The Sunday Notes

Hello Muirlands Family,

A huge thank you to the Muirlands Foundation for helping make our Staff Appreciation Week so special. They treated our staff to free Muirlands coffee tumblers, a coffee cart, donuts, and a catered lunch from our local restaurant Taco Surf. We are incredibly grateful for the continued support and appreciation shown to our amazing staff.

With only 13 days of school remaining, there are several important dates and reminders to keep in mind as we finish the school year strong:

• May 13: Last day to pay fines
• May 14: Last day of after school tutoring
• May 15 by 3:00 PM: Deadline to submit appeals for end of year event eligibility
• Returns for textbooks, locker locks, and library books:
  • 8th Grade — Tuesday, May 12
  • 7th Grade — Wednesday, May 13
  • 6th Grade — Thursday, May 14
• Final Coffee with the Principal: Friday, May 15

Please encourage your student to stay focused, finish assignments strong, and continue demonstrating positive behavior as we close out another successful school year. We appreciate your partnership and support throughout the year.

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We are also excited to welcome our feeder elementary schools to campus:

• La Jolla Elementary: Came to us on Friday, May 8
• Torrey Pines Elementary: Monday, May 11
• Bird Rock Elementary: Tuesday, May 12

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We are honored to share that local Bird Rock artist Jane Wheeler will be partnering with our students and community to create a memorial bench in honor of David Demott. She will be on campus on May 13 to visit David’s former class and will also be set up in the auditorium for any student who would like to stop by to share a story, contribute a quote, or create a fused glass piece to be included in the memorial.

In addition, Jane has graciously offered to host a community gathering at her home on May 17 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM for those who would like to participate in this process. If you are interested in attending, please email president@muirlandsfoundation.org.

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On Monday, May 11, we will host a special presentation from members of the Butterfly Project. This program focuses on helping students become upstanders by standing up against hatred, bigotry, and bullying. Students will hear powerful personal stories from the Holocaust and then engage in follow-up discussions in their Social Studies classes. As part of the experience, students will create butterflies in memory of the poem "The Butterfly" which was a poignant poem written by Pavel Friedmann on June 4, 1942, while imprisoned in the Theresienstadt (Terezín) concentration camp. They will also learn about the concept of being an upstander rather than a bystander and speak up against hatred, bullying, and racism.
https://thebutterflyprojectnow.org/our-programs/

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ONLY 83 left!

Yearbooks are still available for purchase at $45 in person or $46.90 online. Please see the link below for more information: As of today, we have 109 yearbooks left.
MUIRLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL LA JOLLA, CA – 2026 Yearbook | Jostens

The last day to pay any outstanding fines is May 13. Payments can be made through SchoolCash Online or in person (cash or check) with our school clerk, Hedieh Yamini. If you have any questions, please reach out to her at hyamini@sandi.net.

Mrs. Yamini will also be sent out information this week about an auction for VIP seating and parking for the 8th grade promotion ceremony on May 28. The auction will run from May 8 through May 22.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support of our students and school community.

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For parents who need special seating due to disability for 8th grade Promotion

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdPTMXOxPA-z6-SwQzLMfMB2KUrUXnutVMKM70uy89sYAYhqA/viewform?usp=dialog

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Student Spotlight

We are incredibly proud to share that Muirlands 8th grader Abbey Witt earned national recognition in the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, receiving a Silver Medal for her original 120 page novel, Jane Doe and the Tomb of Bastet.

This highly competitive program includes over 110,000 students nationwide, making Abbey’s accomplishment especially impressive. Her novel, a cinematic action adventure inspired by films like Indiana Jones, reflects not only her creativity but also her remarkable dedication, waking up early each morning to write before school.

Abbey also earned multiple honors at the regional level, including a Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention across several writing categories. Congratulations to Abbey on this outstanding achievement. We are so proud of her hard work, talent, and commitment to her craft!

Three La Jolla students win silver medals in national awards competition – San Diego Union-Tribune

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Interest Form: JV Coaching Opportunities (2026–2027 School Year)

We are looking to gauge interest from staff and our parent community in coaching JV Boys Basketball (Fall) or JV Girls Volleyball (Winter) for the 2026–2027 school year.

This JV league will align with the timelines of the San Diego Unified School District Middle School Sports Program, with a slightly shorter season length.

League Details:

* Teams can hold up to 15 players and would be chosen based on which 6th or 7th grade students were closest to making the team for boys basketball and girls volleyball for 26-27.

• Participating schools: I Middle, Pershing, De Portola, PB Middle, Marston Middle, and Muirlands
• All games will be played at Marston Middle School
• Game days: Thursdays
• Game times: 4:15 PM or 5:15 PM

Season Windows (Approximate):

• Fall (Aug 25 – Oct 25): JV Boys Basketball
• Winter (Nov 3 – Feb 7): JV Girls Volleyball

Coaching Commitment:

• 1–2 practices per week
• Weekly games on Thursdays
• Support and coordination with site and district athletics

Compensation:

• Stipend will be comparable to coaching positions within the SDUSD Middle School Sports Program.

If you are interested in coaching or would like more information, please let me know. We are excited to continue expanding athletic opportunities for our students and appreciate your consideration in supporting this program.

Interested in coaching? Please complete the interest form below.

https://forms.gle/p9WTkX12GgtazneN7

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VERY IMPORTANT + TIME SENSITIVE

(New District Procedure)

Register for next year (this applies to everyone every year moving forward).

Beginning Monday, March 23, 2026, parents of currently enrolled students should log in to their PowerSchool Parent Portal and complete the new form named Student Registration for Next Year to let us know if your student will be returning next year for 2026-27. All returning families must complete the Student Registration for Next Year form by the end of day (11:59 p.m.) on Friday, May 8, 2026.

Who needs to complete the form?

All parents of currently enrolled students in grades TK-11 should complete the Student Registration for Next Year form in the Parent Portal.

How do I complete the form?

Login to the PowerSchool Parent Portal at https://powerschool.sandi.net and select Student Registration for Next Year, from the navigation menu.

Examples of what it looks like from the parent end.

Menu on Parent Portal and where to click

Example from when I had to register my own daughter Serena for 1st grade.

All the steps to complete to register

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Summer School Information for Parents

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQblWK3LBwa8c4YXHoQKokco43mH4zhb/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115037634259351530477&rtpof=true&sd=true.

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8th Grade Graduation will be on 5/28 at LJHS Stadium from 9:30 to 10:30am.

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Muirlands Grading Periods and Timelines - Click here to view.

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Dolphin Scholars

Please read the amazing article about our tutoring program (Dolphin Scholars Program attached below). I want to express my deep gratitude to our Muirlands Foundation. Our in-school and after-school tutoring programs would not be possible without their generous support. Thanks to the Foundation, our students now receive over 62 hours of in school ELA and Math tutoring support each week.

Please take a moment to read the link below to learn more about how you can contribute to the Muirlands Gives Campaign and help us continue expanding opportunities for our students. We are more than half of the way towards our fundraising goal. All your contributions support our students and continue programs such as Dolphin Scholars.

Muirlands Gives Campaign/Foundation Website

With gratitude,
Principal Simon

Powerpoint I shared with our teachers in order to support high level prompting questions in the classroom that will promote students to think critically.

Information to sign up is below. Must be 12 or older to be screened.

Attention 6th Grade Families: Students are required to receive the Tdap vaccination before entering 7th grade. Please email proof of your child’s Tdap vaccination to lrosenthal@sandi.net as soon as possible to ensure their school records are up to date.

Pictured above from left to right, Raina Patel, Sophia Jones, Maya Ashrafi, Taylor Alvarado, Luca Giaconi and Alexis Pfandt (not in the picture).

Muirlands Middle School was recognized as an Honor Roll Distinguished School for its outstanding academic achievement across all student subgroups.

ERP Releases List of 2025 California Honor Roll Schools

Link to Doc Talk Event

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uAYqlPib_Qq70IfDnzXyRjNRZQGMqXQo/view?usp=sharing

Message from Attendance: Please allow 24-48 hours for attendance to be updated.

🏆 Muirlands Named a 2026 California Distinguished School!

I am incredibly proud to share that I received a letter from State Superintendent Tony Thurmond informing us that Muirlands has been selected as a 2026 California Distinguished School!

Out of nearly 10,000 schools across the state, only 408 schools in all of California were selected for this honor.

This recognition belongs to our teachers, counselors, classified staff, students, families, and community partners. It is a reflection of the culture of high expectations, care, innovation, and support that exists on our campus every single day. I am deeply grateful for the collective effort that makes Muirlands such a special place.

I’m proud to share that Muirlands students demonstrated over 120% growth in ELA and 67% growth in Math. These results place Muirlands among the highest-growing schools in San Diego County and reflect the impact of our tutoring programs, personalized learning, and rigorous academic expectations.

Parents will soon receive their child’s score report by email. If you’d like help understanding the report, this resource provides a clear overview:
👉 https://i-readycentral.com/download/?res=39944&view_pdf=1

Student and staff safety remains our top priority, including while construction is taking place on campus. Security protocols during construction are consistent with normal school operations, and all construction areas are fully isolated from student spaces by secured fencing. Gates are monitored and locked, and construction zones are not accessible to students or the general public.

All construction personnel on campus have passed required background checks (Live Scan) and must complete a Balfour Beatty job orientation prior to working on site. Workers are required to sign in daily through Balfour Beatty and with their respective foremen, and no one is permitted on campus without authorization. Construction staff are also clearly identifiable by Balfour Beatty orientation hardhat stickers.

There is active oversight and accountability at all times. The construction team maintains a daily roster of all personnel on site, which is shared with school administration and district staff and can be produced as needed. School leadership remains in close communication with the construction management team throughout the project.

From a health and safety standpoint, air quality is tested daily, and fencing and tarps are in place around the construction perimeter to contain debris. While some noise is unavoidable, the construction crew is mindful of instructional time and schedules the loudest activities outside of class hours whenever possible.

Ultimately, this renovation will yield long-term benefits for our campus, both aesthetically and functionally and we appreciate the community’s patience as we work to improve our facilities.

• Free Excel San Diego Public Library Cards for Muirlands Students - Please have your student see Mr. Fred to get their free card.

• Core Academy (Saturday School). Our next Saturday School opportunities will occur on 4/18 and 5/2 from 8-12pm. One Saturday school erases 1 full day absence and up to 8 period tardies or absences. Here is the link to more information and how to register Core Academy Letter. Please review our student handbook as students with multiple tardies or unexcused absences may not qualify for school events. Core Academy is a great way to address any absences or tardies on your student's record.

Very Important – Personalized Lessons in i-Ready

• All students at Muirlands have access to personalized lessons in i-Ready. These lessons are tailored to each student based on the standards identified in their i-Ready diagnostic where they have not yet shown mastery. Students can access their lessons by logging into Clever, selecting the i-Ready icon, and clicking on “My Path.” The only exception is for students already working at the high school level. These students receive extension activities directly from their teachers during class. To meet their growth goals, i-Ready recommends that students complete at least 45 minutes of personalized lessons per week.

• Here is a resource for parents to understand the I-Ready score report they receive via email from the district. (https://i-readycentral.com/download/?res=39944&view_pdf=1).

• Students just received Honor Roll and Citizenship certificates for our most recent progress report. Their names and certificates will be proudly displayed in our showcase outside the auditorium. If your student did not receive recognition this time, there’s another opportunity coming soon, we will continue this tradition every six-week grading period. Our next grading period ends on 3/27/26. This is an extremely important grading period because it will inform eligibility for end of year events. Several students have already asked how they can improve their Citizenship marks from I’s to M’s or E’s. I encouraged them to advocate for themselves by asking their teachers what steps they can take to demonstrate improvement. Citizenship rubrics are also available in our Student Handbook (posted on our website and linked at the bottom of every Sunday Notes newsletter).

We are proud of our Dolphins for striving to grow academically and personally each grading period!

• Digital Citizenship Week Tips for Parents Digital Citizenship

• Reporting Absence, Early Pick Up, Late Drop Off - Use the following Google Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5F91HWNzl97NuNs3L0k5ZV656jMyDaSH2vxzZ7WCzWkYlBg/viewform?usp=dialog. Parents have already started using this and it is HIGHLY PREFERRED and allows us to be efficient and prepared upon your arrival or input the absence. This link is also on the Muirlands Website Home Page.

  • Please attempt to schedule appointments during non-school hours. If your student is leaving early to attend an appointment (med/dental/ortho, etc.), his/her period absence(s) will be marked UNEXCUSED until a VERIFICATION of appointment is received in the attendance office. Please submit VERIFICATION in person or via email (mmssec@sandi.net) to the attendance office upon return to school within 5 school days to update to the appropriate code.

• Staff Parking Areas - We respectfully ask parents to not park or drive into campus to drop off or pick up their student. This has caused safety issues for staff and students in recent weeks. These areas will also be occupied by the School Modernization construction team starting after Thanksgiving Break. Please park on the curb where it is painted white.

• SGT/SSC Meeting Schedule Dates from 2:00 to 3:00 in the Library

  
  

  9/17/25

  10/8/25

  11/5/25

  1/7/26

  2/4/26

  3/11/26

  4/15/26

  5/20/26

• Results of Team Sports Middle School Sports Schedules.

• After School Tutoring - We are excited to share that our After School Tutoring Program will take place in the Muirlands Library on the following days and times:

  • Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3:10 – 4:40 pm.

  • Wednesdays: 1:20 – 2:50 pm. Also, from 1:15 -1:45pm, all teachers have office hours. Students can visit any of their teachers to get extra support during this time and also head to the library after for more help.

  Tutoring will be staffed by Paraeducators, Teachers, and College Tutors—and occasionally myself—to provide strong academic support for students. Signing your student up doesn't mean they have to attend every day although they are welcome to come any day we offer support.

  After School Tutoring Application Form.

• In School Tutoring during ELA and Math classes started September 3rd. Education majors from PLNU and UCSD will be supporting students in class. They will be supporting students the entire school year. This program is graciously funded by our parent foundation.

• Please no Door Dash or any other Food Delivery Service - We are unable to accept these. If food spoils or student never picked it up, the office staff is then liable. The office staff is working hard to make sure we are running daily operations for the school site. If your student forgets their lunch, we have free lunch options for them at our cafeteria.

• NAEP Exam - Please see linked letter for information on this.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12oSuDDhs5hmBid8m2mmGipxIdx_ey1SzkhCfoBRRKko/edit?usp=sharing

Our Foundation has generously provided funding to bring college education majors from Point Loma Nazarene and UC San Diego—trained by Mr. Simon—into our Math and ELA classrooms to support students in their learning. Beginning September 3, 2025, and extend into late April 2026. These future educators will work directly with students in small groups and one-on-one settings, providing valuable academic support right in the classroom.

This initiative is just one example of the profound impact our Foundation has on student success at Muirlands. We are deeply grateful for their commitment, and we encourage families to consider contributing time and/or resources to help sustain and grow their efforts.