October 3, 2025

Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. Today’s issue highlights Pacific Elementary, Measure RLS project community engagement meetings, and Mira Costa’s cross-country teams winning big at a prestigious competition.

Last week, we spotlighted Gelane Skinner for her inspiring leadership. This week, we’re proud to introduce one of her standout initiatives: the Pantherette Spirit Squad at Pacific Elementary School. 

Run through the PASE after-school enrichment program, the Pantherettes are far more than just a cheer team. They’re ambassadors of Panther PRIDE, leading their peers with energy, integrity, and a deep sense of belonging to their school community, a focus of MBUSD’s Board Goal 2: Continue to Develop a Climate of Care in all MBUSD Schools. Feeling connected to your school is important because it directly impacts how students learn, grow, and succeed, both academically and emotionally. 

“They don’t just cheer — they build connection during our weekly assemblies,” said Principal Amanda Vavao. She shared that “Mrs. Skinner, who founded the spirit squad, gives students a space to express themselves while promoting school spirit and unity. Our Pantherette spirit squad emulates the Panther PRIDE values: Positivity, Respect, Inclusivity, Dependability, and Engagement, all while bringing joy and a strong sense of community to our students, staff, and families.”

Photo Credit: Pacific Parent Teresa Rish

The Pantherette Spirit Squad kicks off every school assembly with a cheer that sets the tone, full of enthusiasm, encouragement, and positivity. It’s a tradition that brings the Panther community together, creating a shared sense of pride and belonging.

Each member of the squad follows a clear code of conduct, emphasizing leadership, respect, and teamwork. This structure not only keeps practices and performances focused, but also provides students with an example of how to conduct themselves both in and out of school.

From chants at the assemblies to helping classmates in the halls, the Pantherettes are making a difference — one PRIDEful cheer at a time.

Christina Ibrahim serves as the science specialist at Robinson and Meadows Elementary Schools. When she first applied to MBUSD in 2006, she wasn’t seeking a specialist role, but former Pennekamp Principal Dale Keldrauk asked if she would be interested in starting a science lab at the school. This is how her journey began, and she played a pivotal role in developing a program from the ground up. 

“At that time, not all schools had hands-on science specialists because they had to be funded with discretionary dollars,” Christina recalls. “Today, thanks to the support of MBEF, all five elementary schools have not only science, but also music, PE, and Makerspace.”

Christina says it's a privilege to work with so many amazing students and staff. “As a specialist, I have a unique opportunity to watch children grow and develop as thinkers and problem solvers from TK through 5th grade.” 

She is especially grateful to MBEF, which makes her position possible. Today, MBEF supports three credentialed science specialists who bring science to life for all elementary students through dynamic experiments and challenges that connect the classroom curriculum with hands-on activities, making complex concepts more understandable. 

Christina’s path to MBUSD was shaped by adventure and a passion for education around the globe. She began teaching in Cairo, Egypt, at a small school for international students, then spent several years in Boston, where she even recruited almost the entire Harvard wrestling team to volunteer in her first-grade classroom. 

Her journey continued aboard Mercy Ships, a floating hospital that serves communities along the west coast of Africa. Docked in Sierra Leone for seven months, Christina taught both the crew’s children and young men on land whose schooling had been interrupted by civil war.

After returning to Boston for a time, she eventually made her way back to the West Coast and joined MBUSD, where she has also taught 2nd and 4th grade at Robinson. When asked about her favorite part of the job, Christina says: “It’s the students. I’m also lucky to work with an incredible team of dedicated professionals. From the beginning, our science team has been filled with creative minds who love to problem-solve and collaborate. Our lessons are always evolving, and with MBEF’s backing, we’ve built a robust curriculum that keeps science fresh and exciting.”

Outside the classroom, Christina finds joy in spending as much time as possible outdoors!

Join us at the Hometown Fair this weekend! MBUSD will be part of the festivities with a booth in the Community Place area, located on Valley Drive near 20th Place at the Fair’s north entrance.

District leaders, staff, and school principals will be there throughout the weekend, and I look forward to connecting with families and community members. Come by, say hello, and learn more about MBUSD!

This Sunday, October 5, we join schools and communities worldwide in celebrating World Teachers’ Day. We are grateful to all MBUSD teachers for their dedication, hard work, and the many ways they go above and beyond for our students, families, and colleagues. 

Your efforts are valued every single day, and we truly appreciate you.

World Teachers’ Day was established in 1966 by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) and continues to be recognized annually by the California Department of Education (CDE). It is a day to honor educators everywhere for their invaluable contributions to shaping the future.

MBUSD is excited to invite families, staff, students, and community members to attend upcoming engagement sessions designed to gather input on Measure RLS modernization projects at Mira Costa High School and Pacific Elementary School. These projects will be part of the $200 million bond measure approved by voters on November 5, 2024. Measure RLS will fund critical upgrades across MBUSD schools, including repairing and modernizing aging classrooms and labs; fixing leaky roofs and outdated electrical and plumbing systems; improving fire and earthquake safety; removing asbestos and lead; and ensuring safe, clean drinking water. The improvements being planned are guided by the District’s updated 2024 Facilities Master Plan (FMP).

Our community engagement meetings are an essential opportunity for our community to share feedback and help guide the design of new and improved learning spaces.

Mira Costa High School: Dream. Share. Build.

Parents, students, teachers, and neighbors are invited to learn about plans for modernizing the English building, cafeteria and kitchen, pool, and library. The sessions will include an overview of the projects and small group discussions to gather input.

First Look and Feedback: Tuesday, October 14 at 5:30 p.m.

Project Update and Feedback: Wednesday, October 29 at 5:30 p.m.

Location: Mira Costa High School Cafeteria, 1401 Artesia Blvd., Manhattan Beach

Pacific Elementary School: Building Together

Parents, students, teachers, and neighbors are encouraged to share feedback on modernization plans for the Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Extended Day Program (EDP). Sessions will include updates on Measure RLS projects and breakout discussions to collect input from participants.

First Look and Feedback: Thursday, October 16 at 4:30 p.m.

Project Update and Feedback: Wednesday, November 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Location: Pacific Elementary Cafeteria, 1200 Pacific Ave., Manhattan Beach

In addition to the meetings mentioned above, as part of the planning process for several Mira Costa facility improvements currently under consideration, the District is following the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to evaluate any potential environmental impacts that may arise if we proceed with the improvement projects currently being considered. An initial study has been prepared to guide this review and is now available to the public here. 

Community members are invited to learn more and provide input at a Scoping Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the District Office Board Room. For more information about the proposed projects, the review process, and the meeting, please visit this link. 

I was honored to participate in MBEF’s celebration this past Monday, where we recognized the newest lifetime donors to the beautiful MBEF Seeds of Knowledge art installation in downtown Manhattan Beach, located near the Metlox, adjacent to the Shade Hotel. 

During the ceremony, nine families were inducted and recognized for contributing $100,000 or more in cumulative giving to the MBEF or its endowment, with their names unveiled on the installation. 

The generosity of our community through MBEF donations continues to play a crucial role in providing enrichment opportunities and maintaining smaller class sizes. We are grateful to the following individuals for their contributions, which directly enhance student learning and experiences.

The ABAR Foundation
Sherolyn and Mike Duckworth
Lydia and Michael King
The Messer Family
Ania Borysiewicz and John Mistler
Bonna and Amit Patel
Heather and Patrick Schlehuber
Angie and Jared Smith
The Sprague Family

MCHS student Charlie Rogoff highlighted how support from MBEF and donors has made a difference in his student journey.

The Seeds of Knowledge installation honors the collective efforts of educators, parents, students, volunteers, and donors dedicated to supporting education. It serves as a tribute to the importance of our public schools and celebrates the community that supports them, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The installation was first unveiled in May 2023. 

There are many ways families can prepare for an emergency, both at home and at school. In the event of an emergency that occurs during the school day, we want to be able to release students to the right people as efficiently as possible. To do this, we must ensure that we have the correct information on file. Each year, parents/guardians are required to update emergency contact information through the Aeries Parent Portal, which is used for Data Confirmation. It is important that the information is complete and kept up-to-date.

Students’ emergency contacts must include any individuals whom parents/guardians wish to be authorized to pick up their student from school in case of an emergency. We recommend that this include multiple trusted local adults, as well as at least one out-of-state contact. 

Students will be released only to designated emergency contacts, and those individuals must present a valid, government-issued ID at the time of pick-up. Parents should ensure that all emergency contacts understand that, during an emergency release, our staff will verify individuals’ government-issued IDs and compare them with the information on file before releasing students. Please note that our staff will be required to complete all site protocols prior to releasing students. Everyone’s partnership, patience, and support of this process will be key to our success in ensuring the safety of all staff, students, and community members. 

In order to protect the safety of all students and staff, students will not be released during a lockdown, and depending on the situation, access to pick up students may be limited during a Shelter-In-Place. 

To update your emergency contact information, parents should log in to the Aeries Parent Portal that was used for Data Confirmation. 

Please also be aware that, in addition, if a family changed their address during data confirmation but has not provided new residency documents to the main office, the address change will not be reflected on the main contact list. Updated documents must be submitted to complete the address change process.

We appreciate everyone’s commitment to supporting our safety efforts. 

Last month, we announced the installation of permanent pickleball nets at Pennekamp, made possible by the generosity of the Dragons PTA. This week, the project was completed with the painting of the kitchen area and court lines. A big thank-you to our construction team for completing the court painting!

We are excited to participate once again in the National Walk and Roll to School Day, a celebration of community, health, and our environment, in partnership with the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD). All MBUSD students, families, and staff are invited to participate on Wednesday, October 8!

Each school will have its own route, and you’re invited to join the fun as we make our way to campus before the start of the school day. I encourage each of you to participate in this tradition, whether you walk, bike, or scooter; every step or roll counts!

I look forward to seeing you next week.

Photo Credit: Mira Costa Cross Country Instagram

We are proud to celebrate all our student-athletes who competed at the prestigious Nike Portland XC Meet recently, one of the premier cross-country competitions on the West Coast, featuring over 130 teams and more than 4,000 athletes.

Our Boys Varsity team brought home the Jim Danner Championship team title, defeating Summit, Oregon, in an exciting finish, 154–156. They also topped several nationally ranked teams in the process.

The Girls Varsity team also competed in the Danner Sweepstakes race, placing an impressive 5th overall and earning recognition as the top California team in the race!

The Jim Danner Championship is the highest-level varsity race at the meet, drawing 25 of the best teams and individual athletes from across the region, the West Coast, and the nation. We are also proud to recognize our JV athletes across the board for their outstanding performances and top rankings in their respective events.

Congratulations again to all of our runners!

The Dear Asian Youth Club welcomed Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi to its first meeting of the year. Muratsuchi shared his personal journey and background, offering students inspiration on leadership and advocacy.

Students also had the opportunity to engage directly with him through a Q&A session. The club is a youth-led chapter of Dear Asian Youth, an organization dedicated to uplifting the Asian American community and amplifying its voices.

We’re just a few weeks away from the annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk on Sunday, October 19! This fun community tradition supports both the Friendship Foundation, benefiting children with special needs, and MBEF, which directly supports our students. 

For every registration, please indicate MBEF as the beneficiary during registration to ensure that your full contribution directly benefits MBEF and your school PTA! The walk supports both children with special needs through the Friendship Foundation and our students through MBEF. 

Please click here for registration process steps and FAQs.

Click on your school’s official team page below to register:

Grand View Elementary

Meadows Elementary

Pacific Elementary

Pennekamp Elementary

Robinson Elementary

Manhattan Beach Middle School

Manhattan Beach Preschool

Mira Costa High School

MBEF Team

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The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on October 10. Have a wonderful weekend!

Dr. John Bowes, Superintendent

325 S. Peck Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 318-7345