Dear MBUSD Parents and Community,

Today’s issue highlights Manhattan Beach Preschool, MCHS celebrating their staff for going above and beyond, and MBMS students heading to the Invention Convention national competition!

Spotlight on MB Preschool (Special thanks to MB Preschool Families and Director of Early Learning Shannon Huston)

The parents of Manhattan Beach Preschool students showered our teachers with thank-you’s and accolades for Staff Appreciation Week, providing school staff with daily cards, gifts, and treats such as coffee, donuts, and even lunches.

Room parents showed appreciation to their teachers in many different ways. In Lauren Smith’s classroom, they brought in capes & masks for the students and instructional aids Tiffany & Rose.



The Room Parent read a book about superheroes and then created a video to play for their children's teachers, sharing why they felt their teachers were superheroes. It was indeed a heartwarming week. The MB Preschool staff felt truly supported and appreciated during staff appreciation week. Director of Early Learning Shannon Huston wants to give a big thank you to the amazing families at MB Preschool!

Staff Spotlight: Ernesto Nodado

This week, our staff spotlight is Mira Costa High School Science Teacher Ernesto Nodado. He began his career at MBUSD in 2015 and has taught several science classes, including Biotechnology 1-3, Honors Chemistry, AP Chemistry, and Biology. He wanted to work at MBUSD because he knew other staff members who worked here, and they shared with him the resources and support available for staff to be their best. They also said the overall experience they had was a positive one! Ernesto taught in Orange County for a few years before coming to MBUSD. 

When asked about the favorite part of his job, he said watching his students progress and excel throughout the multi-year Biotechnology program he teaches. His biggest achievement so far in his career has been expanding the Biotechnology program at Mira Costa with the help of his co-teacher, Rebecca Ford. Ernesto says this has now become a highly competitive class to get into annually. Biotechnology is a three-year elective course where students learn a multitude of laboratory skills and scientific concepts. In his free time, he stays active! Ernesto competes in triathlons and enjoys rock climbing, yoga, and swimming. He also travels whenever he has the opportunity.

MCHS Green and Gold Event Celebrates Staff 

Mira Costa staff were appreciated and recognized this week at a special event honoring staff, including classified and certificated. Staff who have provided exemplary service to the school community and go above and beyond their duties were honored. 

Administrators heard heartfelt testimonials from staff members and the recipients themselves. The event fostered camaraderie and truly showcased the remarkable contributions of Mira Costa employees!

Family members joined in on the celebration and the award winners were showered with flowers, a skit, and accolades.

MBUSD Students Advance to Invention Convention Nationals

We are proud to announce that two of our students will be moving on to the esteemed Raytheon Technologies Invention Convention nationals in Dearborn, Michigan, hosted at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. The invention Terreus by 8th graders Charlotte Fan and Wyatt Newbill was chosen for the United States Patent and Trade Office (USPTO) award as the “Most Marketable” project. The students will now be advised on how to apply for a patent on this invention! 

Their invention is a biodegradable 100% alternative to styrofoam. In hopes of creating a brighter future, Charlotte and Wyatt say their foam is derived from all-natural materials. With, the e-commerce industry growing rapidly, their invention, if used by companies, would keep styrofoam out of landfills.

The Nationals showcase 400 student inventors from among thousands who have competed at state and local invention competitions.

Engineers Teaching Algebra

7th and 8th graders participated in the Engineers Teaching Algebra program this week. They were tasked with solving real-world problems with traffic signals. The presenter was impressed by our students' hard work and problem-solving skills. 

Secondary Math and STEM Teacher on Special Assignment Juliet Stuart and Tanya Sanchez hosted this event for free to provide an opportunity to students on a minimum day. The Engineers Teaching Algebra program brings an engineer into the classroom. 

Outside with Van Gogh

The last Young at Art project of the year encouraged students to get creative outside of the classroom. MBUSD parent Kathy Bauer, an artist and a teacher of the Young at Art program, submitted her project idea, “Outside with Van Gogh,” which was selected to be an activity for this year. Students at Grand View recently participated in her project by first learning about Van Gogh’s life and work and then using his techniques to create their own work. 

Using pizza boxes as their canvas, students analyzed the nature around them and painted a landscape piece of work. Students made a “plein air” painting, mixing paints on a pizza box palette. They noticed colors, shapes, and textures they may not have noticed before. Through this adventure, they were able to discover and appreciate the beauty around them! 

Kathy taught the project to nearly 300 docents across the South Bay. Young at Art chose six projects for its programming this school year. Young at Art’s mission is to encourage students’ creative and mental growth through meaningful art experiences, develop the child’s visual perception and awareness, and make community resources in the Arts more available to children.

Thank you to Kathy Bauer and parent volunteers for making enriching opportunities available to students. 

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage and Armenian Heritage Month Celebration

Speaking of parents, another program led by our parents has been making a difference across our District. Global Gamers visited Pacific Elementary this week and educated students about Armenia, Japan, and Korea! MBUSD parents and founders of Global Gamers Neidy Portillo-Tseng and Lena Maranian Adishian taught Pacific volunteers and students how to play Hol from Armenia, Omok from Korea, and Daruma Otoshi from Japan.

Students were so excited to learn about the culture, language, and location of each country! Global Gamers curriculum celebrates and embraces diversity and promotes individual and community wellbeing. Through the programming by Global Gamers, the hope is for students to develop cultural awareness, celebrate differences and similarities, build respect and empathy for other people, and develop a sense of being part of a global community.

Annual MCHS STEM Expo - Thursday, May 25

Mira Costa is hosting its annual STEM Night, and it’s open to all! You will have the opportunity to discover interactive displays from notable companies, hear from keynote speakers, meet industry professionals, explore cutting-edge technology, and learn more about the STEAM opportunities offered at MCHS! 

The keynote speakers will be a representative from Chevron, Rocket Project UCLA, and professional creative Scott Cook. 

You can learn more about the event here!

Mira Costa Girls’ Beach Volleyball Ranked #1 in Nation 

The Mira Costa High School girls’ beach volleyball team has another accomplishment to be proud of! They won the inaugural CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship at Long Beach City College against Redondo Beach and are now ranked first in the nation. 

They defeated Redondo Beach by 5-0.

This big feat is the team’s first-ever CIF title, and they were undefeated during the season. Congratulations! Head Coach Nancy Reynolds says, "It's really special to be the first. So many amazing athletes have paved the way for this, and it's a tribute to them as well."

Students Erin Inskeep and Charlie Fuerbringer also won the CIF Individual Pairs Championship this week. Tanon Rosenthal and Savanna Lau came in second place in the all-Costa final!

Fentanyl and Vaping Awareness Virtual Seminar 

In partnership with Redondo Beach Unified, we are offering parents an opportunity to virtually attend “The Truth About Vaping, Marijuana, and Fentanyl” presented by Clayton Cranford, owner of Cyber Safety Cop.

This 90-minute presentation is to inform parents/guardians about vaping, marijuana, Fentanyl, how teens are buying drugs online, how to talk to their students about these topics, and how to monitor their student’s online use and prevent online drug purchases.

Clayton Cranford is a 20-year law enforcement veteran who has served as a School Resource Officer, Juvenile Investigator, and Behavioral Threat Assessor. Clayton is one of the nation’s leading law enforcement educators on social media, child safety, and behavioral threat assessments.

The event is sponsored through the TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education) Program. 

This virtual event is free and is open to all parents/guardians. Please pre-register for the event by following the Zoom link here. 

Click on the image below for flyer!

School News Publishes its First Manhattan Beach Unified Edition!

Read about the latest highlights, achievements, and updates happening across our District! 

School News Roll Call is a publication dedicated to promoting school districts.

MBUSD Partnering with Beach Cities Health District for Mental Awareness Month 

We are proud to partner with Beach Cities Health District during May for the community-wide “Mental Health is Health” campaign. The campaign’s message aims to decrease stigma, increase help-seeking behaviors, increase awareness of and access to resources for mental health, and build community capacity to support individuals who need mental health resources.

BCHD staff delivered mental health awareness toolkits last week to all MBUSD campuses and offices. We are very grateful for this partnership.

Click flyer below

You can navigate our health and wellness resources page here.

Makerspace Feature: Meadows

At Meadows, students programmed Ozobots that can be programmed like ants to carry leaves to burrows for farming, or to build towers above ground to passively cool and oxygenate underground farms and burrows!

These tiny robots follow commands by reading color codes. Students drew a map of the ant colony and coded the map. If they tested the code and it didn’t work, students worked on finding a solution!



Thank you to Meadows Makerspace Specialist Crista Riccio for sharing this story.

Nominate Costa Alumni into the Hall of Fame!

The Annual Mira Costa Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame nominations are now being accepted. Each year since 2012, a handful of Mira Costa alumni nominated by community members are selected as Distinguished Alumni. They are selected based on criteria and for their contributions to their careers, life endeavors, and community service.

You can find the nomination form here. The deadline is May 24, 2023.

Once the alumni are chosen, they are recognized at an assembly where they are officially inducted into the Hall of Fame. You can watch last year’s ceremony here. 

Join the MBUSD Family!

We are hiring classified and certificated staff. We’re looking for individuals with a passion for helping students discover the joys of learning and creating a safe and engaging learning environment. If you are looking for a meaningful career with excellent benefits, flexibility, and stability, MBUSD is the place for you! 

Click the links below to learn about the variety of MBUSD job openings currently available.

Classified Job Opportunities

Certificated Job Opportunities

The next Superintendent's Newsletter will be published on Friday, May 19. 

Sincerely,