Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well! In today’s issue, we are highlighting Grand View Elementary, the last chance to watch Mira Costa’s fall production, Anatomy of Gray, and Mira Costa’s Fall Signing Day!

Spotlight on Grand View (Special Thanks to the Fifth Grade Team, Teryn Burrows, Robyn Relph Glasgow, Deborah Kinzer, and Principal Tara Grings)

At Grand View, fifth-grade students have been developing their geography skills through various activities and exercises that enhance their understanding of locations, physical features, maps, and global connections. Students took a virtual field trip to one of our national parks, where they observed these areas' physical and cultural geographies. They were then given the opportunity to think like cartographers and design their own map of a fictional country, in which they practiced scale, symbols, and map legend creation. 

Thinking like cartographers involved developing a spatial mindset and understanding how to represent and interpret geographic information. The fifth graders had fun improving their geographic literacy and developing a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

Staff Spotlight: Paul Ruta | Director of Facilities and Maintenance

Paul Ruta joined MBUSD in 2008 as the Director of Maintenance and Operations. He was integral in overseeing bond measure BB, which included new construction and renovations at Mira Costa High School, while also managing daily maintenance operations for all MBUSD schools. His role evolved to Director of Facilities and Maintenance, involving leadership in subsequent bond projects like Measures C and EE. Paul is eager to contribute to future renovations and improvements across the district.

Before joining MBUSD, Paul worked in construction as a developer in the residential sector in the beach cities. He also spent eight years at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, participating as part of the renovation team during a significant hotel transformation.

Paul’s favorite aspect of his job is the strong sense of community at MBUSD. He values being part of the Maintenance & Operations team, a supportive group always ready to help each other out when needed. He says the collaborative spirit extends to the district office, where staff goes above and beyond to offer support.

As a resident of the South Bay, Paul was drawn to MBUSD by Manhattan Beach's inviting, small-town feel and desire to contribute to the local community. Outside of work, Paul enjoys working on automobiles, riding motorcycles, and taking road trips with his family. An interesting fact about him is that he became a U.S. citizen in 1975 after his parents sought political asylum in America, having fled communist Czechoslovakia.

Buy Tickets for Anatomy of Gray - Three More Shows Left!

Don't miss the chance to experience Mira Costa Drama/Tech’s award-winning fall production, Anatomy of Gray, tonight and this weekend. Tickets are still on sale! The play by Jim Leonard Jr. is set in Indiana during the late 1800s and explores themes of death, loss, love, and healing through a unique coming-of-age story. 

Join us in supporting our talented staff and students and secure your tickets today! The final three performances take place:

Friday, November 15, 2024 | 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Mira Costa’s Drama/Tech Department is nationally recognized for its outstanding theatre curriculum. The Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) honored it as one of only twelve high schools in the U.S. to receive this prestigious distinction for the 2023-2026 school years. Come and see why!

Congratulations to the Anatomy of Gray Staff and Students! 

This week, we also learned that the Anatomy of Gray production received the highest possible rating from the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA). The adjudicators who have attended so far have given it perfect scores in all twelve acting categories, all six directing categories, and all thirteen technical categories. Bravo!

The Mira Costa Drama/Tech Department and students also received a superior rating for last year’s fall production, Peter and The Starcatcher.

Veterans from the Robinson Community Share their Stories

Students and staff at Robinson Elementary gathered on November 8 for a special Veterans Day assembly, celebrating parents and Robinson community members who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The event featured patriotic songs such as an “America the Beautiful” performance by the Riptonze, with Robinson Principal Katie Cavallaro joining in on the violin.

Students introduced each veteran speaker throughout the assembly, who shared their personal stories and experiences. The event gave students insight into military life, the role of the Armed Forces, and the deep-rooted military history of Manhattan Beach. The honored speakers included:



• Lieutenant Mariano Long, United States Space Force

• Specialist Tom Williams, United States Army

• Lieutenant Colonel David Hillshafer, United States Air Force

• Lieutenant Colonel Cory Pike, United States Air Force Reserves



We thank them and all current and former Armed Forces members for their service and sacrifice.

Complimentary Los Angeles Kings Tickets

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 full list of games and instructions on redeeming your tickets here. 

An email with details on how tickets can be redeemed was sent out Thursday this week to all staff and families. Every student and staff member received a unique code that can only be used once. (Student codes were sent to parents/guardians.) We hope you take advantage of this wonderful offer! Go, Kings, Go!

MCHS Celebrates Athletes on Fall Signing Day 

Mira Costa’s state-of-the-art gym was filled with excitement as family, coaches, and students gathered to celebrate fifteen outstanding student-athletes during Fall Signing Day this week. Students sat proudly in a row as their coaches shared stories about their time at Costa, revealing where they are headed next for athletics and academics. Once the coaches finished presenting their athletes, each student made it official by signing their commitment to play their sport at the collegiate level! 

We want to congratulate our remarkable students on this milestone:

Harrison Belden - University of Chicago - Baseball

Ellie Black - University of California Davis (UC Davis) - Beach Volleyball

Fred Brown - Emory University - Swimming

Andrew Chapin - University of Southern California (USC) - Indoor Volleyball

McKenna Cooper - University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) - Soccer

Taylor Deckert - University of Southern California (USC) - Indoor Volleyball

Kate Donnelly - University of California Davis (UC Davis) - Lacrosse

Sophie Guitron - Keiser University - Flag Football

Win Gurney - Oregon State University - Baseball

Connor Jones - Arizona State University - Baseball

Cooper Keane - University of Southern California (USC) - Indoor Volleyball

Mia Komsky - University of Oregon - Beach Volleyball

Alisa Lansky - University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) - Tennis 

Emily Pfaff - Loyola Marymount University (LMU) - Beach Volleyball

Lucas Schermer - University of California Irvine (UCI) - Baseball

Wednesday, November 13, marked National Signing Day across the nation.

Go, Mira Costa Cheer!

Mira Costa High School Cheer showcased its exceptional talent and dedication this past weekend at the UCA Southern California Regional, held at the Mira Costa High School Athletic Complex. This prestigious event, which qualifies for the 2025 National High School Cheerleading Championship, drew 65 competitive teams from across the region.

Competing fiercely in both the Medium Varsity Traditional and Super Varsity Game Day divisions, Mira Costa’s cheer teams demonstrated impressive skill and precision. Their hard work paid off, as they secured second place in both categories, earning qualifying bids for the national championship, which will take place in February.

“I am so proud of both teams and their commitment to representing Mira Costa and the South Bay community at this event. We are in a new division this year, and their routine this year has the most difficulty in Costa Cheer history,” said Coach Travis Neese.

The cheer teams are set to compete in the CIF Southern Section Championship in January. Congratulations! 

MBEF EXPO and Giving Day

MBEF EXPOs are ongoing across our elementary campuses, giving parents a firsthand look at the enriching learning opportunities made possible by donations to the MBEF Annual Appeal. Parents, guardians, and grandparents have been visiting school libraries, MakerSpace, music and P.E. classes, and science labs since the beginning of November!

Mark your calendars for MBEF’s annual Giving Day next Wednesday, November 20! On this special day, our community partner, Chevron, will generously match every donation or pledge that meets the ASK to the MBEF Annual Appeal.

MBUSD School News Publication

Click here for the issue!

Visit to the City of Manhattan Beach Older Adults Program 

This week, I had the pleasure of visiting the Older Adults Program at the Joslyn Center, where I shared updates on MBUSD's latest initiatives and achievements. We covered topics such as the No Place for Hate^® Program, the E-Bike initiative, and the Superintendent’s Educational Technology Advisory Committee during our discussion. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage with the older adult community and address their questions about what’s happening in MBUSD.

“All About Herbs” Garden Lesson by BCHD

A special partnership between Pacific Elementary and Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) continues to grow and educate students about gardens. This week, Pacific Panthers participated in their second garden lesson, focusing on the importance and various uses of herbs and spices. In the school garden, students currently have a range of herbs, including oregano, rosemary, lavender, basil, mint, and thyme. 

After the lesson, students engage in planting, weeding, and watering the garden. As part of the partnership, after students leave the garden, the BCHD team remains to assist the Pacific Green team by performing gardening work. This is the first year these lessons have been implemented, made possible thanks to Mishell Balzer, BCHD garden education coordinator; Pacific parent and garden chair Zisha Yamano; and parent Kim Friesl. Mishell and Zisha also serve on the MBUSD Green Committee. Next month’s lesson will highlight composting!

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on November 22. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely, 

Manhattan Beach Unified School District

325 S. Peck Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345