Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,



I hope this newsletter finds you well! Today’s issue features Pennekamp Elementary, registering for the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, and Mira Costa receiving the AP School Honor Roll Award.

Spotlight on Pennekamp Elementary School (Special thanks to Principal Sharon Witzansky)

Pennekamp's third-grade team recently adopted the Heggerty Bridge to Reading program, focusing on word study skills, fluency, and spelling. The Bridge to Reading program is a District-adopted program that serves as an essential component of the reading and writing curricula. Students are actively breaking down words into syllables, exploring vowel structures, and engaging in more advanced phonics activities.



Daily, students dissect multi-syllabic words, practice writing sentences, and analyze vowel patterns within syllables. Additionally, they work on reading fluency, including intonation, expression, and overall smoothness of their reading.

Staff Spotlight: Nelson Maheia | IT Help Desk Assistant

Nelson Maheia has been with MBUSD since the Spring of 2022, starting as the Testing Center Coordinator at MBMS before transitioning to the IT department as a help desk assistant. Prior to MBUSD, Nelson worked as a sound engineer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and spent many years in the entertainment industry’s manufacturing and distribution field. Reflecting on that time, Nelson shared, “In the early ‘90s, I supervised the distribution of home entertainment material such as music CDs and video cassettes for FOX, Disney, and Warner Bros. For those old enough to remember, if you lived here on the West Coast and had a VHS copy of Home Alone, Jungle Book, or a Nirvana CD during that time, that came from through the facility where I worked.”

He credits those twelve years in the industry with developing his technical skills and understanding of computers and networking. Nelson’s favorite part of his current role is working with other MBUSD staff members. “I adore my job because I love the interaction that comes from helping people resolve their problems. I enjoy troubleshooting problems and the elation that comes from finding answers for staff members, which helps make their day a little less stressful. I work with an amazing team of technicians, making my job much more manageable.”

Nelson says he pursued a career in education to honor the teachers who made a lasting impact on him throughout his life. Born and raised in Los Angeles as a first-generation American, his parents are from Honduras and Belize. He also shared that he has been married to the love of his life for 30 years and enjoys traveling with his family.

Nelson is a big sports fan of the Steelers, Manchester United, and Angeles City Football Club (ACFC). A fun fact about him is that he played the trumpet for more than eight years and was also part of the El Camino Real Marching Band.

Nelson says he feels fortunate to be part of the amazing team here at MBUSD.

Mira Costa Students Share Award-Winning Invention with Board of Trustees

At the recent District Board of Trustees meeting, Mira Costa High School sophomores Charlotte Fan, Wyatt Newbill, and Reese Zhang presented their award-winning invention, Terreus, a 100% biodegradable styrofoam replacement to the MBUSD Board of Trustees. The Terreus team began this project in 8th grade as a school science project and has since earned them first place in the National Invention Convention competition and second place in the International Invention Convention competition, both during their 8th grade and freshman years.

The inventors shared that the goal of inventing Terreus was to reduce the carbon footprint in the food and packaging industries. Currently, Terreus’ patent is pending and the students are looking for companies to license their product in hopes for a cleaner and more sustainable future!

Recognition of Measure C and EE Bond Oversight Committee Members

Also at Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting, Bond Oversight Committee members were recognized for their years of service and diligent work in seeing the Measure C and EE bond projects through to completion. The mission of these committees is to independently review and inform the public and Board concerning the expenditure of bond proceeds and to ensure that such bond proceeds are expended in accordance with the intention of the voters and state law. Certificates of Recognition were presented to those committee members in attendance.

Measures C and EE Bond Oversight Committee Members (past and present) include:

National Walk and Roll to School Day

This week in celebration of the annual National Walk and Roll to School Day, our families, students, and staff were encouraged to walk, bike, or use an alternative mode of transportation to get to school. Annually, we partner with Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) and Beach Cities school districts to raise awareness about the benefits of walking and biking to school as well as the need for safe routes to school.

This year’s host school was Grand View which saw Manhattan Beach Police Department (MBPD) Police Chief Rachel Johnson, MBPD officers, MBUSD Board of Trustees, District leaders, and BCHD leaders gathered after walking the designated Grand View Walk and Roll to School Day route. BCHD had a welcome station greeting participants. 

Communities from more than 40 countries participate in this event.

Mira Costa Diversity Assembly

Mira Costa High School hosted a schoolwide Diversity Assembly this week. The assembly featured panelists from our own students at Costa. Students were able to hear first-hand, positive and challenging experiences from their peers. This was not a traditional pep assembly. Students shared real stories in hopes to inspire others to be more compassionate, kind, and empowered to stand up against hate. The assembly also offered tips and resources for students on how they can address issues and where to find help on campus. At Costa, we value and celebrate diversity! We hope to continue to foster an environment where our students have a strong sense of belonging to our Mustang community!

Mira Costa Pops Concert

Tickets are on Sale for Mira Costa Drama/Tech Fall Play!

Mira Costa’s award-winning Drama/Tech department is in full production mode preparing for their first play of the school year! Anatomy of Gray is a thought-provoking story that follows young June, who, after losing her father, wishes for a healer to save her small town. When a mysterious doctor arrives in a balloon, hope turns to chaos. The Drama/Tech department describes the story as one with themes of loss, love, and healing in a unique coming-of-age tale.

“Every year, we reflect on our recent seasons to identify new challenges and diversify the genres we offer. After two years of comedic productions, we chose Anatomy of Gray for its relevant themes and the rich, dramatic roles it offers our actors—providing them with deeply emotional material set against gritty circumstances,” Director and Co-Producer, Jonathan Westerberg said.



Tickets will be available for purchase at www.miracostadramaboosters.org. The opening night performance is scheduled for Friday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Small Theatre at Mira Costa and runs through November 16.

Measure RLS: Repairing Local Schools

MBUSD is committed to quality education, which is why the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Trustees voted to place Measure RLS for the upcoming November ballot. If approved by voters, Measure RLS could be used to fund necessary upgrades and repairs to our local schools without increasing the tax rates paid by local residents and could generate approximately $200 million.

Measure RLS could:

• Replace aging and leaking roofs.
• Upgrade outdated classrooms and labs to support quality instruction in science, technology, engineering, math, reading, and writing.
• Upgrade plumbing to protect safe drinking water
• Repair deteriorating electrical systems
• Improve school safety systems including safety doors, fireproofing, smoke alarms, and detectors.
• Remove asbestos and lead paint where encountered
• Replace outdated sewer and gas lines

To learn more, visit our Measure RLS page: www.mbusd.org/Measure RLS.

9 Days Left Until the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk!

The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk is coming up on Sunday, October 20! Please register for your school team to meet their designated goal. The annual fun-filled community event supports both children with special needs through the Friendship Foundation and our local students through MBEF. For every $30 registration, please indicate MBEF as a beneficiary during registration to ensure that your full contribution directly benefits MBEF and your school PTA! Every walker, whether you attend in person or not, makes a difference. If you have questions, please contact your team captain!

Please click here for the registration process steps and FAQs.

Click on your school’s official team page below to register:

Grand View Elementary

Meadows Elementary

Pacific Elementary

Pennekamp Elementary

Robinson Elementary

Manhattan Beach Middle School

Manhattan Beach Preschool

Mira Costa High School

MBEF Team

Attendance Matters!

It has been well-documented that regular attendance is a key factor in a student's success at school.

The State Compulsory Attendance Law (Education Code 48200) requires all students between the ages of 6 and 18 to attend school each day of the school year. The state attendance laws also require regular attendance and punctuality. Both the school and the parents are responsible for ensuring compliance with these laws.

Chronic Absenteeism is an important discussion in education today. The State of California considers any student who has missed school for any reason (excused and unexcused) for 10% or more of the school year to be chronically absent. Students whose absences put them on track for chronic absenteeism will receive warning letters and may be required to attend attendance meetings with their families at the site and/or District Office. These letters are part of a student’s record in the State of California.

We look forward to your partnership in assisting our students with their academic and social success at MBUSD.

Mira Costa Freshman Yumie Lee Creates Comic to Promote Water Conservation

Yumie Lee, a freshman at Mira Costa High, has collaborated with the West Basin Municipal Water District to create an engaging comic titled, “The Water Detective.” This project highlights the importance of water conservation through Yumie’s unique comic art, making it accessible for children and others who might struggle with traditional learning methods. Recognizing that many people learn better visually, she aims to inspire others to create educational and social-emotional comics as well. You can find her comic, “The Water Detective,” here.

To support this mission, Yumie founded Pictoversity, a non-profit platform where creators can share their work and cater to visual learners. Yumie originally made her comic Webtoon non-profit during her participation in the YEA! (Young Entrepreneurs Academy).

Additionally, Yumie will present her digital comic nonprofit, Pictoversity, at the upcoming TEDxManhattan Beach event. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore her work alongside other innovative content creators. We encourage everyone to attend and support Yumie and our other Mira students participating in TEDxManhattan Beach. Mira Costa students Lila Mokhtari and Travis Eichner will be speakers at the event.

MBUSD Partners with RBPD for Parent Online Safety Awareness Session

On Friday, October 4, MBUSD had the privilege of hosting Redondo Beach Police Department (RBPD) Detective Keener for an important discussion on cyber safety and the potential risks of human trafficking. The presentation, which drew a strong response from parents throughout the District, shed light on alarming trends and statistics, particularly those affecting the South Bay. Parents engaged with Detective Keener, asking relevant questions, and gained valuable insights into how to better protect their children. The Detective emphasized the importance of maintaining open lines of communication with children and staying vigilant about their cell phone, device, and social media usage.

Green Halloween

If you are looking for a Halloween costume, look no further! The MBUSD Green Committee has created an MB Green Halloween Costume Exchange group on Facebook, where families can give and find Halloween costumes for free. Modeled after the popular “Buy Nothing Project,” this group allows you to find a Halloween costume sustainably.

How to join:

1. Log in to Facebook.
2. Request to join the group here.
3. Answer the membership questions (this is a private group for MBUSD families only).
4. Search for costumes or post ones you no longer need.

This initiative helps costumes get a second life, saves families time and money, and benefits the environment by reducing waste and conserving resources.

Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill

On Thursday, October 17 at approximately 10:17 a.m., MBUSD will join over 10 million California residents to participate in the annual California Great ShakeOut drill to practice earthquake preparedness. It’s an opportunity to learn or refresh your knowledge on DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON, emergency preparedness, and evacuation routes. 

As we know, having a family plan at home can be instrumental in the safety of families. Click here to register your family and participate. 

To read more about the Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety, please visit: https://www.earthquakecountry.org/sevensteps/. 

To register for early warnings, download the early warning alert app on your smartphone at https://earthquake.ca.gov/.

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair Highlights!

Thank you to everyone who visited the MBUSD booth last weekend!

Share Stories with Us! 

There are great stories to be told across the District, from stories of accomplishment, perseverance, and noteworthy events to academic excellence unfolding in our classrooms. Please share a story with us so we can highlight it with our community!

Stories submitted are often shared in our publications, on social media, and with our local media partners.

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on October 18. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely, 

Manhattan Beach Unified School District

325 S. Peck Avenue

Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

310.318.7345