New HBCSD Student Cell Phone & Smartwatch Policy

In response to feedback from our students, teachers/staff, and parents/guardians collected through last year’s Cell Phone/Smartwatch Policy Development Feedback Survey, the Hermosa Beach City School District has developed a new policy regarding student use of cell phones and smartwatches.

Effective in the 2025-2026 school year, students may bring a cell phone and/or smartwatch to school; however, all devices must remain turned off and secured in the student’s backpack throughout the entire school day. Devices may not be worn or kept on the student’s person at any time during instructional hours or while on campus.

Usage Violations & Consequences

• First Offense - Student will receive a verbal warning, and the incident will be documented in the school’s internal system.
• Second Offense - The cell phone/smartwatch will be confiscated, and a parent or guardian will be notified via email. The message will include a reminder that a third offense will require the parent/guardian to retrieve the device in person.
• Third Offense - The cell phone/smartwatch will be confiscated, and a parent or guardian must come to school to pick it up. Notification will be sent via email.

Additional Reminders

• The Hermosa Beach City School District is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen cell phones or smartwatches.
• Misuse of devices on campus may result in confiscation and disciplinary consequences. 
• To minimize classroom disruptions, please do not attempt to contact students directly during school hours. All messages should be directed through the school’s front office.
• Reach out to your school principal if your child has a medical exemption, such as diabetes, that requires cell phone monitoring.

We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain a focused and respectful learning environment for all students. 

If you have any questions, please contact your school principal.

Now Accepting Applications for the LCAP Advisory Group 2025-2026

Are you interested in helping shape the future of Hermosa Schools? HBCSD is now accepting applications for appointment to the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Advisory Group for the 2025-2026 school year. Completed applications must be submitted no later than 4:00 PM on Friday, September 12, 2025, to be considered for appointment. We welcome you to be a part of the conversation that guides our district’s goals, actions, and funding priorities. You can learn more by visiting our LCAP webpage.

HBCSD's Communication Guidelines for Parents and Guardians

At Hermosa Schools, we value transparent, timely, and effective communication between families, staff, and administration. If you have a question or concern about your child's school experience, please refer to the HBCSD Communication Guidelines for guidance. These guidelines outline the steps for reaching out, beginning with your child's teacher and moving through school and district leadership as needed. Following this process helps ensure concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately. You can reference the guidelines at any time on this webpage.

Food Services Update

We want to share information about our Universal Meals Program for the upcoming school year. All students in California are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day, regardless of household income.

To help us plan and reduce waste, we are requesting that all families place their breakfast and lunch orders online before 7:00 AM if their child will be eating a school meal.

While meals are free for everyone, we strongly encourage families to complete a Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application if they may be eligible. Approved applications help our school qualify for additional funding. Families who qualify for Free & Reduced-Price Lunch are eligible for our Extended Learning Opportunities Program with STAR Education (i.e. daycare and summer camps).

How to Apply for Low Income Status & Supplemental Offerings:

• Complete the application online at MySchoolApps.
• Only one application is needed per household.
• Information is kept confidential.

How to Order School Meals:

STEP 1 - Create a MySchoolBucks account

STEP 2 - Go to MealOrders.com and log in using your My SchoolBucks account (or create a new account). 

• Select your student, school, and serving date. 
• Add meal items to your cart and check out. 
• To help us prepare the correct number of meals, please submit your meal orders online prior to 7:00 AM. Families can order meals up to the entire month.

For more information, visit our Food Services page and view the August & September Menus. 

If you have any questions regarding food services, please contact Luis Cuevas, HBCSD Food Services Supervisor, at lcuevas@hbcsd.org. 

Measure HV Update: Making Good Progress for Our Schools

We are pleased to share that Hermosa Beach City School District recently completed the first $8 million bond issuance from Measure HV, which our community generously approved in November 2024.



The timing of the sale worked strongly in our favor, as it finalized just ahead of a market increase, saving taxpayers more than $3 million in borrowing costs compared to initial estimates. The bonds were sold at a 4.77% interest rate, a competitive result made possible by the district’s strong AA credit rating and favorable market conditions at the time of the sale. This saved our taxpayers significant costs and maximized the dollars available to invest directly into our schools.

These funds mark the start of exciting facility improvements that will benefit our students for years to come. From critical repairs to modern upgrades, this investment will ensure safe, high-quality learning environments for every child.

We are deeply grateful to our community for supporting Measure HV and investing in the future of Hermosa’s students.



Stay tuned for regular updates on our school bond facilities work.

City of Hermosa Beach Traffic Alert Beginning August 19, 2025

The City of Hermosa Beach will be performing sewer repairs on Loma Drive between 16th Street and St. Cross Episcopal Church beginning on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. This work will restrict access to the path leading to Hermosa Valley School on Loma Drive. Please plan ahead, as the closure may affect your drop-off and pick-up routes. Depending on the field conditions, restrictions or limited access may also continue into the following week.

California Law Regarding Safe Storage of Firearms

California Education Code Section 49392 requires all school districts.to inform and to remind parents and legal guardians of all students of their responsibilities for keeping firearms out of the hands of children. Seventy-four percent of children know where their parents’ firearms are stored, and 60 percent report that they have handled them. Sadly, over 80 percent of teens who have died by suicide used a firearm that belonged to someone in their home. These incidents can be easily prevented by storing firearms in a safe and secure manner, including keeping them locked up when not in use and storing them separately from ammunition.

To help everyone understand their legal responsibilities, the information below spells out California law regarding the storage of firearms. Please take some time to review this memorandum and evaluate your own personal practices to assure that you and your family are in compliance with California law.

• With very limited exceptions, California makes a person criminally liable for keeping any firearm, loaded or unloaded, within any premises that are under their custody and control where that person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the child’s parent or legal guardian, and the child obtains access to the firearm and thereby (1) causes death or injury to the child or any other person; (2) carries the firearm off the premises or to a public place, including to any preschool or school grades kindergarten through twelfth grade, or to any school-sponsored event, activity, or performance; or (3) unlawfully brandishes the firearm to others.



• Note: The criminal penalty may be significantly greater if someone dies or suffers great bodily injury as a result of the child gaining access to the firearm.

• With very limited exceptions, California also makes it a crime for a person to negligently store or leave any firearm, loaded or unloaded, on their premises in a location where the person knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to it without the permission of the child’s parent or legal guardian, unless reasonable action is taken to secure the firearm against access by the child, even where a child never actually accesses the firearm.

• In addition to potential fines and terms of imprisonment, as of January 1, 2020, a gun owner found criminally liable under these California laws faces prohibitions from possessing, having custody or control, owning, receiving, or purchasing a firearm for 10 years.

• Finally, a parent or guardian may also be civilly liable for damages resulting from the discharge of a firearm by that person’s child or ward.

Thank you for helping to keep our children and schools safe. Remember that the easiest and safest way to comply with the law is to keep firearms in a locked container or secured with a locking device that renders the firearm inoperable.

Calling All Middle School Coders! Enter the 2025 Congressional App Challenge

Hermosa Valley Middle School students are invited to participate in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge, the official computer science competition of the U.S. House of Representatives. Since 2013, over 70,000 students from all 50 states and five U.S. territories have taken part in this prestigious national competition.

From May 1 through October 30, Congressman Ted Lieu will host the challenge for middle and high school students in California’s 36th District. Open to all skill levels, the challenge encourages students to get creative and build an original app. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced coder, this is a great opportunity to develop your skills, solve real-world problems, and earn national recognition. 

To learn more about rules, eligibility, and prizes, visit the Congressional App Challenge website. Also, check out the informational flyer.

Stay Connected with Community Flyers!

Visit our Community Flyers webpage to explore 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.