Whale Tales

Dear Webster Families,

Apologies for the delay in sending this week’s Whale Tales—LA was definitely the place to be last night with that historic Dodger win in Game 1 of the World Series! GO BLUE! ⚾️💙

As we head into Halloween week, please be sure to read all the reminders below to ensure a fun and safe celebration for everyone.

🎃 Important Halloween Updates

• The main office will be closed from 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM to allow all staff to participate in the Halloween festivities.
• All volunteers who are cleared to be on campus for Trunk or Treat and class parties must sign in at the main office and pick up your personalized name tag, which will be ready for you.
• If you choose to take your student home early, please make sure to sign out with your student's teacher to ensure safety and accurate attendance.
• Volunteer Training Requirement: All adults NOT cleared through volunteer training will not be allowed on campus prior to the Tunnel Parade and Dance Party. The side gate on the lawn will be opened at 11:20 AM for everyone to join us.

Shout out to Ms. Berman and Ms. London, who are still on their incredible Webster Wear streak! This week, Ms. London’s students challenged themselves to take a creative picture—check them out hard at work in the office! Who will rise to the challenge next?

Important Reminders:

• Let’s Have a Spooktacular Halloween: Make sure to review the costume guidelines and check out the Trunk or Treat schedule to ensure a spooky and safe time for all!
• Nights of the Jack Fundraiser: 10% of ticket sales purchased through our special link will be donated to Webster!
• Teaming Up for a Terrific Year: Don’t forget to sign up to volunteer!

I’m looking forward to a spooktacular week full of fun and celebration. Let’s make this Halloween one to remember!

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!

We’re excited to kick off our annual Trunk or Treat event at Webster! Below is the schedule for class visits, along with some important reminders to ensure a fun and safe experience for all students:

Schedule:

• 7:00 - 9:00 AM: Car entry through the lower gate
• 9:30 AM: Cars decorated and candy/goodies ready to hand out
• 9:30 AM: PreK (Norodom/Fuentes)
• 9:40 AM: TK (Papale)
• 9:50 AM: Kindergarten (Murdock)
• 10:00 AM: 1st Grade (Berman)
• 10:10 AM: 1st Grade (Cooper)
• 10:20 AM: 2nd Grade (Harris)
• 10:30 AM: 2nd/3rd Grade (Stark)
• 10:40 AM: 3rd Grade (Kisskalt)
• 10:50 AM: 4th Grade (Morris)
• 11:00 AM: 4th Grade (London)
• 11:10 AM: 5th Grade (Johnson)
• 11:20 AM onwards: Tunnel Parade by class followed by a community-wide Dance Party on the lawn!

Costume Expectations:
To ensure that all students can participate safely, please review our costume guidelines before the event. If you’re unsure whether a costume is appropriate, it’s best to double-check with us. We’re happy to help! We want everyone to enjoy the fun in a safe and welcoming environment!

Important Reminder:
ALL adults on campus for Trunk or Treat or class parties MUST be volunteer trained. If you are not volunteer trained, you are still welcome to join us on the lawn starting at 11:20 AM, where you can enjoy the Tunnel Parade, Dance Party, and view the decorated trunks!

We can’t wait to see everyone’s creative costumes and decorated cars—let’s make this a spooktacular event for all!

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:

• 🏃🏾 Malibu Moves: On October 26-27.
• 🎃 Halloween Celebration: On October 31.
• 🎼 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!

It's not too late to register for Malibu Moves - happening at Zuma Beach on October 26th & 27th. It is just under two weeks away and we are encouraging Malibu Middle & High School Parents, Teachers, and Students to participate and join one of the teams we've set up!

By participating, you support Malibu Education Foundation - the official charity partner of Malibu Moves - and you get to spend a healthy and fun morning at beautiful Zuma beach!.

There are two ways to participate and support our students through Malibu Education Foundation:

• Join as a charity runner for a free entry & VIP perks and the $500 you need to raise will count towards the team.
• OR get 20% off a regular registration (Use CODE: Malibu20 for 20% off registration) and raise a suggested $100 for the team.
• Instructions to register and join on of our teams are HERE. As part of the team, your individual fundraising will contribute to the team effort.
• Visit malibumoves.com to register today. Your students can participate, too: Age requirements are 7yrs for 5k and 12yrs for the 1/2 marathon

• Join Malibu Education Foundation team members and help out at the event! Volunteers must be 14+.
• Enter "MEF" when prompted for the group you are affiliated with at sign up. We still need help with:
• Saturday, 10/26:
• 2PM - 5:30PM: Kid's Run Crew
• Sunday 10/27:
• 4:30AM - 9AM: VIP Crew Shift 1 (Sunrise crew!!)
• 4:30AM - 9AM: Gear Check Crew Shift 1 (Sunrise crew!!)
• 7:00AM - 12:30PM: Beer Garden Crew (21+)
• 9AM - 1:00PM: VIP Crew Shift 1
• Check out the spots available and sign up to volunteer here: Volunteer - and please remember to enter "MEF" as your group.

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.

• 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