Sea Lion Spotlight
Malibu Elementary Parent Newsletter #39 - May 27, 2024
Table of Contents
2. Highlights - Photos of Recent Events
3. Important Dates - Coming Soon
4. Looking farther forward - Events to anticipate farther out in time
5. Articles - Timely information for parents
6. More Highlights
7. Useful Resources and Links
Principal's Pen
Hello MES Sea Lion Families,
Thank you to all the families who were able to attend our annual Open House, and Art and Marine Science Fair CELEBRATION. Weren't you impressed! It's been a remarkable year of growth and achievement. Our children have worked hard this school year and we are so proud of them.
Each year I am asked by the Optimist Club of Malibu to select a teacher who goes above and beyond to help children in our community. It's always difficult to select just one teacher as we have the best teachers anywhere here at MES. However I am proud to share that Joelin Ferguson received this year's honor. Joelin joined MES back in 2024. She presently teaches 3rd grade. This year she was elected by the MES teachers to be the Lead Teacher on the Leadership Team. We think she is great!
State Testing for 3rd-5th students continues next week through June 7. Tests run from 8:30 - 10 daily except Fridays. Any students in these classrooms arriving after 8:30 will not be allowed to enter the classroom and disrupt the testing environment. Instead these few students will wait in Room 5 until 10am before rejoining their classmates. Our goal is to adhere to State requirements and give our students the best opportunity to shine and show what they know on these summative assessments.
The School Site Council parent representative election process has moved on to phase two. We have three candidates running for three positions and now it is time to vote. Here is your Parent Ballot to print at home. (Only parents may vote.) Hard copies and the Ballot Box are in the office. Ballots will be distributed at BTSN. Thank you for voting. Polls close Thursday. June 6th at 1pm.
Monday is Memorial Day and for many of us it is the unofficial start of Summer. But importantly, Memorial Day is a day for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Please take a moment to appreciate our fallen brothers and sisters and show your children your appreciation for the freedoms they have secured for us.
Thank you for your partnership,
Proud Principal Chris Hertz
Highlights
Important Dates Coming Soon
23-24 Full Academic Calendar Link 24-25 Full Academic Calendar
Mon 05/27 - Memorial Day Holiday / No School
Tues 05/28 - Last Day of Music (See article below)
- Spring Music Concert - 4th and 5th / 4th grade from 6-7pm and 5th from 7-8pm @ cafeteria
Thur 05/30 - Whitman/Richey Field Trip / 9 - 11 @ Little Dume
- 4th grade Speech Contect - Round One / 12:30 - 2:30 @ Library
Looking farther forward...
Thur 06/06 - Last Day for Parents to Submit SSC Parent Representative Election Ballot / 1pm
Fri 06/07 - Zoe Theater: Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night Dream - Audience: tk-5 / 9:10-9:40 @ cafeteria
- Library Books Due Back to Mr. White / Report Cards Held by Teacher if there are outstanding fines
-SSC Parent Representative Election Results Published in Parent Newsletter
Mon 06/10 - 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony / 9:30 - 10:30 @ cafeteria
Tues 06/11 - Minimum Day /12:45
Wed 06/12 - Minimum Day /12:45
Last Day of School
- Lost and Found to Charity / 2pm
- Spring Report Cards Sent Home (No outstanding books or fines)
SUMMER
- June 13 - August 21 - Summer Vacation
- Fri 06/14 - Registrar Kim’s Last Day (Last day to register for next year, before summer break!)
- Fri 06/21 - Office Closes for the Summer / 2pm
- June 24 - August 9 - BGCM Camp Bu @ Webster (Sign up)
NEXT SCHOOL YEAR
Mon 08/12 - Office Opens for the 2024 - 2025 School Year / 8-3
Thur 08/15 - Registrar Kim Returns to Work (Registration Process Reopens)
Wed 08/21 -
- Special Education Ice Cream Social / 1-2 @ Library Courtyard
- MES PTA "New Families Playdate" / 2-3 @ Playground
- Parents Notified via email of Class Placement / 4ish
Thur 08/22 - School Resumes / First Day of School / 8:15 (12:45 dismissal)
- PTA Parent Meet Up / 8:30 @ Cafe de la Plage
10/16/24-10/18/24 - 5th Grade Outdoor School (Pali Camp!)
Articles for Parents
5th Grade Red Nose Red Bake Sale Update
Ms. Kooy’s 5th graders have taken on a service project – we are teaming up with Comic Relief US to help end children’s poverty!
We kicked off our fundraiser with a BAKE SALE/CRAFT FAIR in the MES courtyard during Open House and it was a great success. Thank you, MES!
There is still time to donate and do our little part to make a big difference! Please consider donating to the MES Fundraising Page to support this amazing organization and let’s help end children’s poverty one red nose at a time! For any questions about how you can help further, please contact Ms. Kooy at tkooy@smmusd.org.
Noses On!
Ms. Kooy and the 5th Grade Kooy Pond
Giving Gifts to Staff
PTA Room Parents will not be collecting cash for gifts for teachers. Rather individual parents may, if they choose, give gifts directly to the teacher or support staff employee.
Teacher Parking Spots
Parents are asked not to park in the teacher spots. Several times last week a teacher could not park and open her classroom because her spot was in use. All teacher spots are marked "Staff Only".
Pali Camp - Donations Needed
We are excited for our 2024 - 2025 5th grade class to again have the opportunity to attend outdoor school in October 2024. Outdoor school is perhaps the greatest highlight of elementary school for many students and is a sort of rite-of-passage. We are asking 4th grade parents to donate now so that we may make our next installment payment.
Thank you to teacher Tracy Kooy for leading the annual fourth grade parent orientation to outdoor school back in April. Thank you to all the parents who turned out. Parents decided to not fundraise, but rather to make voluntary donations to cover the $20,795 trip.
Thank you to the fourteen (14) families who have donated. So far we have collected $7,280. We need at least one more donation to be able to make our June installment of $7,315. By September we will need at least $8,200 more. See Group Payment Schedule below for more details.
All or None
If we don’t raise enough funds for ALL students to participate, we will ask the PTA to fund the difference. If there is not enough available funds or support from PTA, then the trip will be canceled; we will refund all donations but lose our original PTA deposit. Also to help prevent canceling the trip, any families who won’t be able to voluntarily contribute the full $520 will be asked what if anything they can donate. Perhaps $300, $200 or $50? Anything helps. Finally if there are families who would like to cover another student, we will accept donations above and beyond $520.
Trip Date
Trip date: 10/16/24-10/18/24.
Group Payment Schedule
MES must make installment payments dates to Pali Camp:
June ($7,315)
September ($8,200)
October we pay for the charter bus ($3700)
Two Ways for Parents to Donation
Please visit the PTA store. Select Pali Donation: https://www.malibuelementary.org/shop PLEASE make your Voluntary Donation now.
4th grade parents also have an option to pay via zelle to malibuestreasurer@gmail.com or using the Zelle QR Code link. PLEASE make your Voluntary Donation now.
Informational Websites
Video Overview
iWatches and Phones During State Testing
As you know, iWatches and Smart Phones are not allowed at school. And they are absolutely not allowed in a classwroom during State Testing. Please do not send your 3rd-5th grade student with these items.
Interdistrict Permit Applications Information from the Permits Department
Interdistrict Permit Applications Information will be available on smmusd.org beginning June 24, 2024. Interdistrict and Intradistrict permit outcomes will be sent via email from Informed K12 two weeks before the first day of school. Outgoing permits are processed within 5 business days. VOE's will be processed within 6 weeks of submission. All communication regarding permits will be sent via email from Informed K12.
Remaining Minimum Days / 12:45 Dismissal
- June 11, 2024
- June 12, 2023
SSC Parent Representative Elections
The MES School Site Council has three two-year parent representative seats open for the 2024-2025 and the 2025-2026 school years. The Election Committee is leading the election process in accordance with the SSC Bylaws (page 2-3). Below are the details and election timeline. (Exhibits: Sample Nomination Form, Sample Self-Nomination Form, Sample Ballot) (SSC Membership Chart) - Shows whose seat is up for election.)
SSC Parent Representative Nomination Form and Election Process
The Election Committee for School Site Council is now accepting Nominations for SSC.
Nomination Form or Self-nomination Form *Please also provide a brief profile of the nominee.
- April 21st - May 3rd (1pm) / Submit Nomination Form by the Date
Nomination Forms may be turned into the office or to the Election Committee.
The Election Committee will list all nominees on the ballot.
- May 13th / The ballot will be sent in the Principal’s Newsletter the week of May 12th.
(Hard copies are available in the office too.)
- June 6th / Paper ballots are due.
Ballots may be turned into the office or to the Election Committee. Ballots will be tallied by the Election Committee and the winning nominees will be notified first and then announced to the school in the Principal’s Newsletter.
- June 7th / Ballots Tallied and Results Published in Principal's Parent Newsletter
Guidelines
Each parent/guardian seeking election must be nominated or self-nominated in writing, must have a child enrolled in the school and must declare that he or she is not employed at the school.
Each parent/guardian of a student enrolled in the school shall be entitled to one vote for each of the three vacant parent/community membership seats on the School Site Council.
(FAQ: What has SSC done the last year?)
5th Grade PROMOTION CEREMONY
We will celebrate the class of 2024 at our annual promotion ceremony on Monday, June 10th at 9:30 - 10:30 in the cafeteria.
MBGC Information - May
The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu aims to provide a fun, safe, and creative environment for all Malibu youth to thrive, find support through positive mentorship, develop important life skills, and receive social and emotional support. We are currently offering: Link
A MAGICAL AFTERNOON WITH DICK & ARLENE VAN DYKE AND FRIENDS / June 15
During this Malibu Education Foundation event, presented by The Shark Fund, and in partnership with Arts Angels, we will unveil the renamed MHS Auditorium as.....The Arlene & Dick Van Dyke Theater and launch the Van Dyke Endowment for the Arts. This endowment, when fully funded at $3M, will sit with Malibu Education Foundation and help fund arts education across ALL four Malibu public schools, forever. Parents can help support this major fundraising effort by:
- Buying tickets and attending the event, it will be a magical afternoon!
- Buying a named seat in the Arlene & Dick Van Dyke Theater! (Just 348 seats available)
- Making a donation to the Van Dyke Endowment for the Arts
- Promoting this event to your peer group and beyond (look out for emails from The Shark Fund with share info, or visit @thesharkfund on FB/IG/Twitter for posts & information to share out)
Information on the event, tickets, donations and seat naming/plaques can be found at https://onecau.se/vandyke or by texting "vandyke" to 44834. Questions? Email info@thesharkfundmalibu.org
Report Cards
Report Cards will be sent home with students on the last day of school. Please be sure you have returned all books to the library. Report cards will be held in the office until all book fines are paid. Please reach out to Library Tech Mr. Andrew White should you have any questions.
Parent IEP Training
The SELPA is hosting a parent workshop on IEP meetings. Fliers: here. Spanish flier, click here
More Highlights
Useful Resources and Links
Principal Chris' Past Newsletters
Student Services Registration Documents 23/24
MES Minimum Days - 2023 - 2024
Volunteering at MES: Information and Signup form
Medications at School Form Send to School Nurse Daniel Gorton dgorton@smmusd.org
Connect with Chris Hertz
Email: chertz@smmusd.org
Website: malibues.smmusd.org
Location: 6955 Fernhill Drive, Malibu, CA, USA
Phone: 310-457-9370
Twitter: @hertzinator