MISSION BAY HIGH SCHOOL
• MBHS will host an Open House/Back to School Night on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Enjoy dinner provided by Woodstock’s Pizza from 5 to 6 p.m. and then gather in the auditorium for an informative presentation by the school’s principal. Guests are invited afterward to tour the campus and visit classrooms. 
• ACES tutoring will start on Monday, Sept. 8. The after-school support will be held in the library. Students will sign in between 
2:15 and 2:30 p.m. Staff from a variety of subject areas will be available to answer questions. For more information about ACES, contact Ron Lancia at [email protected]. This is an opportunity for students to keep up on their studies and continue down a path of success.
 
PACIFIC BEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL
• PB Middle School will host an Open House/Back to School Night on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. Enjoy dinner provided by Woodstock’s Pizza from 5 to 6 p.m. and then gather in the auditorium for a presentation by the school principal. Tour the PBMS campus, visit the classrooms and meet the teachers afterward.
• The YMCA/PBMS joint-occupancy lease agreement is in its final stages with the San Diego Unified School District. The YMCA project is being expanded and enhanced, which is causing some delay as the agreement is modified. As soon as the lease agreement is approved by the board of education, the project will go to the state architect, the capitol campaign will begin, community input will be solicited and the design and permitting process will commence. The hope is for the entire project to be completed in three years.
 
KATE SESSIONS ELEMENTARY
• After dedicating years of service to the community and students, teachers Walda Brooks and Brenda Solis have decided to retire.  Although they will be missed, two wonderful teachers have joined the staff in their places: kindergarten teacher Debra Junghans and kindergarten/first-grade teacher Carolyn Willis. Both bring with them years of experience teaching kindergarten and first grade.  We are proud to have them as new staff members.
• Kate Sessions will host a Handmade in San Diego Craft Fair on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Registration is open to artists and crafters with handmade goods. To register, visit www.sandi.-net/sessions (click on the events tab). PACIFIC BEACH ELEMENTARY
• A Penguin Pride celebration will be held on the blacktop at PB Elementary on Friday, Sept. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. There will be free hot dogs, nachos, watermelon, our famous cakewalk, a book fair, games for the kids and information about the school’s programs.  Come connect with friends and neighbors.
• The Scholastic Book Fair kicks off at Penguin Pride on Friday, Sept. 19 and continues until Thursday, Sept. 25, in the library.
• PBE Contribution Drive from Sept. 19 to Oct. 24. Help support PBE with your donations. All donations go directly to programs for PBE kids. FRIENDS OF PACIFIC BEACH SECONDARY SCHOOLS?
• The FOPBSS is a parent organization that supports both Pacific Beach Middle School and Mission Bay High School. The assistance and support they give both schools is immeasurable. If you would like to receive their email blasts, sign up at www.fopbss.org. FOBSS will keep you well informed of activities at both campuses.?
• FOPBSS meets Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. in the Mission Bay High School library. 
MISSION BAY CLUSTER
• Join in the conversation about Pacific Beach schools at a Mission Bay Cluster meeting, held the first Thursday of each month. October’s meeting, however, will be held Thursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at PB Middle School.
• There has been huge enrollment growth in the Mission Bay Cluster of schools. All four elementary schools — Kate Sessions Elementary, PB Elementary, Crown Point Junior Music Academy and Barnard Asian Pacific Language Academy — are near or at capacity. PB Middle and Mission Bay High school showed an increase in enrollment as well, necessitating the hiring of additional teachers. The MB Cluster’s Pillars of Education — (International Baccalaureate), language (Mandarin, Spanish, French), music and GATE/Semi-nar are driving the success of the public schools. Contact the schools directly to schedule a tour.
• The International Baccalaureate program continues to grow at Mission Bay High School. More than half of all juniors and seniors are taking at least one IB class and there are 77 juniors and seniors that are full IB-diploma candidates (these 77 students have decided to run the academic marathon). IB courses are college level, weighted classes, and many of these courses also give students college credit. MBHS has also expanded its AP offerings to enhance the higher-level IB coursework.
• The Mission Bay Cluster would like to thank outgoing SDUSD trustee Scott Barnett for his advocacy and vision for our schools. He will be ending his term in December. Dr. Michael McQuary will take over as the representative for the Mission Bay Cluster on the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education. McQuary lives in Pacific Beach. He is a retired teacher, an activist in the community and serves on the boards of the PB Town Council, Discover PB, Mission Bay Rotary and others. McQuary said he looks forward to supporting and advocating for the PB public schools.