Superintendent's Newsletter
September 16, 2019
|
|
Last night we had the last of our Back-to-School Nights. What that means is that school is in full swing. Our parents are getting to know their children's teachers, teachers are getting to know their students, routines have been developed, and we are settling into the academic year. As we enter this phase, I want to take time to acknowledge our essential partners here in MBUSD. Without these three partners, we would be unable to offer the wide range of high-quality programs to our students that are the hallmark of our district. Please continue reading my newsletter to find out more about each organization.
|
|
MBX has been a giant supporter of MBUSD since 2003. Initially they were called the Manhattan Beach Athletic Foundation, but they are so much more now! MBX's mission is to support the students of MBUSD and Mira Costa High School. Here are some of the things that MBX does for MBUSD:
- MBX coordinates all 41 of our booster clubs for our athletic teams and school-connected organizations. When you hear the marching band and watch the football team, dance and cheer teams at tonight’s game, you will see examples of amazing organizations supported by parents and coordinated by MBX. Through meetings, donations, and the distribution of collected funds, MBX ensures that everything is done in accordance with MBUSD Board Policy and other regulations.
- MBX also provides incredible financial support to facilities projects across the high school campus. MBX has donated more than $4 million to build facilities like the new West Field on the Meadows side of Mira Costa and the upgrades to Waller Stadium and Bill Cooper Field. And there are many other smaller projects that are not as highly visible, yet make an incredible difference to our students and our coaches. How does MBX fund all of this? Through after school programs, summer camps, and the MBX summer school.
- MBX is one of several summer schools that our students choose to attend. Mira Costa teachers comprised over 50% of this year's MBX summer school program. Since state funding for summer school programs disappeared many years ago, organizations like MBX stepped up fill that void by offering summer classes for our students. MBX is a WASC accredited supplemental education program, and all MBX academic courses are accepted for credit on Mira Costa High School transcripts. Additionally, all MBX academic courses are eligible for UC/CSU approval and meet A-G subject requirements once placed on the Mira Costa transcript.
I thank
MBX
and the booster parents who make our activities and athletics possible.
|
|
The PTAs of Manhattan Beach are true partners in helping us reach and teach our students every day. Hundreds of PTA moms and dads constantly work with our schools to help make the most out of the resources we have. Our PTAs collaborate with our principals and our teachers as volunteers to multiply the impact of our teachers in the classroom. Our PTAs organize special events that bring students and parents together to create a strong community feel in our schools. Although they are more of a volunteer organization than a fundraising organization, the funds that PTAs raise help our schools with so many needs including student and teacher technology, supplies for teacher in classrooms, and so much more. Our PTA ranks are filled with women and men who are amazing leaders, spectacular organizers, and who get things done. I have never been part of a school district with more active volunteers or a more active PTA than the Manhattan Beach Unified School District. I am grateful for all of their work. I hope each of you joins your school’s PTA and volunteers whatever time you can give to this amazing partner.
|
|
I thank our
PTAs and the parents who volunteer their time and donations to them.
|
|
What else can I say about
MBEF
? Last year, MBEF donated $6.5 million to our district. That amount is over 8% of our budget. Simply put, without MBEF we would not have certain programs, and our class sizes would be higher than they are. MBEF funds librarians at each of our seven schools, science and reading enrichment, music teachers, guidance counselors, college and career counselors and more. They make a difference in every classroom in our district, and they allow MBUSD to be a leader in creating
and
offering innovative programs for students. I have worked with school districts across the state and around the country, and MBEF is known across the nation for being one of the finest – and I think it is
the
finest – education foundations in the nation. It’s counterintuitive and difficult to really understand, but the fact is MBUSD is the second lowest funded unified school district in the state of California. And yet, our community’s expectations are among the highest in the state. It is MBEF and your participation through donations to their
Annual Appeal
that make it possible to do all that we do.
|
|
Thank you for supporting our outstanding schools!
|
|
Mike Matthews
MBUSD Superintendent
|
|
|
Manhattan Beach Unified School District
325 S. Peck Avenue
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310.318.7345
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
