Dear MBUSD Staff,

I hope this message finds you well. Our schools have been full of energy and momentum, with incredible highlights across academics, athletics, arts, and community engagement. It’s been exciting to see so many moments of connection and celebration taking place across MBUSD.

As part of our continued commitment to transparency, we have also developed a comprehensive budget document that addresses many of the questions we’ve heard from our community over the past several months. We know this is an important topic, and we are working hard to ensure our community has clear, accurate information during this time. You can view the document here.

With that update, here’s an overview of what is highlighted in this week’s newsletter:

At the April 14 Board of Trustees meeting (viewable here), MBUSD shared an update on enrollment and the strategic efforts underway to support long-term stability. In response to enrollment trending below projections, the District has implemented a more intentional, data-driven approach—focused on increasing visibility, strengthening community partnerships, and improving how families access information.

Recent efforts include high-visibility community placements, targeted outreach through preschools and realtors, and expanded enrollment events. TK/Kindergarten Information Day alone brought in over 250 attendees and generated more than 100 new community connections. With 70% of permits driven by word of mouth, MBUSD continues to prioritize storytelling and community engagement as key drivers of enrollment. Inter-district permits remain open through June 30 for eligible students.

Strong enrollment is essential to sustaining programs and opportunities, and MBUSD remains focused on aligning outreach strategies with measurable impact.

At last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, MBUSD proudly recognized Dr. Jennifer Huynh, Principal of Mira Costa High School, as the District’s first-ever Administrator of the Year. Dr. Huynh is known for her strong, student-centered leadership and commitment to continuous improvement. From implementing AIRE time at Manhattan Beach Middle School to strengthening collaborative practices at Mira Costa, her work continues to expand support and opportunities for all students. Congratulations, Dr. Huynh, and thank you for your exceptional leadership and impact across MBUSD!

First graders at Meadows are diving into realistic fiction by exploring characters and their emotions. In Mrs. Walsh’s and Mrs. Granberg’s classes, students use text evidence and picture clues to track how characters feel and how those feelings change, making connections to their own experiences. By studying both inside traits (how characters act and behave) and outside traits, and reading series like Henry and Mudge and Iris and Walter, students are building skills that will help them create their own characters and write original, realistic fiction stories.

This week, we are proud to spotlight Emily Gantner. Emily is a school psychologist at Pacific Elementary and Manhattan Beach Preschool, who is celebrating her 31st year with MBUSD. She provides assessments and counseling services for students with IEPs and works closely with families, teachers, and service providers to support student success. Throughout her career, Emily has worked at multiple school sites, including Mira Costa and Meadows, and previously spent eight years as an elementary school teacher. She values building strong connections with students and families, collaborating with educators, and supporting student growth. A longtime South Bay resident, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, along with walking and biking in the community. Thank you, Emily, for your dedication and for the meaningful impact you make in our schools each and every day!

At last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, the Board gratefully accepted the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation’s (MBEF) generous 2026-27 grants, which will provide a record $7.6 million in support of MBUSD students and schools. This extraordinary level of support plays a critical role in sustaining the programs, staffing, and opportunities that define the MBUSD experience. At a time when the District is facing a budget deficit and potential reductions impacting teachers and staff, community support remains more important than ever. While MBEF’s grants will not eliminate the District’s planned reductions, they will provide some relief. To help address some of the remaining need, MBEF has extended its Annual Appeal through May 30, providing an opportunity for families and community members to continue to contribute toward restoring educator positions and maintaining the quality of our programs. Every contribution, at any level, makes a meaningful difference in supporting our classrooms and students. We are deeply grateful to MBEF and our community for their continued partnership and investment in MBUSD.

Join us for a fun, family-friendly evening filled with food, music, art, and traditions from around the globe. This special event is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, learn from one another, and showcase the unique cultures that make MBUSD so vibrant. Don’t miss this chance to be part of an unforgettable celebration. Friendly reminder that this event is open to all MBUSD students, staff, and their families.

On Thursday, April 16, MBUSD proudly recognized outstanding students at the Manhattan Beach Coordinating Council (MBCC) April Luncheon, including Drew Vaccaro and Paloma Rose (Meadows Elementary), Alvin Mehren and Nicole Hiranburana (Pacific Elementary), Stefan Jovanovic (Manhattan Beach Middle School), and Carrington Abramson (Mira Costa High School). Each student was honored for their character, leadership, and positive contributions to their school community. We also extend our appreciation to the teachers who were present to recognize and share about each student including Alexia Hutchinson, Barbara Gregorio, Emily Brunick, Stephanie Hubbard, Natalie DiBiase, and Teresa Nielsen as well as to our student speakers, Amaya Grings (MBMS) and Riley Marsh and Nurah Abokar (Mira Costa), for representing MBUSD and highlighting the great work happening across our schools. Thank you to MBCC for their continued support; we are incredibly grateful.

Manhattan Beach Middle School launched the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program this year, a comprehensive effort to promote a safe, inclusive, and respectful school environment. With strong support from families and the community, the recent assembly featuring Akbar Gbajabiamila and Mira Costa student voices marked an important step forward as classroom lessons are now underway. This work will continue to grow through the 2026–27 school year. We are grateful to the dedicated Olweus Site-Based Team and to TOSA Jeff Lee for their leadership in guiding this important initiative.

Across Manhattan Beach, our community continues to show up in powerful ways to support our schools, and the Exer Urgent Care Gator Run on May 3 is a great example. While hosted at a single site, this event benefits the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation (MBEF) and helps fund teachers and programs that impact students across all MBUSD schools. It’s a meaningful opportunity to come together in support of our classrooms and the experiences that make our schools exceptional. Whether you choose to run, walk, sponsor a participant, or donate, every contribution makes a difference. Join us and be part of something bigger. Mira Costa and MBMS students who register and run can earn PE credit for participating!

MBUSD is proud to congratulate Kelly Kanamori, Laurie Reiter, and Allison Shawver as the District’s 2026 CAC Award recipients through the Southwest SELPA. Nominated by parents and guardians and selected through a competitive review process, these individuals are being recognized for their exceptional contributions to special education. The awards ceremony will take place on April 23 in Torrance, and MBUSD will also recognize the recipients at the May 13 Board of Trustees meeting. Congratulations to all on this well-deserved honor!

Last Wednesday, MBMS hosted its annual This Is MBMS event, welcoming both MBUSD students and incoming 6th-grade families from surrounding areas. Students and families heard from school leadership and key partners, including PTA, MBX, and MBEF, and learned more about academics, programs, and student life on campus. The event provided a valuable opportunity to ask questions, make connections, and build excitement for the transition to middle school. Thank you to the MBMS team and partners for creating such a welcoming experience for our future Waves!

Mira Costa Drama/Tech is bringing the energy to the stage with Mean Girls, the high-energy musical packed with iconic moments, sharp humor, and unforgettable songs. Follow Cady Heron as she navigates the social jungle of high school—brought to life by a talented cast, dynamic choreography, and an impressive student-led technical production. This bold and entertaining show showcases the creativity, dedication, and collaboration of our students both on stage and behind the scenes. From set design and lighting to costumes and sound, the production highlights the incredible work of Mira Costa’s Drama/Tech program.

Mean Girls opens this Friday, April 24—don’t miss your chance to experience this fun, fast-paced performance. Tickets are available now. Please note, this show is rated PG-13. Show times are as follows:

Mira Costa High School recently hosted its Spring Signing Day, celebrating an incredible group of student-athletes as they take the next step in their academic and athletic careers. Surrounded by family, coaches, and peers, students were recognized for their hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. Congratulations to all of our signees, we wish you the best of luck at the next level!

Green Week is underway across MBUSD, and we’re excited to see the creativity and sustainability-focused learning happening at each of our schools. To kick things off, Meadows second graders in Ms. Cubillos’ class learned about carrots in their garden class last week, harvesting and tasting what they had grown—a huge hit! Thank you to our garden volunteers and Meadows parents, Heather and Bethany, for making this hands-on learning experience possible. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week brings across our campuses!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly part of everyday life, helping with tasks like writing, research, and content creation. Generative AI can create new content, and prompts are the inputs that guide its responses. It’s important to use AI thoughtfully. It can produce incorrect information (“hallucinations”), reflect bias, and be used to create misleading media like deepfakes, so outputs should always be reviewed carefully. Ethical use means being transparent, protecting privacy, avoiding plagiarism, and using AI to support learning. Our District’s AI Committee is developing guidelines to support safe and responsible use. More information is coming soon.

The next Superintendent’s Newsletter will be published on April 27. Let’s have a great week!

Dr. John Bowes, Superintendent

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