Superintendent's Newsletter
May 20, 2022
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Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,
I hope this letter finds you well. Today’s newsletter highlights Pacific Elementary School, Annual International Day taking place this weekend, Mira Costa students leading the City of MB initiative on e-bike safety, and the District’s Classified Employee of the Year!
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Spotlight on Pacific Elementary (Special thanks to Mrs. Schnebly, Mrs. Witlen, and Principal Rhonda Steinberg)
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The second graders at Pacific Elementary performed the play, "Pirates from Grammar Island.”
It is full of information, clever song lyrics, and (of course) silly jokes that all reinforce our grammar curriculum. In addition to covering key grammar concepts, the play helps students improve their reading fluency, vocabulary development, reading comprehension, performance, music skills, class camaraderie, teamwork, and numerous social skills all while enabling them to be part of a truly fun and creative experience they will never forget!
With a map in one hand and a dictionary in the other, these brigands scour uncharted waters for grammatical gold: complete sentences, parts of speech, types of sentences, contractions, subject-verb agreement, pronouns, synonyms/antonyms, correct punctuation, and capitalization.
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Congratulations to our
District Classified Employee of the Year:
Jerry King
In honor of Classified Employee Week, we are celebrating all of our dedicated classified staff who help keep our schools running smoothly. We are grateful for more than 400 Manhattan Beach Unified classified employees who support our District.
At this week’s Board meeting, the Classified Employees of the Year from each school site, the District Office, Food and Nutrition Services, and Maintenance and Operations were recognized in person by their supervisors.
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We also made the big announcement that the District Classified Employee of the Year is Jerry King! Mr. King is the lead custodian at Robinson Elementary and has served the District for 23 years.
We are so grateful for Mr. King's support and commitment to our students, families, and community.
Congratulations to all of our nominees!
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Thank you to our 2021-22 PTA Presidents
Our current PTA Presidents from each school site were also honored for their dedication to MBUSD.
The PTAs of the Manhattan Beach Unified School District are an incredible force for good for the students and employees of MBUSD. PTA members log thousands of volunteer hours in support of our schools and provide essential funding to enhance school operations and opportunities for our students. The leaders of our PTAs exemplify the very best of what our PTAs are all about.
These are amazing leaders who make great things happen in our schools, and they have earned our admiration, appreciation, and gratitude.
The Board acknowledged the following leaders for their tireless work on behalf of the students and employees of MBUSD!
PRESIDENTS:
Heather de Roos, Mira Costa High School
Katie Gunther and Pennie Stepczyk, Manhattan Beach Middle School
Jen Cram and Jessica Vanzura, Grand View
Kimberly Rosenfeld and Michele Graeler, Meadows
Jennifer Gale and Patricia Doumeng, Pacific
Anna Bargagliotti and Angie Smith, Pennekamp
Jenny Nugent and Yea-Lan Chiang, Robinson
Wysh Weinstein, President, and Erin Levin, Vice President, MBUSD PTA Council
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MBUSD Partners with the City of MB to Promote E-Bike Safety
May is National Bike Safety Month and the City of Manhattan Beach launched its e-bike safety and awareness program this week encouraging everyone to participate in e-bike safety through its “Ride Safe, Ride Ready" campaign.
In partnership with our District and the Manhattan Beach Police Department, the initiative will focus on educating, engaging, and enforcing e-bike safety, accident prevention, and general e-bike preparedness in the City.
At a recent City Council meeting, Mira Costa High School students Alex Chun and Justin Newman expressed interest in this initiative and created the first in a series of e-bike safety videos!
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5th Annual International Day is TOMORROW! Join us!
There will be food, music, and performances representing 22 countries!
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Uniting Together to Combat Hate Speech
We continue to address unfortunate hate speech and cyberbullying in our community. In addition to the social media posts described in last week’s Newsletter, disturbing and unacceptable racist and sexist images were shared on social media platforms involving some of our middle school students. We are taking these incidents very seriously and will not tolerate any form of hatred.
MBUSD is committed to working with our students and our community to stand with our students who may feel targeted by these acts and to ensure that they know that they are valued, cared for, and supported. We are hopeful that these unfortunate incidents can lead to positive change within our school community, but this can only happen through fostering conversations at home and on campus.
We must improve our outreach and education. We must use these moments to educate our students on the context behind discriminatory actions, and why they are so hurtful. I ask all parents to discuss with your student(s) your family's expectations and rules for student use of social media. Let's come together to reinforce responsible behaviors. Please review with them that there are consequences for unacceptable behavior, including suspension from school and the involvement of law enforcement. If you see unacceptable social media posts please report those to the app provider. Also, we are asking all parents to sit down with your student(s) and review their google account, email, and digital content this weekend.
We know students contributing to these incidents are better than this conduct. I know together we can unite to be more welcoming and inclusive, and teach our students how to counter prejudice and racism when it occurs by speaking out.
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Pacific Student Qualifies for the National Invention Convention
We brought you news in March that Pacific 5th grader Gretchen Meyer was selected as a finalist in the regional Invention Convention competition for her unique invention of an online concierge service called "Make me Romantic."
She was invited to compete in the state competition and now has qualified for the National Invention Convention competition in Dearborn, Michigan!
Good luck!
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Gretchen's online concierge service |
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Los Angeles County Office of Education Regional Superintendent Meeting at Mira Costa High School
We were honored to host this meeting that brought Superintendents across the region to our high school for the event. Many also joined us virtually to learn and discuss the latest updates from LACOE.
The meeting started with a wonderful performance by the Mira Costa High School Jazz Band.
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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Meadows Elementary parents brought to life a one-of-a-kind event recently to share a piece of Manhattan Beach History while also offering an interactive experience to the community. At the AAPI event, Board of Trustees members, City leaders, students, and community members came together to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
There were student speakers who shared the importance of history, musical performances, and keynote speaker Mary Uyematsu Kao, an artist, activist, and granddaughter of Francis and Kuni Uyematsu, who used to own the land where Mira Costa is now located, shared her experiences as a Japanese American.
There were educational booths providing attendees the opportunity to learn more about the history and highlighting the contributions made by AAPI leaders.
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Mental Health Awareness Fairs to Support Students
During Student Mental Health Awareness Week, community mental health providers came out to MBMS and MCHS to show support for our students by offering an interactive experience for students to learn about their wellness. Some offered a prize after a spin wheel and others practiced deep breathing exercises to reduce anxiety. Students walked through the outdoor fair and were able to collect information and practice asking for help.
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Mira Costa Community Stem Night Coming up Next Week
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.
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Budget Corner
It’s a very busy time of year in the Business Services department as we finalize in the months of May and June our 2022-23 budget. The annual District budget approval process involves a series of steps and is highly dependent upon the actions of the California State Legislature and Governor.
At our Board meeting Wednesday, I reported on the recent Budget Advisory Committee meeting and the work accomplished to identify the potential impact of the additional revenue that the passage of the Measure A parcel tax on the June 7 ballot would bring to MBUSD.
Specific potential priorities for use of Measure A funds include:
- Hiring qualified and experienced teachers to help to maintain manageable class sizes and provide individualized instruction for students
- Expanding course offerings, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)
- Keeping textbooks and other instructional materials, including digital resources and library collections, up-to-date
- Providing additional mental health counseling and support for students
- Providing professional development and collaboration time for all staff
You can learn more about the 2022-23 budget by attending or tuning in to our Board meeting’s Budget Workshop this Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. The Budget Workshop will be a time when the public can interact with the Board of Trustees to discuss budget priorities and provide input on the development of next year’s budget. You can also attend or tune in to the June 1 Board meeting where work will continue finalizing the District budget.
Our 2022-23 MBUSD budget is scheduled for review and adoption at our June 22 and June 23 Board meetings - I hope you can tune in!
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Nominate an MCHS Alum into the Distinguished Hall of Fame -
Deadline is May 27!
You can submit a nomination honoring outstanding Mira Costa High School Alumni who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to their careers, life endeavors, and the communities and country they serve.
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Purchase Presale Tickets for Mira Costa Orchestras 20th Anniversary Celebration
MBUSD families have the opportunity to purchase tickets starting May 29 before the general public.
Tickets are on sale online or you can call to purchase. The presale code is mbusdfam.
Click flyer for more information!
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2022 Summer Expanded Learning Opportunities Interest Forms NOW Open
ELO Enrichment Interest Forms are open for grades TK-11. These are enriching courses taught by MBUSD teachers and staff on topics of their choice and interest. They are designed to spark students' excitement for learning and moving up to the next grade level.
Dates: June 27-July 21, 2022 | Monday-Thursday
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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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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 27.
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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