Whale Tales

Dear Webster Families,

Thank you to our TK-2 families for attending Back-to-School Night this week. It was a wonderful evening and your presence truly made it special. We are looking forward to our 3-5 families joining us next week for their Back-to-School Night.

You may have heard the buzz about PE from your students—we're thrilled to have Coach Lisa Lambert and Coach Mike Holmes join the Webster community. Their enthusiasm is already making a positive impact and we're excited about the fun and fitness they’re bringing to our PE program.

I also want to highlight an exciting addition to our campus—check out the section below about FloWater! We received two new snazzy water dispensers this week that will help keep our students hydrated throughout the day.

A quick reminder that there will be no school on Monday, September 2nd in honor of Labor Day. I hope you all have a great long weekend and enjoy some well-deserved rest.

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 are excited to invite you to our 3-5 Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, September 3rd! This adult-only event begins at 6:00 PM in the Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) with brief presentations from Principal Diana, followed by introductions from our dedicated teachers, PTA, Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, and the Malibu Education Foundation.

The main focus of the evening is for you to connect with your child’s teacher and learn about the routines and expectations that will help make this school year amazing. It’s a wonderful opportunity to gain insight into your child’s daily experience and see how we can work together to support their success.

Consistent attendance is crucial for your child’s academic success. Every student, every day matters! When students are present, they are more likely to stay on track with their learning and build positive relationships with their peers and teachers.

Absence Reporting Procedures:

If your child will be absent, please report the absence by emailing Vitty McClung at vmcclung@smmusd.org. Be sure to include your child’s name, grade, date, and reason for the absence. You have 5 days to clear any student absences.

For more detailed information, please review the SMMUSD attendance policies by clicking HERE.

The first general PTA meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 5th, right after the conclusion of the volunteer training. You can find the agenda by clicking HERE.

The PTA is also excited to launch their annual giving campaign and are asking for your support!

The PTA enriches our students' experience at Webster Elementary by funding programs, staff, and supplies beyond what the district provides. Your donations support technology programs, the STEAM lab, classroom supplies, field trips, and community events. Every dollar of your contribution goes directly to support our school.

For 2024-25, they are requesting a donation of $1,000 per student. This amount is lower than previous years, thanks to additional community financial support and ongoing fundraising efforts from the Malibu Education Foundation (details coming soon!).

We aim for 100% family participation, so contributions of any size are appreciated. All donors will receive a Webster car magnet to show their support. Plus, the first 15 families to donate get a choice of Webster wear!

Our preferred methods for donation are to drop off a check at the front office or to pay by Zelle to websterptamalibu@gmail.com. You may also donate by clicking HERE.

Thank you for helping us continue to provide an outstanding education at Webster!

MALIBU EDUCATION FOUNDATION (MEF), launched as a community-focused organization dedicated to enhancing the educational journey of students in all of our Malibu public schools. Their fundraising supports vital resources, staffing, and enrichment programs, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive academically, physically, and creatively.

At Webster, Malibu Education Foundation funds four of our instructional aides and our arts teacher, lifting that fundraising need from our PTA.

We encourage you to learn more at www.malibueducationfoundation.org and consider making a donation to support all Malibu public schools, in addition to supporting our PTA.

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!

We're excited to announce the installation of two FloWater stations on campus! These advanced water stations provide the world's only 7x purification system, delivering alkalized and oxygenated water with added electrolytes. With a 'No Touch' recessed dispenser, they help eliminate cross-contamination, ensuring safe and clean hydration for everyone.

The FloWater stations purify tap water through multiple steps, including sediment and carbon filtration, advanced osmosis, and a coconut carbon filter that gives the water a crisp, fresh taste. They also improve the water by adding activated oxygen, alkaline enhancement, and essential electrolytes, making it naturally brilliant water.

We encourage all students to bring a reusable water bottle to school each day to stay hydrated and take full advantage of these new stations.

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.

Providing a fun, safe, and creative space for Malibu youth to thrive, the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu offers positive mentorship, life skills development, and social-emotional support. Enrollment is now open! Visit bgcmalibu.org to learn more and sign up. Our Clubhouses offer engaging educational activities and a nurturing environment for all members.

Wellness Center & Social Support

The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu Wellness Center provides free social support and mental health counseling, both remotely and in-person, with no current waitlist. Visit bgcmalibu.org/wellness-center to learn more or request services. Missed a parent workshop? Find recordings at bgcmalibu.org/wellness-center-resources

Third Space is OPEN at Malibu Village!

A project of the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu, Third Space is a storefront, gallery, and innovation hub where youth are mentored and inspired. Made possible by generous community support, a percentage of all purchases benefits the Boys & Girls Club of Malibu’s programs, including:

• Safe after-school spaces
• Mental health services for youth, families, and seniors
• Drug and alcohol prevention programs
• Innovative opportunities for youth
• Regenerative systems and educational initiatives

In our vibrant community, we value care, connection, and creativity. Third Space offers youth, families, and visitors a chance to explore products from local, sustainable, and socially-minded entrepreneurs. Visit thirdspacemalibu.org to learn more. Follow us on IG/FB: @thirdspacemalibu

Contact us at 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