October 17, 2025

Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. Today’s issue highlights Robinson Elementary, the Great CA ShakeOut Drill, and Mira Costa's Drama/Tech fall production.

Robinson’s 5th-grade students recently completed an engaging unit on United States Geography. Using a variety of tools and resources, including maps, globes, and their social studies textbook, students explored the different geographic regions that make up our country.

Throughout the unit, students participated in multiple forms of learning, including visual, tactile, and collaborative activities. They studied each region of the United States, including the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West, and examined how geography shapes weather, climate, and lifestyle. They also discussed how environmental factors influence where people choose to live and how those factors affect daily life.

As a culminating activity, students created their own physical maps of the United States, highlighting landforms such as mountain ranges, rivers, and major bodies of water. By incorporating multiple ways for students to engage and demonstrate their understanding, this unit reflected the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies being used at Robinson. The hands-on project allowed students to be creative while making meaningful connections between classroom learning and the world around them. This activity exemplified UDL by providing multiple means of representation through visual and tactile learning, multiple means of action and expression as students designed and constructed their own maps, and multiple means of engagement by allowing them to explore geographic concepts in a personally meaningful and interactive way.

This week, we’re highlighting Evanlyn Easley, our Program Supervisor for the Extended Day Program (EDP). In her role with MBUSD, Evanlyn supervises and supports efforts to create engaging, enriching environments for students outside of regular school hours. She has been with the District for 3 months now and brings over a decade of teaching experience to her position, along with a wealth of leadership roles, from teacher and recreation leader to president and secretary of various clubs and organizations. 

She says her time with MBUSD has been both positive and rewarding, “It has been a valuable learning experience that is helping me both professionally and personally.”

Her journey in education began with a lifelong passion for working with children. Starting as a teacher assistant, she gained firsthand experience with students and families, steadily building her skills and credentials to become the accomplished educator and leader she is today.

When asked what she loves most about her work, Evanlyn shared that it’s helping others in a variety of ways.

Outside of work, Evanlyn enjoys maintaining a healthy balance between her professional and personal life. She loves spending quality time with friends and family, which helps her recharge and appreciate life even more.

Tonight’s Homecoming football game at Mira Costa brings together the entire MBUSD community to celebrate one of the school’s most spirited traditions.

In preparation for this evening, the District has implemented enhanced safety measures to help ensure a secure environment in response to safety concerns raised when a bullet was discovered in a PE locker room on the Mira Costa campus during a recent football game.

During check-in and throughout the game, we will work with our security and law enforcement partners to screen attendees as they enter the stadium. We plan to have on site an MBPD K9 Unit trained to detect contraband materials, as well as staff and security officers utilizing handheld metal detectors.

These steps are part of the District’s ongoing commitment to student and community safety.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early, as the additional screening measures may lengthen entry times. If you have family members or friends planning to attend who may not receive District and/or school communications, please share this important safety information with them. 

As a reminder, all students who are not in high school must be accompanied by their own parent or guardian. Mira Costa’s football game policies can be reviewed here.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us maintain a secure and enjoyable environment. Go Mustangs!

We are excited to recognize once again the Week of the School Administrator, which took place this week. Our administrators are the foundation of our schools. They are incredible leaders who are dedicated to our students’ academic success and well-being. Their commitment shapes our schools every day, from creating a positive school culture, supporting teachers and staff, and ensuring every student has the opportunity to learn and grow. They leave lasting impacts, and we are so appreciative of their leadership.

Student award recipients with English Learner TOSA Kortney Krivokopich, Board Vice President Tina Shivpuri, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Dr. Jonathan Erickson, and Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Irene Gonzalez-Castillo

During our first DELAC meeting of the year on Thursday, October 9, MBUSD proudly recognized students for their notable achievements in English language development and academic performance. Families representing more than 13 languages joined in the celebration.

These students have shown remarkable dedication to academic excellence and the pursuit of language proficiency. We are so proud of their accomplishments and look forward to seeing them continue to thrive as multilingual scholars in MBUSD schools and beyond.

On September 17, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees approved a resolution recognizing United Against Hate Week, observed October 19–25. This national campaign calls for seven days of civic action to confront hate crimes and implicit bias, empowering communities in a shared commitment to inclusion and respect.

MBUSD Board Vice President Tina Shivpuri and Clerk Jen Dohner serve on the South Bay Community Coalition Against Hate, which is leading a week of events across the South Bay. One of these efforts includes a Food Drive supporting the Richstone Family Center’s Single Mom Project Nutrition Pantry.

MBUSD will host three collection sites: at the District Office, Grand View Elementary, and MBMS. We encourage everyone to take part and help support families in need.

The annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk takes place this Sunday, October 19! This fun community tradition supports both the Friendship Foundation, benefitting 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

On Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 10:16 a.m., MBUSD students and staff joined millions of Californians in participating in the Great California ShakeOut, the state’s annual earthquake preparedness drill.

Across all schools and facilities, participants began with a “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” exercise, practicing how to protect themselves during an earthquake, before safely evacuating to designated areas outlined in each school’s safety plan and evacuation map.

During the drill, schools and the District Office practiced communication and reporting protocols through radio and text, ensuring that the District can effectively gather information and coordinate support in a real emergency. Search and rescue, triage, and operations teams were also activated. Search teams, equipped with proper safety gear, simulated locating and transporting missing and injured individuals to the triage area, where the triage teams were ready to provide first aid. Principals acted as site-level Incident Commanders, gathering information and calling in site reports to the District Office. After conducting its own “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” and evacuation activities, the District Office logged responses and simulated responses to provide support to sites as needed. 

ICS4Schools’ Joe Viramontez joined the District Office team to observe communication and reporting practices throughout the exercise. Following the “all clear” from each site, debrief sessions allowed teams to review lessons learned and identify areas for continued improvement, including radio use, condition reporting, and the importance of establishing potential secondary evacuation locations.

This annual event reinforces MBUSD’s strong commitment to safety and preparedness. Regular drills help ensure that students and staff can respond quickly, calmly, and effectively in an emergency. We are grateful to our partners at ICS4Schools for their continued support in refining our procedures and keeping staff well-trained for large-scale emergency response.

MBUSD has released an updated Emergency Procedures Poster to help staff and students respond quickly and confidently in any situation. The new design features clear visuals, simplified steps, and updated guidance for the following emergencies:

The poster also includes reminders for making anonymous safety reports and important emergency contact information.

This updated poster has been distributed and posted prominently in classrooms and common areas. 

At next week’s Board meeting on Wednesday, October 22, we will be providing a safety and communications plan update. We will provide updates on the following: 

We hope you tune into the Board meeting, which will start at 5:00 p.m. The Agenda can be found here. You can click here for the livestream. 

At Pennekamp Elementary, 3rd Grade teacher Mr. Michael Warner has turned the simple tradition of class photos into a one-of-a-kind memory for the past 20 years. This year’s photo featured eighty-two stuffed animals.   

The Daily Breeze recently featured this story. Read it here!

Josh and Porter were among fifteen student winners in the Los Angeles County Beaches and Harbors “Can the Trash” poster contest. Their artwork stood out among hundreds of entries from 3rd–5th graders across Los Angeles County. At the time of submission, Josh was a 3rd grader at Pennekamp Elementary, and Porter was a 5th grader at Meadows Elementary. Both students proudly represented the County's Second District in their respective grade levels.

To enter the contest, students were required to hand-draw their artwork and use color. Their winning designs are now featured on trash bins displayed along beaches throughout the county, inspiring everyone to help keep our coastline clean and beautiful. Congratulations to both of our students! Their creativity not only showcases their artistic talent but also inspires us all to care for the environment.

The Mira Costa Surf Team is making waves once again! As the new season kicks off, the team is holding inter-squad competitions while preparing for upcoming matchups against other high schools.

Last year marked a truly remarkable milestone as they reached twenty consecutive championship seasons. For two decades, the Mustang Surf Team has remained undefeated, winning every single competition since its inception. Congratulations to the Mira Costa Surf Team and coaches, and here’s to another championship season ahead!

We also want to congratulate two Mira Costa High School students, Melia T. and Aylee B., for earning the prestigious Silver Award for their community project. The students designed and installed anti-littering storyboards at kiosks in Polliwog Park, featuring an original story and illustrations highlighting the effects of litter on wildlife, the environment, and the overall atmosphere of the park.

Their creative display includes 12 pages of original content, with additional storylines in development to rotate throughout the year, ensuring the message remains fresh and engaging. MCHS student Niamh A. also helped with the project.  

The project received approval from the Manhattan Beach City Council on August 5, 2025, following review by the City's Parks and Recreation Commission.

The Silver Award is one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting, recognizing Cadettes (grades 6–8) who demonstrate leadership, initiative, and a commitment to creating lasting change. Each project requires at least 50 hours of work and must address a root cause, be girl-led, and provide a sustainable benefit to the community.

Turn the Key on Carpool Conversations!

As we wrap up week one of Digital Citizenship Week, MBUSD invites families to amplify conversations about healthy digital habits with an easy-to-use tool called Carpool Conversations. Developed by Common Sense, this audio series mirrors the content of their family “game cards” — gently prompting a fact, a discussion starter, and a follow-up question — but delivered in a format perfect for the car, the breakfast table, or anywhere you have some time to talk to your kids.  

The podcasts are each under 2 minutes, purposefully short to make a quick transition to a conversation for your family that can go on for much longer. The prompts range widely from “Ever been distracted by devices?” to “Who would you ask before posting a pic?”   

The playlists are organized by age groups in the links below:

Try one or more out this weekend if you can!  

Also, if you haven’t completed the survey we sent out last week, please click here: MBUSD Parent Survey: Personal and Educational Technology for Students, and it should take less than 5 minutes. It will help prioritize content as we move forward in this work. Thank you to the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Dr. Jonathan Erickson, for writing this story. 

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience as Mira Costa High School Drama/Tech presents A Beautiful Day in November on the Banks of the Greatest of the Great Lakes by Kate Benson. This sharply inventive play transforms a classic American family dinner into a high-stakes sporting event, with all the flair of live commentary and the tension of a championship match.

Hilarious, unsettling, and strikingly original, the production dives into the humor and chaos beneath family traditions and the rituals that bring us together. Audiences will be treated to what might just be the greatest Thanksgiving in sports history!

Showtimes:

Friday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 12 at 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 13 at 6:00 p.m.
Friday, November 14 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets go on sale October 18 here. The show is appropriate for students in middle and high schools. 

If you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, I hope you will consider supporting MBEF as they work toward their $5.2 million goal for the 2025-26 Annual Appeal. These funds directly support programs for the next school year.

In partnership with MBUSD, MBEF is dedicated to enriching our students’ education and providing essential resources that go beyond what public funding covers. Without contributions from families, many valuable programs, staff positions, and initiatives would not be possible.

Every MBUSD family benefits from MBEF's support in our schools. To those who have already donated, thank you for your generosity. If you haven’t yet, please consider giving the full ASK of $2500 per student or a level within your means. Your contribution helps ensure that our students continue to receive an exceptional education that prepares them for success beyond the classroom. 

Follow our accounts for the latest MBUSD information, updates, news, and events.

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on October 24. Have a wonderful weekend!

Dr. John Bowes, Superintendent

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