Latest News From Manhattan Beach Unified Schools Superintendent

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA —

Hello everyone,

I spent the morning at one of our elementary schools greeting and screening our TK-2 students who are returning for in-person instruction. It was wonderful to welcome back our employees and our students. This week, our students will be in-person two days a week, while our teachers will be in-person four days a week. Next week, we start our AM/PM schedule, where students will be learning in their classrooms four days a week either in the morning or the afternoon. That will be the elementary hybrid schedule for as long as we need to have it.

RE-OPENING SCHOOLS
In response to questions about when the state/county rules will allow older students to return, LACDPH is projecting that getting below a case rate of 25 cases/100,000 citizens will trigger our being able to bring students in grades 3-5 back to school. And then moving into the Red Tier, with a case rate below 7 cases/100,000, will allow secondary schools to resume in hybrid fashion. I don’t know when those case rates will happen, or what the guidelines for a secondary school hybrid model will include, but we will be discussing alternative ways to get some cohorts of our older students back on campus.

PSAT SUCCESS
Last Tuesday, I was part of a big effort to administer the PSAT exam at Mira Costa High School. In a normal year, I wouldn’t even be writing about that, but in this crazy time, this was the first time for about 200 of our high school students to be on campus since March 13, 2020. I had the opportunity to greet and screen our students as they came on to campus through one of two entrances. Juniors taking the test smiled behind their masks and were wowed by their first sight of our new gym and athletics complex. This impressive building sits completed and waiting for students, our athletes, and our coaches, and we can’t wait to welcome them inside!

VACCINATION ROLLOUT
The vaccine rollout is one of the most critical factors impacting all future re-openings. Although I have been bitterly disappointed by the number of vaccines made available in LA County so far, I am optimistic that we will see a dramatic uptick soon. With increased news coverage about the COVID strain variants, and whether they might actually cause another increase in infection rates, I hope that we all will diligently follow the guidelines, enjoying the relaxation of rules on outdoor dining and social gatherings (up to three households and no more than 15 people can gather outdoors), and by doing so help avoid yet another spike. I will say, it was nice this weekend to have our first social gathering since Thanksgiving, as we hosted a lunch for two other couples from our neighborhood in our backyard.

2021 BUDGET AND MBEF
In the midst of all of this, we are developing our budget for the 2021-22 school year. While state funding looks promising for the upcoming school year, we do have challenges. One of our challenges is that MBEF has had lower than expected response to its Annual Appeal fund-raising campaign. I understand. We have lower enrollment, and therefore fewer families to contribute. But it’s more than that. Some people are upset about COVID and disappointed that our students are not all back in school, and as a result, a number of people have chosen not to donate to MBEF this year. MBEF is expecting to be at least $1 million below their 2020-21 fund-raising goal and therefore will have to reduce their grants to support programs next school year by that same $1 million amount. That’s going to hurt. I urge you, if you have not yet donated and if you are able, please reconsider. If not addressed, this shortfall will result in MBEF programs being reduced or eliminated and could also lead to higher class sizes. You’ve heard it before - we are the 2nd lowest funded district in the state, and without the continued high level of support from MBEF, we would look very different. Thank you to all of you who have donated, and I hope that more of us can donate. It’s not too late. Click here to make a donation.

E-BIKE SAFETY
Finally, I would like to share a safety message from our City and from MBPD. E-Bikes are very popular in our community, and while it’s great to see people, young and not as young, on their bikes and enjoying the fresh air, there are some concerns and complaints about safety. I will say, as a cyclist who has spent time pedaling my non-motorized bike on the bike path, some of those e-bikes go really fast. I join the City and MBPD in encouraging you to enjoy those e-bikes (especially with the help you get going up those hills!) while also abiding by all safety laws. MBPD will be enforcing those regulations, so please read their press release so you can know what you need to know. Cycle safely!

That last paragraph was the most normal part of a newsletter I’ve written in 11 months.

Sorry for the long newsletter - lots going on!

Thank you,

Mike Matthews
MBUSD Superintendent