Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. Today’s issue highlights Grand View Elementary, MBUSD Teachers of the Year, and Pacific Elementary's designation as a California Distinguished School.

Spotlight on Grand View Elementary (Special Thanks to the Kindergarten Team and Principal Tara Grings) 

Kindergarten teachers at Grand View Elementary School recently hosted a heartwarming celebration of a day in the life of a Kindergartener during Open House. Among the many delightful projects on display, one standout was inspired by the book The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald. In this touching story, students reflect on what makes them unique by describing their favorite feature and why it holds special meaning.

After reading the book, Grand View’s young learners had the opportunity to share their favorite parts of themselves. The project featured a personal writing piece alongside a close-up black-and-white photo of each child’s favorite feature. During Open House, the children proudly presented their work to their families, explaining what made their chosen traits so special to them. The evening was filled with pride, joy, and meaningful connections—a true highlight for everyone!

Staff Spotlight: Letty Salceda | MB Preschool Office Manager

Letty Salceda serves as the Office Manager at Manhattan Beach Preschool and has been a dedicated MBUSD staff member since 2008. In her role, she plays a vital part in helping families navigate the preschool enrollment process. Letty guides them through enrollment and provides valuable information about the school’s programs, events, and extracurricular activities.

Throughout her tenure, Letty has served as an office specialist at MBMS, Pennekamp, Grand View, and now at the Preschool. “It’s been a great experience working with so many professional, kind, and hard-working individuals at MBUSD. Amazing teamwork is what I have encountered through my many years at MBUSD,” Letty shared.

Before joining MBUSD, Letty worked with children as an aide and later as an elementary teacher for LAUSD. Her passion for working in schools has always made her feel at home, and she deeply values the meaningful connections she has built with both her colleagues and her own family.



One of her favorite parts of the day is exchanging cheerful "Good Mornings!" with office staff, parents, and sleepy preschoolers. “I love meeting new and anxious families as they begin their exciting school journey and seeing the transformation of experienced and relaxed families at the end of our school year.”

Outside of work, Letty cherishes spending time with her loved ones.

Congratulations to our MBUSD Teacher of the Year Honorees!

Our educators are the heart of our District, and it’s always an honor to recognize our school site Teachers of the Year! The honorees from all eight of our schools have been selected. Congratulations! Thank you for your dedication to our students and families. 

Each year, school site administrators select one teacher from a group of peer-nominated candidates. These eight Teachers of the Year are then interviewed and observed by a team of District administrators. From this group, one exceptional educator is chosen to represent MBUSD in the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Teachers of the Year competition.

This competition is the largest in the state and is part of the oldest and most prestigious honors program for public school teachers in the United States. Next week, we will be announcing our District Classified Employees of the Year!

MCHS Drama/Tech’s Spring Musical BRIGHT STAR Cast Performance

The talented cast of Mira Costa’s BRIGHT STAR gave us an exciting preview of their upcoming spring musical at this week’s Board meeting. The award-winning MCHS Drama/Tech department show will debut on April 25, and tickets went on sale today!

BRIGHT STAR tells a sweeping tale of love and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 40s. When literary editor Alice Murphy meets a young soldier just home from World War II, he awakens her longing for the child she once lost. Haunted by their unique connection, Alice sets out on a journey to understand her past—and what she finds has the power to transform both of their lives. With beautiful melodies and powerfully moving characters, the story unfolds as a rich tapestry of deep emotion. An uplifting theatrical journey that holds you tightly in its grasp, BRIGHT STAR is as refreshingly genuine as daringly hopeful.

You can purchase tickets here.

PTA Reflections Program Winners Honored 

The Manhattan Beach PTA Council recognized the 2024-25 Reflections Art Program winners at this week’s Board meeting. Students from across the District submitted creative works inspired by this year’s theme, “Accepting Imperfection.” The program featured entries in six categories: Visual Arts, Literature, Music Composition, Film, Dance, and Photography. Reflections offers students a meaningful opportunity to express themselves while receiving positive recognition for their artistic and creative talents. We appreciate our PTAs for supporting this program annually.

Congratulations to the following students: 

We also want to recognize the students who received awards at the PTA 33rd District level competition:

• David Unatin | Award of Excellence, 1st in Literature (MBMS)
• Shailen Patel | Honorable Mention, 3rd in Photography (MBMS)
• Emerson Kolodinsky | Award of Merit, 2nd in Primary Visual Art (Pennekamp)

Pacific 5th Graders Visit Museum of Tolerance

Annually, our students across the District experience an educational opportunity at the Museum of Tolerance. This week, 5th graders from Pacific Elementary participated in the Steps to Tolerance Tour, thanks to the MBEF historical literature and cultural experience grant, which sponsors this visit. This unique, interactive, educational museum experience, designed for 5th and 6th-grade students, is a bullying prevention program that takes place in the museum’s Youth Action Lab. They learn an age-appropriate introduction to Holocaust history and discuss current issues, including school bullying. 

Students act as “Explorers” and connect historical events to contemporary issues of respect and responsibility at school and in the community. Some of the powerful experiences during the tour included students examining Holocaust artifacts and photographs, investigating the roles of perpetrators, targets, bystanders, and allies in conflict situations, and voicing their opinions in an interactive bully prevention workshop.

Pacific Named a 2025 CA Distinguished School

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that Pacific Elementary is one of 336 elementary schools selected for the prestigious 2025 California Distinguished Schools Program. Congratulations, Panthers!

The program honors schools in two categories: closing the achievement gap and demonstrating exceptional student performance. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), this award “remains one of the state’s most important ways to celebrate exceptional schools, districts, teachers, and classified employees for their innovation, talent, and success in supporting students.”

Thanks to Pacific’s educators, staff, and Principal Amanda Vavao for their continuous efforts and dedication to student success, which made this honor possible!

The CDE selects California Distinguished Schools by evaluating multiple measures outlined in the California School Dashboard (Dashboard). The 2024 selections were based on data reported through the Dashboard, highlighting schools that demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, consistent growth, and a commitment to fostering a positive school climate. 

The California Distinguished Schools Program alternates annually between elementary and middle/high schools. Schools that earn this distinction hold the title for two years. All MBUSD schools have previously been recognized as CA Distinguished Schools.

MCHS Scholar Quiz Finals!

The exciting week-long Scholar Quiz competition culminated with a heated match between the White Team, led by Daniel Greenberg, and the Green Team, led by Alex Bindler. After answering 52 questions, covering a wide variety of topics, such as history, math, literature, science, and geography to name a few, Team Greenberg won with 225 points. 

During the championship, MCHS English teacher Nicole Wachell was the reader, and the flag judge was Executive Director of MBX Heather Interian. Scorers were Angie Smith, Nicole Shepley, and Summer Sheets from the Mira Costa PTSA. 

This year, the beloved tradition had 256 student participants on 64 teams, and more than 150 school, parent, alumni, and community volunteers participated. Thank you to everyone who made the event memorable, including PTSA and Study Hut. PTSA provided commemorative plaques and cash awards for the semi-finalists and finalists. Study Hut supplied all the competitive questions for the tournament and commemorative t-shirts for the top 32 teams.

Thank you to the Scholar Quiz Committee Co-Chairs, Angie Smith, Nicole Shepley, and other committee members Amy Bindler, Brandi Greenberg, Nancy Hesterberg, Stacy Myrose, and Summer Sheets!

Elementary Honor Music Groups Compete in Festival

The district-wide elementary Honor Band, Strings, and Choir recently showcased their talents at the Forum Festival, earning top ratings from the judges. The Honor Band and Strings received gold ratings, placing them among the top 10% of bands in their category nationwide. The Honor Choir also had an impressive performance receiving a silver rating. This marks the tenth consecutive gold rating for the Honor Band.



A special congratulations to the tuba section, which received the Outstanding Musicianship Award. Thank you to Mr. Tim Nail, Elementary Band Director; Ms. Megan Letky, Strings Director; and Ms. Ellen Christensen, Elementary Choir Director, for their dedication and guidance to our students.

Celebrating Cultures - Join Us! The deadline is April 4

We are still looking for MBUSD families to share their cultural heritage through food, dance, clothing, art, games, and music for our Celebrating Cultures: A Journey Around the World - International Day 2025.

The special event brings MBUSD students and their families together to celebrate the many cultural traditions that make our school District so vibrant! Don't miss this chance to experience the richness of our community and build meaningful connections. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this interest form.

In Case You Missed It: Early Literacy Skills Webinar

You can watch the recording here if you could not attend this week’s webinar hosted by the Educational Services Department. The session focused on strategies to support early literacy skills and was designed for families with TK through 3rd-grade students.

Watch Video: MCHS Senior Maia Rocha Receives Edison International’s $50,000 Scholarship 

In last week’s Superintendent’s Newsletter, we brought you news that Mira Costa senior Maia Rocha has been named an Edison International Scholar. The prestigious Edison Scholars Program recognizes students who want to be the makers of tomorrow.

This year, Edison International is awarding 30 high school seniors out of 632 applicants with $50,000 college scholarships to support their pursuit of dreams in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) and empower them to change the world. 

This marks the fourth consecutive year an MCHS senior has received an Edison scholarship. Congratulations, Maia!

Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi Hosts Beach Cities E-Bike Town Hall

Last weekend, we participated in Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi’s Beach Cities E-Bike Resource Expo, which took place before the community town hall. Our neighboring school districts, Beach Cities Health District, and e-bike program partners, E-Bike Sense and PedalAce, took part in the event. Thank you to Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi for inviting us.

156 MBUSD Students Participate in the Neptunian Woman's Club Art Show

Congratulations to all students honored recently at the Neptunian Woman's Club 45th Annual Art & Photography Show!

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on April 4. Have a wonderful weekend!



Sincerely, 

Manhattan Beach Unified School District

325 S. Peck Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345