A Message from Newly Appointed MBEF Executive Director
I am honored to have been selected to serve as Executive Director of the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation. I have been a part of the growth and vision of MBEF for well over a decade and look forward to continuing the momentum we have developed in strengthening our public schools.

We can all take great pride as a community in the opportunities we provide our students through MBEF. MBEF funds 74 teachers and specialists throughout the District – including PE teachers, music instructors, MakerSpace assistants, STEM lab specialists, librarians, counselors, reading specialists, assistant principals, and teachers on special assignment. The programs and educators we fund through MBEF reach every child, every day. Click here to read more.

Mathematics in the Elementary Classroom 
by Holly Compton, Math TOSA K-5
We recently connected with Holly Compton, Teacher on Special Assignment, to learn how she is bringing professional development into the classrooms of MBUSD elementary math teachers. Click here to read more about what Ms. Compton shared and the impact it is having on students.

Manhattan Wine Auction
The 24th Annual Manhattan Wine Auction will be held on Saturday, June 9th at 4:30pm at the Manhattan Country Club. This year’s event promises to be one of the best ever! In addition to our local favorites, we have several new eateries and wineries participating this year. Come ready to dance under the stars to a live band on Center Stage, or head inside to the Atrium for a DJ and lounge setting. Highlights from our Live Auction include a VIP trip to NYC for the US Open, an in-home dinner with Chef David LeFevre and Morlet Wines, an exclusive trip to France's wine country, the legendary Screaming Eagle, and a Suite for 12 at Staples Center to see Bruno Mars. This year’s Silent Auction will be open to all parents in the District and will feature collectible wines, travel, dining, entertainment, one-of-a-kind experiences and more. The Wine Auction is MBEF’s only fundraising event of the year – we hope you’ll join us to celebrate and raise money for our schools! Click here for more information.

Measure MB – Why We Need More Local Funding
Why do we need Measure MB? Our schools need locally controlled funding to sustain the high-quality educational opportunities for our students. Measure MB will provide an additional reliable source of essential local funding – $2.6 million a year for six years at an annual cost of $225 flat tax per parcel. Along with MBEF, Measure MB will help keep our schools among the best in the State and help protect our teachers and students from budget cuts. MBUSD is one of the few high-performing districts without a voter-approved local funding measure. To learn more about Measure MB, please visit Yes on MB and read this article on Measure MB Outreach published in the Easy Reader. MBEF continues to be a significant source of funding, but it's simply not enough long-term.

Congratulations to the MBUSD Teachers of the Year!  
Each year MBUSD recognizes one teacher from each school site and one of these is selected as the district-wide Teacher of the Year. Thanks to an MBEF grant made possible by an endowment fund sponsored by Katy and Robert Nickell, all seven Teachers of the Year receive a monetary award. Please join us in celebrating these exceptional teachers who do so much for our children at the next MBUSD Board meeting on June 6th at 6:30pm.

Mira Costa – Jonathan Westerberg
MBMS – In Memoriam of Sandy Casey
Grand View – Carrie Fairbrother
Meadows – Lauren Walsh
Pacific – Nanci Schnebly
Pennekamp – Linda Hunt
Robinson – Kim Holz, District Teacher of the Year
MB Preschool – Karen Mamakos

The College Road Map: Finding Your Way to the Right College Presented by Bob Patterson 
The college admissions process can be daunting. Join Bob Patterson, a college admissions expert, on Tuesday, May 22nd at 6pm in the MCHS Auditorium, for his wisdom and expertise on the process, and how it is different for our students today. He has read and made decisions on over 100,000 applications at public and private universities, including the University of Pittsburgh, University of North Carolina, UC Berkeley and Stanford, where he served as Director of Admissions. Help your child navigate the college admissions process and better position themselves for acceptance to the college that is right for them. This educational opportunity for parents and students is hosted by MBEF. Attendance is free but advance registration is required – register online here.

State of Our Youth's Health: Stress and Substance Use Summit
Beach Cities Health District will convene students, parents, schools, healthcare providers, community leaders, law enforcement and local businesses on Thursday, May 24 from 11am - 2pm for a community conversation on mental health and substance use prevention. The event will include a student panel; school leadership presentation; keynote address by Honorable Mary Bono, former U.S. congresswoman from California and substance abuse prevention advocate; and a breakout session on mental health, based on SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Community Conversations About Mental Health Discussion Guide. The event will be held at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach (formerly the Marriott). Register here.

Join the MBEF Team!
MBEF is currently looking for a full-time Community Relations & Events Director. If you have experience in event management, communications and fund development, and are passionate about public education and our community, we would love to hear from you. Please click here for more information and to apply. 

MBMS Spring Choral Concert
Sing for Spring! Join the MBMS Choir for their Spring Concert on Thursday, May 24th at 6:30 pm in the MBMS Gym. The evening features performances by the Mermaid Choir, Neptune Chorus, Seaside Chorale, Senior Wave Chorale and the Madrigal Singers & Soloists. Support of the MBMS Choir on the night of the show includes an opportunity raffle, ads or messages in the program, and DVD's and CD's. For more information, please contact Jessica Dalley or Heather Gold.

Senior Scenes Presented by MCHS Drama/Tech Department
Join Mira Costa's 12th-grade Drama and Tech students on Wednesday, May 30th for a series of Senior Scenes – ten-minute, student-produced, student-directed vignettes featuring their MCHS drama classmates. It promises to be a fun evening of musicals and plays. Senior Scenes will be held at 7pm in the Small Theater at Mira Costa High School and admission is free.

MCHS Orchestras Presents the Pops Concert 
Please join the GRAMMY™ Award-Winning Mira Costa High School Orchestra for the last concert of the year on Tuesday, June 5th at 7pm in the MCHS Auditorium. Under the direction of Mr. Peter Park, the Orchestra will play favorite and popular musical selections with a twist. This is a lively and fun way to end the school year! The orchestra will also be bidding farewell to its senior orchestra students. Tickets are $10 at the door by cash or credit card or purchase your tickets online here. Students with school ID and seniors 65+ are free.

Grand View's Gator Run Raises $33,000 for MBEF
A record number of runners and walkers joined the Grand View Gators for their 23rd Annual Gator Run. This is a wonderful community event that brings together serious runners, joyful joggers, and laid-back walkers from all of our schools. Special thanks to Exer More Than Urgent Care for stepping up as this year's title sponsor. Thank you to Grand View and the Gator 5K Committee for your support of MBEF and our schools!

Upcoming MBUSD and Community Events 

In the News and Parent Resources
Please find below a round-up of the most widely read and shared articles from MBEF’s Facebook Page. MBEF is proud to be a resource for our families to interact and learn from experts and each other. Join our Facebook Community and join the conversation.

Powerful research-based reading instruction is proving to serve all students well – A Look at Structured Literacy.

Project Lead the Way is bringing team-centered and project-based learning to schools across the country: Building Skills Outside the Classroom with New Forms of Learning. 

In an effort to strengthen security on MBUSD campuses, the City of Manhattan Beach Pledges $1 Million Dollars to promote school safety.

It's just a few meaningful exchanges each day that contribute to the fabric of our children's self-worth and helps us to Connect in the Midst of Our Busy Lives.  

Leah Niehaus, LCSW, shares an eye-opening look at Teen Anxiety and Depression for parents through South Bay Families Connected.