See Where the Class of 2025 is Headed

Click image below to view large map

Each year, the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation (MBEF) creates a college map highlighting where our graduates are continuing their academic journeys. We’re grateful for MBEF’s ongoing support throughout the school year, which provides our students with exceptional learning opportunities and helps prepare them for their future endeavors.

MBMS Promotion Highlights

Elementary School Culmination Ceremony Highlights!

Grand View

Meadows

Pacific

Pennekamp

Robinson

MCHS Seniors Receive Over $307,000 in Scholarships

One hundred Mira Costa seniors in their caps and gowns took a seat in the auditorium for the annual Senior Recognition Night. One of those seats was in memory of senior Ford Savela. Students were formally granted and honored for receiving scholarships from various community donors, organizations, associations, boosters, and memorial funds to support the next chapter of their journey. Forty of these donors provided scholarships of more than $300,000! 

There were many highlights and unforgettable moments during the event, including senior Ethan Lai, who received a scholarship valued at more than $600,000 from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and plans to earn a bachelor's degree and plans to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force or Space Force. The very first English Faculty Memorial Scholarship was provided in memory of six former Costa English teachers. This scholarship was awarded to Sadie Jun, who plans to major in English. The Savela family honored the memory of Ford Savela by awarding the first Ford W. Savela Legacy of Kindness Scholarships to three students.

Thank you to our Mira Costa PTSA for awarding the most scholarships to thirty-two students.

Click image for full list of scholarships

The donors have different criteria for their awards, which may include a particular major, strong community service, or specific interests. Congratulations to all of the recipients! Students begin the scholarship notebook process in early spring, and donors start reviewing them in March. The notebook includes students' transcripts, resumes, and autobiographies. 

The Mira Costa College and Career Center counselors are always looking for donors to participate in the Scholarship Program. If you or your organization is interested in becoming a donor, contact Shellee Gabrych at sgabrych@mbusd.org. The CCC is closed for the summer, but you will receive a response as soon as possible. Thank you to all of the donors! Click here for more pictures.

Thank you to Heidi Snively for 25 years of service to MBUSD!

The Grand View and MBUSD communities came together to celebrate Mrs. Heidi Snively during her retirement ceremony hosted by the Grand View community, which brought current and former MBUSD families together to share the impact she has made. 

Parents shared touching stories about how Mrs. Snively has truly been the heart and soul of Grand View. They spoke of her deep connection with students, noting how she made a difference in every child’s life who passed through her library doors. Her library was more than a place for books; it was a gathering space during lunch and recess, even for parents and staff. 

She was also recognized for her warm and welcoming presence, as well as her unwavering support of students. She took the time to get to know them truly and kept in touch long after they moved on from Grand View Elementary. Over the years, she also authored the Gator Gazette and led Kids Corner, an after-school, student-run newspaper.

Longtime library volunteer Melissa Overholt shared, “Thank you, not for just the impact you have on our children, but as us parents and community members dedicated to making this a better place for our children, you set the standard we all aspire to…thank you for building a space where our children feel seen, safe, and above all encouraged to be themselves and that they are enough.”

Mrs. Snively said that she had fifty volunteers this year, who contributed more than 700 hours to the library. She thanked her family and all of the principals who supported her over the years. She reflected, “Reading is so important. We read non-fiction to learn about the world, and we read fiction to learn about why the world matters. Our literature serves as a mirror and as a window.”



We wish Mrs. Snively the best as she embarks on this new chapter! Her legacy at Grand View will be felt for years to come. We also want to thank all of our retirees this year for their commitment to MBUSD.

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Ford Savela 

This week, the Mustang community came to remember and celebrate the life of Ford Savela. A beautiful Western Redbud tree and plaque were unveiled this week in his honor on the Mira Costa campus near where Ford and his friends spent many lunches and breaks together. Dr. Jennifer Huynh, during the event, shared that she hopes “the tree will grow tall and proud, as Ford did when he was on the Costa campus.”

Ford’s science teacher, Ms. Rebecca Ford, and Astrophysics students honored his legacy by dedicating a star in his name and gifting this to the Savela family. 

“We miss him deeply. We find comfort in remembering his quiet smile and sense of humour. We remember the intellectualism he brought to the class.” 

During the event, Ford was remembered for his kindness, empathy, and intelligence. Many shared stories about the lasting impact he had on their lives. The special tribute was made possible by the Costa administration, staff, parents, and PTSA. Our thoughts and condolences continue to be with the Savela family.

Thank you, MBPD

Thank you to the Manhattan Beach Police Department for hosting the annual festive hot dog BBQ on campus in celebration of our graduating class! Students enjoyed a fun afternoon of games, lunch, and the chance to connect with our local heroes.

Officers from various divisions joined the event, including our dedicated School Resource Officers, Michael Hamilton and Donovan Torres. We are grateful for everything our School Resource Officers and the entire MBPD do throughout the year to keep our schools and community safe!

Aeries App

We’d like to remind families about the many helpful features available in the Aeries app. You can access Aeries through our District website or download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The Aeries Parent Portal allows you to view important student information, including report cards, state test scores, contact details, notifications, and more.

For MBMS and Mira Costa families: To find your student’s counselor, click on "More" in the app, then select "Demographics." From there, click on "Profile." The counselor’s name will be listed on that page.

This is the last Superintendent’s Newsletter of the school year! Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Once again, wishing you a relaxing and joyful summer! I look forward to the next school year.



Sincerely, 

Manhattan Beach Unified School District

325 S. Peck Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345