Message from the Principal |
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Dear Miramonte Community,
Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! I am so thrilled to be Miramonte's new Principal, and grateful to be a part of this amazing community! I have absolutely loved getting to know your kids this first week, and I can already sense their kindness, positive spirit, and desire to excel. Teachers have reported that students are highly engaged, excited to be back on campus, and feeling comfortable about the classroom environment. Although very few of us like wearing masks, the indoor mask mandate is a small price to pay so that we can all be back together again.
Thank you for all of your contributions to ONE-Miramonte and our Athletic Boosters! Your generous support thus far will allow us to close the funding gap and continue to offer the great classes, services, and supports for all of our students and staff. It's not too late to contribute to our fall drive, so please click here to take care of this today if you haven't already.
Finally, our Back to School Night is less than two weeks away! Please join us on Thursday, August 26, beginning at 5:30 p.m. for a Parents' Club reception in the Quad. I look forward to meeting you in person, welcoming everyone back to campus, and joining you as we hear from our fabulous teachers about their plans for the year.
Thank you and Go Mats!
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Mr. Ben Campopiano
Principal, Miramonte High School
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Message from the Parents' Club |
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We did it! Week one is in the books, and how wonderful to see everyone back on campus!
Mats Day came and went in the blink of an eye. Thanks to the guidance of our Miramonte administration, the organization by Mats Day chairs Heather Jiannalone and Julie Mercer, and the generous parent volunteers, our students were off and ready to go with their schedules, textbooks, and Mats Merch in hand.
Not only are our students happy, but thanks to our Staff Appreciation team - Darien Destino, Amy Perusse, Susan Scott and Stefanie Murphy - our teachers and staff got some love this morning with coffee and treats to start their day.
We have a several important events coming up quickly and opportunities for you to meet our new principal, Mr. Ben Campopiano!
Back-to-School Night is on Thursday, August 26, 5:30-8:10 p.m. You don't want to miss this informative evening to hear from our Administration and visit your student's classrooms (bring a copy of your student's schedule including room numbers). Make sure to introduce yourself to Mr. Campopiano throughout the evening.
Be sure to attend the Parent Meeting for your student's class. Check the dates and locations on our calendar below. You'll hear important class-specific information from your class Parent Advisors, and our new Administration Team of Mr. Campopiano, Mr. Giron, and Ms. Gotswami will be on hand to answer all of your questions.
And to round out the start of the school year, please join us at our first Parents' Club meeting of the year on September 15 at 9:30 a.m. We will all have an opportunity to hear Mr. Campopiano's Miramonte update and wish him success as he joins our Matador community. Coffee and refreshments will be served.
We hope this is a wonderful year for your students! Go Mats!
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Warmly,
Chair and President, Miramonte High School Parents' Club
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August 17: Deadline to submit Letter Grade Replacement Form
August 19: Parent Ed: A Year Away: Practical Tips on a Successful Return to School. Dr. Ardis Martin; 6:30 p.m.; ONLINE
August 21: Class of 2023 Parent Social
August 23: Deadline to add a class
August 26: Back-to-School Night; 5:30-8:10 p.m.
August 27: Mats Tailgate; 4:00-6:30 p.m.; MHS Quad
August 31: Class of 2023 Parent Information Meeting; 6:00-7:00 p.m.; MHS Library
August 31: Class of 2024 Parent Information Meeting; 7:00-8:00 p.m.; MHS Theater
September 1: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting
September 2: Class of 2025 Parent Information Meeting; 6:00-7:00 p.m.; MHS Library
September 2: Class of 2022 Parent Information Meeting; 7:00-8:00 p.m.; MHS Theater
September 5: Mats Merch store closes
September 6: Holiday; No School
September 9: Class of 2024 Moms' Social; 6:30-8:30 p.m.
September 13: Boosters Club Meeting; 6:00-7:00 p.m.; MHS Library
September 15: Parents' Club Meeting featuring MHS Administration Q&A; 9:30 a.m. New Time; MHS Theater
September 22: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting
September 25: All-Class Parent Social; 4:00-6:00 5:00-7:00 p.m.; The Fourth Bore
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Miramonte Parents' Club News |
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2021-22 Artwork Contest for MHS Students:
MHS Student Directory & Parent Handbook
Miramonte students who love to draw, design, and create are invited to submit an original piece for the cover of the 2021-22 MHS Directory. Drawings, digital creations, sketches, captured images, etc. are all welcome. The MHS Directory parent volunteers will judge all submissions and select the winner. The winner will receive a $100 gift card!
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Artwork Submission Details:
- Size: high resolution so that it will show well on an 8.5 x 11 page
- Format: digital; artwork must be submitted digitally
- Do not include: the word "Directory" on your artwork
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Deadline: Friday, August 27
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Parent Education Opportunity
Acalanes will be hosting Dr. Ardis Martin, on Thursday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m. In a presentation entitled: A Year Away: Practical Tips on a Successful Return to School.
Dr. Martin, a Harvard trained child and adolescent psychiatrist in the area, will present tips for parents on supporting their teens after being mostly remote. Resources from the Wellness Center will also be presented.
Click here to register for this event. |
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MHS Student Directory & Parent Handbook: Now Selling Directory Ads!
Advertise your business in the 2021-22 Directory and reach over 2,200 Miramonte parents, guardians, teachers, and staff. We’ll also thank your business in an upcoming issue of the Matador News! Please feel free to pass this advertising opportunity along to other businesses that may be interested.
Full-color ads in our 100% digital directory are available in three sizes:
- Full page (8” x 10”), $400
- Half page (8” x 5”), $300
- Quarter page (4” x 5”), $200
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Thank you so much to all the Miramonte families who donated to ONE-Miramonte during registration! Your generosity and support got our campaign off to a great start!
We still have a long way to go to reach our goal of $979,205. If you haven’t had a chance to make a gift yet, please join your neighbors, friends, and fellow Miramonte parents and use the buttons below to make a donation. You can make a one-time gift, pay in installments, or pledge to make a gift at a future date.
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Make a donation to ONE-Miramonte: |
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Miramonte Counseling Department |
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Welcome to the new school year! It’s been so great seeing our students back on campus for in-person learning! We’re looking forward to a wonderful year working with your students.
We are so excited to have a new staff member, Carolyn Vasicek, join the MHS counseling team! Carolyn comes to us with 15 years of experience as a counselor working in schools in San Francisco. She will be the counselor for students with last names Sch-Z.
Below is the full counselor breakdown for this school year:
- A - Fil: Rebecka Watson
- Fin - Lov: Ellen Conners
- Low - Sca: Erika Vasquez
- Sch - Z: Carolyn Vasicek
Schedule Changes:
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The deadline to add a class is Monday, August 23.
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The deadline to drop a class without it appearing on your transcript is Friday, October 8.
Counselors and the College and Career Center will start senior presentations on Wednesday, August 25, during Academy to go over the college application process and the impacts COVID has had on it. Shortly after, counselors will begin meeting individually with seniors to discuss their post-high school plans.
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PSAT Registration Information
Who: for sophomores and juniors only
Fee: $30
Test Date: Saturday, October 16
Deadline: the last day to register is Friday, September 10
The PSAT is a practice test. Scores received in the junior year are considered for the National Merit scholarship program.
Test room assignments will be posted on the Counseling Office window on Thursday, October 15. Students should arrive at MHS by 7:45 a.m. with a picture ID, several #2 pencils, an eraser, and a College Board-approved calculator.
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On July 1, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 104 (AB 104) into law. AB 104 allows for students enrolled in high school during the 2020-21 school year to select to replace a letter grade with a Pass or No Pass designation with no negative impact on their GPA. Any grade from A through D- can be changed to a “Pass”. Students with an F grade can opt for a “No Pass”. A “No Pass” designation will not receive the course credits.
Students requesting a letter grade replacement must complete Letter Grade Replacement Form by Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Forms received after August 17 will not be accepted and the letter grade earned will remain on the transcript. Forms must be submitted to the school registrar’s office. Students and families should note that some postsecondary institutions, in California or other states, may not accept a Pass or No Pass grade instead of a letter grade for admission purposes. To access a list of post-secondary institutions that will accept Pass or No Pass grades from the 2020-2021 school year, please go to this link.
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Miramonte Wellness Center |
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Welcome back to school, Mats!
The Wellness Center is OPEN and running, and we can't wait to meet you all. We support all students, whether or not they are experiencing mental health challenges. It is our goal to cultivate the emotional, social, and mental wellness of ALL students so that they can thrive! Our Wellness Center staff is run by Ellen Zapalac ("Ms. Ellen"), the Intake Specialist, and Andie Nishimi ("Ms. Andie"), the Wellness Coordinator.
We offer the following services 7:30-4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday:
- Individual and Group Counseling with a Wellness Counselor
- 15-minute Cool Downs if a student is stressed during the school day and needs a space to regroup before heading back to class
- Lunch Activities to build community and connection
- First Aid and Health Supplies
To refer a student to meet with a Wellness Center counselor, please click here. To access our other services, students can come directly to the Wellness Center which is located in Miramonte's Student Union. To get in contact with the Wellness Center staff, you can email us or call us at (925) 280-3936.
We look forward to supporting you!
Go Mats,
Andie Nishimi & Ellen Zapalac
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Stay tuned next week for all the Boosters news! |
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Welcome Back, Matadors!
Come check out Mats Merch and order your spirit gear. If you missed the initial ordering, not to worry--the online store is open through Sunday, September 5.
Get your gear on to show your school spirit. All items are available, including class t-shirts, sweatshirts, stadium blankets, half-zip pullovers, hats, and more.
All items ordered during this window will start delivery on Saturday, September 25.
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Mats Merch and class t-shirts that were not picked up at Mats Day
Thank you to everyone who picked up their Mats Merch and class t-shirts orders on Mats Day. If your student did not pick up their order, do not worry! The school is in the process of calling students to the office to pick up their orders. Please allow at least a week for this process to happen. Thank you for your patience while the orders are being sorted and delivered.
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Class Activity Fund Donation
We hope you had a chance to make your Class Activities Fund donation during registration! This donation goes directly into the class account for your student and helps to fund class events for your student's class, including Junior Prom, Senior Ball, and Grad Night. To make your donation, please click on the button for your student's class at this link. |
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Class T-Shirts
Another chance to purchase class t-shirts! Your Matador will definitely want a class t-shirt to show off their class spirit at rallies and other class events. Have you seen this year's fun designs? So creative! Purchase your student's shirt by Sunday, September 5, at this link. |
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Thank you to Senior Moms’ Night Out Attendees!
If you still need to submit payment, you can do so here.
Senior Portraits
Stay Connected
Follow our Class of 2022 Parents page on Instagram and Facebook, and bookmark 2022 Class News on the Parents' Club website.
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Parents’ Social – Saturday, August 21, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
The Forge Fire Truck is coming to the Orinda Downs to serve up wood-fired pizza, appetizers and beers on tap! Join us for an evening of socializing and reconnecting at the home of Jodi and John Kaelle. Click here to view the menu. To purchase tickets, please click here. If you cannot attend but would still like to donate, click here. There will also be a raffle with some fun prizes (gift cards from local retailers, Sanvitalia centerpiece, etc.). Raffle tickets are $20 each or 6 for $100. Please Paypal '@MHSPC' to purchase raffle tickets. (Include 2023 Raffle in the message). Wine donations gladly accepted, and any leftovers will be saved for the next 2023 parent social.
Get Connected!
If you aren’t already following us on Facebook and Instagram, please do! Lots of important information will be shared via social media. We also now have a Linktree you should bookmark where all of our important websites will be housed. The Linktree can also be found in the ‘link in bio’ on Instagram.
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Please join us for the Class of 2024 Moms’ Social. We look forward to gathering together to kick off the start of the school year. Come enjoy drinks and light appetizers on the Ballantyne’s deck and patio. This event is a fundraiser for the Class of 2024, and all proceeds will be used to offset costs for exciting student events in the years ahead.
Date: Thursday, September 9
Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Cost: $50
A link to purchase tickets coming soon.
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MHS Parents' Club publishes the Matador News each Friday as a communications service to the Miramonte parents, teachers, and staff. If you have an article to contribute to the Matador News, please email it to both MatadorNewsA@mhspc.org and MatadorNewsB@mhspc.org. The firm deadline for submissions is Wednesday at noon for Friday publication. Articles may be edited for clarity and length. Please follow the Matador News Submission Guidelines.
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STAY CONNECTED WITH THE MIRAMONTE HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS' CLUB: |
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