Sea Lion Spotlight

Malibu Elementary Parent Newsletter #1 - August 5, 2024

Principal's Pen

Hello New & Returning MES Sea Lion Families,

Summer break is wrapping up soon and it's time to start getting excited about the new school year. Below are articles, dates, and links that should help parents gear up and help their child get ready too. Discussing dates, schedules, and expectations, and reestablishing good routines will help your child to feel and be ready for the excitement and demands of school. Thank you for your partnership.

Like last year, MES strives to be a school where all students, staff, and parents feel a collective connection to one another. We have planned many community and spirit-building events, and employ learning activities in and outside of the classroom that emphasize team-work and shared goals.

I encourage parents to attend every special event and to prioritize excellent student attendance. I also encourage you to purchase spirit wear. Our PTA has two different collections of wear: Classic Collection and the Akaway Collection. Wearing spirit wear, especially on Fridays sends a message to one another that you are invested in the greater good of our school. Our colors are blue and green so if you don't yet have PTA Spirit-Wear, please consider showing up on the first day of school in these hues.

The last day of last school year was really exciting for our students thanks to the annual "wet-down" from Fire Station 71. Enjoy some photos of that day below. Together we can create school pride.

Your partner,

Proud Principal Chris Hertz

Highlights

Below are some recent photos of our amazing students, staff, and parents. There are more photos in the last section of the newsletter! If you have a great photo, please send it to Principal Hertz for consideration. Thank you!

Important Dates Coming Soon

24-25 Academic Calendar

24-25 PTA Calendar

Now: Annual Parent Data Confirmation Open in Aeries (Parents affirm their data.)
August 8 - Clever Online Apps Shut Down (Will start working again, shortly after school resumes)

Looking farther forward...

AUGUST

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 @ TK/Kinder Playground (Crafts & polaroid photos)
Parents see who their child's teacher is in Aeries / 3:30
Parents Notified via email of Class Placement / 4ish

Thur 08/22 - School Resumes / First Day of School / 8:15

PTA Parent Meet Up / 8:30 @ Cafe de la Plage
Minimum Day (12:45 dismissal)

Fri 08/23 - Minimum Day (12:45 dismissal)
Tues 8/27 - Minimum Day (12:45 dismissal)

Back to School Night for TK-2nd / 5:00-6:00 pm

Fri 8/30 - Annual Family Picnic on the field (during your student’s lunch) (details)

SEPTEMBER

Tues 9/3 - Minimum Day (12:45 dismissal)

Back to School Night for 3rd - 5th / 5:00-6:00 pm

Thur 09/05 - SSC / 3:30 - 5 @ Zoom (Agenda)
Fri 09/06 - Volunteer Training / 10:30 (Details)
Thur 9/19 - PTA Association Meeting / 8:30 - 9:30 @ https://meet.google.com/qiu-eono-rjc

OCTOBER

10/16/24-10/18/24 - 5th Grade Outdoor School (Pali Camp!)

NOVEMBER

Tues 11/05 - Fri 11/08 - Parent/Teacher Conference Week

Articles for Parents

School Hours

School opens everyday at 8am. Teaching and learning begin at 8:15. Dismissal times vary by grade level and day of the week. Take a look at our Bell Schedule so you can remind your child when snack time and lunchtime are. There a few special "minimum days" too for events such as back-to-School Night and conference week.

Malibu Elementary Safe Student Drop Off and Pick Up Plan

Link

Volunteering at MES

Link

Annual Parent Data Confirmation or Revision - Aeries Parent Portal

Beginning August 12, 2024

ACTION NEEDED: Malibu Elementary’s annual registration process is completed in the Aeries Parent Portal. You must complete data confirmation for each student.

Beginning August 12, 2024:

Log in to your Aeries Parent Portal: https://santamonicamalibu.aeries.net/
Be sure to read, review, and discuss all the materials with your student.
Very Important: We need to gather information from you for emergency contacts. Please add at least two non-parents. While there are many boxes to fill, at minimum include name, relationship, and phone number.
We also need to gather information from you for health documents.

Note: You may decide to print some of the documents for future reference. For a tutorial on how to complete this process, please click here English

We have worked to digitize the compliance and document portions of the “First Day Packet.” The Data Confirmation process is easy. This includes items like Emergency Cards, Parent Handbooks and Policies and Authorizations. We have many important documents and plenty of information for your family within the online registration site, accessed via your Aeries Parent Portal. Note: You must complete data confirmation for each student. Please be sure to read, review, and discuss all the materials with your student. We also need to gather information from you for emergency contacts and health documents. You may decide to print some of the documents for future reference.

For a tutorial on how to complete this process, please click here English

Summer Online Learning - Clever

Students have access to our online learning programs over the summer until August 8, 2024. Students will then gain have access at the beginning of the new school year. MES recommends that all students engage with Lexia, DreamBox, and any other resouces found in Clever over the summer to prevent the decline in newly learned literacy skills.

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.

Student Snacks and Lunch - Message from the Cafeteria

This year meals will be free to all of our students again. We are still encouraging parents to fill out the meal application. Families deemed eligible for free or reduced priced meals can also benefit by receiving discounts for some of the district and some outside agency programs.

Meal application packets will be mailed out to all families via the U.S Mail by the end of next week. In addition, we have the 2024-25SY meal applications available online, they can be printed and submitted or parents can complete the application online. Lastly, meal packets will be sent to school site offices and cafeterias at the beginning of the school year in case they’re requested.

Application link: https://www.smmusd.org/domain/112

Should anyone have any questions or concerns. I am more than happy to assist.

Thank you kindly,

Estella Mata

Administrative Assistant

SMMUSD – Food & Nutrition Services

310.450.8338 x70-228

MES Minimum Days Schedule / 12:45 Dismissal

Aug 22
Aug 23
Aug 27
Sept. 3
Nov 6
Nov 7
Nov 8
May 22
June 11
June 12

Jaxx After-School Theater is Back - Wizard of Oz

Here are the dates for Jaxx. There will again be a first semester and a second semester show. The first semester show is the Wizard of Oz. Linked here is the Flier with details.

Jaxx Dates 2024 - 2025

MES 1/10 & 1/11

Auditions: 9/16

Classes: 9/23, 30

10/7, 14, 21, 28

11/4, 18, 25

12/2, 9, 16

Tech Week: 1/6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Shows: 1/10 & 11 @ 6PM

Load Out: 1/25

MES 5/30 & 31

Auditions: 2/3

Classes: 2/10, 24

3/3, 10, 17, 24

4/1, 22, 29

5/5, 12, 19

Load In: 5/27

Tech: 5/27-30

Shows: 5/30 & 31

Load Out: 5/31

Thank you!

Colin Tracy

Production Manager

Student Birthday Parties (from the Parent Handbook)

Such observances must be coordinated with the classroom teacher and should occur after lunch or at the end of the day. Food may be distributed at school. Healthier options should be encouraged. Cakes or very sweet treats (Sugar-based foods) are NOT allowed. All-natural popsicles are the ONLY choice for birthday celebrations. Our SMMUSD Food and Nutrition Services Wellness Policy calls for staff to limit student consumption of sugar at school. No nuts, if there is a peanut allergy in the classroom. Party favors are ok to distribute. Birthday invitations for parties away from school may not be distributed unless every student in the class is invited.

Candy/sheet cakes/cupcakes/cookies at school: Staff, students, and parents may not distribute these at school.

MBGC Information - August

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

5th Grade Pali Camp Overnight Field Trip - 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 5th 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 twenty (20) families who have donated. So far we have collected $10,880. We need at least sixteen (16) more donations to be able to make our third installment of $8,200 by the September due date. 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