Madrona Family Memo
Our Wildcat Motto: Be Responsible, Be Respectful!
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Greetings, Madrona Families!
Friendly Reminder! There will be no school next Friday, October 16! TUSD schools are closed for a district-wide non-instructional day. Enjoy the long weekend, Wildcats!
Highlights in This Week's Edition
HUGE Shout-out to the Madrona PTSA for a spectacular Trunk or Treat (see photos)
Spotlights & Celebrations: Portrait of a Graduate & Student/Family Shout-outs!
School, District and Community Resources - The City of Torrance 8th-grade Students in Government Essay Contest is now open! (see below for more info on this exciting program)!
On Repeat: Yearbooks & School Photos
2026-27 Yearbook Sales: Yearbooks available for purchase! Don't forget to take advantage of our early bird pricing of $40 through November 1 (price increases to $45 after Nov 1).
Photo Make-Up Day: If your student was absent on picture day, make-ups are scheduled for October 21.
Madrona's Ongoing Heat Mitigation & Student Safety update
This week, students and staff continued rotating through air-conditioned spaces, including 13 classrooms and the school library. Staff actively managed classroom temperatures using fans and window adjustments, while PE classes modified activities to include a short walk and shaded rests by the gym. To keep everyone hydrated and cool, TUSD Nutrition Services provided daily 100% juice slushes, and students utilized two large ice water stations alongside our standard drinking fountains and classroom water fountains. Additionally, all after-school sports practices and tryouts were canceled or postponed. Throughout this week, teachers made adjustments to learning activities and provided periodic breaks.Wishing everyone a safe and cooler weather weekend! Go Wildcats!
With gratitude,
Sue Key, Ed.D. Proud Principal
Madrona Middle School
In preparation for the upcoming Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill this Thursday, October 15, our District’s Communications Department will conduct a districtwide test of our Emergency Alert System.
What to Expect:
On October 15, all families opted into district communications will receive a test DRILL text message sent to the primary numbers listed for Guardian 1 and Guardian 2 in PowerSchool.
The test text will direct you to visit tusd.org/alerts, our central hub for ongoing updates during both drills and real school emergencies when cell signals may be impacted.
Action Required: To ensure you receive these critical notices, please complete the registration process if you have not done so already by logging into PowerSchool and verifying your contact details on the Student Contacts.. If either primary guardian has opted out of communications, those numbers will not receive emergency alerts. We strongly encourage keeping at least one primary contact opted in to stay informed. If this is your first time receiving texts from our District, you will receive a text message from 67587 that will begin with TUSD Msgs. Please save this number and opt in to receive these messages. If you previously unsubscribed by replying “STOP,” but would like to re-subscribe so you don’t miss critical emergency messages, you need to send a Y or YES to 67587. The text will ask that you check tusd.org/alerts for more information. Please bookmark this website, as it will provide you with the fastest, most up-to-date information in the event of a drill or a real emergency at one or more school sites. Please note that after registration is complete, emergency contact information cannot be changed. If you need further support, please complete this Google Form.
Thank you for your partnership and patience as we work together to keep our schools safe and prepared.
PTSA Reflections Art Contest Theme: "What My Culture Means to Me" DUE 10/11!
Online entry form: https://forms.gle/wfC8qYFQMnT1N2CD6
Email: reflections@ptsamadrona.com
Direction donation/membership
Calling all Madrona families! The PTSA is holding our annual direct donation and membership drive and we need your support! Join the PTSA to benefit from our membership perks and have a voice in our initiatives!
Donate to the PTSA to support our events and programs for students and teachers! Certain donation levels will receive awards, including raffles for first in line entry and 5 minute student early lunch dismissal to Midday Mingle, Dr. Key and Mrs. Schiappa-Gobee's parking spots for Midday Mingle or other Madrona events, and a special fall gift basket!
Mid-Day Mingle is a special opportunity for families to join their student on campus for lunch!
While RSVPs aren't open just yet, we wanted to share a quick heads-up about security clearance:
Raptor System Clearance: All visitors must be entered into our Raptor system before attending. Please stop by the Madrona main office anytime between now and the event with a valid photo ID so we can scan it. Note: This must be done in person (it cannot be done online or over the phone). Getting scanned early will make check-in a breeze on event day!
8th Grade Chick-fil-A Fundraiser - Support 8th Grade at Midday Mingle!
Grab lunch at Chick-fil-A at Del Amo (21821 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503) and help support our 8th graders! On October 23 for our Midday Mingle, order in-store or through the Chick-fil-A app and look for the option to support our school at checkout. If you’re ordering in person, simply let the cashier know you’d like to support Madrona. A quick lunch can make a difference for our 8th graders!
Tip: If you download the Chick-fil-A app on the day of the event, the school-support prompt may not appear right away, so ordering in-store and notifying the cashier is another great option. Thank you for supporting our 8th Grade Class.
Wildcats! Join Madrona's Homework Club!
Calling all students with a growth mindset! Homework Club is a quiet space open to ALL students to complete homework (or) get help from the supervising teacher or peer tutors. Get your homework done before going home!
3:30-4:30 pm - Sign-up for one, two or all three days!
- Mondays (Room 14 w/Mrs. Bloomfield)
- Tuesdays (Room 27 w/Mrs. Rokugawa)
- Wednesdays (Room 6 w/Ms. Wulpern)
8th-graders! The City of Torrance - 2027 Students in Government Day Essay Contest is OPEN!
Attention 8th Graders! Want to run the city for a day?
The annual City of Torrance Students and Government Day is back! Around 20 to 22 students from across Torrance's 13 middle schools will get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at local government.
What You’ll Do: Tour key facilities like the Torrance Police Department. Shadow city officials and department heads. Hold a live mock City Council meeting in Council Chambers!
How to Apply (Carefully Review Essay Instructions & Contest Details): Write an essay answering this year's prompt: "In June 2026, Torrance voters elected Sharon Kalani as the new Mayor. What advice would you give Mayor Kalani to make our city the best place to live, work, and play? How can students help promote her motto, 'One Torrance, One Community'?"
- A Big Shout-out to the Madrona PTSA for the donation of Liquid IV and cold beverages to keep our Madrona Staff cold and hydrated! The drinks were a welcome and refreshing treat! ~Dr. Key
- Shout out to Milan Amir, for your generous donation, donations like these help make sure our students and classrooms have the supplies and resources they need. We truly appreciate your support! ~Madrona Team
- Shout out to the Lumanlan family for the delicious treat in the office - Front Office
- Thank you parents and guardians who donated to the "SMORES" lab. Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated. ~Mrs. Miskimen
- Yuna Wichmanowski, Jessi Corbitt, and Cooper Di Monte - helped clean up my rug after another student spilled without me asking ~Ms. McBratney
- Thanks to my 6th period Accelerated for putting away the computers all week! You guys are awesome! ~Mr. Khan
- Thank you Sonya Patel, for your responsibility in replacing a lost library book by purchasing not only 1 brand new book, but 3 brand new books! Your thoughtfulness and generosity are admirable traits and much to be proud of! ~Mrs. Osejo
- Miskimen's Super Science Students who scored 100% on their Heat Transfer Quiz: Mason Gonsalves, Katherine Jung, Timothy Lee, Levi Pagnini, Alyssa Richardson, Andrea Villarica, Yovanni Anaya, Carl Baldauf, Sabrina Gatila, Kaci Kuwada, Otoha Margraf, Landen Rico, and Sammie Seeraty and Logan Villafania. Great job!. The following students only missed one:
Enzo White, Logan Tran, Jett Thury, Ansen Suen, Naomi Okura, Yuma Nishida, Leo Lee Jacob Kuba, Isaac Ha, Rio Castaneda, Henry Carlson, Angelo Cardena, Mirai Choi, Elijah Burrell, Mia Ishida, Caleb Kweon, Dawn Shin, Alicia Tseng, Glen Yi, and Cole Crittenden. Way to go. - Thank you to the following students for making my birthday extra special. I am so lucky to have such amazing students: ~Mrs. Bloomfield
- Jewel Osada- for the lip balm. With this hot weather it is coming in handy.
- Hannah Kim- Thank you for the wonderful card and gift card.
- Atasha Tongohan- Thank you for the beautiful painting of my cat. It is spot on and I absolutely love it.
- Mila Tsai- Thank you for the Spam Masubi. It was absolutely delicious and hit the spot.
Torrance HS Classes & THS Late Start Calendar
Madrona students taking classes at Torrance High School must follow the high school bell schedule, including on irregular schedule days. On these days, students returning to Madrona will report directly to their next class depending on when they return or join our designated supervised study hall.
Tuesday is Late Start schedule at Torrance High. The following Tuesdays are not scheduled as late start:
- 10/27/26 (College & Career Day)
- 1/19/27 (week of S1 Finals)
- 4/27/27 (week of ELA testing)
- 5/18/27 (week of MATH testing)
- 6/01/27 (week of Senior Finals)
- 6/08/27 (week of S2 Finals)
"What Was Homework?" Button on the Madrona Website!
A new addition to the home page of our school website is a "What Was Homework" Button, which links to easy to reference spread sheets.
i-Ready For Families Report Information
At the start of this school year, students completed the i-Ready assessment in Reading and Math. i-Ready Inform is an adaptive assessment that identifies student strengths and growth areas, helping teachers tailor instruction throughout the year.
To access your student's score report through their Clever login, please view our family guide in your preferred language:English | Spanish | Japanese | Mandarin
For more information about how to read your child’s results, please review this i-Ready Family Center Article: Understanding Your Student's i-Ready Inform Results.
Health Office Reminder For Rising/Incoming 7th Graders!
Madrona Health Office emailed a reminder to Current 6th-graders / Rising 7th grade parents/guardians regarding their student's required Tdap and 2nd Varicella Immunizations for the 2026-2027 school year. If you received an email, it is important to send the Health Office your student's updated vaccination record now so there are no issues with school entry or schedule delays in the fall.
Please Note: If you did not receive an email from the Health Office, your child is up to date on their immunizations and all set for 7th grade. Any questions, please email madronahealthoffice@tusd.org.
SaySomething Anonymous Reporting System
TUSD students are encouraged to use the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System offered through the Sandy Hook Promise to keep our schools secure and our students safe.
This life-saving service empowers you, our students, and our community members to anonymously report any concerns, including potential threats, bullying, or individuals who may be at risk of harming themselves or others. There are three ways to make a report:
Call the 24/7 crisis hotline counselors at 1-844-5-SayNow (1-844-572-9669)
Download the mobile app at Google Play or Apple Store
Submit a tip through their secure website
TUSD Online Learning Resources (Clever and Schoology)
All TUSD students access the online version of textbooks and educational resources (including textbooks) through the TUSD CLEVER portal
Have your student log in to CLEVER (https://clever.com/in/torrance) using their TUSD email and password to show you all of their online learning tools.
- Schoology - an online learning management system where teachers post agendas and assignments. Family accounts are sync'd from PowerSchool, and families only if they have made an access account there - Here is our help page for families.
- iReady - a resource teachers use to support learning in essential Reading and Math domains.
- and more!
Local Technology Resources for Students & Families
Options for students without access to computers at home:
- The Madrona Library - computers are available for student use before school (8:15 am-8:35 am) and during lunch (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Fridays)
- The Madrona After School Homework Club (3:30-4:30 pm) - Monday (Rm 14), Tuesday (Rm 9) -Wednesday (Rm 6)
- Madrona ELOP Program (3:30-6:00 pm)
- City of Torrance - Katy Geissert Library (located on the corner of Torrance Blvd/Madrona Avenue) - Monday, Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
TUSD DevELOPment Academy
The application for Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) is open. The program provides after-school care, academic support, enrichment activities, and a safe environment for TK- 6th grade students outside of the regular school day.
Space is limited. Priority enrollment is given to students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, foster youth, and students experiencing homelessness.
Families interested in enrolling for the 2026–2027 school year will need to complete an application.
Application Link: https://tusd.arux.app/
For more information, please visit the TUSD ELOP website.
Ralphs Community Contribution Program
Sign up for Ralphs/Kroger Community Rewards Community Contribution Program at NO added cost to you. Use Madrona's Organization ID UF902. Click here
Madrona's Amazon Charitable Donation "Wish" List
Looking for a way to help out our school? We are ALWAYS in need of tissue boxes, reams of paper, and school supplies! Donations are greatly appreciated. Madrona Middle School Wishlist Link
If you purchase items online, please have it delivered to:
Madrona Middle School 21364 Madrona Avenue Torrance, CA 90503 310-533-4562. Thank you! If you have items delivered to your home, please drop off at the front office (or) have your student bring items in.
Thank you, Madrona Families!
Madrona was named South Bay’s BEST Public Middle School for 2026!
Following our FAVORITE spot in 2025 and BEST recognition in 2024, this single-award honor belongs to our entire school family. Thank you for your continued support and for making the Wildcat community extraordinary.
