Sea Lion Spotlight

Principal's Wave

Hello New & Returning MES Sea Lion Families,

Summer break is wrapping up soon and it's time to start getting excited about the new school year which starts on THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th! Below are articles, dates, and links that should help parents gear up and help their child get 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!

MES strives to be a school where all students, staff, and parents feel a collective connection to one another. We have planned many community and spirit-building events, and employ learning activities in and outside of the classroom that emphasize team-work and shared goals. I encourage parents to attend every special event and to prioritize excellent student attendance.

STAFF UPDATES - PART 1

We will have some staff shifts and the first that I'd like to share with all of you is that Robyn Estela is shifting roles here at MES. She is going from being a classroom teacher to being an instructional coach, where she will work with not only MES, but all of our Malibu schools! We are thrilled to welcome her to her new role!
We would like to welcome Peaches Davis to Malibu Elementary! She is our new custodial supervisor, keeping our campus clean during the day, and working hard with our evening team to make sure our site sparkles!
Welcome to Amber Caras, our new Speech/Language Pathologist! She will be working both at MES and at Webster!
MORE INFORMATION ON NEW STAFF WILL BE IN PART 2 - NEXT MONDAY!

Keep an eye out on your emails over the next week for important information regarding the following:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 - Data Confirmation (we will need this done for every child ASAP)
MONDAY, AUGUST 17 - Next Spotlight with last minute information regarding drop off, pick up, and general procedures!

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

8/10 - Office is open!
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, 8/21, 8/24, 8/25 - ALL MINIMUM DAYS (12:45 DISMISSAL)
8/25 - TK-2nd Back to School Night

Important Information & Dates

26-27 Academic Calendar

26-27 Community Calendar

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 - especially next week - for all the important things that go on for your child! You'll also find out about things going on in our community!

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

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.