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| | Superintendent's Weekly Message | | |
Happy November HBCSD Families,
I am pleased to remind you that our Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for November 3 through November 10. This is a key opportunity for you, your child’s teacher(s), and your child to build a partnership and collaborate on supporting academic and social‐emotional growth. Here are a few tips to help families prepare for the meeting and conversation:
Prepare
- Please check with your child’s teacher or school office for your specific conference time. We ask that you arrive a few minutes ahead of your scheduled time slot to allow all conferences to run on time.
- For parents of middle school students, please review your child’s current grades via PowerSchool prior to the conference.
- Use the conference as a chance to discuss:
- What your child is doing well and where they may need extra support.
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The academic skills or concepts expected this year (for example: reading, writing, math, science, and social-emotional learning).
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How you and the teacher can partner to encourage progress—for instance, what you can ask your child daily, and what you can do at home to reinforce learning.
During the conference
- Prepare by noting a few questions or topics you want to discuss, and ask your child what they enjoy or find challenging in class.
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During the meeting, share your child’s strengths and any relevant context regarding their home life or school experience. Ask how you can support the teacher’s efforts.
- Afterward, talk with your child about what was discussed—highlight positives first, then growth areas. Follow up with the teacher as needed.
Thank you for making time for this important conversation. Our entire school community is stronger when families and teachers work together.
Warm regards,
Dr. Susan Wildes
Superintendent of Schools, Hermosa Beach City School District
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HVS: Parent/Teacher Conferences - Minimum Day
It's HVS: Parent/Teacher Conferences; Minimum Day on November 3-4, 6-7, & 10, 2025. All students will be dismissed on these days as follows:
Hermosa View School: TK (12:15 PM), Kinder (12:20 PM), & 1st Grade (12:25 PM)
Hermosa Vista School: 2nd Grade (12:20 PM), 3rd Grade (12:10 PM), & 4th Grade (12:15 PM)
Hermosa Valley School: 5th-8th Grades (12:25 PM)
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Join the HBCSD Learner Profile Taskforce This Week!
HBCSD is seeking parent, student, and staff volunteers to help shape our Learner Profile—the final piece of the HBCSD Strategic Plan. This guiding taskforce will define what it means for our students to “Thrive TK–8” by outlining the skills, attitudes, and characteristics we want every 8th-grade student to carry forward.
Meeting: Thursday, November 6, from 4–6 PM
Location: Hermosa Valley School Library
If you’re interested in contributing your voice and perspective, please contact Dr. Susan Wildes at swildes@hbcsd.org. We hope you’ll join us!"
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You're Invited: Measure HV - Building Our Future Together
Families, staff, and community members are invited to join the Hermosa Beach City School District for a Measure HV - Building Our Future Together Conversation on Monday, November 17, from 6:00-8:00 PM, in the Hermosa Valley MPR. This interactive meeting will focus on gathering ideas to guide the modernization of the Hermosa Valley campus. Your feedback will help shape safe, modern, and inspiring learning environments that reflect our community's shared values.
Kindly RSVP by Monday, November 17, at 10:00 AM.
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CAC Parent Workshop: ADR - Having Hard Conversations
Southwest SELPA is hosting a virtual Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Parent Workshop: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) - Having Hard Conversations on Wednesday, November 19, from 10:00-11:30 AM via Zoom. This session is designed to help families navigate challenging conversations effectively and with confidence, using ADR strategies. See flyers for more information about upcoming parent workshops this school year.
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Parenting in a Digital World Tip #7: Managing Devices
This tip comes from Common Sense Media.
There are both hardware and software solutions to control your home network and your home Wi-Fi. A popular one is OpenDNS, a download that works with your existing router (the device that brings the internet into your home) to filter internet content. Some internet service providers, such as Comcast and Verizon, offer parental control features that apply to all devices on the network, too. Network solutions can work for families with kids of different ages; however, mucking around in your network and Wi-Fi settings can be challenging, and the controls may not apply when kids are on a different network.
Missed a tip? Check out our HBCSD Parenting in a Digital World Tips Page.
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Hermosa View School Principal News | |
What a spooky week at Hermosa View! We enjoyed celebrating Red Ribbon Week and participating in spirit wear each day. This represented our commitment to making healthy choices.
Counseling in October:
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TK: We learned how to use I-Messages to solve problems and express our feelings! “I feel ___ when ___, can you please ___?” This helps students communicate their needs and emotions clearly with friends.
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Kindergarten & First Grade: Our focus was on kindness, friendship, and empathy. Students explored how their words and actions can make others feel and how small acts of kindness help build a caring classroom community.
Our amazing HBPD came by on October 30th to share some trick-or-treating safety tips, just ahead of Halloween. HBCSD Superintendent Dr. Wildes judged our View Red Ribbon Week Door Decorating Contest and the winner was Ms. Lankford's 1st Grade Classroom. Finally, we had a spooktacular Halloween Costume Parade! We had some creative costumes and cheered each other on as we marched around our blacktop.
It’s tons of fun being a Hermosa View Dolphin!
Friendly reminder that siblings should be picked up in the View Library. Please be on time. Also, this week, students will be dismissed early for Parent/Teacher Conference Week. Please note that the dismissal time on Wednesday differs from the rest of the week. For reference, please see the Hermosa Schools Bell Schedules. Our HB Preschool at View will follow its regular school day schedule.
Warmly,
Dr. Jessica Ghobrial, Hermosa View Principal / HB Preschool Director
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Hermosa Vista School Principal News | |
At Vista, we had a great time celebrating Red Ribbon Week with our themed spirit days! It was exciting to see everyone showing off their favorite sports team gear and to watch our students proudly parade in their fun and creative costumes at the Halloween Costume Parade.
As a reward for our Skechers Walk participation and reaching 1.5x walkers, Vista students will have no homework this week! We hope this gives families a chance to enjoy some quality time together, and we look forward to seeing you during Parent/Teacher Conference Week. Please note that we will be on a minimum day schedule this week, except on Wednesday, November 5, so plan to pick up your child on time.
We have a 2nd grade Girl Scout troop that is organizing a Project Needs Donation Drive! They are collecting new items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and other toiletries. Donations can be dropped off at Vista’s front office between November 3-14.
On Friday, November 7, we're holding our next Vista Flag Ceremony from 9:00-9:30 AM. All families whose children are being recognized will be notified ahead of time and are welcome to attend.
Lastly, please remember not to park or leave your vehicle unattended on 25th Street during drop-off. Thank you for helping keep our students safe by not leaving them unattended in the car.
Warmly,
Grace Yang, Hermosa Vista Principal
| | Hermosa Valley School Principal News | | |
What an exciting and eventful week we had at Hermosa Valley! Our campus has been buzzing with energy, creativity, and school spirit as students have come together to learn, celebrate, and have fun.
❤️ Red Ribbon Week
This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme, “Life is a Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free!” was such a fun celebration of healthy choices and positive living! Advisory classes went all-out for the door decorating contest — the creativity and teamwork were incredible to see. Congratulations to Ms. Hruska’s 5th grade class and Mr. Beaudin’s Advisory class for taking home the win!
💙 Valley Spirit Games
Our Spirit Games were a huge success! Students enjoyed a high-energy rally featuring our talented cheerleaders and some brave teachers who joined in a rally game (and yes, got a little embarrassed in the name of fun). The highlight was the viral Whitney Houston Drum Challenge, where Team Yellow came out victorious! Every student had the opportunity to participate, and the positive energy around campus was contagious. Thank you to our amazing Valley staff for always going above and beyond to make student celebrations memorable and meaningful.
🧛 Halloween Costume Day Contest
It was such a spooktacular day on campus as students and staff came dressed in their Halloween best! The creativity was off the charts, and our judges had a tough time choosing winners across the different categories. Check out some of the awesome pictures below, and you’ll see why this year’s event was one for the books!
🏅 HVS Athletics - Fall Sports Season Wrap-Up
A huge shout-out to our fantastic HVS student-athletes who represented Hermosa Valley so well this fall! From the field to the court, our students consistently demonstrated teamwork, sportsmanship, and school pride throughout the entire season. We’re proud of our strong records and the number of scholar-athletes who balanced academics and athletics with excellence. Go Dolphins!
Coming up this week:
🏐 8th Grade Students vs. Staff Volleyball Game
Next up in our lineup of fun: the 8th Grade Students vs. Staff Volleyball Game on Wednesday, November 5! Students must have completed six service points to participate or attend. This long-standing tradition is always filled with energy, laughter, and a bit of friendly competition — can the students finally take down the staff this year? We’ll see!
🏃 5th & 8th Grade Field Trip – RBUSD Fall Fitness Day
On Monday, November 3, our 5th and 8th graders will head to Redondo Union High School for their annual Fall Fitness Day! This is a wonderful opportunity for students to engage in fitness challenges and build community with neighboring schools. Please be sure your child’s 5th Grade or 8th Grade permission slip has been turned in to their 5th grade or advisory teacher. Students without a signed form will be unable to attend. Please note that all 5th grade students will be departing for RUHS at 7:30 AM. Anybody who is late will not make the bus for the field trip.
👩🏫 Parent/Teacher Conference Week
It’s Parent/Teacher Conference Week here at Valley. All 5th-grade students will participate, and some middle school families have also been invited to conferences. Please check in at the front office upon arrival, and remember to bring your student to their conference. Valley will follow a minimum day schedule all week with dismissal at 12:45 PM, except for Early Out Wednesday. See our Hermosa Schools Bell Schedules for reference.
Our students continue to amaze us with their effort, creativity, and spirit. Let’s keep the HVS Dolphin pride going strong as we head into November!
Warmly,
Jessica Bledsoe, Hermosa Valley Principal
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PBIS Corner:
Operation: Be Nice to Yourself
As educators (and parents!), we often focus on what still needs to be done, what could be better, what needs to improve, or what didn’t go quite right. We analyze, we plan, we reflect… but we don’t always pause to celebrate the victories—big or small.
So let’s take a moment to do just that.
Did you finally cross something off your endless to-do list? Victory!
Did you help your child through a tough moment or tricky assignment? Victory!
Did you get everyone out the door this morning (mostly) on time? Victory!
The same spirit applies to our PBIS program. Are there areas to grow? Of course! But we’ve also made incredible progress. Teachers have created their own school stores, we’re using the Rewards 360 app in new and engaging ways, and we’re adding supports to help every student succeed. Victory!
Together, as a school community, we’re moving forward and modeling resilience, kindness, and celebration of growth.
Let’s all take a bow for the small wins that make a big difference.
Jason Coleman, 7th Grade English Language Arts Teacher
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10/12-12/19: HVPTO: Minted Fundraiser
11/1-30: HVPTO Support & Play FUNraiser: Dave & Buster's Power Cards; Buy Today!
11/3-4, 6-7, & 10: HVS: Parent/Teacher Conferences - Minimum Day
11/3-7: HVPTO: Candy Collection & Letters for the Troops
11/3: Valley: 5th/8th Grade Field Trip to RBUSD Fall Fitness Day
11/5 (9:55-10:40 AM): Valley: 8th Grade Students vs. Staff. Volleyball Game
11/6 (4:00-6:00 PM): HBCSD: Learner Profile Taskforce
11/7 (9:00-9:30 AM): Vista Flag Ceremony
| | MOST IMAGES BELOW ARE CLICKABLE WITH MORE DETAILS | | STAR Education Program (TK-5) | | |
VIEW & VISTA STAR NOVA - SESSION 2
Registration NOW OPEN at STARINC.ORG • Classes Start 11/12
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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.
| | | Hermosa Schools Office Staff | | | | |
