Whale Tales

Dear Webster Community,

What a fantastic week back after Thanksgiving break! I had the pleasure of attending the SMMPTA's Holiday Breakfast alongside Bobbi Thomason, PTA President; Sion Roy, President Emeritus; and Tatiana Jacobs, Reflections Chair. I’m so thankful for their partnership and dedication to supporting our Webster students.

Highlights of My Week:

• Student Leadership Committee: We had an inspiring meeting with 4th and 5th-grade students interested in joining the Student Leadership Committee. They brainstormed ways to support our school through subcommittees focused on fundraising/advertising, school beautification, mentoring younger students, and promoting school spirit and clubs. I can’t wait to see the positive changes they’ll bring!
• Webster Wear Shout-Outs: A special shout-out to Ms. Berman and Ms. London for continuing their impressive Webster Wear streak.

Save the Date:

• Holiday Show: Wednesday, December 18th @ 8:45 AM
• Room 8’s Winter Holiday Play: Friday, December 20th @ 8:45 AM

Important Reminders:

• Lost and Found: Our lost and found is overflowing! Please claim your items before winter break. Unlabeled items will be donated or upcycled.
• Volunteer Training Requirement: Please review the "Teaming Up for a Terrific Year" section for important details about required volunteer training.

Lastly, I hope everyone gets a chance to visit the Malibu Christmas Tree Lot to support MEF and all schools in the Malibu pathway.

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 in upcoming newsletters.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our school community!

This year’s Reflections theme, "Accepting Imperfection," inspired our students to explore and express what this concept means to them through art, music, dance, writing, filmmaking, and photography. We are thrilled to share the results from this year’s program after the SMMUSD PTA judging process:

• Lyle Sokoloff: Award of Excellence (1st place) and advancing to the next level 🎉
• Aiden Omar: Honorable Mention (3rd place)
• Veronika Jacobs: Honorable Mention (3rd place)
• Certificates of Participation: Cord Mlodzik, Winifred Peterson, Kelly Schilling, and Elsie Dudelson

Congratulations to these talented students for their outstanding work! Certificates were presented this week to celebrate their achievements.

We are so proud of you all for sharing your creativity and passion with the Webster community.

Our lost and found is overflowing with jackets, hats, sweaters, water bottles, and even a stuffy or two! Please stop by and collect any missing belongings before winter break. Items without names will be donated or upcycled during the break. Don’t let your treasures get away!

The SMMUSD Health & Safety District Advisory Committee (DAC) is seeking passionate community members to apply for a three-year term. DAC members play a vital role in supporting health and safety initiatives across the district. Meetings are held once a month from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

If you're interested in making a difference, apply today! The application is available here: DAC Application (English/Spanish).

We encourage you to get involved and help shape a safe and healthy environment 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:

• 🎼 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!

Volunteer Training Requirement for Campus Activities

All adults (parents, guardians, and family members) working directly with children or participating in activities where children are present on campus must complete volunteer training. Each individual must attend, even if their partner is already trained.

We are offering multiple training opportunities, including some evening Zoom sessions, to accommodate everyone’s schedules. Please note that paperwork must be completed in person at Webster.

Starting in January 2025, only trained adults will be permitted to work with students on campus. Thank you in advance for helping to keep our campus safe!

There are multiple ways to give back to our Malibu schools this season, and MEF has two fantastic opportunities for you to get involved:

🎄 Holiday Market + Tree Lot

From November 29th to December 15th, MEF is hosting the annual Holiday Market + Tree Lot. Fresh Oregon trees will be available, along with a festive Holiday Market featuring local artisans every Saturday from 2-6 PM. All proceeds benefit Malibu public schools!

🌟 How You Can Help:
1️⃣ Volunteer: Sign up to staff the Tree Lot and spread holiday cheer! Volunteer Sign-Up.
2️⃣ Shop Local: Purchase your tree and unique gifts while supporting our schools.

📌 For more details and updates, visit: MEF Holiday Market + Tree Lot.

🎪 Cirque du Soleil KOOZA
Experience the magic of Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA while supporting MEF!

🎟 Save up to 20% on select seats and dates using this link: Cirque de Soleil Tickets.
💝 A portion of every ticket sale will benefit Malibu public schools.

For VIP Packages or groups of 10+, email Sarah.Hudson@cirquedusoleil.com for special offers (mention Malibu Education Foundation for added savings).

Whether you’re shopping local, volunteering, or enjoying a world-class performance, your participation makes a difference for our schools.

Experience the magic of the season at Holiday Road! This larger-than-life holiday display at King Gillette Ranch features thousands of twinkling lights, countless candy canes, and all your favorite holiday cheer. The Holiday Road experience runs through December 28, offering an unforgettable evening of memory-making fun.

Now, you can support Webster while celebrating the season! Ten percent of all tickets purchased through THIS LINK or using the promo code WEBSTER24 will be donated back to our school.

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.

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.

Each new academic school year, all families are required to verify and update their student’s information, including emergency contact details, which are critical for effective communication during urgent situations. We recommend completing this process on a desktop or laptop computer for the best experience.

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

https://santamonicamalibu.aeries.net/

If you did not use the direct link above, please log in to your Aeries Parent Portal and select Student Info, then click on Data Confirmation to access 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 who have not yet completed this process to offer any needed assistance.

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.

• 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.

• Holiday Drive: BGCM is collecting clothing, toys, small appliances, and food for their annual Holiday Toy Drive, benefiting 200+ Port Hueneme students in need. Donations can be dropped off at any BGCM clubhouse. Questions? Email Violetway@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.

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 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