Sea Lion Spotlight

Principal's Wave

Hello New & Returning MES Sea Lion Families,

It's officially time to start getting excited about the new school year which starts this THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th! Below are articles, dates, and links that should help you gear up and help your child ready too. Discussing dates, schedules, and expectations, and reestablishing good routines will help your child to feel and be ready for the excitement and demands of school. Thank you in advance for your partnership! Please see/review information below with drop off/pick up routines so that we start the year smoothly and safely!

I'd like to do a special WELCOME to our many new families this year! We have new students in each grade level, and cannot wait for your children to see what a special place MES is! We hope that your schedule allows for some time on Wednesday from 2-3pm to come and meet other new parents. I'll introduce myself, and you'll hear from our PTA! It's an informal, drop in event but may help to ease some of the nervousness - not only for kids, but for grown ups too! Since MOST of our new Sea Lions are TK/K, we have typically held this on our TK/K playground.

STAFF UPDATES - PART 2!

Welcome to our new teachers - Zoe Boscarino, Amanda Stumfall, Marianne Simpson, and Lindsay Okumura! We cannot wait to introduce them even more in the coming weeks! They have all added such enthusiam to our planning and collaboration!
Zoe Boscarino comes to us from Baldwin Hills where she has had experience working with students in TK and 3rd grade! She received her Teaching Credential from UCLA and is currently working on her Masters program there as well!
Amanda Stumfall comes to us from (most recently) Hawaii. She has worked as a Kindergarten and 5th grade teacher and has also been a Professional Development Facilitator working with teachers on agricultural sciences. Her Masters degrees focused on instructional technology and curriculum.
Marianne Simpson will be teaching Marine Science and received her Bachelors degree from UCLA, and then her Masters degree from NYU. She has been working in New York as a Lead Science teacher, a marine educator at a museum, and an educator at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens! We are so fortunate that she wanted to return back to Los Angeles!
Lindsay Okumura will be teaching choir for our 4th and 5th grade students. She has been a part of SMMUSD, but is new to MES! I cannot wait to see her in action as I've only hear RAVE reviews about her!

Data Confirmation details are below and we NEED to get this done for each and every child - even if you JUST registered! If you are experiencing difficulty, please reach out to Diane or Kim in the office - they may be able to help and assist you so that we can get this done!

Let's make 2026/27 the BEST YEAR EVER!

Ms. Sally Wennes

Principal

Calendar of Events

Flyers for events will always be posted below! Don't forget to check out the details!

AUGUST

8/17 - Office closed for SMMUSD Convocation
8/19 - Welcome for new MES Families (TK/K Playground - 2-3pm)
8/19 - Class Assignments sent to families in afternoon
8/20 - First Day of School
8/20 - Parent gathering at Le Cafe Plage following dropoff!
8/20, 8/21, 8/24, 8/25 - ALL MINIMUM DAYS (12:45 DISMISSAL)
8/24 - 5th Grade Pali Camp Parent Meeting at 12:45 in library! (See information below)
8/25 - TK-2nd Back to School Night at 5pm
8/28 - Family Picnic during lunchtime!

Important Information & Dates

26-27 Academic Calendar

26-27 Community Calendar

Data Confirmation - MUST DO!

Annual Parent Data Confirmation or Revision - Aeries Parent Portal

ACTION NEEDED: Malibu Elementary’s annual registration process is completed in the Aeries Parent Portal. You must complete data confirmation for each student - even if you JUST finished registration!

Log in to your Aeries Parent Portal: https://santamonicamalibu.aeries.net/
Be sure to read, review, and discuss all the materials with your student.
Very Important: We need to gather information from you for emergency contacts. Please add at least two non-parents. While there are many boxes to fill, at minimum include name, relationship, and phone number.
We also need to gather information from you for health documents.

Note: You may decide to print some of the documents for future reference. For a tutorial on how to complete this process, please click here English

We have worked to digitize the compliance and document portions of the “First Day Packet.” The Data Confirmation process is easy. This includes items like Emergency Cards, Parent Handbooks and Policies and Authorizations. We have many important documents and plenty of information for your family within the online registration site, accessed via your Aeries Parent Portal.

Please spread the word to any other MES families so that we can get this done as soon as possible! You'll see reminders to everyone in the Monday Spotlights for a few weeks until we have our students' records.

Drop Off & Pick Up Routines/Reminders

Here's some helpful safety reminders for our first days as we navigate drop off and pick up routines!

School starts at 8:15 with dropoff starting at 8am, and we want to make sure students are there promptly for instruction. We know that the first few days are a little unusual, but it's a great time to practice!

We have MANY new families - YEAH!!!! Please be patient and understanding and drive SLOWLY!

The FIRST 4 Days (Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday):

For the first days, all parents are welcome on campus in the morning, until the teacher leads the children into the classroom.
Please leave 4 legged family members at home (as much as we love them) as the opening days are busier than usual!
FRIDAY - Our first Friday assembly for the 26/27 school year! Parents are welcome to come as well and stand behind the kids. NEW FAMILIES - KNOW THAT PARKING IS TOUGH ON THESE DAYS! This is usually about 10-15 minutes long - it goes FAST!
Starting Wednesday (right after Back to School Night for TK-2), parents of TK and K only will be allowed to drop off children inside the campus. More information to follow about that next week.
YES - The first days ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS take longer. Plan accordingly and be patient!

DROP OFF (can start as early as 8am)

Car Drop Off - can only be done along the curb:

Pull into the coned off lane along the curb.
Have items ready to go so that your child can hop out along the curb independently.
We will help with opening doors, so you do not need to get out of your vehicle to assist. That will keep the line moving.
Please do NOT drop off students in other parts of the lot.

Parking - limited!

Parking is open to families in NON MARKED SPOTS ONLY. We have reserved spaces for our staff members, some of who are at more than one site. Please do not park in their spots.
Do not park in the handicapped spots unless you have the appropriate placard or plate.
Please use parking spaces only and do not park on crosswalks.
Parking signs on Grayfox were removed - you are welcome to park there, and walk with your child along Fernhill!

PICK UP - For the first 4 days of school, all students get dismissed at 12:45. (See note at end for Boys & Girls Club students). Once this routine is going, it takes us about 15 minutes AT THE ABSOLUTE MOST! :)

Car Pick Up

Pull along the curb and wait in your car. We will come to you, and get your child's name. As soon as your child comes out of their class and hears their name, we'll send them down.
There WILL BE a line, but once the kids come out, it goes quickly! Promise!!!

Parking & Walking Up

Parents can park in a non marked spot (see parking above) and come up to the gate to wait for their child's class to come out. Children can not cross the parking lot without you, so please make sure you walk over to the dismissal gate area to retrieve your child.
If you are waiting for a 1st-5th grader, we ask that you wait in the gated area with the table outside the office. This will allow for the children to see you and walk directly to you. Please also tell your students to watch for you. Communication helps!
TK/K - Your chidren will be dismissed out the gate nearer to the Handicapped spots.
PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE PATH FOR CHILDREN DOWN TO THEIR CARS.

Boys & Girls Club - Children will be picked up or will report directly to BGC (depending on grade). It's here on campus, which makes it MUCH easier. Parent pickup from BGC takes place on Grayfox.

Photo Highlights

Can't wait to share new photos with you for this next year! Please know that Ms. Wennes will ALWAYS be on the lookout for some fantastic photos! You can send them to her directly via email if you have some great pictures during the year!

First up will be photos from our Meet & Greet with our new families and those first day of school photos!

More Information for Parents

Make sure to check this space for all the important things that go on for your child! You'll also find out about things going on in our community!

🌲 An Incredible 5th Grade Adventure Awaits!

We are thrilled to share that our 5th graders are scheduled to experience an unforgettable fall outdoor education science adventure at Pali Camp in Running Springs, California from October 14th - October 16th!

Pali Camp offers an exciting, hands-on experience where students will build independence, strengthen friendships, challenge themselves, and create memories that will last a lifetime—all while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.

Families are invited to attend an information meeting on Monday, August 24th at 12:45 p.m. in the library to learn more about the trip, what students can expect, and how to prepare. You can also explore all that Pali Camp has to offer on their website: Pali Institute / Pali Camp

💚 Please Help Make This Experience Happen! We strongly encourage families to make their donation through the school website as soon as possible. Your timely support is essential to helping us ensure that this incredible experience can happen for our 5th graders. Here is the donation link: https://www.mes.org/product-page/5th-grade-field-trip-to-pali-camp

We can't wait to see our students learn, laugh, explore, and grow together on this very special adventure!

Free- and Reduced-Price Meal Form:

While all students will receive snacks and a lunch at no cost, filling out this form helps our district and students with funding based on responses to Free- and Reduced-price Meal forms. The Food Services webpage has a link to apply as well as instructions in English and Spanish.

Malibu Ed Foundation

Happy New School Year!

$1.5 million. That's what MEF has invested in our four schools since our January 2024 launch, thanks to support from Malibu City, SMMUSD, and our community.

As we head into Year 3, we'll need your help keeping our Annual Fund and fall events top of mind with parents. We're working with the PTAs and Shark Fund on a joint-ask flyer for registration packets. A few dates to help us spread the word on:

Annual Fund launches Friday — malibueducationfoundation.org/donate
MEF Gala — Saturday, October 17, tickets on sale soon
Malibu Moves — Oct 24–25, Zuma Beach, code MEF26 (open to all SMMUSD schools — a great way to get your students, staff, or families out for a run, walk, or cheer). Join Team MEF for swag, or create your own “school team.” malibumoves.com
MEF Tree Lot - Nov. 27-Dec. 13

Student Birthday Celebrations

Such observances must be coordinated with the classroom teacher and should occur after lunch or at the end of the day. Food may be distributed at school. Healthier options should be encouraged. Cakes or very sweet treats (Sugar-based foods) are NOT allowed. All-natural popsicles are the ONLY choice for birthday celebrations. Our SMMUSD Food and Nutrition Services Wellness Policy calls for staff to limit student consumption of sugar at school. No nuts, if there is a peanut allergy in the classroom. Party favors are ok to distribute. Birthday invitations for parties away from school may not be distributed unless every student in the class is invited.

Candy/sheet cakes/cupcakes/cookies at school: Staff, students, and parents may not distribute these at school.