Whale Tales

Dear Webster Community,

What a busy, jam-packed week we've had at Webster!

Highlights of the Week:

• 5th Grade Poetry Slam: In partnership with the City of Malibu, our students wowed us with their performances! They showcased their talent through silly, creative, and thought-provoking pieces, expressing themselves by writing, rhyming, drawing, painting, and even graffiti art. They truly stole our hearts!
• October Energy Awareness Month Activities: Thanks to Schneider Electric, the District’s energy management partner, Ms. Harris and Ms. Stark's students participated in exciting solar energy lessons. They built and raced solar-powered bugs down the hallways, learning firsthand about renewable energy. We also discovered that 90% of Webster’s energy is generated by our solar panels, making us the top school in SMMUSD. WOW!
• Shout-Outs: A special recognition for Ms. Berman and Ms. London, who continue their impressive Webster Wear streak!

Important Reminders:

• No School for students on Tuesday, November 5th!
• Parent-Teacher Conference Week: Parents should schedule meetings with their child's teacher to discuss academic progress. Minimum days will be observed Wednesday through Friday to accommodate these conferences.
• California School PARENT Survey 2024-2025: Your feedback is crucial! The survey is open from November 1 to November 26 and takes only 10-15 minutes. It is anonymous, and staff will receive their survey link next week.
• Daylight Savings Time Ends: Turn your clocks back one hour on Saturday, November 2nd.
• Veterans Day: School will be closed on Monday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
• Spring 2025 Bus Service Update: Bus routes for Malibu Middle, High School, and Webster Elementary will continue in Spring 2025. The district will maintain current routes with staff drivers and buses. Special education transportation and CIF athletic/field trip services will also continue.

Lastly, thank you to our frightfully fantastic Webster staff for bringing the magic of Disney to life for Halloween. Wishing you all a great and relaxing weekend!

GO WHALES!

Warmly,

Carina Diana

Check out these wonderful moments featuring our incredible students, staff, and parents! If you have a photo that you’d like to share, please send it to Principal Diana—we’d love to include it on our social media or upcoming newsletters.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our school community!

What a spooktacular time we had celebrating Halloween at Webster! Our entire community came together for an unforgettable day full of creativity and festive spirit. A special thank you to the PTA for organizing an unboolievable Trunk or Treat, complete with impressively decorated cars and creative costumes. The tunnel class parade and dance party on the lawn added even more fun, with students smiling from ear to ear and soaking in every moment. It was a day filled with laughter, joy, excitement, and cherished memories that will be remembered fondly by all!

Dear Parents/Guardians:

We need your input! SMMUSD is conducting the California School Parent Survey for 2024-2025 to gather your valuable thoughts about our school. Your feedback will guide our efforts to promote a safe environment, improve learning supports, and boost student achievement. The survey takes only 10-15 minutes and is open from November 1 to November 26.

Why Your Participation Matters:

• Your opinions provide vital insights into school safety and student success.
• The survey is anonymous and designed to protect your privacy.
• Completing it helps shape positive changes in our school community.

Important Details:

• You only need to complete one survey, even if you have multiple children at Webster. Please use your oldest child as a reference.
• The survey is accessible in 18 languages.

How to Take the Survey: Access the survey directly at: Webster Parent Survey.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the school office. We greatly appreciate your time and input in helping us create the best possible learning environment for our students.

Thank you for your participation!

We’re excited to share that the bus service for the spring 2025 semester will continue with the same routes as fall 2024: two routes serving Malibu Middle and High Schools and one route serving Webster Elementary School. SMMUSD will maintain the current setup, utilizing staff bus drivers and district buses. Special education students will continue receiving designated transportation per their IEPs, and bus service for CIF athletics and field trips will remain available for the 2024-25 school year.

Important Information for Bus Passes:

• Applications: Complete the bus pass application here.
• Payment Options:
  • By check (mail with the application).
  • Online payment (include student name and school in the description; mail or email the application).
• Note: Payment is invalid without the completed application.

Seats Available: Each route has 65 bus passes available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Bus Pass Fees for Spring 2025:

• Regular Fee:
  • 1 student: $405.41
  • 2 students: $693.00
  • 3 or more: $987.80
• Free/Reduced Meals Pricing:
  • 1 student: $153.62
  • 2 students: $265.10
  • 3 or more: $433.40

Families eligible for free and reduced meals can purchase bus passes at the discounted rate. For questions, please contact Steven Carrillo at s.carrillo@smmusd.org.

For more detailed information, please click on the PDF below.

We are thrilled about the exciting year ahead and all the fantastic events we have planned! However, we need your help to make these occasions as special and successful as possible. We hope that each family can volunteer for 2-3 events throughout the school year. With just a small contribution from each of you, we can continue to bring meaningful joy and brightness to our community. Plus, volunteering is not only fun for our students—it’s rewarding for you, too!

Here’s a quick peek at some upcoming events:

• 🎼 Winter Program: Scheduled for December 18.

You can view the full calendar and sign up for events that interest you most at Webster Events Sign-up. Whether it’s the Talent Show, Field Day, Science Night, or Teacher Appreciation Week, there’s a spot for everyone to contribute, even from home outside of school hours!

Please remember that all parents/guardians need to complete volunteer training to participate in activities where children are present. A huge THANK YOU in advance!

We’re excited to announce that 10% of all ticket sales for Nights of the Jack purchased through THIS LINK will be donated to Webster!

Nights of the Jack is an immersive, family-friendly Halloween experience held at King Gillette Ranch from September 27th through November 2nd. Tickets are available now! If you, your family, friends, or neighbors are planning to attend, please use and share our Webster-specific link to help raise funds for our school—at no extra cost to attendees!

Consistent attendance is crucial for your student's academic success. It ensures that every student stays on track with learning, builds positive relationships, and contributes to a robust school community. Strong attendance goes beyond just being present; it involves being actively engaged and involved in the educational process.

Encouraging Regular Attendance:

• Make Attendance a Priority: Ensure your student doesn't miss out on crucial learning opportunities.
• Set a Positive Example: Motivate consistent attendance with your involvement.
• Establish a Routine: Help your student set daily routines for a smooth transition to school.
• Open Communication: Reach out to us if there are challenges affecting your student’s attendance.
• Celebrate Success: Acknowledge and celebrate your student's attendance milestones.

Absence Reporting Procedures:

If your student is absent, please report the absence by emailing Vitty McClung at vmcclung@smmusd.org with your student's name, grade, date, and reason for the absence. Absences must be cleared within 5 days. For more detailed information, please review the SMMUSD attendance policies by clicking HERE.

To enhance student safety, the bottom gate near the Boys & Girls Club will remain closed as we no longer have adult supervision available for that area. Moving forward, there will be one main point of entrance and exit to the campus for grades K-5, which will be the gate by the main office. This change will help us ensure a secure and supervised environment for all students.

As part of our commitment to safety and being good neighbors, we kindly ask that you use the designated pick-up and drop-off lane each day. Additionally, please refrain from using the Our Lady of Malibu (OLM) parking lots and only park in the Webster lot.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we prioritize the safety of our school community!

As we prepare to start a new academic school year, all families are required to verify and update information for their students. We recommend completing this process on a Desktop or Laptop computer.

Please log in to your Aeries Parent Portal, or click the following direct link:

If you did not use the direct link above, please log in to your Aeries Parent Portal and select Student Info and click on Data Confirmation to take you to the correct form.

If you have forgotten your Aeries Parent Portal credentials, please use the Forgot Password? link located at the bottom of the website.

Our Student Office Specialist, Vitty McClung, will be reaching out to families that have yet to complete this process beginning next week to provide any needed assistance.

Breakfast and lunch are FREE to all students. Breakfast is served from 8:15 - 8:30 AM only, so please make sure your child arrives on time to enjoy a healthy start to their day.

Although all students will receive free meals this school year, we request all families complete the Online Meal Application for 2024-2025. This form impacts areas beyond school meals so widespread participation is essential, even if your child plans to eat something other than school meals.

The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu provides a fun, safe space for youth with positive mentorship, life skills, and social-emotional support. Enrollment is open! Visit bgcmalibu.org to learn more.

• Wellness Center: Offering free mental health support with no waitlist. Visit bgcmalibu.org/wellness-center for more info or to request services. No waitlist for services. Missed parent workshops? Watch them at bgcmalibu.org/wellness-center-resources.

• BGCM & Prince Street Pizza Fundraiser: Support BGCM by ordering the “Roasty Toasty” pizza at Prince Street Pizza (Malibu location). 20% of proceeds benefit BGCM’s mental health and educational programs.

• Dino and Fairy Gardening Workshop: Register for the workshop on Tuesday, November 19th, 3:00-4:30 PM. Let your child create their own magical mini-garden. Sign up at MalibuCity.org/Register.

• Community Program Interest Survey: The City of Malibu and BGCM are gathering feedback for future afterschool programs. Complete the survey here.

• Winterfest Toy Drive: Join the 41st Annual Winterfest Toy Drive on December 14th at Fred L. Williams Elementary, Oxnard. Donations of wrapped toys or gift cards are welcome. Drop off gifts on December 4th at 30215 Morning View Dr., Malibu (Bungalow P4). Contact: Siugen Constanza at siugenconstanza@bgcmalibu.org.

• Third Space at Malibu Village: A creative hub and gallery supporting BGCM programs. Explore local, sustainable products, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club. Visit thirdspacemalibu.org or follow @thirdspacemalibu.

For more info, contact 310-457-1400 (Admin) or 310-241-3675 (Programs) or email info@bgcmalibu.org. Stay updated by subscribing to the BGCM E-Newsletter HERE.

We’re excited to announce our new Instagram account! Follow us @websterwhales for all the latest school news, events, and fun happenings around campus. Stay in the know and connect with our vibrant school community, one post at a time!.

Carina Diana, Principal

Webster Elementary School

3602 Winter Canyon Rd

Malibu, CA 90265

Email: cdiana@smmusd.org
Website: www.smmusd.org/webster
Phone: (310) 456-6494
Instagram: www.instagram.com/websterwhales
Twitter: @webstermalibu