Whale Tales

Dear Webster Community,

This week felt like a beautiful preview of all the holiday magic still to come, paired with a moment of reflection as we marked the one-year anniversary of the Franklin Fire. Our students have been practicing diligently for next week’s Holiday Show, and I cannot wait to experience my very first one as principal. With surprises sprinkled throughout and plenty of adorable, heart-warming moments, it’s a performance you won’t want to miss.

We also carved out time to celebrate connection and community among our staff. This week, our team gathered for a holiday dinner at Taverna Tony, where the plates just kept coming and the food was absolutely delicious. We are deeply grateful for their incredible hospitality and generosity, which gave us a chance to unplug, break bread, celebrate one another, and take a well-earned breath during this busy season.

Students had a week full of meaningful, joyful experiences on campus. During our Environmental Defenders Assembly, students sang, moved, and learned alongside Aly and Polly about caring for our planet through reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink, understanding stormwater pollution, and properly disposing of household hazardous waste. Many classes are already completing the Super Environmental Defenders pledge — will your student become one too?

We also experienced a truly special moment as students stepped inside the Peace Snowglobe. Each Whale wrote a wish or intention for the world in 2026 and watched those hopes swirl together inside the globe. Seeing students surrounded by collective kindness and optimism was incredibly moving. We are so thankful to our PTA, and to Chrissy Hamilton and Kate Pritchett-Skene, for sponsoring and coordinating this magical experience.

Over the past several weeks, our 5th graders have been working hard in band, strings, and choir, and this week they proudly shared their progress during a combined music informance. It was a wonderful opportunity to see all three programs come together and showcase the breadth of music at Webster. The informance offered families a meaningful glimpse into the music-making process — how students rehearse, collaborate, and grow in confidence as musicians. We are so proud of their dedication and bravery in sharing their learning.

We’re also thrilled to welcome Desi Bradley, our new preschool paraeducator, who is supporting our youngest learners. Desi brings deep ties to Malibu, years of involvement in our schools, and a genuine love for children. We are so grateful to have her as part of the Webster family.

And finally, a special shoutout to our parents — you are officially “Signed In, Showing Out.” 🖊️📸
The creativity and humor in your sign-in photos continue to bring smiles across campus. Can your next photo rise to the top?

WEBSTER WEAR 🐳
Congratulations to Ms. Stark’s and Ms. Morris’s classes for taking the crown this week with 100% participation. Way to go!

🔔 Important Reminders

• Deck the Hall(way)s: Sponsor a room or donate gently used décor to help transform Webster into a winter wonderland!

• Holiday Spirit Week: Don’t miss all the festive details — check out the section below!

• Pod Power Problems: This week’s family math challenge is live — have fun solving together!
• Visitor Management: Please bring your ID to check in and remember to sign out when you leave campus.

📅 Save the Dates

📌 December 22 - January 2: Winter Break

Wishing a joyful Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate — may your weekend be filled with light and connection.

GO WHALES!!

Warmly,
Carina Diana

Check out these wonderful moments featuring our incredible students, staff, and parents! If you have a photo that you’d like to share, please send it to Principal Diana—we’d love to include it on our social media or upcoming newsletters.

Thank you for helping us celebrate our school community!

We are so excited to welcome Desi Bradley to the Webster team as our new Preschool Paraeducator, supporting our youngest learners and their early school experiences.

Desi is a proud Malibu mom of three (MHS Classes of 2021, 2023, and 2029) and has been actively involved in our schools through PTA leadership and advocacy since 2010. She also brings a background in education, having taught English at Pepperdine University during the 2010s.

Desi shared how grateful she is for the warm welcome she’s already received, and we couldn’t be happier to have her join the Webster family. Her experience, care, and deep connection to our school community will be a wonderful gift to our Preschool students.

Please join us in giving Desi a big Webster Whale welcome as she begins this new role! 🐳💙

This morning, our Whales were energized by a high-energy, interactive musical assembly featuring Aly and Polly — two dynamic performers who brought environmental science to life through music, movement, and storytelling. The assembly helped students understand how their everyday choices can make a real difference for our planet.

Through songs and skits, students learned about:

• The Four R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rethink

• How stormwater pollution impacts oceans and wildlife

• The importance of properly disposing household hazardous waste

• Simple ways to take action and protect the environment

The message was clear and empowering: it’s up to all of us to be environmental defenders.

After the assembly, classes that complete the Super Environmental Defenders Pledge and sign their poster will receive membership cards granting access to the program’s members-only games, music, and online resources that extend learning beyond the assembly.

Will your student become an Environmental Defender? 💚

This week, Webster students stepped inside a giant Peace Snowglobe to share their hopes for the world in 2026. Each student wrote an intention or wish on a balloon and then entered the snowglobe, where they watched their words of peace, kindness, and hope swirl together with those of others. It was a powerful visual reminder that while each wish is unique, together they create something beautiful.

The experience offered a moment of wonder, reflection, and joy — a chance for students to slow down, think about the world they want to help create, and feel surrounded by collective positivity. From preschool through 5th grade, every Webster Whale had the opportunity to take part in this celebration of community and compassion.

We are incredibly grateful to our PTA for sponsoring this special experience and to Chrissy Hamilton and Kate Pritchett-Skene for organizing all the logistics and keeping a jam-packed schedule running smoothly as classes rotated through. Thanks to their care and coordination, a little extra magic was brought to campus ❄️💫

Our countdown to winter break is officially on—and this year’s Holiday Spirit Week was crafted in collaboration with our creative and enthusiastic Student Leadership Team!

Each day brings its own festive flair:

• Monday, Dec 15: Minty Monday Madness
• Tuesday, Dec 16: Totally Cozy Tuesday
• Wednesday, Dec 17: Winter Wonderland Concert Day
• Thursday, Dec 18: Theme Sweater Thursday
• Friday, Dec 19: Holiday Palooza!

Thank you to our student leaders for bringing such fun, colorful ideas to the table. We can’t wait to see the halls filled with festive energy all week long ✨

The Webster PTA is excited to bring back one of our most festive traditions — Deck the Hall(way)s! Families are invited to become Room Sponsors and help transform our school into a joyful winter wonderland. For a donation of $500, you can sponsor a classroom or shared space (like the library or front office). More than one family is welcome to sponsor the same room, and each sponsored space will feature a personalized sign recognizing your support.

This year, we’re focusing on using recycled, upcycled, and donated holiday decor whenever possible. If you have decorations you no longer need — garlands, lights, stockings, snowmen, and other winter-themed items — feel free to drop them off in the front office or pass them to valet during morning drop-off. (No Thanksgiving or fall décor, please.) Reusing decorations allows more of your donation to go directly toward PTA initiatives like classroom supplies and enrichment programs.

Decorating will begin the Monday after Thanksgiving with the help of our 4th and 5th grade Student Leadership Committee, who are excited to bring the holiday spirit to life throughout our hallways. As rooms are sponsored, watch Webster transform into a magical and festive scene for students and staff to enjoy.

To sponsor a room, send your donation via Zelle to websterptamalibu@gmail.com or drop off a check made out to Webster PTA in the front office. Please include a note indicating which room or space you’d like to sponsor.

We can’t wait to see Webster sparkle with holiday cheer! ✨

Planning a magical holiday outing? If you’re visiting Holiday Road this season, you can support Webster at the same time — at no extra cost! When you purchase your tickets using Webster’s exclusive link below, 10% of all sales will be donated directly back to our school.

🔗 Webster Fundraiser Link:
https://www.tixr.com/pr/Webster/g/holidayroadusa

Holiday Road is an immersive holiday experience filled with Santa & Mrs. Claus, larger-than-life holiday displays, light tunnels and thousands of twinkling lights, candy canes, festive scenes, and more holiday cheer than you can imagine.

📍 King Gillette Ranch, Calabasas
📅 November 29 – December 28

If you, your friends, family, or neighbors plan to attend, please share our Webster link so your visit helps raise funds for our school. Every ticket purchased through the link supports Webster — without costing attendees anything extra!

Let’s spread some holiday magic and support our Whales! 🐳💙

Beginning November 3, 2025, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will implement a new “Away for the Day” policy to support student learning, focus, and well-being. This means that during the school day, students must keep all personal mobile communication devices turned off and put away.

• 📵 Elementary (K–5): Devices must be turned off and stored in backpacks.

• 📵 Middle School (6–8): Devices must be turned off and placed in secure pouches.

• 📵 High School (9–12): Devices must be turned off during instructional time, with limited exceptions (e.g., emergencies, medical needs, or with staff permission).

This districtwide effort is designed to minimize distractions, protect student privacy, and create more connected learning environments for all students.

Parents and guardians can now access their child’s CAASPP, ELPAC, and Star Renaissance score reports directly through the Aeries Parent Portal. Please note that hard copy reports are not mailed home.

✅ How to Access

• Parent Portal Login

• Step-by-Step Guide: Locating Test Scores in Aeries

🎥 Helpful Videos:

• How Parents Access the Portal

These resources walk you through exactly how to view your child’s score reports, so you’ll always have the latest information on their progress.

As we prepare for an exciting new school year, all families are required to verify and update their student’s information through the AERIES Data Confirmation process. This ensures we have the most accurate and up-to-date records for your child.

We recommend completing this process on a desktop or laptop computer for the best experience.

How to Complete Data Confirmation

1. Log in to your Aeries Parent Portal using the link below:
   🔗 AERIES Parent Portal

2. If you do not use the direct link above, log in to your Aeries Parent Portal, select Student Info, and click Data Confirmation to access the form.

3. If you have forgotten your login credentials, click “Forgot Password?” at the bottom of the login screen.

For Prospective or New Families

If you are new to Webster or have not yet enrolled your child, please complete AERIES Online Enrollment as soon as possible to ensure a smooth start to the school year.

🔗SMMUSD Online Enrollment

You will be asked to upload:

• Immunization records

• Parent/guardian photo ID

• Proof of residency

• Birth certificate

Once complete, please email April Montes (amontes@smmusd.org) and Stephanie Martinez (s.martinez@smmusd.org) so we can guide you through the next steps.

Consistent attendance is crucial for your student's academic success. It ensures that every student stays on track with learning, builds positive relationships, and contributes to a robust school community. Strong attendance goes beyond just being present; it involves being actively engaged and involved in the educational process.

Encouraging Regular Attendance:

• Make Attendance a Priority: Ensure your student doesn't miss out on crucial learning opportunities.
• Set a Positive Example: Motivate consistent attendance with your involvement.
• Establish a Routine: Help your student set daily routines for a smooth transition to school.
• Open Communication: Reach out to us if there are challenges affecting your student’s attendance.
• Celebrate Success: Acknowledge and celebrate your student's attendance milestones.

Absence Reporting Procedures:

If your student is absent, please report the absence by emailing April Montes at amontes@smmusd.org and Stephanie Martinez (s.martinez@smmusd.org) with your student's name, grade, date, and reason for the absence. Absences must be cleared within 5 days. For more detailed information, please review the SMMUSD attendance policies by clicking HERE.

The Malibu Education Foundation’s Holiday Tree Lot is open November 28–December 14 at 23575 Civic Center Way (next to the Malibu Library). 100% of proceeds support Malibu public schools — including Webster! Malibu High students are helping run the lot as part of a leadership and philanthropy experience.

🌟 Special Events

Friday, December 12 | Holiday Market & Community Night (3–9 PM)
Enjoy a festive evening with local Malibu vendors, food trucks, live music from the MHS Choir and Orchestra, a DJ, Santa photos, raffle baskets, and gift wrapping.

Saturday, December 13 | Dick Van Dyke’s 100th Birthday Celebration (10 AM–7 PM)
Celebrate a Malibu legend with cake, music, photo opportunities, a community birthday card, special fundraiser items, and a fan-organized flash mob.

🌲 How You Can Help

• Buy your holiday tree or greenery at the MEF Tree Lot

• Volunteer (students grades 4–12, parents, and community members welcome)

• Join the community events and spread the word!

👉 Learn more: https://www.malibueducationfoundation.org/holiday-market-tree-lot

The Boys & Girls Club of Malibu is committed to youth and community resilience by providing a supportive and inclusive environment where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Through after-school programs, social-emotional learning, and wellness services, BGCM helps ensure every child feels safe, supported, and connected. Here’s what’s happening:

📚 Academic Year Enrollment is LIVE!

• Dates: August 21 – June 11

• Grades: TK–5th

• Programs include: Kindness Is Free, Manners Matter, social-emotional wellness, STEM projects, arts & crafts, cooking/gardening, and more!
  👉 Enroll today at bgcmalibu.org.

💛 Wellness Center & Social Support
BGCM provides no-cost mental health counseling and social support services to students and families in our school community. Services are available both in-person and remotely, ensuring accessible support for anyone who needs it.

• 👉 Learn more: BGCM Wellness Center
• 📧 Request services: wellnessinfo@bgcmalibu.org
• 📞 Call: 310-457-0360 ext. 60146

🌟 Disaster Recovery Services
The BGCM Disaster Recovery Center continues to support Palisades Fire survivors with long-term recovery services by appointment only. Our Care Coordination Team is here to partner with families every step of the way to ensure no one navigates this journey alone.

Support includes:

• One-on-one guidance: You’ll be paired with a dedicated Care Coordinator.

• Personalized recovery planning: Together, we’ll identify what you need most now and in the future.

• Resource connection: We’ll help you access the latest available support.

• Advocacy: We’re here to make sure you’re supported at every stage.

• 👉 To schedule, email drc@bgcmalibu.org (expect a response within 2–5 business days).

The City of Malibu is offering a variety of engaging winter after-school programs for students in grades TK–5, and we’re excited to share these opportunities with our Webster families!

🎨 Pokémon Art Academy Workshop
Students can tap into their creativity while learning to draw favorite Pokémon characters like Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. This hands-on workshop also includes watercolor, clay, pastels, and fun projects like Poké Balls, Shrinky Dinks, and trading cards.

• 📍 Webster Elementary: Wednesday, March 25

• 🕒 3:00–4:30 PM

• 💲 $25 per workshop (FREE for BGCM members)

⚽🌊🦋 Winter Afterschool Programs at Webster
Running January–March, these programs meet from 3:00–4:00 PM and include:

• Save Our Oceans

• Wildlife Biology

• Ultimate Sports

Each program blends learning, movement, and enrichment in a fun, supportive after-school environment.

📌 Registration & Info
All programs are run by the City of Malibu and require advance registration.
👉 Register at MalibuCity.org/Register
📞 Questions? Call 310-317-1364

The City of Malibu’s Community Services Department is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Student Art Exhibit: Next-Gen Perspectives — a celebration of creativity from students in grades TK–12. This theme invites young artists to explore and express the world through their own eyes — moments of joy, sadness, curiosity, reflection, and hope for the future.

Students may submit artwork in a variety of mediums, including collage, drawing, painting, pastel, photography, and sculpture.

🖼️ Important Details

• Apply online (click HERE) by Friday, December 19, 2025

• After submitting the application, families will receive instructions for artwork drop-off.

• Artwork must be matted or framed with a secure backing and d-hook hanging mechanism.

• Framed pieces should have no glass and weigh under 2 pounds.

• The exhibit will be on display at the Malibu City Gallery (23825 Stuart Ranch Road) from January 26 – March 6, 2026.

🎉 Opening Reception
Join the community for a celebratory reception on Friday, January 23 at 3 PM, featuring light refreshments and certificates for all participating artists.

To enhance student safety, all K–5 students will enter and exit through one main gate — located by the main office. This will help us maintain a secure and supervised environment for all students.

As part of our commitment to safety and being good neighbors, we kindly ask that you:

• Use the designated pick-up and drop-off lane each day.

• Avoid using the Our Lady of Malibu (OLM) parking lots.

• Park only in the Webster lot.

Thank you for helping us ensure smooth arrivals and dismissals each day. Creating a safe and positive learning environment is our top priority — and it starts with all of us working together. We truly appreciate your support!

We’re excited to announce our new Instagram account! Follow us @websterwhales for all the latest school news, events, and fun happenings around campus. Stay in the know and connect with our vibrant school community, one post at a time!.

Carina Diana, Principal

Webster Elementary School

3602 Winter Canyon Rd

Malibu, CA 90265

Email: cdiana@smmusd.org
Website: www.smmusd.org/webster
Phone: (310) 456-6494
Instagram: www.instagram.com/websterwhales
Twitter: @webstermalibu