Dear Miramonte Community,

Valentine’s Day activities abound this week at Miramonte, with students sending loving Choir Grams to each other via our talented musicians, the Leadership Class organizing friendly (but ultra competitive!) games on the Quad, and our staff enjoying the sweet treats delivered by the Miramonte Parents’ Club. It was a great week to really see the love, care, and support our community has for each other.

We know from Challenge Success and lots of other research that a sense of inclusion and belonging is a key predictor of students’ wellbeing and success at school. And, we certainly know that there are students at Miramonte who struggle academically, socially-emotionally, and/or with feeling connected on campus. So, we will continue to proactively promote activities like we had this week - among many other initiatives - to help further create a welcoming and supportive environment for every student at Miramonte.

At Challenge Success’s event at Stanford University last week, senior Sienna Keene, our ASB Treasurer and a Miramonte Challenge Success Team member, did a fantastic job on stage in front of nearly 900 attendees explaining some of Miramonte and AUHSD’s Challenge Success-inspired initiatives designed to reduce student stress. These include (but are not limited to) creating the block schedule with Academy, adjusting our school calendar to create a study-free Winter Break, creating a stronger Homework Policy, developing and expanding the Wellness Center, launching a school-based Challenge Success Team, examining assessment and alignment practices in our courses, and hosting interactive parent education programs such as the ever-popular “Fit Over Rankings: Why College Engagement Matters More Than Selectivity.” 

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote student wellbeing, our Miramonte Challenge Success Team invites all parents to attend “The Well-Balanced Student” virtual webinar hosted by Challenge Success on Tuesday, February 27, from 4:00-5:15 p.m. This is a great opportunity to learn more about how you can further support your child’s wellbeing and positive engagement at school.

Have a lovely long weekend, and GO MATS!

Mr. Ben Campopiano

bcampopiano@auhsdschools.org

Dear Miramonte Families,

Please join us for our next Parents' Club meeting on Wednesday, February 21, 9:30 a.m., in the Student Union. Principal Campopiano and Associate Superintendent 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 our Wellness Coordinator, Mr. Sal Avila. All parents and guardians are welcome! 

Save the date for a powerful parent and student education event, Paralyzed to Power, with speaker Robert Paylor on Tuesday, March 19, 7:00 p.m. in the Acalanes Performing Arts Center. Please RSVP to this free event here.

Enjoy the long weekend! Go Mats! 

Warmly,

Corrine Dugan and Christina Linezo

Chair and President, MHS Parents' Club

February 16 & 19: Holiday; No School

February 21: Parents' Club Meeting; 9:30 a.m.; Student Union

February 21: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; district office

February 23: Deadline to submit spring Athletic PE contract (info)

February 23: District-wide Mardi Gras Dance; 7-9:00 p.m.; MHS Gym (tickets)

February 24: Latin Certamen State Qualifiers

February 27: Parent Ed Webinar: Challenge Success presents The Well-Balanced Student; 4:00 p.m.; (register)

February 29: Deadline to register for CSF (info)

March 1: Career Month Begins (for students)

March 2 & 3: Public Speaking GGSA State Qualifiers

March 6: AUHSD Governing Board Meeting; 7:00 p.m.; district office

March 8 & 9: Spring Musical: Footloose (tickets)

March 9: Public Speaking SF Bay Nationals Qualifier

March 14: Class of 2026 Moms' Social

March 15: End of Third Quarter

March 15: Deadline to drop a class

March 15 & 16: Spring Musical: Footloose (tickets)

March 15 & 16: Public Speaking Congress National Qualifier

March 18: Staff Development Day; No school for students

March 19: Parent & Student Ed: Robert Paylor presents Paralyzed to Power 7:00 p.m.; Acalanes HS Theater (RSVP)

Every year, we share the remarkable film Reflections ’67. This 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!

The Parents’ Club talked with both Fred and Dwight about their experience making this film. We were delighted to learn that the 1966-67 Miramonte Parents' Club provided $450 – equivalent to about $4,300 today – to help underwrite this project! Read on to learn more about what Fred and Dwight shared with us.

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.

Valentine’s Day may be over, but it’s not too late to show Miramonte some love! 

Check out the Show Some Love email we sent yesterday to find out what Miramonte teachers, counselors, and administrators LOVE about Miramonte! Spoiler alert — it’s the same things you love about Miramonte! Wonderful teachers, great classes, and, of course, terrific students who love learning. When you combine excellent teachers with parent donations to ONE-Miramonte you get a best-in-state school like Miramonte High School. 

If you’d like to show our school some love, click the donate button below to make a donation to support Miramonte’s academic classes and programs. 

Questions about Miramonte fundraising? Please contact Jill Hughes, VP of Miramonte fundraising, at VPFundraising@mhspc.org.

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. 

Volunteer and make a difference at our school! Sign up here!

We are extremely lucky to have so many enthusiastic parents who generously give their time to our school community. We have some volunteer jobs that are a great fit for busy parents and some that are perfect for those with the time or inclination to take a bigger leadership role.⁣ 

Are you someone who likes to work behind the scenes on a one-and-done project? We are looking for a volunteer to prepare our Student Directory in August-September 2024. This project is done on your own time and is finished early in the school year.

Questions? Contact Meredith Moss or indicate your interest on this form.

"Holding Out for a Hero," "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Almost Paradise" … yes, it’s almost time for FOOTLOOSE!

Get ready to kick off your Sunday shoes and cut loose at Miramonte High School’s high-energy performance of Footloose! Join us for a toe-tapping, hip-shaking journey that'll have you dancing in the aisles and cheering for more. With electrifying music, exhilarating choreography, and a 90-member cast and crew that's ready to rock, this year’s musical production is sure to make you feel like you've been transported straight to the heart of the '80s. Don't miss out on the fun - grab your tickets before they sell out and prepare to let loose with Footloose!

Purchase tickets here. Show times are Friday, March 8, 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, March 9, 7:00 p.m.; Friday, March 15, 7:00 p.m.; and Saturday, March 16, 4:00 p.m.

Flutist Needed for Footloose

We are in search of an accomplished flutist to play in the pit band for Miramonte's production of Footloose. Sitzprobes are February 26 and 27 from 3:00-6:00 p.m.; tech/dress are March 1, 4, 5, and 6, from 5:00-9:00 p.m.; and shows are March 7, 8, 9, 15, and 16. Pay is $30/hour for adults or volunteer credit for high school students. Please email Heather Cousins.

Schedule Changes

• The deadline to drop a class without it appearing on the student transcript is Friday, March 15.

Course Selection for 2024-2025 School Year

All students have completed course requests for next year! If your student would like to make a change to their course request, please have them email their counselor or stop by the counseling office during lunch ASAP as it becomes more difficult to request changes later on.

Junior Meetings

Junior meetings are underway! Counselors will spend the next two months calling in all juniors for a check-in. This meeting typically lasts between 15-20 minutes as we go over senior year course requests and post-high school plans. Remind your juniors to come ready with their questions!

California Scholarship Federation (CSF) registration is now open!

CSF is an honor club at Miramonte that acknowledges the high academic achievement of students. Eligibility is determined through a point system based on the last semester’s course load and specific semester grades. Have your student fill out the application on the Web Store to determine if they are eligible. Registration is open for the month of February.

Email Sylvie Shawn with any questions or if you need a fee waiver.

Fill out the application and pay the dues here.

Follow us! Parents and students can follow the new @miramontecounseling Instagram account for information, news, and advice from the counseling department.

Attention Senior Families: Then and Now Photos due by Friday, February 23

Yearbook is currently collecting submissions from senior families for Then and Now photos. Then and Now photos show your senior student, either on their own or with a group of other Miramonte students, when they were young, and then a current photo recreating the original of the students now. If you would like to submit Then and Now photos, please use this Google form. Please upload two photos: one from back then and the recreated photo from now. Please also provide all students' first and last names in the photo. Submissions are due by the end of the day on Friday, February 23.

February is a busy month! And with Valentine’s Day in the middle of it, it's a great time to talk about healthy relationships. February also happens to be Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Last Friday, Wellness held an info table about Healthy Relationships and engaged students in learning about the signs of both healthy and unhealthy relationships. LoveIsRespect.org is an excellent resource for additional information about this topic. For even more in-depth material, Child Mind Institute’s newsletter on Teens, Sex and Dating is full of invaluable insight. While having conversations about sex and dating with your kids can be uncomfortable, it can mean so much to them and to your relationship with them! 

Class of 2024 News

Graduation Yard Signs - purchase by Thursday, February 29

Graduation yard signs are now for sale on the Web Store. $20. Sales are open until Thursday, February 29. Signs will be distributed in mid-April.

Questions? Contact the Class of 2024 Parent Advisors

Class of 2027 News

Casa Orinda Chicken Dinner Fundraiser - Monday, February 26

Take the night off from cooking and order your fried chicken dinners to go from Casa Orinda! The meal includes fried chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and a biscuit. This is a fundraiser to support the Class of 2027. Anyone can order, and it’s not limited to Class of 2027. Place your order on the Web Store, then choose a pick-up time on the Sign-Up Genius. The deadline to order is Sunday, February 25.

Questions? Contact the Class of 2027 Parent Advisors

Boys Soccer Teams Celebrate Strong Season

The Miramonte Matadors started their season in earnest in December 2023. This year, the JV and Varsity boys programs had a record turnout for tryouts and fielded two strong teams. The interest from first-years and sophomores was great, creating a pipeline for the program for years to come. 

Nine seniors led the boys teams, and this year, the connection they created with the girls program was stronger than ever. Through shared captains' practices in pre-season, an all-program kick-off event hosted by the Mats Soccer Club, and subsequent participation at each other's games, the soccer spirit was at an all-time high. 

Varsity took on every team in the league, which was new this year. Nine players contributed to goals throughout the season, with the seniors taking the bulk of the ones that hit the back of the net! 

However, collaboration play was in full effect with the defense and offense – with over 11 players assisting in points on the scoreboard – from all positions and all grades. It was awesome to see a first-year, several sophomores, the juniors, and departing seniors work together to bring in some great moments and, of course, some wins!  

A peak moment of the season was the final league game against Ygnacio Valley on February 8. With less than 20 seconds to the final whistle, a senior player scored the 3rd Miramonte goal on a breakaway. This contributed to a victory with a score of 3-2. The rushing of the field by the student fans in response was a highlight of the night! Coach Masood, Coach Christian, and Coach Jose Luis were all in attendance for the big win, which secured the team's spot in the NCS competition. 

Follow the team on Instagram @miramonte.boys.soccer and @matssoccerclub.

Stunt Team Fundraiser - purchase by Friday, March 15

Please support the Miramonte Stunt Team’s spring fundraiser with See’s Candies. The deadline to order is Friday, March 15. All items will ship directly after ordering, and all orders will arrive before the Easter Holiday. Purchase See’s Candies here.

Next AUHSD Board Meeting

The next AUHSD Board Meeting is on Wednesday, February 21. The agenda will be posted here on Sunday, February 18. The meeting is held at the district office, with the public portion beginning at 7:00 p.m. You may also watch the live broadcast here.

The remaining Wednesday meeting dates for this school year are: February 21, March 6, March 20, April 17, May 1, May 15, and June 5 

Lamorinda Arts Council High School Visual Arts Competition - deadline approaching

The deadline to submit for the 21st Annual High School Visual Arts Competition is coming up fast! All artwork must be received by Friday, February 23. Find all the information here.

Mark your calendars for the Student Exhibit showcasing the creativity of the young artists in our community! The exhibit opens at the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library on Sunday, March 3.

Acalanes High School Blood Drive

Acalanes HS is holding a blood drive on Tuesday, February 27, in the small gym at Acalanes HS. Anyone 16 years and older can sign up for a donation appointment at this link. Sixteen-year-olds need a signed permission form to donate. Donors will receive a complimentary shirt and a $20 Amazon gift card. Questions? Contact Katherine Walton.

Connect with the Parents' Club: