Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

We have had an incredible school year and are ending on a high note, thanks to our MBUSD community! This includes the work of the Board of Trustees, Cabinet, administrators, teachers, staff, engaged parents, and dedicated community members who all continue to support our students and their success. Your dedication to one another and educational excellence is appreciated. 



I also want to thank MBEF and MBX for their ongoing commitment to our students and staff.

Our families are integral to student success, and I am grateful for your partnership. Your active involvement plays a vital role in supporting our District and our students.

The 2022-23 school year was filled with remarkable achievements, growth, and memorable moments, which were featured in this newsletter throughout the year. Our seniors received renowned scholarships for their accomplishments, including the Southern California Edison International STEM Scholarship and the Amazon Future Engineers Scholarship. This year, eleven Mira Costa seniors were named 2023 National Merit Scholarship finalists.

Our schools were named California Distinguished Schools, and we are the first school district in the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) region to have successfully earned designation as a No Place for Hate® at each of our campuses. We hosted our 2nd Annual Social and Emotional Learning Week and celebrated historical milestones, including our Mira Costa Cheer team, who earned the CIF Championship title and finished 2nd place in the nation.

I am continually grateful to lead this great school district. I wish you all a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer break! I look forward to the coming school year.



Today’s issue highlights graduations across our District, the newest “We Are MBUSD” feature, and two MBMS students winning in the national Invention Convention competition! 

We are very proud of all our students who graduated and were promoted this week. Celebrating this milestone and achievements with families and friends during ceremonies was truly memorable.

Our students received top honors this year and were recognized nationally for academics, STEAM, athletics, the arts, and environmental initiatives. They traveled the country and the world to showcase their talents. The Class of 2023 accomplished everything due to their dedication and hard work.

We can’t wait to see what our 573 graduates will achieve next!

Our graduating class earned Magna (3.8 - 3.99) and Summa Cum (4.0+) Laude honors.

There were 90 Magna Cum Laude and 209 Summa Cum Laude recipients. I hope our graduates are proud of everything they have accomplished as they embark on their new chapter!

Check out some of the highlights from the big day!

You can watch the graduation live stream here.

Class of 2023 College Map

Click the college map below to find out where our seniors are heading next!

Congratulations to our 2023 CHOICE Program Graduates!

I attended the MCHS CHOICE Program graduation ceremony this week! Congratulations to Thomas Byrne and Dylan Wyse for completing the program! 

CHOICE is a young adult special education program for students transitioning from school to the working world. The community-based program provides our students with real-world work experience, vocational training, and life skills. The focus is to guide young adults to become their best selves. 

During the ceremony, Ms. Lareina Rodriguez shared that Thomas is a kind, sincere, and a genuine friend to his classmates. He promotes joy and happiness to everyone he meets. Thomas joined CHOICE last spring. 

The next graduate to be honored was Dylan, who is attending UCLA next fall. He began CHOICE in 2017 and was known to be thoughtful and creative in the program. Lareina shared that he displays compassion and strives to be a leader for inclusivity. 

Teacher Chuck Fox made the ceremony extra special as he performed a song requested by each graduate. Thank you to our CHOICE staff for their dedication to our students and their success. We are so proud of our graduates and wish them the best of luck! 

Go Waves! MBMS Class of 2023!

Grand View

Meadows

Pacific

Pennekamp

Robinson

Strand Stroll

After graduation, the Class of 2023 participated in the annual tradition of the Strand Stroll. Families and loved ones gathered along the strand to cheer on the graduates as they walked from 22nd Street in Hermosa Beach to the Manhattan Beach Pier for a final send-off! 

Senior Recognition of Scholarships and Awards

This event is the culmination of the Scholarship Notebook Program. Thirty-four community donors awarded our seniors with 187 scholarships that total more than $234,000! 

Congratulations to all of the recipients. Students begin the scholarship notebook process in the early spring, and donors start reviewing it in April. The notebook includes their transcripts, resumes, and an autobiography. The donors have different criteria for their awards that range from a particular major, strong community service, and specific interests, to name a few. 

The Mira Costa College and Career Center counselors are always looking for donors to be part of the Scholarship Program. If you are interested, please contact College and Career Counselor Ruth Robles.

Manhattan Beach Police Department (MBPD) Honor Graduates with Annual BBQ 

Thank you to the Manhattan Beach Police Department for hosting our graduating class's annual festive hot dog BBQ on campus. Students had the opportunity to bond with local heroes by playing games and eating lunch.

There were nearly 20 officers representing each division of the department, as well as civilian staff from the Records Division and PD volunteers. School Resource Officers Michael Hamilton and Donovan Torres say the event is a rite of passage for seniors and also a token of appreciation from the police department to the graduating class. 

We appreciate everything our School Resource Officers have done to keep our campus and students safe!

Meadows Elementary Senior Send-Off Spirit Assembly

60 former Meadows Mustangs who graduated this week visited Meadows during their spirit assembly. The students shared with current Meadows students where they plan to go to college and their favorite memory in elementary school. Mustangs also had the opportunity to ask seniors questions, and graduates gave them advice!

The tradition brought parents from across the District together. Meadows Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Mascari, and Meadows Classified Employee of the Year, Teri Anderson, were honored during the assembly. 

Meadows Library Specialist Chris Primm, who has served MBUSD for more than 17 years, had an emotional surprise send-off as all of the students and former Meadows alums brought a book to the assembly to hold up to show their gratitude for how much of a difference she made in their lives. 

We Are MBUSD Feature: Claire Koerber

We are excited to continue our We Are MBUSD video series! In the feature below, we shine the spotlight on Claire Koerber, a Mira Costa student who shares her journey as a Mustang.

Wyatt Newbill and Charlotte Fan Win 1st Place at National Invention Convention

Congratulations to Wyatt Newbill and Charlotte Fan for winning 1st place in the 8th grade category at the Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention U.S. Nationals at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan.  

Wyatt and Charlotte’s invention Terreus impressed the judges so much that they won three awards! Terreus is a 100% biodegradable substitute for Styrofoam which solves the problem of microplastic use that is harmful to our environment. It is made from four simple materials that are sustainable and eco-friendly. It is strong enough for packaging and doesn’t harm wildlife and humans. To add to their accolades, the students also won an award for their excellent work in their Logbook for Inventor’s Journal and the Licensing Potential Award. 

Their product Terreus has two main competitors, but neither is entirely biodegradable. Only 335 inventors from across California moved on the nationals. The students competed in three Invention Convention competitions before going to nationals, and now they will compete at the Global Invention Convention. Congratulations to our students! 

Students Finish Strong the School Year Strong with STEM Project

7th and 8th graders in Haley Petruescu’s class completed their last project of the year! They combined what they learned during their previous unit, which was studying STEM in sports and creating a helmet to protect the “brain” with the current electricity unit. Petruescu says they were tasked to develop a wearable communication device for an athlete with a circuit with at least one LED and one switch. It can be taken on/off while withstanding different exercises without falling off. There were also designed 3D parts for their devices. 

Mira Costa Students Receive the Highest Honor from the Girl Scouts



Last week, we recognized Costa student Lia DeFonce-Martini for being named one of the Girl Scouts Greater Los Angeles Gold Award recipients. Seven more students have also been awarded this recognition. Join me in congratulating Jordan Karambelas, Molly Gin, Samantha Gin, Mollie O’Grady, Katherine Mueller, Aleena Parikh, and Drew Vranesh. You can learn about their projects here. 

The Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious in Girl Scouting and is only given to the less than 6% of Girl Scouts. The achievement represents many months of work addressing areas of critical need throughout the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond. The award requires spending at least 80 hours of planning and implementing a challenging, large-scale project that is innovative, engages others, and has a lasting impact on its targeted community that can be measured. 

Collectively, the 212 Girl Scouts who received this honor provided 20,496 hours of service towards projects that sustainably impact communities. We are very proud of their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. 

School Supplies Information

MBUSD does not require students to purchase their own supplies each year. While the District appreciates families who choose to provide supplies for their students, MBUSD ensures that all school supplies are provided to our students at no cost.

We are Enrolling! 

Join our District! MBUSD is a destination district that offers award-winning programs, personalized learning, excellence in teaching, and opportunities for college and career success. Some of the highlights of our programming include music and STEAM, starting in elementary.

For the 2023-2024 school year, children who turn five years old between September 2, 2023, and April 2, 2024, will be eligible to enroll in Transitional Kindergarten. MBUSD is following the State of California’s Transitional Kindergarten expansion program recommendations for the 2023–24 school year. Students are eligible for TK if they turn 5 years old between September 2, 2023, and April 2, 2024.



MBUSD will work with families to determine the best grade-level placement for students matriculating from a five-year-old preschool or Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program (students entering MBUSD at age five or six who have not yet completed a Kindergarten program). Kindergarten placement will be allowed for these students. Any student, regardless of age, who has completed Kindergarten will be enrolled in Grade 1 unless an appropriately documented Kindergarten Continuation Meeting has resulted in a recommendation for another year of kindergarten. This practice will be updated to align with any State of California attendance regulation changes. 

Learn more about enrollment here!

Join the MBUSD Family!

We are hiring classified and certificated staff. We’re looking for individuals with a passion for helping students discover the joys of learning and creating a safe and engaging learning environment. If you are looking for a meaningful career with excellent benefits, flexibility, and stability, MBUSD is the place for you! 

Click the links below to learn about the variety of MBUSD job openings currently available.

Classified Job Opportunities

Certificated Job Opportunities

Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,