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Dear Miramonte Community,
If you haven’t yet purchased your tickets to the Miramonte vs. Campolindo football game happening tonight at Miramonte, please go HERE to purchase them online at GoFan. We are expecting a huge crowd, so tickets must be purchased in advance, and we recommend that you arrive early so you have time to find parking and enter the stadium. To help counter the crowd size, we are opening the back gate located behind the scoreboard as a second entrance. Also, as we continue to focus on student sportsmanship, I sent out a message to students encouraging them to attend the game, be loud, support our team, AND be respectful towards Campolindo and the referees. If you can echo that message at home before the game, I'd appreciate it. Good news is that there's no rain in the forecast, but it will be chilly, so dress warm and enjoy the game!
As we wind down the Fall Sports season, I’d like to take a moment to congratulate all of our Fall Sports programs:
- Cheerleading
- Cross Country
- Football
- Girls Golf
- Girls Tennis
- Girls Volleyball
- Girls Water Polo
- Boys Water Polo
All of our varsity teams and individual student-athletes made (or will make) the North Coast Section (NCS) post-season tournaments this fall. This success between the lines, plus record participation, attendance, and fundraising have made this a hugely successful season for our fall programs, student-athletes, and coaches. Congratulations and good luck the rest of the way!
Our Winter Sports (Cheerleading, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Wrestling) have begun tryouts/training and are looking to build upon their recent success and compete for championships again this season. You can view their upcoming game schedules on our athletics website here.
Nearly 700 Miramonte students participate in sports, and I’d like to encourage you to talk to your children about participating in a Spring Sport if they don’t already do so. Spring Sports start in February, and there are many options to participate: Baseball, Cheerleading, Boys Golf, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Softball, Swim & Dive, Track & Field, and Boys Volleyball.
Finally, if you love sports and believe in the value of high school athletics, please reach out to me about the open President position in our Boosters Club. The position is fully supported by a great slate of Board Members and parent representatives from each program, but we need a great parent to step up today to support our 25 programs, 600+ student-athletes, and 100+ coaches!
Thank you, see you tonight at the game, and Go Mats!
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Dear Miramonte Families,
We are so grateful all year round for our wonderful community of families, teachers, staff, and administrators. In this month of Thanksgiving, we wanted to highlight some things we especially appreciate about our extended Matador family.
We appreciate your engagement -- you come to events, meetings, and performances, share your views and ideas, and participate in making Miramonte the best it can be. And of course, please be sure to engage next Tuesday at the ballot box!
Other upcoming opportunities for engagement include:
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Our Parents' Club meeting on Wednesday, November 9, at 9:30 a.m. in the Wellness Center (located in the Student Union). Come learn more about what the Wellness Center offers and hear an update from Principal Campopiano.
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Latinx and Indigenous People Heritage Festival – Wednesday, November 9, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Student Union.
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AUHSD Governing Board meeting on Wednesday, November 16
- Parent Education Events (see the calendar for dates and times)
Happy Weekend!
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November 5: Public Speaking Congress 2 Tournament
November 7: Will follow Wednesday/Friday schedule
November 7: Athletic Boosters Meeting; 6:00 p.m.; MHS Library
November 9: Parents' Club Meeting; 9:30 a.m.; MHS Student Union (campus map)
November 9: College Sports Commitment Ceremony; lunch period; MHS Quad
November 9: Latinx & Indigenous People Heritage Festival; 5:30-7:30 p.m.; MHS Student Union (details)
November 10: Parent Ed: Restoring Youth Mental Health; 4:00 p.m.; online (details)
November 10: Deadline to purchase AP Exams
November 11: Veterans Day; No school
November 12: Public Speaking Debate 2 Tournament
November 13: Miramonte Jazz Band joint concert; 5:00 p.m.; Del Valle Education Center Theater
November 15: Parent Ed: Connecting With Your Teen; 6:00-7:00 p.m.; Zoom (details)
November 16: Linksgiving (for students)
November 16: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; District office
November 17&18: Performers for Progress; 7:00-9:00 p.m.; MHS Theater
November 21-25: Thanksgiving Break
November 28-December 2: Winter Spirit Week
December 3: Public Speaking IE 2 Tournament
December 5: Athletic Boosters Meeting; 6:00 p.m.; MHS Library
December 6: Parent Ed: Suicide Awareness; 6:00-7:00 p.m.; Zoom
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BECAUSE YOU GIVE —
Mischief-making faeries took the stage last week in Miramonte’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream. Led by veteran Miramonte teacher Heather Cousins, students made the sets, props, and costumes for the play in Stagecraft class and honed their acting skills in Drama class. Later in the year, Drama students will have the opportunity to write, cast, and direct their own plays and will produce the musical Grease.
We asked Miramonte senior Ella Bradley what participation in Miramonte Drama has meant to her, and here’s what she had to say:
I have been involved in drama for my entire time at Miramonte, and even during online learning, it has been a bright light in my life. Not only did drama give me a community full of friends in both the cast and crew, but it gave me an opportunity to figure out what I want to pursue in life. My favorite part of drama is watching a production take shape, whether I act in it, write it, or direct it. It’s incredible to be in a class where everyone has a collective goal: To create a piece of art together. The Drama and Theatre Department at Miramonte has been my home for the past four years, and I don’t know who I would be without it.
Miramonte Class of 2021 alumni Heather Shinn participated in Drama class during her high school years. She looks back fondly on her time in the theater:
Going to the theatre for class or academy was consistently something I could count on to brighten my day. No matter how good or bad my day was going, drama was always the highlight of my day. It was there that I found my closest friends. It was there that I found my love for the arts, which is what I’m currently pursuing in college. After Miramonte, I still cherish the memories I made and the lifelong family it gifted me.
Through drama class, students can find a means of creative self-expression, gain self-confidence, and build a community. While these experiences are important throughout life, they are so important during the teen years. Drama is one of the many programs Miramonte offers for students to find their passions and build connections with like-minded people that make the high school experience meaningful.
Gifts to ONE-Miramonte provides the funding necessary to offer a vibrant drama and theater program. BECAUSE YOU GIVE, Miramonte students have the opportunity to create artistic theatrical works together. A well-rounded education includes the arts, and donations to ONE-Miramonte make that possible.
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Miramonte Memories: Reflections '67
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Every fall, we share the remarkable film Reflections ’67 in the Matador News. The film is a very special treasure for our Miramonte community, and its importance only grows as time marches on. The film, state-of-the-art for a student film at the time, was originally shot on 16mm film and was made over the course of the 1966-67 school year. It was produced by Dwight Sigworth (Class of 1967), and the camera work and editing were done by Fred Sigworth (Class of 1969) and Chris Ammen (Class of 1970).
The film was meant to depict a day at school, but it encompassed events from the entire school year. The 37-minute film opens with an early morning drive starting from Miner Road in north Orinda and heads south to the school. It goes on to show so many things our current students will recognize from today’s campus life, such as assemblies, sports, plays, concerts, Cage the Cougars pep rally, senior lawn, and homecoming. It also depicts many things that have changed, like a homecoming parade of animated floats, dirt track, marching band, letter sweaters, and typing class! The film ends in an all-too-familiar sight for anyone who finds themselves on campus when the end-of-day bell rings – the chaos of the student exodus from campus, except there were no traffic lights at Moraga Way back then!
Thank you to Fred, Dwight, and Chris for this extraordinary time capsule and wonderful community memory.
We recently talked with Fred and Dwight about their experience with making this film. We were delighted to learn that the 1966-67 Miramonte Parents' Club provided $450 to help underwrite this project! Read on to learn more about what Fred and Dwight shared with us.
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Watch Reflections '67 below.
We enjoyed seeing how much has changed and how much has stayed the same! And, we couldn't help but notice that the filmmakers thanked Miramonte's outstanding teachers at the end of the film.
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AUHSD Latinx/Indigenous Peoples Heritage Festival
On Wednesday, November 9, Miramonte is hosting the district-wide Latinx/Indigenous Peoples Heritage Festival! It will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Miramonte Student Union, with food, performances, and many booths showcasing a variety of cultures.
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AUHSD Wellness Parent Ed Series
Mark your calendar for the next session of the parent education series! COPE will present Connecting With Your Teen on Tuesday, November 15, 6:00-7:00 p.m. Register for the Zoom meeting here. Find more details on the flyer here.
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AP Exams
The deadline to pay for AP Exams is Thursday, November 10. Please see the AP Exam Information Sheet for everything you need to know, including ordering instructions, course codes, and cost. Questions? Email Courtney Gosney.
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First-Year Students
Counselors are continuing meetings with first-year students to discuss how their transition to high school has been going, things they are enjoying, how they are utilizing academies, etc. We value this opportunity to get to know students a little bit more!
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Seniors
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Please remind your student that application workshops are being held each academy session in the College and Career Center. Students can sign up using TeachMore.
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If your student is applying to college, they should begin ordering transcripts on the Web Store. On the Web Store, they need to list the name of the college(s) they are applying to completely (ex. University of Oregon; not U of O), but do not need to provide an address.
- UC and CSU schools do NOT need transcripts ordered unless specifically requested by the school.
- If your student qualifies for a testing fee waiver, they are also eligible for a transcript fee waiver. Please have them approach their counselor with any questions or concerns.
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Boosters Needs Your Help!
Become Part of The Team Behind the Teams!
Miramonte Boosters Club is a critical funding mechanism for Miramonte Athletics. Thanks to member donations, Boosters is able to purchase much-needed equipment, gear, and supplies for all of our athletic teams. More importantly, the club helps pay for the salaries of personnel, such as the athletic trainer and strength/conditioning coach.
The entire school depends on the Boosters’ Club to pay for big-ticket capital purchases!
Boosters donations are used to fund the following:
- Athletic Trainer
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
- Sports Medicine Supplies
- Weight Room Equipment
- Equipment for every MATS sports team including balls, nets, training aides, etc.
- Capital expenditures such as scoreboards, cheer mats, wrestling mats, ball boundary safety nets, gym wall pads, goals and bench covers.
We seek 100% of families with student-athletes to join the Boosters’ Club!
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The Miramonte fall sports teams have had exciting seasons and tremendous success this year in the Diablo Athletic League (DAL)!
Come one, come all this Friday, November 4, to support the varsity football team as they take on Campo at home for their last league game! Senior Night for the football players and the sideline cheerleaders starts at 6:15 p.m. prior to kickoff. Wear your green! Tickets here. Follow them on Instagram @miramonte_football.
The Lady Mats varsity tennis team plays in round one of the NCS championships on Tuesday, November 8, at 5:00 p.m. at Miramonte. Come out to the tennis courts and cheer on the team! Follow them on Instagram @matsgirlsvarsitytennis.
The girls varsity water polo team competes in the NCS semi-final game on Wednesday, November 9, and will play the winner of Carondelet-Archie Williams (time and location tbd). If they win, the NCS championship game is Saturday, November 12. Follow this incredible team on Instagram @matswwp for the latest updates!
The boys varsity water polo team also competes in the NCS semi-final game on Wednesday, November 9, and will play Redwood HS (time and location tbd). Follow the boys on Instagram @matspolo for locations and times!
The girls and boys cross country teams continue with their stellar season and compete in the DAL championships on Saturday, November 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Hidden Valley Park in Martinez. Good luck! Instagram Cross Country @mats_xctf
Congratulations to the Lady Mats golf team for finishing first place in DAL for the second year in a row! Additionally, they finished 3rd in the NCS Division 2 girls golf championship.
Go Mats!!
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Senior Yearbook Ads – due by TODAY, Friday, November 4
Congratulate your senior student with a personalized message in the yearbook! See the flyer for information. The deadline to purchase a senior ad is Friday, November 4. Spots are filling very quickly, and ads are sold on a first come, first served basis. If we sell out before the deadline, the submission window will close.
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Final Care Packages - For Hardworking Matadors of All Ages and Grades!
Finals are coming! Send your favorite Matador the best of luck with a Finals Care Package filled with supplies and treats to survive Finals Week. Order for ANY student in ANY grade. Our student leadership team will deliver the packages directly to the recipients during the school day and just in time for Finals Week. The packages are available for $25 each on the Web Store until 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30. We are unable to accommodate late requests. Proceeds benefit the Class of 2023. Questions? Contact Marita Erickson
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Connect with the Parents' Club: | | | | |
