Madrona Family Memo
Our Wild Cat Motto: Be Responsible, Be Respectful!
Monday 7/29/2024 - New School Year Edition
Greetings, New and Returning Madrona Wildcat Families!
The start of the 2024-25 School Year is just three and a half weeks away, and we look forward to having students back on campus!
In preparation for the new school year, your assistance and prompt action are needed in completing your registration and a benefit form:
- The PowerSchool Annual Online Registration window opens this Thursday, August 1. All new and returning families must log into PowerSchool to verify that emergency and authorized contacts and release information are current (specific instructions below). The registration process also includes links to our 2024-25 School Handbook, Bell Schedule, and Campus Map.
- Torrance Unified School District 2024-25 Educational Benefit Form - Good news! ALL Madrona students will have FREE daily snack and lunch this year. Please complete the form to help ensure our school receives funding to support student learning and our intervention programs, as well as additional academic counseling, socio-emotional counseling, and reading recovery. Qualifying families have access to additional benefits, such as discounted fees!
We are thrilled to announce that Madrona Middle School was voted the Best Public Middle School in the 2024 Daily Breeze/Beach Reporter South Bay Best Readers' Choice survey! Thank you to our families who voted for us. This recognition is a testament to the supportive and safe learning environment created through the joint effort of our student body, staff, and families.
We invite new students and incoming 6th-graders to Madrona Student Leadership's Wildcat Welcome Orientation - on Monday, 8/19, from 9:00 to 11:00 am. The orientation will include a tour of our school and fun activities. Students will receive tips from student mentors on navigating multiple periods and the responsibilities of middle school. Families with students participating in orientation are invited to attend an optional meeting from 10:00 to 11:00 am in our Cafeteria, where I will be available to answer questions about our school and program offerings.
Our first day of school is Thursday, 8/22, and the first bell rings at 8:30 am (the Period 1 late bell rings at 8:40 am). We will open the campus at 8:00 am on Thursday, 8/22, and Friday, 8/23, due to anticipated traffic congestion from student drop-offs and to allow students extra time to navigate their lockers and the location of their first-period class.
Please Save the Date for the following events scheduled for the first two months of school:
- 9/10 - Back to School Night (5:30 pm)
- 9/13 - Madrona PTSA-hosted School Dance (4:00 pm - 6:00 pm)
- 9/24 - Student Leadership hosted Family Movie Night (6:00 pm)
- 10/18 - Madrona PTSA-hosted trunk or Treat (5:00 pm - 7:00 pm)
Student schedules will be viewable in PowerSchool (online & via mobile app) starting Monday, August 19. Changes may occur up to the first few weeks of school due to ongoing new student enrollments, the need to level teacher classes, and ensuring all Madrona students get the necessary core classes. Individual families will be notified if schedule changes are needed.
Look out for another newsletter before the school year starts, as well as our weekly Madrona Wildcat Family Newsletter. It's your go-to source for essential school updates, including after-school interest clubs, sports tryouts, current and upcoming events, PTSA news and volunteer opportunities, and Torrance Unified School District student and family resources.
Most certainly, our students are excited about their first day of school, getting to know their teachers and expectations for the year, reconnecting with friends, and making new ones. Our middle school students have a great year of learning and growing ahead!
Warm regards,
Sue Key, Ed.D., Proud Principal
Madrona Middle School
Be sure to scroll through and open the Smore link to view all of our weekly updates, ensuring you stay informed about the latest happenings at Madrona Middle School.
Beginning Thursday, August 1st, you will need to access your PowerSchool Parent/Guardian account through a webpage (not the mobile app) to update and confirm all emergency and release contacts and student health information. Every parent/guardian is required to complete the online registration for every student, even if your student is returning to Madrona Middle School.
To Complete Annual Online Registration:
- PowerSchool (PS) Registration Link: http://ps.tusd.org
- Click on the TUSD Resources button (see photo)
- Under Information, click on Annual Online Registration and review/complete/update your info.
Registration process also includes links to our 2024-25 School Handbook, Bell Schedule and Campus Map.
For more information about PowerSchool, visit the TUSD PowerSchool page: https://www.tusd.org/parents/powerschool (or) the following links
You must have a parent/guardian PowerSchool login in order to complete online registration, student logins will not work. For our new to TUSD Families, PowerSchool login information was email to you by our district enrollment center.
For enhanced athletics and general hygiene purposes, students are expected to wear Physical Education clothes consisting of a red t-shirt, black shorts, (or a red sweatshirt and black sweats), socks and sneakers. The purchase of the Madrona PE clothes is not required, but similar clothes in colors are required for identification during PE class activities.
Madrona PE clothes (with Madrona logo) can be purchased through the Madrona CalPro Sports Shopping cart link.
Orders are processed at the end of each order cut-off and shipped directly to families within three weeks from the ordering cut-off date.
- Initial Order Cutoff 8/1/2024
- 2nd Order Cut-off 8/25/2024
- Last Order Cut-Off 9/15/2024
We are pleased to announce that ALL TUSD schools are offering FREE daily snack (or daily breakfast/Elementary schools) and lunch during this upcoming 2024-2025 school year through the California Universal Meals Program.
Although meals are free of charge, all families are still highly recommended to fill out and submit the form that our District needs to continue to provide this benefit.
If your student(s) attend(s) Adams, Arlington, Arnold, Casimir, Carr, Edison, Fern, Hull, Jefferson, Madrona, Magruder, North, Shery, Torrance Elementary, Torrance High, Victor, West, Wood, or Yukon, please complete the Educational Benefit Form.
If your student(s) attend(s) Anza, Bert Lynn, Calle Mayor, Hickory, Lincoln, Richardson, Riviera, Seaside, South, Towers, or Walteria, please complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application.
You only need to fill out one form for your family, rather than each student, unless you have students attending schools in two different groups below. (In those cases, please fill out both forms.)
IMPORTANT: The Educational Benefit Form provide several benefits to families that qualify:
- EBT benefits
- Discounted fees associated with the college application process
- Discounted internet access and wireless services
- Discounted fees associated with SAT, ACT, and AP tests
- Increased funding to support student's access to an exemplary education
The information collected on these forms ensures our school receive funding to support the learning of low income students and can offer your family additional benefits such as discounted fees. Other areas supported by this funding include intervention, additional academic counseling, socio-emotional counseling, and reading recovery.
SUPPORT US ALL YEAR LONG!
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!