Hello Mats Community!

I bring you yet another message of positivity and gratitude. We are having a great year at MHS and I am pleased to be part of it. Thank you for your continued support of our outstanding school.

Fall Sports Playoffs

We wrap up our fall sports in the next two weeks and it looks like almost every varsity team will make the playoffs. That could change as the season finishes, but for now we are looking good! Please plan to attend playoffs games as we have them— it is an exciting part of the high school experience.


Winter Sports are Starting

Our winter sports season begins Monday, November 2nd. That is literally in a week! Please check gomats.org for more information about tryouts and first practices. Registration information can be found at this link. 

ONE-Miramonte

Every so often I like to remind families that we rely on your support to provide the best possible experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Please consider donating to ONE-Miramonte if you have not done so already. If you have donated, we appreciate your continued support!


Halloween Costumes

Halloween at Miramonte is Friday, October 30th this year. I published these costume guidelines a few weeks ago, but here they are again in case your student is deciding on a costume this weekend.

• Costumes must adhere to the AUHSD Student Dress Codes Policy.
• For safety reasons, masks or makeup should not cover the student’s face in a manner that makes the student unrecognizable. 
• Toy or fake guns, and other fake weapons are not allowed. 
• Costumes that are overly graphic, promote violence, or otherwise might logically be assumed to be offensive to others are not acceptable. Cultures and Religions are not a costume.
• Costumes should not include items with sound effects, lights, odors, or other components which would disrupt the classroom learning environment. 
  

Quarter Two

Quarter Two is fully underway and now is an important time to continue checking with your students about important assignments, projects, and exams. There is a mid-quarter progress report that can help you know exactly where they stand, but the final grade at the end of the semester is coming up soon and that is the one that goes on the permanent transcript. Please continue supporting your student all the way through the semester so they can finish strong!

Go Mats!

Mr. Bill Schloss

bschloss@auhsdschools.org

Happy Friday Miramonte!


My name is Nazia Sheriff Mohiuddin, and I’m honored to serve as your Parents Club President this school year. Our amazing PC Chair, Christina Linezo, and I will alternate weeks bringing you the Friday message. A little about me: I’m a mom to a 9th and 12th grader, a local physician, and enjoy volunteering in spaces that advocate for children. I look forward to connecting with more of you!


Congrats to the drama students on a fantastic production of Murder on the Orient Express. I attended two of the four shows, and the teamwork was phenomenal! The entire production, from acting to stagecraft, was student-run—a wonderful example of what makes Miramonte’s drama and overall arts programs so special.


I also had the pleasure of volunteering at the BSU Summit, a wonderful celebration of inclusivity and student voices across our district. It was a great reminder of the importance of creating a community where students feel seen and supported!

Next week, the PC will be launching MSEPN (Miramonte Special Education Parent Network), with its first meeting on October 30 at 9 a.m. This is a great opportunity for parents of children with IEPs, 504 plans, or those in ESC to connect and build community.


Fall sports are winding down… big congrats to all of our athletes for their perseverance this season and good luck to all our teams heading into the playoffs!
GO MATS!


Finally, we’re so fortunate to have these amazing programs at Miramonte, along with excellent academics, thanks in large part to the support of our parent community. As we head into the home stretch for Measure W, please continue to support our school by voting YES and spreading the word to your neighbors. Have a great weekend!

Stay up to date with all Parents' Club activities by visiting our website. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. 

Warmly,

Nazia Sheriff Mohiuddin
President, MHS Parents' Club

📣 One Week to Go: Let's Do Everything We Can for Measure W

Only 10% of parents have voted so far. Just over one week until Election Day on November 3. 


Let's head into November 3 knowing we did everything we could to get Measure W passed. Here's how:


1. Vote YES on Measure W and return your ballot ASAP. Drop it at the official ballot drop box or mail it today. Don't wait!


2. Volunteer. We need all hands on deck for the final push. One shift makes a difference, and there are still lots of slots in the 4 days leading up to Election Day - including walking and leaving door hangers on 10/31 and 11/1; no talking necessary! Take a walk, and make a difference! Sign up here.


3. Activate your network. Reach out personally to remind friends and family to return their ballots and vote YES. A text from a friend is worth ten mailers. Please text them now. 


Vote YES for Miramonte High School!! YesForOurHighSchools.com

October 24: Class of 2029 Parents' Social
October 30: MSEPN Coffee Chat 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

October 30: Halloween Spirit Day

November 2: Winter Sports Begin

November 5: Start Smart Safe Driving Event, 6:30-8:30 p.m., MHS Theater

November 5: Class of 2027 Parent Party

November 9: Wed/Fri Block Schedule

November 10: Fall Sports Signing Day during Brunch, 11:40-11:55 a.m.

November 11: No School; Veteran's Day

November 14: Ludi Latin Convention, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., San Jose

November 15: Public Speaking Speech and Debate Showcase, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

November 18-20: Wellness Gratitude Tabling Week

November 23-27: No School; Thanksgiving Fall Break
December 1: Considering Out of State College Parent Night 6:30 p.m-8:00 p.m.
December 3: Winter Music Concert 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Miramonte’s Outstanding Science Program is Part of What Makes It an Exceptional High School!

Miramonte is truly an exceptional high school not only in math and English, but science, as well. Recently, the California Department of Education released the official 2025-26 California Science Test (CAST) results, which measure all public high schools across the state. Miramonte’s science proficiency test scores consistently rank it among the top public high schools in the state. Miramonte student science test scores this year are impressive — increasing from 80% to 83.40% of students meeting or exceeding the state standards. This compares to 66% of all students in the Acalanes district, and only 35.99% of all California students. 

As Principal Schloss recently shared at our General Parents’ Club meeting last Friday, part of the reason for these impressive science gains are the number of science labs Miramonte is able to provide to its students. These labs all require materials and equipment funded by donations to ONE-Miramonte. After touring the science classes with AUHSD Board Member Paul Chopra last week, Principal Schloss shared that “what helps students learn science deeply is the hands-on materials we can provide through the support of ONE-Miramonte. We would not have as rich of a science program without that help.”

Education is at the heart of Orinda. Many of us choose to live here, or send our students to school here, because of the outstanding schools. Our community consistently shows its commitment to education by giving generously to support Miramonte.

These contributions make it possible to offer exceptional science classes as well as the wide range of engaging classes and programs that enrich our students’ learning. These opportunities simply wouldn’t exist without donations to ONE-Miramonte.  

If you haven’t made your donation to ONE-Miramonte yet, it’s not too late to be included among the families supporting the academic classes and programs that contributions to ONE-Miramonte make possible. 

The Donor List is coming soon! Our sincerest apologies for the delay.

Questions about Miramonte fundraising? Please contact Kristan Mayer-Leibowitz, Parents' Club VP Fundraising, at VPFundraising@mhspc.org.

Why Does the Parents’ Club Have to fundraise each year? Check this out to learn why.



Students Volunteer for BooFest at Del Rey
There are still available spots to volunteer at Del Rey's BooFest this Saturday, October 24. Click here to sign up!


All volunteers please arrive students to arrive 10 min prior to check in near the entrance to the event.

High School Decoded: What Parents Need to Know Now
Thursday, October 29 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Library Community Hall.

AI is rewriting the rules. College admissions keep changing. Teens are stressed, overwhelmed and completely unmotivated. And parents are left wondering what the new playbook looks like.

Former Stanford & UC admissions experts, teen specialists + Award Winning Journalist covering mental health, teens with technology and AI.

Get tickets here. Organized by Lamorinda Strong.

Miramonte High School AP Exams 2027

Dates: May 3-14; Cost: $110 through November 8; $150 until March 8

Most exams have switched to fully digital or hybrid digital. Find out if your device is approved here.

Registering is a 2 step process:

STEP 1: Join your class section in AP Classroom

STEP 2: PAY for the exam on the MHS Webstore

Questions? Contact Jennifer Lezcano

Join us for the Start Smart Safe Driving Class on November 5, 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the MHS Theater. Contra Costa CHP Officer Daniel Gilmore will lead this interactive traffic safety event for drivers and soon-to-be drivers and their parents. Parents MUST attend with their teens. Registration is required. If registering multiple students, please complete the form for each student attending. Don’t delay; this free event fills up quickly.

Register here Questions? Contact Gina Gabriel

Counselors will be starting four year plans with first year students next week! This is an exciting time for students to begin thinking about what they would like their next three years to look like and for us to get to know students a little bit more! 

Seniors

• If your senior is applying to a college that requires an official transcript, they should make the request via MaiaLearning. 
• The last day to request transcripts for a November 1 deadline is Tuesday, October 27.
• Consider attending the Academy college application workshops in the College and Career Center. Students can sign up using TeachMore.

Students who received a D or F in a graduation required course should contact their counselor to see if they are eligible for remediation through the district’s UC Scout courses. Remediation is important if your student wants to maintain UC/CSU eligibility. 

DVC Kick Start Program:


Diablo Valley College’s Welcome & Connect Services is offering an additional enrollment support opportunity for seniors who are considering DVC after high School. The DVC Kick Start Program is a series of zoom sessions where they work directly with students to help them complete each step of their enrollment process. DVC will still visit Miramonte during the spring to provide their regular DVC presentation and workshop but Kick Start simply gives students who are already considering DVC the opportunity to start the enrollment process earlier and receive more step-by-step support along the way.

The series of Zoom session will include:

Informational Webinar - Tuesday, October 27

• An overview of the Kick Start Program, the enrollment process, and the of participating. It is open to graduating seniors and parents/supporters. 

Application Workshops

• Dates and times will be posted as the program progresses.
• Step-by-step guidance with completing the DVC application. 
  

Enrollment Workshops

• Dates and times will be posted as the program progresses.
• Step-by-step guidance with completing orientation, English/ESL/Match placements, submitting the Special Admit Form, and enrolling in COUNS 095NC for academic advising.  

Note: Students with IEPs/504s are welcome to participate in Kick Start; however, students planning to utilize DVC’s Disability Support Services (DSS) have a different enrollment process. Kick Start workshops will focus on the general DVC enrollment process and not the DSS enrollment process.

College Rep Visits

Colleges and Universities continue to visit the CCC office to engage with Seniors (and Juniors). They share important information about their school, application process, and answer students’ questions! Register for a visit in Maia (Events->Visits->Actions->Attend)

Tuesday, October 27:

• Wake Forest University

Thursday, October 29:

• Northern Michigan University
• Heriot-Watt University

What We Do

The Wellness Center aims to support the needs of all students. This includes those who may be feeling overwhelmed, lonely, anxious, stressed, sad, or confused, as well as anyone experiencing other challenging emotions. We offer both ongoing and drop-in counseling services, Wellness breaks, information about community resources, and opportunities to join clubs and student programs. We also host a variety of educational events during lunchtime and Academy throughout the school year.

Get Connected

If you have questions about Wellness, please email us at

mhswellness@auhsdschools.org

To refer a student to Wellness, please use this form: Miramonte Wellness Referral Form

Follow us on Instagram @miramonte_wellness to find out more about what we're doing to support Miramonte students. There is also additional information about our program on the Miramonte High School website

It’s a Wrap! 

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Murder on the Orient Express on a terrific four-night run! From the performers onstage to the students working behind the scenes and in the booth, our Miramonte Players brought mystery, suspense and plenty of laughs to the Miramonte Theater. And the murderer turned out to be… nah. If you weren’t there, you’ll have to read the book. 

Audience Survey: If you did attend a performance, please help us better understand our audience and how to reach them for future productions by completing our two-minute Audience Survey. 

Save the Date: Winter Music Concert

Mark your calendars to join us for the Winter Music Concert on Thursday, December 3, 7 pm in the Miramonte Theater.

Follow the Arts!

Follow @miramonte.arts on Instagram as the Parents Committee for the Visual & Performing Arts (VPA) finds fun and creative new ways to spotlight our students, showcase the arts at Miramonte and spread the word about upcoming VPA events.

We Need You! Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Parent Committee

We’re excited to share that our VPA Committee is getting underway and looking for parents who would like to volunteer and help support our VPA programs. Please

complete this interest form.

MHS Boosters: New partnership with Greenlight Driving School

Does your soon to be driver need behind the wheel training? 

• If your student is 15 and you’re looking into Driver Training, look no further than our Give Back partner Greenlight Driver Training! 

Voted BEST Driver Training in the East Bay the last three years, they provide everything your new driver needs to get their Permit and License. Plus, their unique simulator training allows new drivers to learn HOW to drive in the safety of the simulator BEFORE they begin their behind-the-wheel lessons! 

• They are donating 10% of all purchases using code matsab10back to our program! Check them out at www.greenlightdrivertraining.com, you can also sign up for a FREE demo drive in one of their simulators to see it in person first.

Get your student the driver’s training they need, and support Miramonte Boosters!

Class of 2027

Senior Parents’ Night Out at Bar Sorso in Orinda! November 5, 7- 10 p.m

Join fellow Class of 2027 parents for a fun night at our new local hot spot, Bar Sorso - we’ll have the place to ourselves! Come mingle, catch up, and toast to the year ahead.


$50 per person, including small bites. Beverages available for individual purchase.

Purchase Tickets Here. We’re capping the party at 75 guests, so grab your tickets now!

Our Last See’s Candy Fundraiser - Shop for the Holidays

Our fundraiser is open! Shop here and stock up on holiday favorites while supporting the Class of 2027 one last time. Orders close December 4.

Senior Portraits Reminder

All seniors must schedule a photo session with Creative Imaging by November 21 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. 

Questions? Contact the Class of 2027 Parent Advisors.

Class of 2028

Thank you to all of our Class of 2028 Dads who came out for Sausage Fest 2.0 last Saturday!

Please mark your calendars for TWO upcoming events. Our Annual Class of 2028 Chipotle Fundraiser is Tuesday November 4th and our Class of 2028 "Black Out Concession Stand" is happening on Friday November 6th, our last home Football Game! Please visit the Sign Up Genius HERE to donate a baked good or work the stand!

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.

More Upcoming Events Etc...all of these can be accessed through our LinkTree HERE!

Questions? Contact the Class of 2028 Parent Advisors.

Class of 2029

Hi Class of 2029 Parents!

We need your support—for both our Class of 2029 and the Orinda community. There are several easy ways to get involved, lend a hand, and make a difference.

Get involved with Measure W! Voter outreach is the #1 need. Please consider volunteering to have phone or door-to-door conversations with voters in Orinda. This is the single biggest lever we have, one real conversation moves more votes than anything else we do. SIGN UP HERE

Buy Your Tickets for the Sophomore Spooktacular Parent Party! Join us on October 24 for a fun night out with fellow Class of 2029 parents! Drinks, catered taco dinner, candy and dessert bar, plus more surprises. Tickets are limited and this event is expected to sell out, so don’t wait - buy yours today! CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE

Donate to the Class of 2029 Activities Fund. Thank you to everyone who has donated! We’re currently at 47% participation, and our goal is 100%. This is the single easiest way to support the Class of 2029 over the next three years. Every dollar goes directly toward the experiences our kids will remember - Prom, Senior Week, and Graduation. Please help us reach 100% participation! DONATE HERE

Questions? Contact the Class of 2029 Parent Advisors.

Class of 2030


Thank you to our class members who came out to spiritedly support Measure W at the rally before school again on Tuesday!

We still need help on Measure W! Please consider helping by doing one of the following: 

• Voter outreach (our #1 need). Phone or door-to-door conversations with voters in Orinda. This is the single biggest lever we have, one real conversation moves more votes than anything else we do. SIGN UP HERE
• Write note cards to your neighbors. Sign up to write a stack of handwritten notes explaining why Measure W matters to you. We'll give you cards, stamps, names, addresses, and talking points. SIGN UP HERE

Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 14 from 5:00-9:00 p.m. for our Chipotle Fundraiser at the Chipotle in Lafayette. Order online using code H9G7D7D or grab the flyer from our linktree!

Please DONATE to our Class of 2030 activities fund here!

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.

Connect with the Parents' Club: