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Dear Miramonte Community,
I want to give a huge shout out to the Miramonte Visual and Performing Arts students and staff for creating and running our first annual Arts Alive Week! It’s been an extremely fun and informative week celebrating our amazing artists, programs, and classes, and I’m grateful for how our entire school community has embraced their talents this week!
Next week, our Leadership class is hosting our annual Go Mats Week!, to help promote the various courses, programs, clubs and opportunities we have at Miramonte for all students. There is something for everyone here, and it’s not too late for students to try something new or refocus their efforts on something they’ve left behind. Please encourage your child to check things out and we hope they enjoy the week!
Have a great weekend, see you at the basketball game tonight (Beat Campo!) … and Go Mats!
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Dear Miramonte Families,
Please join us for the Parents’ Club Reception at Miramonte Open House on Thursday, February 1. Come enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5:30-6:00 p.m. in front of the gym. Donations are still needed! Please sign up here if you can help
Save the date for our next Parents' Club meeting on February 21, 9:30 a.m., in the Student Union. Principal Campopiano and Associate Superintendent Mr. John Walker will discuss the new courses offered for the upcoming school year, the new ethnic studies requirement, and the master schedule process for Miramonte and how it impacts students. In addition, we will hear updates from Wellness Coordinator Mr. Sal Avila. All parents and guardians are welcome!
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January 22-February 8: Counselors available for student registration questions at lunch in front of the counseling office
January 27: Public Speaking GGSA Congress 3 & Public Forum
January 29-February 2: Go Mats Week
January 31: Club Day; lunch (for students)
February 1: Black Excellence Month Begins
February 1: Elective Fair; extended lunch schedule (for students)
February 1: Open House (program)
- 5:30-6:00 - Parents' Club Reception
- 6:00-6:25 - Welcome and Performance
- 6:30-6:55 - Session 1
- 7:00-7:25 - Session 2
- 7:30-8:00 - Session 3
- 7:30-8:00 - Class of 2024 Parent Meeting in MHS Library
February 4: Class of 2024 parent social
February 5: Spring sports begin
February 6: AUHSD Workshop: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth; 6:00 p.m.; Acalanes HS Library (register)
February 7: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; district office
February 9 & 10: Performers for Progress
February 10: Public Speaking Stanford Invitational
February 13: Class of 2025 Moms' Social
February 16 & 19: Holiday; No School
February 21: Parents' Club Meeting; 9:30 a.m.
February 21: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; district office
February 23: District-wide Mardi Gras Dance; 7-9:00 p.m.; MHS Gym (tickets)
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ONE-Miramonte Fundraising | |
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Donations to ONE-Miramonte provide the funds that allow our school to offer 14 additional class sections, including STEM, AP, Honors, and arts classes. One of the most popular of these classes in recent years is AP Psychology!
AP Psychology was new to Miramonte in the 22-23 school year and was such a popular choice that extra sections were added this year so that more students could enroll. AP Psychology is taught by both Ms. Allie Tarantino and Ms. Giana Labarile.
What’s covered in AP Psychology? It’s a year-long course that spans different psychological concepts such as biology and consciousness, personality, memory, thinking, and learning. The purpose of the course is to provide tools to examine ourselves and the world around us through the lens of human behavior. Of course, students prepare to take the AP exam in May, which may allow them to receive course credit in college, but they also gain valuable insights about themselves and others.
You may have seen some students carrying flour sack babies around campus lately and wondered what is going on. Ms. Tarantino explains the project:
The Flour Baby Project holds a crucial role in our Developmental Psychology unit, providing students with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the parental role and apply developmental theories to their "flour baby." Through this project, students draw connections between prenatal development, newborn reflexes, stranger anxiety, attachment, parenting styles, theories from Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg, and various other aspects related to their flour baby. This hands-on approach brings the study of development to life, prompting students to reflect on their own childhood experiences and contemplate the future parenting of their potential children. Additionally, the project instills a sense of responsibility in students, emphasizing the significant effort required in caring for a baby.
Because you give to ONE-Miramonte, our students are able to have more choices when they enroll in classes. They have the opportunity to take AP Psychology, a course that will teach valuable information they will carry forward into life as they gain an understanding about motivation, learning, development, and human behavior.
Thank you, ONE-Miramonte donors, for allowing Miramonte to offer a rich and engaging choice of courses for 100% of students.
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Questions about Miramonte fundraising? Please contact Jill Hughes, our VP of Miramonte fundraising, at VPFundraising@mhspc.org. | |
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AUHSD Workshop: Supporting LGBTQ+ Youth
AUHSD is holding a workshop on Tuesday, February 6, at 6:00 p.m. in the Acalanes High School library for parents, caregivers, and supporters of LGBTQ+ students. We are proud to partner with the Contra Costa County Office of Education's Wellness in Schools Program and the Trevor Project to bring you this presentation and workshop. Families, caregivers, and supporters play a crucial role in supporting our LGBTQ+ students, and we look forward to an inclusive and interactive event. Students are welcome to attend with their parents/caregivers.
If you are interested in attending this free workshop, please register here.
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Mardi Gras Dance Sponsored by Miramonte BSU & Leadership
Miramonte’s BSU and Leadership are hosting a district-wide Mardi Gras dance for all AUHSD students on Friday, February 23, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Along with dancing and an awesome DJ, there will be a 360 open-air video booth, a place to hang out with friends, and an airbrush tattoo artist! Tickets are $10. Purchase tickets here.
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Sneaker Drive
Leadership's Environmental Commision is holding a sneaker drive at Miramonte until Thursday, February 29, and we need your help with completing our donation goal. This is a great way to recycle your sneakers that you don’t need anymore. We are partnering with the AAUW-OML (American Association of University Women-Orinda, Moraga, Lafayette), who will donate shoes to people in need and recycle the sneakers into playground mats.
Please bring SNEAKERS ONLY to the box in front of the Miramonte Attendance office! DON'T BRING cleats, flip flops, rain boots, golf shoes, or sandals.
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Lost and Found
The Lost and Found box is overflowing with hoodies, jackets, water bottles, lunch bags, and so much more. If your student recently lost something on campus, remind them to check the Lost and Found box located outside of room 221 (campus map).
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Looking to volunteer? Sign up here!
We are extremely lucky to have so many enthusiastic parents who generously give their time to our school community. Every year, many of these parent volunteers graduate, so we will have several open positions on the Miramonte Parents’ Club board. There are some jobs perfect for working and busy parents and some jobs perfect for parents who have the time or inclination to take a bigger leadership role. If you are interested in learning more about our open volunteer positions, please indicate your interest on this form. If you have any questions, please contact Meredith Moss.
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Schedule Changes
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The deadline to drop a class without it appearing on the transcript is Friday, March 15.
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FuelEd
Students who received a D or F in a graduation-required course should email their counselor to see if they are eligible for remediation through a FuelEd course. Ninth graders are not eligible for FuelEd.
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Course Selection for 2024-2025 School Year
All students have been given a registration form to complete and return (with a parent signature) to their English teacher. Forms will be collected by counselors in English classes and are due online on the following days:
11th graders: Monday, February 5
10th graders: Tuesday, February 6 and Wednesday, February 7
9th graders: Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9
We ask that students and families who have questions about courses for next year email counselors. Unfortunately due to the high volume of questions we get, we are unable to have individual meetings for every student to go over course selections. However, it is our experience that most questions can be answered via email. Of course, if a question cannot be answered via email, we will schedule a meeting!
Counselors will be available for students to ask specific registration questions during lunch in front of the counseling office Monday, January 22 - Thursday, February 8. Counselors will also be holding a Q&A session at Open House on Thursday, February 1.
Students have received math course recommendations from their current math teacher and are pre-enrolled in the class they have been recommended for. If a student wishes to take a math class they were not recommended for, they need to speak directly with their math teacher.
Students who do not complete their course registration by the above deadlines will be required to attend a make-up session during Academy.
| Follow us! Parents and students can follow the new @miramontecounseling Instagram account for information, news, and advice from the counseling department. | |
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Today at lunch, students were encouraged to participate in a Social Media and Mental Health Challenge. Students were asked to make one change to their phone’s settings that could improve how their phone use impacts their mental health and well-being. There were many interesting conversations and comments. Talk with your kids about changes they can make! We will continue to focus on screen time, social media, and mental health throughout February and March.
On Monday, Wellness will be partnering with Leadership to present a Wellness Fair at lunch. We will have therapy dogs, piano playing, a creative outlet activity, and the opportunity to interact with Wellness staff and learn all about the resources and services available through Wellness. In addition, a team member from the Rainbow Community Center will be tabling with us to share resources and materials about their youth program. Please encourage your students to stop by at lunch on Monday!
And last, The Student Union and Wellness Center will be open for the Open House on Thursday, February 1! Ellen Zapalac (aka Ms. Z) will be there to welcome any parents or students who want to check out the space and learn more about wellness at Miramonte. We hope to see you there!
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Class of 2025 News
Moms' Social - Tuesday, February 13
2025 moms, join us for a sweet valentine-inspired evening on Tuesday, February 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Chez Crinks, 75 Donald Drive, Orinda.
Tickets are $50 and include beverages, appetizers, chocolate, and 2025 love! Purchase tickets here.
Questions? Contact the Class of 2025 Parent Advisors
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Class of 2027 News
Donations Needed for Bake Sale Fundraiser - tonight!
We are hosting a fundraising bake sale tonight, Friday, January 26, at 7:30 p.m. at the boys varsity basketball game at Miramonte against Campo and would appreciate your support. Come out and cheer on our team and get some tasty treats. Please sign up here to donate goodies.
Candygrams on sale now!
Candygrams are now on sale and are available for purchase for all Miramonte students. Candy packages will be delivered during class on Valentine’s Day. The cost is $4 for one candygram and $10 for three candygrams. Purchase candygrams here. All proceeds support the Class of 2027.
Questions? Contact the Class of 2027 Parent Advisors
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Attention Families of Spring Sport Athletes
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 assistant to athletics. The entire school depends on the Boosters’ Club to pay for big-ticket capital purchases!
All Boosters memberships include tickets to Miramonte regular season home games. We seek 100% of families with student-athletes to join the Boosters Club!
Stay on top of the latest Miramonte sports news and scores by visiting GoMats.org and download the "Go Mats" app from the App Store or Google Play.
Interested in volunteering? There are vacancies on the Board! Come help guide the future of sports fundraising at Miramonte. Please reach out to Justine Parmelee for questions.
New Miramonte spirit wear is available through the Miramonte Boosters Club! The following items are available for purchase on the Web Store:
- Boosters Stadium Seats with Pocket (black)
- Matador Unisex Hoodie (sport grey color with green/white/black logo)
- Boxercraft Flannel Pajama Pants (green and white plain with white logo)
- Short Sleeve T-Shirt (dark green with white and black logo)
- Car Magnet Round M (dark green and white)
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All proceeds benefit the Boosters Club. If you have any questions about this spirit wear, please contact Lee O'Haver.
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A big week of home games for Miramonte Boys Basketball
The Miramonte Boys Varsity Basketball Team is fresh off an exciting win against cross-town rivals Acalanes, 74-66 in overtime, as the team heads into next week with three big games all on our home turf. Currently Miramonte’s varsity team is in sixth place in the Diablo Athletic League (DAL) with a 5-3 league record.
“The men’s varsity basketball team is an outstanding group of young men who are connected, coachable competitors,” said Head Varsity Basketball Coach Chris Laviotis. “We are enjoying working together to become a championship club, while we build strong relationships amongst the players and coaches.”
So wear some green and cheer on the Matadors right here in the Matadome at the upcoming home games:
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Tonight, Friday, January 26 vs. Campolindo – 4:30 p.m. First year; 6:00 p.m. JV; 7:30 p.m. Varsity
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Monday, January 29 vs. Berean Christian – 6:00 p.m. JV; 7:30 p.m. Varsity
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Friday, February 2 (Senior Night) vs Ygnacio Valley – 6:00 p.m. JV; 7:30 p.m. Varsity
Follow the team on Instagram.
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Lamorinda Arts Council – Registration is open for the 21st Annual High School Visual Arts Competition
The High School Visual Arts Competition showcases and acknowledges art in four categories: 2D, 3D, Photography, and the Lamorinda Arts Alliance Digital Art category. All work is by high school students who live in or attend school in Orinda, Lafayette, or Moraga, including all schools in the Acalanes Union High School District. The competition features cash awards, merit citations, an in-person art exhibit in the gallery as well as an online public exhibit of entries on the Lamorinda Arts Council website. Find more information, deadlines, and the registration form here.
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SEED Parent Ed for High School Families: College and Career Alternatives for Students with IEPs
The Special Education Enrichment Development Foundation (SEED) presents a parent workshop by education consultant Melissa Masland on post-high school education options and the college application process for students receiving special education services. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. in the Acalanes High School Library. Admission is free.
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Connect with the Parents' Club: | | | | |
