Dear Miramonte Community, | | |
The first week of school has been a fantastic experience at Miramonte! We are in the midst of spirit week right now and the excitement level on campus is quite high. We are off to a great start! Here are a few pieces of important information:
Back to School Night
BTSN is next Thursday, August 27. Click here for the program. Here is the schedule:
5:30- 6:00 p.m.
9th and 10th grade reception in the quad (in front of the large gym)
11th grade Parents' Club presentation (Cafeteria)
12th grade Parents' Club presentation (Library)
6:00- 6:25 p.m.
Principal’s welcome and school wide presentation in the large gym
6:30- 8:10 p.m.
Classroom presentations
8:15- 8:45 p.m.
9th grade Parents' Club presentation (Library) and 10th grade Parents' Club presentation (Cafeteria)
This will be a long night for families, but we wanted to incorporate these meetings on the same night to reduce the number of night commitments we ask of our parents and staff. BTSN is a great chance to meet your child’s teachers and get a feel for how great this school is (and it is really great!)
Academy
Our first official Academy session occurs this Friday. We are adding a few refinements this year. One is that students need to choose their Academy sessions for the week by Wednesday morning. Every student is either tagged by a teacher or needs to choose a specific classroom to attend Academy by Wednesday morning so that we can utilize our Academy space effectively. Academy is a very important time for students to get extra help, make up assignments, or make up tests and quizzes. We want to make the best possible use of this resource and we are partnering with our students to do just that.
School Site Council
The SSC is an important organization on public school campuses in California. Each year we meet quarterly to review important policies and to help set the direction for the school. If you are interested in joining Site Council as a parent member, please follow this link. We do have a few members returning but need two or three new members from the parent ranks this year to serve a two year term.
We look forward to seeing everyone next Thursday at Back to School Night!
Go Mats!
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Happy Friday Miramonte Families,
I hope everyone is settling into the new school year and that your students are off to a great start!
A big thank you to all of our new families who joined us for Mira-Mingle yesterday. It was wonderful to have so many of you there and to welcome you into the Miramonte community.
I also want to highlight the importance of ONE-Miramonte, our Parents Club’s primary fundraiser. If you haven’t yet made your donation, please consider doing so. ONE-Miramonte benefits every student and every classroom and helps fund the academics and programs our students experience every day- including smaller classes, our 7-period day, electives, music and art, technology, Wellness, College & Career, and more. These funds are used this school year and are focused on academics and student services- not athletics, parties, or social events. Every gift, at every level, makes a real difference.
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at Back-to-School Night on Thursday, and please mark your calendars for our first Parents Club meeting of the year on Friday, September 11 at 9 a.m. Everyone is welcome, and I hope you’ll join us!
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Stay up to date with all Parents' Club activities by visiting our website. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Christina Linezo
Chair MHS Parents' Club
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August 27: Back to School Night, 5:30-8:45 p.m.
September 2: AUHSD Board Meeting
September 7: Labor Day; No School
September 11: Parents' Club General Meeting; 9:00-10:15 a.m.
September 14-18: Homecoming Week
September 18: Homecoming Football Game
September 19: Homecoming Dance
| | ONE-Miramonte Fundraising | | |
There has been a lot of information in the news lately and from AUHSD about how the formula the state uses to determine funding for schools leaves Miramonte with one of the lowest funding levels in the state. Lamorinda brings in just enough revenue in local property taxes to allow our district to retain that money to pay for local schools. Thus, in years when there are more home sales in Lamorinda, the district has more money to spend, and conversely less money when home sales are slow.
This funding formula results in AUHSD having roughly $20,000 per student per year to spend on all academic classes and programs. In comparison, neighboring districts like Piedmont City Unified have about $23,000, and Palo Alto about $36,000 per student to spend. The state average funding is close to $22,000 per student per year.
The AUHSD school budget for all schools is about $100,000,000. If AUHSD had the same level of funding as Palo Alto, our schools would have an additional $86,000,000 per year to spend on our students’ education! Imagine what more our district could do with an additional $86,000,000 per year!
This is why local schools ask parents to donate — Lamorinda schools are sorely underfunded when compared to similar districts in our area because of the gap in the funding formula. Parents are asked to contribute to maintain robust academic course offerings and engaging programs. While parents can’t make up a $86,000,000 difference, we can provide funds to maintain the academic excellence that all students deserve.
If you have not yet made a donation to ONE-Miramonte this year, please consider doing so today! Your contribution is vital and will be put to good use this school year.
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Senior SAT Testing Dates and Registration
Date: October 7, 2026
Location: Miramonte High School
Registration for Seniors only begins July 27 and closes August 23 at Midnight
REGISTER HERE
*Late Registration will not be accepted
For more information click here.
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Fall PSAT Testing for Sophomores & Juniors
Date: October 21 2026
Location: Miramonte High School
Registration for Sophomores and Juniors only begins July 27 and closes August 30 at Midnight
Click here to register
*Late Registration will not be accepted*
For more information click here
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Volunteers Needed for Hospitality Table
Please join us for the Back to School Night reception at 5:30 pm on August 27, 2026. The Parents Club Hospitality team needs your help with donations and volunteers to help with the reception on August 27, 2026. Please sign up here. Thank you in advance!
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Measure W
Miramonte High School has experienced significant cuts in the past couple of years because of inadequate funding - that means fewer class offerings, larger class sizes, one librarian shared by 4 high schools, and fewer academic counselors. We feel the impact. But there is something we can do about it. Measure W is on the November 3 ballot. It will generate $6M a year for our high schools if it passes. If it doesn’t pass, more cuts are coming. Be a part of the solution and visit www.yesforourhighschools.com to endorse, get a yard sign, donate to the campaign, or volunteer. A YES vote on Measure W is a YES for Miramonte High School!
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It’s been so great seeing our students on campus these past weeks and we hope your students have enjoyed the start of their school year!
Below is the full counselor breakdown for this school year. As counselors, we know how important it is to be able to build relationships with students and families over the course of four years. The change in our staffing and subsequent reorganization is not something our department was supportive of, but with district budget cuts we are down to just three counselors now instead of four and a shift in caseloads was necessary.
A - G Rebecka Zielinski
H - O Ellen Conners
P - Z Nora Ganey
Schedule Changes:
-The deadline to add a class is August 24.
-The deadline to drop a class without it appearing on your transcript is October 9.
Seniors
Counselors and the College and Career Center will start senior presentations on Wednesday August 26 during Academy to go over secondary planning and the college application process. Shortly after, counselors will begin meeting individually with seniors to discuss their post-high school plans!
If your student asked their counselor for a letter of recommendation, both the student and parent brag sheets are due September 1. As a reminder, these brag sheets are only accessible by counselors and are not visible to teachers.
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Hello from the College & Career Counseling Office!
We will be spending the next few months focusing on supporting seniors with targeted academy sessions, one-on-one meetings, essay review, and more. We will be sending weekly emails to the seniors with specific information including important materials, dates, and deadlines. Please make sure to review the College & Career Center Webpage on the Miramonte HS website, packed with valuable information. For questions, feel free to email Miramonte College and Career Center.
College Rep Visits Have Begun!
Register for a visit in Maia (Events->Visits->Actions->Attend)
Come by the C&CC for a purple pass before school so your teacher can excuse you from class.
Tuesday, August 25:
- Southern Methodist University, 9:30 a.m.
- Franklin & Marshall, noon
Wednesday, August 26:
- University of Utah, 9:30 a.m.
- Arizona State University, noon
Thursday, August 27:
- Lafayette College, 9:30 a.m.
SENIOR PARENTS:
Join the College & Career team for an informational presentation: Navigating College Admissions
September 16 - MHS Theater, 6:30 p.m.
Stay tuned for more events, deadlines, and helpful information from our office!
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This week, our school celebrated Be Kind Week, giving students opportunities to reflect on what kindness means to them and to put kindness into action throughout the school community.
Each day, students participated in fun lunchtime activities designed to spread positivity and encourage connection:
- Monday – Kindness Chain: Students added links sharing acts of kindness and positive messages.
- Tuesday – Kindness Bingo: Students challenged themselves to complete different acts of kindness.
- Wednesday – Kindness Wheel: Students spun the wheel for a variety of kindness prompts and activities.
- Thursday – Compliment Cards: Students wrote thoughtful compliments and encouraging messages for others.
- Friday – Staff Appreciation: Students took time to recognize and thank the staff members who support them each day.
Why Kindness Matters
Kindness may seem like a small gesture, but it can make a meaningful difference. A simple compliment, a helping hand, or taking the time to include someone can brighten another person's day and help create a stronger sense of belonging. When students practice kindness, they help build a school community where everyone feels respected, valued, and supported.
We are proud of the way our students embraced Be Kind Week and showed that kindness is something we can practice every day not just for one week, but all year long!
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Join Miramonte Boosters And Support All Athletes!
Now is the time to join Miramonte Boosters! The Team Behind the Teams.
Miramonte Boosters is a volunteer-run nonprofit that champions every Miramonte athletic program. We partner with coaches, athletes, and families to provide the resources and support that keep our 29 sports thriving year-round.
Why Join?
Your donation directly funds school-wide essentials, including:
• Salaries for our Athletic Trainer & Athletic Assistant
• Equipment for all teams and coaches
• Hudl, live streaming, and the Go Mats app
• As a Booster member, you get passes for free entry to home sporting events
• When you give, you help ensure every athlete has what they need to compete, grow, and succeed.
How to Join
Choose your tax-deductible membership level and passes for all regular season home games:
• Platinum – $1,000 | 10 Booster passes
• Family – $400 | 4 Booster passes
• Basic – $250 | 2 Booster passes
JOIN TODAY!
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Class of 2027
Senior Portraits Reminder
All seniors must schedule a photo session with Creative Imaging by October 1 to be included in the yearbook. You are under no obligation to buy anything; we just need the photo! Please get in touch with Creative Imaging to schedule your photo session: call 925-485-6025, email orders@ciphotoca.com or go online.
Class Activity Fund - Still Time to Donate
Help make this the most awesome year yet! This is the primary funding source for our large Class of 2027 events, as well as class bonding events throughout the year. We're striving for 100% participation! Click here to donate.
Questions? Contact the Class of 2027 Parent Advisors.
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Class of 2028
Caftans and Cocktails Tickets are ON SALE NOW!
Calling all Class of 2028 Moms to come join us for Caftans, Cocktails and Casual Bites on Thursday September 10 from 6-9 p.m. Support your class and catch up with friends after a long Summer Break, we can't think of a better way to spend an evening!
Tickets are $65 and can be purchased HERE.
Save the Date for our Class of 2028 Dads' Night on October 17th! Details to come shortly...
Please DONATE to our Class of 2028 Activities Fund TODAY!
This class fund supports all of our major Junior and Senior year events including Prom (both years), Senior Week (Fall and Spring) and GRAD NIGHT.
Click HERE to donate today!
Questions? Contact the Class of 2028 Parent Advisors.
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Class of 2029
Time sensitive - please donate to the Class of 2029 Concessions Pop-Up. Help us stock the stand with baked goods for the August 28 football game—every dollar benefits the Class of 2029. Click here to donate or volunteer.
Other ways to support right now:
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Support the Class of 2029: Donate to the Activities Fund to help fund Prom, Senior Week, Graduation, and more. Donate here
- Order your Homecoming shirt: Order your HOCO shirt by August 25.
Order here
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Register for the Sophomore and Junior PSAT by August 30.
- Save the date: Sophomore Spooktacular Parent Party — October 24. Details coming in September!
- Get involved: Complete the Class of 2029 Parent Volunteer Interest Form and help us build a strong volunteer team for the years ahead.
- Complete the form
Questions? Contact the Class of 2029 Parent Advisors.
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Class of 2030
Purchase your tickets here for the first Mom's Social for the Class of 2030. This event is on Wednesday, September 16 from 5:30-8 p.m. in a beautiful Orinda backyard oasis.
Don't forget to follow our class Instagram, Facebook and LinkTree to keep track of all the places you can go to get information!
Questions? Contact the Class of 2030 Parent Advisors.
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Next AUHSD Board Meeting
The next AUHSD Board Meeting is on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The agenda will be posted on Sunday, August 30. The meeting is held at the district office, with the public portion beginning at 7 p.m. You may also watch the live broadcast Upcoming Meetings: September 16, October 7, November 4, November 18, December 16.
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Congressman DeSaulnier’s 2026 Congressional App Challenge is now open for submissions. The competition is open to all middle and high school students living or attending school in California’s 10th Congressional district.
Students are invited to submit an original application (app) for mobile, tablet, or computing device to Congressman DeSaulnier’s office. Students may participate as individuals or in teams of up to four. Submissions must include a registration form, application, demonstration video, and exit questionnaire. Students can click here to register and submit these materials.
The competition is open now through 9 a.m. PST on October 26, 2026.
The winning app will be chosen by a panel of judges and will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building and featured on the House of Representatives’ website. Winners will also be invited to the #HouseofCode reception in Washington, D.C.
| | Connect with the Parents' Club: | | | | |
