Dear Montemalaga Families, 

Thank you for joining us at our Back-to-School Night this past Thursday. It was wonderful to see everyone on campus again. A special thank you goes to former student Emily Snider who presented to parents and spoke eloquently of how her school experience was even more enriching because of the programs funded by the Peninsula Education Foundation. It was an informative evening for all as teachers welcomed families into their classrooms. Despite the heat, many paused to take in the beautiful sunset while enjoying a chat with friends and neighbors. 

During last week's heatwave, we took steps to ensure the safety of our students. We encouraged minimal activity both indoors and outdoors and reminded students to stay hydrated. Teachers had classes take 20 to 40-minute cooling breaks in our air-conditioned spaces. Dr. Cherniss visited our campus along with the district's director of maintenance and operations to examine our facilities and discuss next steps in providing a safe and comfortable learning environment. Thank you to everyone who expressed their concerns and offered to be part of the solution moving forward. Our community is very generous, and I appreciate your willingness to donate for the sake of our students' well-being. We are currently working with the district and looking into cooling options for our classrooms. We will keep you updated. 

September is a very productive month here at Montemalaga as music classes begin this week as well as library and garden rotations. In addition, our science lab is reopening with lunchtime activities every Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are excited for our Student Council Elections taking place at the end of the month. Open to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders, this is a great opportunity to nurture leadership skills and reinforce the importance of providing service to others. This month we celebrate an Asian tradition known as the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival, as well as National Hispanic Heritage Month.