The Magruder Memo

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Dear Magruder Families,

As we reach the conclusion of Quarter 1, our campus is buzzing with energy and excitement for the action-packed week ahead. Next week brings a fantastic opportunity for our Mustangs to demonstrate school spirit, reflect on their academic progress, and celebrate the strong foundation we have built together this fall.

Here are the important details and reminders for the week ahead:

Red Ribbon Spirit Week

Next week, Magruder will participate in Red Ribbon Week, taking a collective stand for healthy, drug-free choices and positive lifestyle habits. We encourage all of our Mustangs to show their school spirit and commitment by dressing up for our daily theme days! (Please see the flyer below for the full daily spirit schedule.)

Halloween, Lunchtime Fair & Costume Guidelines

We will close out the week on Friday with our annual Halloween lunchtime fair and costume celebration! To ensure a safe, fun, and positive environment for everyone on campus, please keep the following costume expectations in mind:

Costume Guidelines: All costumes must be school-appropriate and align with our standard dress code.
Safety First: NO masks (faces must remain fully visible) and NO weapons or weapon replicas of any kind are permitted.

This Issue's Principal's Parent Challenge: The Q1 Reflection & Q2 Goal Setting
With Quarter 1 ending today, Monday marks a completely fresh start for every single Mustang. This weekend provides the perfect opportunity to reflect, reset, and look ahead.

Your challenge this issue is to sit down with your middle schooler before Monday and lead a Fresh Start Conversation:

Celebrate Progress: Ask, "What is something you accomplished or felt proud of in Quarter 1?"
Identify Adjustments: Discuss, "What was challenging, and what would you like to do differently in Quarter 2?" (Whether that's managing time better, asking for help in math, or staying organized).
Set a Q2 Goal: Help your student choose 1–2 concrete goals for Quarter 2 and write down the action steps needed to reach them.

Middle school is a journey of constant learning and growth, and a fresh quarter is a powerful moment to build momentum. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students inspired and focused!

Warmly,

Keely Hardage
Principal
Magruder Middle School

Save the Date

Week of Oct 26 - Red Ribbon Week
Oct 26 - Girls Volleyball Tryouts 3:30-5
Oct 26 - School Site Council, 3:30pm on zoom
Oct 28 - Boys Volleyball Tryouts 3:30-5
Oct 30 - Halloween activities during lunch
Nov 4 - Quarter 1 Report Cards available to view in PowerSchool
Week of Nov 9 - Book Fair in the library
Nov 11 - Veteran's Day, No School
Nov 12 - Volleyball @ Calle Mayor
Nov 17 - Early College Info Night
Nov 19 - Volleyball vs. Hull
Week of Nov 23 - No School, Thanksgiving Holiday

Portrait of a Magruder Mustang

What is a Portrait of a Graduate? It is the TUSD collective vision that articulates the desired outcomes of all K-12 students in Torrance Unified, including competencies and personal qualities that positions them for success in life and career.

At Magruder, Mustangs embody these skills and characteristics in a variety of ways every day—both inside and outside the classroom.

Growth Mindset and Lifelong Learning

Our science students put physics concepts into action during a dynamic marble collision lab! By rolling marbles down tracks and observing the chain reactions when one marble struck another, students actively investigated key principles of motion, energy transfer, and momentum. Formulating hypotheses, testing physical laws in real time, and analyzing results helps our young scientists deepen their curiosity and critical thinking skills.

Communication and Collaboration

Campus energy was through the roof as we wrapped up our two-week lunchtime kickball tournament! Congratulations to our top two finalist teams, the GOATs and the Kickball Bandits and a big shoutout to Kickball Bandits for taking home the championship title! Organizing strategies, cheering on teammates, and practicing good sportsmanship during noon leagues highlight how effectively our students collaborate and build community outside the classroom.

Leadership and Character

We were thrilled to host our very first Student of the Month Assembly (SOMA) of the school year! This special gathering gave us the opportunity to recognize and celebrate Mustangs who consistently demonstrate exceptional character, academic perseverance, and positive campus leadership. Celebrating student achievement in front of their peers reinforces the culture of integrity, kindness, and hard work we strive for every day.

Civic Engagement and Global Citizenship

History came to life as students in Mrs. Smith's class used Play-Doh to sculpt and practice writing ancient Sumerian cuneiforms. By stepping back in time to explore how early human civilizations communicated and preserved their stories, our Mustangs develop a broader appreciation for world history, ancient cultures, and the roots of global communication.

Healthy Habits and Life Skills

Congratulations to our Mustang soccer teams on an incredible season! Our student-athletes wrapped up weeks of dedicated practice and hard-fought matches and have their final game against Casimir at North High School this afternoon. Competing in school athletics teaches our middle schoolers essential life skills, including physical fitness, resilience under pressure, and time management. We are extremely proud of how our players represented Magruder all season long!

Magruder Announcements & School Reminders

Join the PTSA Today! Help Support Magruder!

Magruder PTA has some great volunteer opportunities coming up and we could use your help!

The lunchtime Halloween Carnival is on Friday, October 30. We need some donations and volunteers for that day. Check the sign-up for where you can help!

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080E4BA5AE28A1FA7-66894754-halloween?useFullSite=false

Book Fair is happening November 9-17. We have time slots available every day (2-3 hour shifts). If you can help for any of those times, we would love to have you! See the sign-up for open days. All on-campus volunteers need to be cleared through the TUSD system.

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/5080E4BA5AE28A1FA7-67005908-fall?useFullSite=false

Lastly, if you would like to join our Volunteer GroupMe chat (where you will hear about upcoming volunteer and donation needs) please join using the link below.

https://web.groupme.com/join_group/115667913/rx9cyf50

Thank you so much for all your support!!

8th Grade Updates

10/23/2026 Casimir vs Magruder Soccer Game – Snack Bar

Come out and support our Mustangs in their final soccer game of the season against Casimir at Nigh High School! Grab dinner at our snack bar, see menu here (cash and electronic payments accepted):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16igpk2PKza2CUqdXNtHvH1uaslx9C4pp/view?usp=drive_link

8th Grade Pledge Drive Status

Thank you for all your support so far! We have already earned $1,145 of our $7,000 goal, and we have achieved 6% participation. If you haven’t already donated, don’t delay! Visit our 99pledges page for more info: https://app.99pledges.com/fund/magruderclassof27

To manage your student’s personal page, look for the email from “Magruder Class of 2027”.

T-shirt design contest – Ends 10/30/2026!

Submit your student’s designs for the 8th Grade Tshirt Design contest by OCTOBER 30! The winner gets their 8th Grade shirt for free! See flyer for more details!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cYQnbDJpYAnD0NOUsGhZzJisNsemFA2o/view?usp=sharing

10/30/2026 Fall Fundraiser at Edison

Food donations and volunteers needed for our fall-themed Hot Dog Stand at Edison’s annual Fall Festival, sign up by 10/28!

Donations: https://tinyurl.com/AmazonMagruderEdisonFF2026

Volunteer: https://tinyurl.com/M8GC-EdisonFundraiserSignup

Volleyball Tryouts

Interested in joining our volleyball team? Don't miss out on tryouts next week!

Order your 26-27 Yearbook now!

It’s time to start thinking about the 2026–2027 Yearbook! Every year we sell out and you do not want your student to miss this opportunity.

Click here to purchase your yearbook

8TH GRADE PARENTS ONLY!
We are now accepting baby photos for our 8th grade section! Please email a baby photo of your student to Ms. Perez at perez.melanie@tusd.org by December 18th.

8TH GRADE DEDICATIONS
Want to celebrate your 8th grader with a special dedication in the yearbook? Space is limited, so don’t wait! Purchase a dedication space here.

Thank you for helping us make this year’s yearbook extra special!

TUSD Announcements and Reminders

North High Updates

You're Invited: HBCU Information Session at North High School!

Magruder and Casimir families are invited to join us to learn about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)!

When: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Where: North High School Library
Topics: Admissions, scholarships/financial aid, BSU updates, and live Q&A.

Please see the attached flyer and click here to RSVP!

TUSD Early College Program Info Night

Attention all 8th Grade students and parents! Do not miss out on the chance to learn more about the Early College Program that TUSD offers. See below for details, including the zoom link!