Madrona Family Memo

Greetings, Madrona Families!

A special thank you to families who attended the Madrona PTSA-hosted Mid-Day Mingle on Friday! Save the date! Our last Mid-Day Mingle for the 2024-25 school year is scheduled for Friday, May 23. We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to families who joined us for our Quarter 2 Assembly to watch their students' performances or celebrate their students' well-deserved recognition. Watching families come together at Madrona during these special events is always a heartwarming experience!

We value your insights about Madrona and your student's academic and social-emotional learning experiences. Please take a few moments to complete the Madrona Family Mid-Year Survey, which will help us continue to grow and improve your students' school experiences. Thank you for your time and support!

Please note - Our popularly attended After School Homework Club is swapping rooms this Monday and Tuesday (the week of January 27).

• Monday (in Room 9 w/Ms. Fu)
• Tuesday (in Room 14 w/Mrs. Bloomfield)
  
  

If your student needs help with homework or a quiet space to complete classwork, sign them up for our after-school club through this Google Form—more information is included below.

Additional Updates:

• The end of Quarter 2 is this Friday, January 24. Quarter 2 grades will be finalized and shared with families by TUSD email on February 5.
• For 6th-graders enrolled in Period 5 Enrichment: Starting Monday, January 27, their 5th-period class will change to their third elective class in the wheel. The schedule change will be reflected in PowerSchool by Monday.

Warm regards for a wonderful weekend! Go Wildcats!

Sue Key, Ed.D., Proud Principal

Madrona Middle School

Our 8th Grade Panoramic Picture Day is scheduled for Monday, 1/27/25 during Tutorial

ORDER YOUR 8th GRADE PANO PICTURE ONLINE!

1. Visit mydorian.com to order your 10" x 24" Pano. picture today.
2. Search for Madrona Middle School
3. Click the green Order button next to the Pano. Picture Day event, and place your order before Monday, 1/27/25 for the lowest prices.

You can order online now and for up to four (4) days after picture day (1/27/25)

Have family and friends who are interested in having their student enroll at Madrona next year? Our 2025-26 Incoming 6th-grade Family Informational Meeting is scheduled for this Tuesday, January 28 5:30 pm via Zoom (see flier for Zoom link).

We will also be holding our Annual Incoming 6th-grade Family Welcome informational meeting on Tuesday, March 20, 2025 with more detailed information (in-person in the GYM)

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.

- an element of the TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Madrona students demonstrate a growth mindset when they attend Tutorial Sessions. The goal of Tutorial is to provide all students an opportunity for more practice on very specific skills and concepts. Teachers invite students to Tutorial; however, students are encouraged to advocate for themselves and ask their teachers for an invitation to Tutorial sessions.

Designated Content Area Tutorial Days - Every week, students have four opportunities to receive targeted support during the school day. Our school wide Tutorial periods (12:24-12:49 pm) are:

• Social Studies (Mondays)
• Science (Wednesdays)
• English Language Arts (Thursday)
• Science (Fridays)

Our Science Olympiad Team had lots of fun and learned a bunch at the Science Olympiad USC Invitational this last weekend! There were 86 middle schools competing, and based on the preliminary results, we came in 47th. However, we were only 41 points away from breaking into the top half - a huge improvement over our invitational placement last year where we were 40th out of 59 schools.

In the individual events, we had a few events where we broke into the top 25 and one student, Andrew Aguilar, won a fourth place medal in his Remote Sensing trial event. Everyone on the team was so excited to hear our school's name announced at the awards ceremony when Andrew got his medal.

Our teams eagerly await final scores for review as a class. They already have a lot of ideas for improvement and additional motivation to strive to do even better next time! ~ Mrs. Hallsted, Science and Science Olympiad Teacher

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)

Only for this week, the week of January 27:

• Monday (in Room 9 w/Ms. Fu)
• Tuesday (in Room 14 w/Mrs. Bloomfield)

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

- an element of the TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Students in Mr. Waldschmidt's Math 7 class watched their teacher's demonstration of an in-class math engagement activity before taking on specific roles to solve problems in collaborative groups. Wonderful!

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.

- an element of the TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

The 6th-grade students in Mrs. Rokugawa's Social Studies class took a mindfulness moment to try out yoga poses during their unit on Ancient India. This activity not only provided a much-needed stretch break, but also deepened our students' respect and appreciation for history and customs.

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

- an element of the TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

This week in Ms. Keeney's PE class, students participated in Ultimate Ball, an engaging small-group activity designed to enhance hand-eye coordination, communication, and teamwork skills.

Girls' and Boys' Intramural Basketball Practice is well underway! We look forward to our first game scheduled for 2/13 against Casimir Middle School

Basketball games are at 4:00pm/5:00 pm unless indicated

• 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)

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

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

- an element of the TUSD Portrait of A Graduate!

Mrs. Spotts' Leadership students thoughtfully planned and coordinated a successful Quarter 2 assembly. These outstanding leaders managed every detail of the event. Their responsibilities included mic/sound set-up, guiding classes to the correct seating sections, assisting with the setup for an instrumental performance of the Star-Spangled Banner by student group Half Note, and supporting the awards distribution. They also facilitated the setup for an inspiring guitar performance by student Massimo Pucherelli, introduced a lively lip-sync competition, and hosted energetic dance-offs with our school Mascot Berkey the Wildcat. Absolutely Amazing!

Mr. Waldschmidt's Sports Management students coordinated the exhilarating student-versus-staff basketball game and served as sports announcers during the assembly. They also demonstrated teamwork and service by assisting Leadership with assembly set-up. Fantastic Work!

• To my 5th Period Public Speaking Class. It was a pleasure to have you all in my class. You all shared and have grown so much in your oral speaking skills. I enjoyed our conversations. Best of luck in your next round of enrichment. Remember no FILLERS. ~ Mrs. Miskimen
• From last weeks mile run that I missed Jack Conner (7:52) ~ Mrs. Miskimen
  
• Great job, Half Notes, on your performance of the National Anthem at our SAR! Your Music Fam is so proud of you!!! Bravo tutti! ~ Mrs. Snider
• Huge shout out to Fadi Al Achkar for being helpful and kind. I appreciate you. ~ Mrs. Ton
• Shout out to the following outstanding students for achieving their typical yearly growth target in iReady, and they did it in only half a year! - Cooper Yamauchi, Noah Lee, Val Martinez, Hazel Bettino, Aliora Kirsch, Sophia Lee, Zach Liu, Gabrielle Garcia, Madelyn Gonzalez, Noah De Guzman, Andrew Hong, Mia Fredericks, Valerie Vaca, Aomi Nishikawa, Emily Ayala, Andrew Andrade, Reagan Sanchez, Damian Thompson, Calvin Shieh, Mika Tawa, Charles Daw, Aaron Barajas, Matt Claustro, Millie Quevedo, Stella Paniagua, Kim Martinez Gutierrez, Lexi Bandonillo, Lilli Shimasaki, Mariah Grissom, Allen Kim, Elle Barnes, Alex Andrade, London Grajeda, Mone Chiba, Ashley Paz Rodrigiuez, Emily Gotauco, Tamina Suzuki, Eve Halitzka, Laila Miles, Alondra Andrade, Daisy Rojas, Josiah Zimmerman, Kyra Castrillon, Arna Amiri Moghadam, Andrew Larin, Emily Coyne, Victoria Perez Blanco, Rin Takashita, and Hailey Alva. Bravo! ~ Mr. H
• Shout out to Lindsey Kato for bringing in lined paper for the school...WE SURE DO USE IT! Thank you! Mrs. Janet
• Shout out to Logan Joo for bringing in Kleenex for the school...WE NEED IT! Thank you! Mrs. Janet

The City of Torrance will be hosting the 19th Annual Students and Government Day on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. 8th-grade students interested in participating must complete the form by February 3, 2025 to be considered. One student will be selected per TUSD middle school.

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

January

• Monday, 1/27 - 8th Grade Panoramic Picture during Tutorial
• Tuesday, 1/28 - 25-26 Incoming 6th Grade Info Meeting (Current 5th graders), 5:30 pm/Zoom
• Friday, 1/31 - Winter Concert @ Madrona, 6:00 - 8:00pm

February

• Thursday 2/6 - Madrona PTSA Hosted Pal'entine Dance (5:00-7:00pm, more info to come)
• Friday, 2/7 - No School/Staff Development Day
• Monday, 2/10 - Lincoln's Birthday - No School
• Monday, 2/17 - President's Day - No School
• Thursday, 2/20 - Basketball (Home) vs Jefferson (4:00 pm)
• Thursday, 2/27 - Basketball (Home) vs Magruder (4:00 pm)
• Friday, 2/28 - 3/2 - Pali GATE Field Trip

* 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 $9,386 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

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.

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)

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.

For those families who have little ones at home, our Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten enrollment will begin at the end of this month, scheduled by quadrant. You can learn more at our upcoming TK/K Parent Info Day this Saturday, January 25 from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

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.