Madrona Family Memo

Greetings, Madrona Families!

A friendly reminder that there will be no school on Monday, February 10, in recognition of President Lincoln's Birthday. Additionally, there will be no school the following Monday, February 17, for the Presidents' Day holiday.

Important Alerts

• Help keep our students safe and traffic moving. Please refrain from double parking or making a three-point turn on Opal or El Dorado during peak drop off and pick-up hours. Thank you for helping to keep our students safe by driving carefully and slowly before and after school.

• The staff parking lot on Opal Street is designated for staff use only. We kindly ask that families park along Opal Street or El Dorado for pickup.
  
  

8th-grade families - Here is the link to the much anticipated 24-25 Madrona 8th grade Important Dates Calendar, which includes Torrance High School welcome events, transition meeting info and 8th-grade promotion details.

Have a wonderful weekend! We return to school on Tuesday, February 11.

Warm regards,

Sue Key, Ed.D., Proud Principal

Madrona Middle School

The following message is only for students taking Torrance High School classes in the morning:

NOT Tuesday Late Start days at THS (follow their Monday/Friday bell schedule)

this Tuesday 2/11/25

• Tuesday 4/1/25
• Tuesday 4/29/25 (week of THS ELA CAASPP testing)
• Tuesday 5/20/25 (week of THS MATH CAASPP)
• Tuesday 6/3/25 (week of THS 12th-grade Finals)
• Tuesday 6/10/25 (week of Semester 2 Finals)

Madrona students will be provided morning supervision in our cafeteria on the days they return back to campus early.

Math 8 and Algebra 1 teacher, Mrs. Bloomfield, was recently recognized by English 8 teacher, Mr. H, for her dedication to students, her unwavering positivity, and her mentorship to fellow teachers. Her commitment to creating a supportive and inspiring learning environment makes a lasting impact on both students and colleagues. Congratulations, Mrs. Bloomfield!

Thank you, Madrona PTSA and family volunteers, for hosting a fantastic PAL’entine Dance on Thursday night. Our students had an amazing time celebrating with friends!

are reflected in Madrona students as they grow in their ability to demonstrate academic literacies and continuous pursuit of interdisciplinary knowledge, welcoming challenges as pathways to growth, and craft solutions by leveraging innovative ideas, critical thinking skills, evidence-based insights, technology, and diverse perspectives -TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Calling all students with a growth mindset! Come to Madrona Homework Club for a quiet space to complete homework and get help from the supervising math teacher or peer tutors. Students will need to check in and check-out every session. Sign-up HERE. The club is limited to 35 student per session.

The Club is open to all grade levels and for content support - 3:30-4:30 pm (three days a week, Monday-Wednesday).

• Mondays (in Room 14 w/Mrs. Bloomfield)
• Tuesdays (in Room 9 w/Ms. Fu)
• Wednesdays (in Room 6 w/Ms. Wulpern)

Top class = Dr. Torres P4 = 15,475 minutes

Top reader = Aidan Pham = 1,044 minutes

Everyone = 292,101 minutes

Keep up the amazing work, Super Readers!

are reflected in Madrona students as they grow in their ability to actively listen to understand others, seek common ground, and effectively articulate ideas, positions, and stories in ways that build strong interpersonal relationships and collaborations for mutual benefit -TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

MADRONA EPORTS UPDATE!
Shoutout to Kei Nakanishi, Khloe Macedo Garcia, Dominic Tran, Brayden Chen, and Ethan Kim for their incredible performance! They secured a 2-0 victory against Hull Middle School last week and followed it up with another 2-0 win over Bert Lynn Middle School this week! 🏆

Madrona Middle School eSports is currently in FIRST PLACE in the TUSD eSports tournament!

Incredible outcomes as a result of their eSports and collaboration skills! Amazing!

are reflected in Madrona students as they grow in their ability have a positive influence of others with a style of leadership that models integrity, responsibility, resilience, empathy, and respect for others. -TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Madrona Leadership plays an important role in our school community! One of the many things they do is celebrate students by recognizing birthdays and half-birthdays (for summer birthdays) with a special message and a keepsake bracelet. Recently, they set up a Valentine Gram booth, allowing students to send heartfelt messages to friends across campus. Their dedication helps make our school a more connected and joyful place!

Students in the Sports Management class organize lunchtime leagues, including volleyball. The Madrona lunchtime championship games are currently in progress. Pictured below, Sports Management student Jonathan Guo serves as the scorekeeper

are reflected in Madrona students who prioritize self-care by developing healthy habits and life skills that ensure long-term physical mental, emotional, social, and financial well-being. -TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Girls' and Boys' Intramural Basketball games start next week!

• 2/13 - Madrona at Casimir (Boys first)
• 2/20 - Madrona (home) vs Jefferson (Girls first)
• 2/27 - Madrona (home) vs Magruder (Boys first)
• 3/6 - Madrona at Calle (Girls first)
• 3/11 - Madrona vs Hull at THS/gym, 6 pm (Boys first)

Games are at 4:00pm/5:00 pm unless indicated

Athletic Clearance Packet & Physical Form
Student athletes must complete an athletic packet and have a physical prior to participation on an athletic team representing our school.To try out for a team, you must have a 2.0 GPA or higher and no more than 1 U in citizenship the previous Quarter.

TUSD Middle School Athletics Packet | Upload Completed Forms Here

Cross Country

Run Club continues to meet weekly* on Wednesdays from 3:30 to ~3:50 pm on the blacktop for runs in the neighborhood. (*Check with Mr. Estefan, Room 22)

Our next competition - Spring Meet: Thursday, March 27, 2025, 4PM, Hull Middle School

• Shout out to all Mr. H's students who worked so hard on their Flowers for Algernon, genetic engineering essays and becoming better writers through their hard work! Shout outs to all of you!! Your hard work will pay off!! ~ Mrs. Brown
• Shout out to Leo Strickler for outstanding chess matches. ~ Mr. H
• Bravo! Shout out to Mika Tawa for receiving a 4+ on a recent argument essay. Bravo! ~ Mr. H
• Shout out to all of the Show Choir, Band, and Guitar students for a great performance! Bravo! ~ Mr. H
• Charlie Williams- Thank you for tutoring a student who has been absent for awhile. This has been such a help. You are amazing. ~ Mrs. Bloomfield
• Math 8- Great job on the hard work for your Systems Posters. ~ Mrs. Bloomfield
• Miskimen's Super Science Students who scored an A on their Atmosphere Test: Ryan Kim, Gregory Lagrimas, Miwa Nagase, Ray Nago, Anirudh Balakrishnan, Ben Chapman, Soraya Ehsan, Aniela Magtalas, Gavin Spangenberg, Camryn Yuki, Cian Bondoc, Jack Conner, Caleb Garcia, Jessie Guzman, Zoey Law, Dawit Miller, Calogero Rocha, Adam Sharza, Wylliam Brazil, and Aviana Evans. Great job!
• Recognizing Emma Flores, Roy Lee, Hako Ono, Ben Hoffer, Cru Goff, Sophia Briseno, Diago Garcia Alcaraz, Keira Bagley, Malia Dowgwilla, Henry Kim, Jay Han, Jayden Son, Miwa Nagase, Ivy Tang, Marissa Campbell, Zachary Lavi, Seigo Fumimoto, Keita Takashiro, and Yukika Tsurumi for superb effort in English Language Arts. ~ Mr. Estefan
• Shout-out to Student Leadership for the AMAZING Wildcat Spirit they bring to our school! ~Dr. Key
• Shout-out to Elijah Butler for demonstrating grit and positivity! ~Dr. Key
• Shout-out to Joel Navarro for demonstrating leadership and a growth mindset by covering an electric guitar part during the Winter Concert! ~Dr. Key

are reflected in Madrona students as they grow in their ability to passionately champion civic engagement and global citizenship, proactively contributing to a more inclusive, equitable, and interconnected world through dedicated actions, advocacy, service, and environmental stewardship. -TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Congrats to our Torrance Council of PTSA Reflections Contest Winners!

• Award of Merit/Film - Midori Yanone for “A Shellebration (Celebration) of Uniqueness”
• Award of Merit/Literature - Lydia Tseng for “Tiny but Mighty”
• Award of Merit/Visual Arts - Dana Gnatenko for “Broken, Now Whole”

These three students submitted entries that beautifully captured this year's theme, Embracing Imperfections. Congratulations on exemplifying creativity while championing the powerful message of self-compassion, self-worth, and personal growth!

Please note the Basketball Club is postponed until AFTER Madrona's Intramural Basketball season is over. Thank you for your understanding!

February

• this Monday, 2/10 - Lincoln's Birthday - No School
• Thursday, 2/13 - Basketball at Casimir, 4 pm
• Monday, 2/17 - President's Day - No School
• Thursday, 2/20 - Basketball (Home) vs Jefferson, 4 pm
• Thursday, 2/27 - Basketball (Home) vs Magruder, 4 pm)
• Friday, 2/28 - 3/2 - Pali GATE Field Trip
  
  

March

• Thursday, 3/6 - Basketball at Calle, 4 pm

• Tuesday, 3/4 - School Site Council Meeting #4 via Zoom, 3:30 pm

• Tuesday, 3/11 - PTSA Board Meeting, 5:30 pm

• Tuesday, 3/13 - Basketball vs rival Hull, 6-8 pm at THS

• Wednesday, 3/20 - 2025-26 Incoming 6th-grade Family Information Night, 6pm/Gym.

* more events & dates to be added each week.

8th-grade families! The Madrona PTSA needs your help and contributions ensure your student's 8th-grade class activities are fun and memorable. Click here to learn how to help.

So far, the Madrona PTSA has raised $10,811 of their $25,000 goal for 8th-grade student activities.

Donate directly to the Madrona Middle School PTSA via the DONATE link below (or) Download the Donation Form and drop off donations to the PTSA Box located in the main office. 100% of membership goes back to our school.

Donate directly to the Madrona Middle School PTSA via link above (or)
Download the Donation Form and drop off donations to the PTSA Box located in the main office

Interested in having your student take the test for placement in acceleration? Please complete the following TUSD Sign Up Form. The placement test for current Madrona Students is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30 (The test for incoming 6th-graders/2025-26 school year is scheduled for Wednesday, April 23).

Here are links shared during a TUSD Math Acceleration Zoom Meeting, also posted on the TUSD Parent/Student Mathematics Website

• Acceleration by Defense (Pathways and FAQ)
• Math 6 to Accelerated 7th (Presentation Slides - 2023-24 version is still current, Sign Up Form, sample assessment, learning targets, and links to Khan Academy)

TUSD is happy to provide different acceleration opportunities in math for students.

1. 6th graders - independently practice 7th grade content on Khan Academy and then take a test in April (date TBA) in order to enroll in Accelerated Math 7 or Algebra 1 in 7th grade.
2. Students currently in Math 6 can study 1st Semester 7th Grade content and test into Accelerated Math 7 as 7th graders.
3. Students currently in Accelerated Math 6 can study 2nd Semester 7th Grade Content and Math 8 content and test into Algebra 1 as 7th graders.

There are other acceleration opportunities available to 6th, 7th and 9th grade students. If your student is not ready for independent practice/testing as a means of acceleration, they will have additional acceleration opportunities in the future.

All students access the online version of textbooks and educational resources through the TUSD CLEVER portal

Have your student log in to CLEVER (https://clever.com/in/torrance) using their TUSD email and password to show you all of their learning tools.

• Schoology - an online learning management system where teachers post agendas and assignments.
• iReady - a resource teachers use to support learning in essential Reading and Math domains.

The iReady Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that identifies students’ strengths and opportunities for growth during this school year. This information helps teachers determine how best to support their student learning, and families can monitor their student's growth over time. Watch this video to learn more.

How can I access my student’s results?

1. Log in to your student’s i-Ready Dashboard through Clever.
2. Click the "For Families" dropdown and select the "For Families report".
3. Enter the Torrance Unified School District’s Report Code: 40497Y.
   
   

For more information:

• Madrona_iReady-Communication-to-families ( Spanish | Japanese | Chinese )

PowerSchool & PowerSchool app - Download and use the app to monitor your student's grades and attendance. Enable in-app alerts to receive real-time information on progress. Android | Apple. The district code is TCXN. Students use their student ID # and password to login, while families use district assigned login credentials.

Anyone (student, staff, parent/guardian) can fill this out our Google Form to refer a student for counseling. Referrals will be prioritized and responded to by the level of urgency.

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀/𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀

NOTE: All referrals are first sent to Ms. Lujan, School Counselor. The school counselor may refer the student to our school therapist, Darren Thomas. In either case, counseling is an optional service and completely confidential, unless there is a safety risk at-hand.

If this is an 𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙮 and you do not have immediate access to the counselor, please call 911 and/or contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988.

TUSD students are encouraged to use the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System offered through the Sandy Hook Promise to keep our schools secure and our students safe.

This life-saving service empowers you, our students, and our community members to anonymously report any concerns, including potential threats, bullying, or individuals who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. There are three ways to make a report:

• Call the 24/7 crisis hotline counselors at 1-844-5-SayNow (1-844-572-9669)

• Download the mobile app at Google Play or Apple Store

• Submit a tip through their secure website
  
  

We encourage you to remind your children about the importance of speaking up if they see or hear something troubling so that we can partner to address issues before they escalate. By working together, we can create a safer and more supportive environment for everyone.

As a California public school student, your child may be eligible to receive a CalKIDS scholarship of $500 to $1,500 for college or career training. Funded by the State of California, a CalKIDS scholarship can be used for qualified college and career training expenses such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, computer equipment, and some room and board expenses. Checking a student’s eligibility and claiming a CalKIDS scholarship is easy. It only takes a minute. All you need is your child’s 10-digit Statewide Student Identifier (SSID), which can be found at the top of the page when you select your student in PowerSchool. For more information and to check your child’s eligibility, visit CalKIDS.org.

Our Board of Education voted to extend the free Metro GoPass program for a second year, and we are proud to offer this benefit to all our students. The program includes a Metro TAP (Transit Access Pass) card that offers FREE unlimited rides on Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) bus rail and subway lines, including Torrance Transit, Long Beach Transit, Culver CityBus, Gardena Transit (GTrans) and LADOT Dash.

If your student has a TAP card from last year, you will just need a new code, which you can pick up from our school office. We also have a stock of TAP cards for new riders or those who lost their old cards. New cards will need to be activated before being used. For more information, visit https://www.tusd.org/administrative-services/metro-gopass.

Looking for a way to help out our school? We are ALWAYS in need of school supplies! Any help we can get is ALWAYS greatly appreciated. If you do purchase an item(s) please have it delivered to:
Madrona Middle School 21364 Madrona Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 310-533-4562. Thank you!
If you have it delivered to your home, please drop off at the front office (or) have your student bring it in. Madrona Middle School Wishlist Link

Sign up for Ralphs Community Contribution Program ad NO added cost to you. Use Madrona's Organization ID UF902. Click here The program requires registration each September to stay active!

As you may have seen in the Back to School Highlights from TUSD Superintendent Dr. Stowe, this year, we have unveiled an updated vision for our District. After more than 18 months of input, best practice research, and development, we have published our "Portrait of a Graduate." Our Portrait describes the key skills that we want every student to have developed by the time they graduate from Torrance Unified.

At Madrona Middle School, we take pride in preparing your student for the transition to high school and beyond. Our focus on rigorous, relevant, and engaging academics and enriching activities ensures that your student is well-equipped for their next journey.

Madrona Middle School was voted the Best Public Middle School in the 2024 Daily Breeze/Beach Reporter South Bay Best Readers' Choice survey! This recognition is a testament to the supportive and safe learning environment created through the collaborative effort of our student body, staff, and families.

The Daily Breeze / Beach Reporter published its annual Readers Choice Awards - link to the webpage and insert: https://dailybreeze.readerschoice.la/2024-south-bays-rc-on-issuu-com/

School Website: https://www.tusd.org/schools/madrona

Address: 21364 Madrona Avenue, Torrance, CA, USA

General Email: madronainfo@tusd.org

Attendance Office: madronattend@tusd.org

Main Phone #: (310)533-4562

Visit our school website and follow us on Instagram for updates on school events and activities.