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| | Superintendent's Weekly Message | | |
Dear HVS Families,
Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! As we begin a new calendar year, I am filled with optimism and gratitude for our Hermosa Schools community. It is a privilege to work alongside such dedicated educators and staff who are committed to helping every student grow, feel supported, and succeed.
This year marks an important moment of progress across our district. Guided by our Hermosa Beach City School District Strategic Plan, we are focused on strengthening academic excellence, fostering inclusive and supportive school environments, and deepening our connections with families and the broader community. This shared roadmap helps ensure that our decisions and initiatives remain centered on what matters most, our students.
To learn more about our goals and priorities for this school year, I encourage you to explore our HBCSD Strategic Plan Brochure, which outlines our collective commitments and the path forward for our district. Together, we are truly Riding the Wave toward a shared vision for the future of Hermosa Schools.
Central to this work is the launch of our new Hermosa Schools Learner Profile, which clearly defines the skills, mindsets, and attributes we strive to develop in every Hermosa student. The Learner Profile reflects our commitment to educating the whole child and preparing students to thrive academically, socially, and personally as they move to high school and beyond.
As part of this vision, this year marks the first implementation of Wit & Wisdom as our K-8 English Language Arts curriculum. This rigorous, knowledge-building program supports close engagement with complex texts, thoughtful writing, and meaningful discussion. It closely aligns with both the Strategic Plan and the Learner Profile by fostering critical thinking, curiosity, collaboration, and strong communication skills.
We are also moving forward with planning for campus improvements at Hermosa Valley through Measure HV. Thoughtful collaboration and community input will continue to guide this work as we take important steps to enhance learning spaces that support student growth and engagement.
January marks the start of our annual enrollment season for families interested in joining Hermosa Schools for the 2026-2027 school year. We are excited to host two upcoming events designed to welcome prospective families and share more about our schools.
Incoming TK/Kindergarten Information Day
(Parents/Guardians Only)
Saturday, January 10, 2026
10:00-11:30 AM
Hermosa View School - MPR
RSVP to attend
Prospective Hermosa Valley Preview Day
(For new incoming 5th-8th grade students and families)
Saturday, January 24, 2026
10:00-11:30 AM
Hermosa Valley School - MPR
RSVP to attend
Please help us spread the word to families, friends, and neighbors.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. As we continue Riding the Wave together, I look forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and opportunity for all.
Warm regards,
Dr. Susan Wildes
Superintendent of Schools, Hermosa Beach City School District
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Student Intent to Return for 2026-2027 School Year Form
As we prepare for the 2026-2027 school year, we kindly request that each family complete the Intent to Return Form in their PowerSchool Parent Portal beginning Sunday, January 4, 2026. A separate form must be completed for each child who is currently enrolled in the District. Parents/guardians will need to complete this form by Friday, January 30, 2026. If needed, you can review the PowerSchool Parent Portal Directions to create or reset your password. We appreciate our HVS families completing this form.
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Parenting in the Digital World Parent Talk presented by the Cyber Safety Cop this Thursday, January 8!
The Hermosa Beach City School District invites parents and guardians to an informative evening with the Cyber Safety Cop on Parenting in the Digital World Parent Talk on Thursday, January 8, 2026, from 6:00-7:30 PM, in the Hermosa Valley MPR. Kindly RSVP to attend. This is a parent/guardian only event. Sorry, no children will be allowed.
This 90-minute presentation will guide families through the latest apps, games, and online trends impacting students today. It will also provide practical tools and real-world strategies to help families create a safer online environment.
Learn how to:
- Identify online risks, predators, and cyberbullying behaviors
- Set expectations and establish healthy screen time habits
- Monitor your child's online activity and hidden accounts
- Use parental controls and privacy settings effectively
- Talk to your child about online safety and digital citizenship
At the event, Parenting in the Digital Work, by Clayton Cranford, is the definitive book guide to internet safety for families and will be available for purchase for $25 (cash or credit card). This book will help families take the next steps in implementing the safety measures discussed during the presentation. To learn more about the event, watch the video below.
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Cyber Safety Cop Family Resources:
Cyber Safety Cop was established in 2012 and delivers training, speaking, and consulting worldwide in internet safety, cyberbullying, behavioral threat assessment, violence prevention, and school safety. Their simple yet powerful advice will positively impact your families' lives and how schools manage the digital world.
Please note: Our weekly tips will be back next week. Until then, check out our HBCSD Parenting in a Digital World Tips Page.
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Incoming TK/Kinder Information Day is this
Saturday, January 10, 2026!
We’re excited to kick off the 2026-2027 school year with our Incoming TK/Kinder Information Day on Saturday, January 10, from 10:00-11:30 AM in the Hermosa View School MPR. Parents and guardians are invited to a presentation followed by campus tours.
Topics include:
- Our full-day TK/K program
- Enrollment eligibility and process
- STAR Education (before and after school child care/enrichment)
- Interdistrict attendance permits
- Volunteer opportunities with HVPTO & HBEF
- Our new schools and why we’re the Best Little School District in the South Bay
TK/Kinder Eligibility:
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Transitional Kindergarten: Children must be 4 years of age on or before September 1, 2026.
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Kindergarten: Children must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2026.
Kindly RSVP to attend.
Want to learn more about our TK/Kinder program? Visit our TK/Kinder Website!
New student enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year opens Monday, January 12, at 9 AM, at HBCSD.ORG.
Help us spread the word! Tell your friends and neighbors!
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Hermosa View School Principal News | |
Happy New Year and welcome back, Hermosa View! I hope you all had a wonderful Winter Break. I am so excited to welcome our students back on campus tomorrow!
Before the break, our students truly shined brightly on stage during our View Winter Sing, and I know you are just as proud of them as I am. Watching our students perform with such confidence and joy was a wonderful reminder of the creativity and growth happening every day at Hermosa View. A heartfelt thank you to the Hermosa Beach Education Foundation (HBEF) for generously funding our amazing music program, the Hermosa View Vista Valley Parent Teacher Organization (HVPTO) for providing the risers and speakers, and Mr. R, our incredible music teacher, for the dedication and care he brings to each and every grade-level performance. I hope you enjoy some photos from our TK performance below.
Looking forward to a great week ahead with everyone!
Warmly,
Dr. Jessica Ghobrial, Hermosa View Principal / HB Preschool Director
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Hermosa Vista School Principal News | |
Happy New Year to our Hermosa Vista students and families! I hope you enjoyed a restful and joyful Winter Break. I enjoyed spending quality time with my family during the holidays. As I reflect on 2025, I am truly grateful for the grace, support, and love this community has shown me.
The students of Hermosa Vista continue to impress me, not only with their knowledge, but also with their strong desire to be kind and to do great things. Thank you for raising children who understand the importance of kindness and for having meaningful conversations at home about how to treat others with care and compassion.
We will end this week with our Vista Flag Ceremony on Friday, January 9, from 9:00-9:30 AM, to celebrate students who demonstrate respect. Respectful students show this by using kind words, listening when others are speaking, following directions, accepting differences, and responding appropriately to feedback. I am looking forward to recognizing and celebrating these students.
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I am also thrilled to share a special Vista Author Visit for our 2nd and 3rd graders with New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Lang, creator of the beloved Grumpy Monkey series. Ms. Lang will visit our campus on Friday, January 16, to celebrate her newest book, Archibald and the Furry Dinosaurs. Check out this video Ms. Meyers put together. Families interested in purchasing a signed copy of her latest book or previous titles can place orders through [Pages a bookstore} by Friday, January 9. All preordered books will be delivered to Hermosa Vista on the day of the visit. When checking out, please select “pickup at the store” to avoid shipping charges. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Meyers at hmeyers@hbcsd.org.
I’m excited to kick off the new year strong!
Warmly,
Grace Yang, Hermosa Vista Principal
| | Hermosa Valley School Principal News | | |
Welcome to the New Year at Valley!
We hope you had a wonderfully restful break and are ready to dive back in! We’re super excited to have you back at school and wanted to share a few important and exciting updates:
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Valley Student Store: We’ve opened a student store on campus! Students can now use their PBIS points to purchase items during nutrition on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well as after school on Wednesday. An email with details on the PBIS store process was sent to your students on Friday, December 19.
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After-School Sports: After-school sports will begin on January 27th. We hope you can come out and support our amazing student-athletes! Stay connected throughout the winter season by checking out our HVS Athletics Website.
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8th Grade AstroCamp / Outdoor Ed Science Camps: Our 8th graders are headed to AstroCamp in Idyllwild next week from January 14-16. Be sure to submit all required documents to Ms. Shin. Visit our Middle School Outdoor Ed Science Camp webpage to learn more.
Welcome back!
Warmly,
Jessica Bledsoe, Hermosa Valley Principal
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E-Bike & E-Scooter Safety Course: Spots Still Available
We still have spots available for the E-Bike & E-Scooter Safety Course this Wednesday, January 7, from 2-4 PM. Families are encouraged to sign up if their student needs a Hermosa Schools Registration Sticker. Sign-ups are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
As we return from Winter Break, we know some students may have received an e-bike or e-scooter over the holidays. This course is a great way to start the new year by ensuring students understand safe riding expectations, rules of the road, and responsible behavior before riding to and from school or around the community.
This is the last E-Bike Safety Course offered at Hermosa Valley this school year. If your student would like to earn a Hermosa Schools Registration Sticker, the district has approved two equivalency training certification programs with E-Bike Sense and PedalAce. Please note: The Hermosa Beach City School District is not affiliated with these programs, and participation is at the cost of the participants.
Special thanks to the HVPTO for generously funding this year's E-bike & E-scooter Safety Courses. We also appreciate our continued partnership with E-Bike Sense and HVPTO in helping keep our students Be Safe, Be SMART.
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1/4-28: HBCSD: Student Intent to Return for 2026-2027 School Year Form
1/5-3/13: Valley Yearbook: 8th Grade Dedication Pages & Baby Pictures
1/5: HBCSD: First Day Back from Winter Break
1/7 (2-4 PM): Valley: E-Bike & E-Scooter Safety Course with E-Bike Sense (Sign-Up)
1/8 (6-7:30 PM): HBCSD: Parenting in the Digital World Parent Talk presented by the Cyber Safety Cop in the Valley MPR
1/9 (9-9:30 AM): Vista Flag Ceremony
1/10 (10-11:30 AM): HBCSD: Incoming TK/Kinder Information Day in the View MPR followed by Campus Tours (RSVP to attend)
1/12 (9 AM): HBCSD: New Student Enrollment Opens for the 2026-2027 School Year at HBCSD.ORG
| | MOST IMAGES BELOW ARE CLICKABLE WITH MORE DETAILS | |
STAR Education Program (TK-5) | | |
HERMOSA VIEW
PRESIDENTS' WEEK CAMP
February 9-13, 2026
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HERMOSA VIEW
SPRING CAMP
April 6-10, 2026
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Stay Connected with Community Flyers!
Visit our Community Flyers webpage to explore more opportunities and events from our community and education partners, including the City of Hermosa Beach, Mira Costa High School, and Redondo Union High School. To submit a flyer for consideration, please complete this form.
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Inspirit AI Summer Program by Stanford & MIT Alumni at Hermosa Valley
Artificial intelligence is the defining technology of our times: in our voice-activated devices, smartphone face recognition systems, autonomous vehicles, and now in generative AI like ChatGPT. The potential for all students with diverse interests to apply this technology for good is limitless.
We’re excited to share that Hermosa Valley School is offering an in-person, project-based artificial intelligence program through Inspirit AI, an AI education program developed and taught by Stanford and MIT alumni, this summer on campus. The program will run on weekdays from July 20- 31, 2026, from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM.
Students from rising grades 5-8 will learn the fundamental concepts of AI and gain a deeper understanding of how AI is used to build ChatGPT and generative AI, fight pandemics, power self-driving cars, and more. Students will learn to program AI using Python, discuss ethics and bias within AI, and complete a group project applying AI to a discipline like sustainability, disaster relief, music/arts, among others. No prior computer science experience is required to participate.
If you may be interested in participating in this unique opportunity, please fill out this short interest form. The program is offered at a fee of $1,200 for 30 hours of hands-on learning with AI practitioners and graduate students from Stanford and MIT who will travel to Hermosa Beach to teach students and mentor projects. Check out the program brochure for more information about curriculum, schedule, projects, teaching team, and more!
| | | Hermosa Schools Office Staff | | | | |
