MARINA VILLAGE PARENT RESOURCES
Respect, Responsibility, Safety, Scholarship
Embedded Files
Academic Resources
Homework Club and Academic Recovery - After school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:15 to 3:15
Study Skills Classes in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades - by invitation and takes the place of an elective
Varsity Tutors for online tutoring is now available through the student's Clever Login.
VARSITY TUTOR
Wellness Resources
Contact our counselor, Leah Teddington, for a referral to our Wellness Center: lteddington@rescueusd.org
Mental well-being: Safe and smart digital habits for you and your kids
Mental well-being: Safe and smart digital habits for you and your kids
Children and adolescents exploring digital spaces can sometimes wander into content or interactions that are better left unexplored. As a parent or caregiver, this can be a little worrisome to say the least. Fortunately, while you can’t shield them from everything just a few clicks away, you can help guide their online journeys — and prepare them to protect themselves.
1. Be aware of what they may come across. Let them know it’s OK to ask you questions about content or interactions they’ve seen or experienced. Do you best to listen without judgment. Then answer their questions to the best of your knowledge and ability — and in a way they can understand.
2. Tell your child what worries you. Just like you explain why they shouldn’t touch a hot stove or run across a busy street, you can explain what to watch out for and why, in a way that fits their age. From carefully edited photos and messages that can trigger self-doubt to dangers like catfishing (when someone pretends to be someone else to trick you), talking to them honestly can help them understand why you want them to be careful.
3. Remember there’s good stuff online, too. Youth can find a lot of educational, fun and inspiring content online. They also can find affirming sites, chat groups and influencers who offer emotional support and shared lived experiences. Encourage them to use their time online for their own benefit — and to avoid the rest.
4. Explain the risks of sharing too much. Help your child or teen understand the risks of online communications, even with people they trust. Make sure they know messages, videos and posts on any platform can be copied, saved and shared. Help them think about what’s OK to share and what’s better kept private. Explain why they shouldn’t post personal information, photos or passwords, even with people they know.
5. Teach them to consider the source. Help them understand what fact-based information is vs. opinion pieces vs. content that’s created to purposely mislead you into thinking or doing something. (If you could use an overview yourself, take a moment to search for “media literacy guidance” online and read advice from trustworthy sources.)
6. Set boundaries. Most devices allow you to set parental controls and block sites. Consider using these to limit their access and exposure to content you’d rather they didn’t see. You can also check usage and site histories to know how long your child has been online and where they went. At the same time, keep in mind, these strategies aren’t fail-safes. Many youths learn how to bypass these types of controls or find workarounds, which is why having honest conversations is key.
7. Help them stay in touch with the real world and practice self-care. Encourage your child or adolescent to spend time with friends and others they enjoy in person — and to do activities they enjoy that don’t involve screens. Covering the basics — like making sure they eat nutritious foods, get enough sleep and regular physical activity — can help them stay centered and resilient, and nurture their overall mental health and well-being.
Sources:
Child Mind Institute, Does Social Media Use Cause Depression? April 1, 2025.
Cornell University Library, Getting your facts straight: Tips on media literacy. October 3, 2024.
The Digital Wellness Lab, Safety and Surveillance Software Practices as a Parent in the Digital World. November 2023.
PMC, NIH, Social media use and depression in adolescents: a scoping review. July 30, 2020.
National Center for Health Research. Social media and adolescents’ and young adults’ mental health. Accessed May 7, 2024.
Optum, Pride365+, Empowering your joy in life. 2025.
Optum Wellbeing, A quick guide to preventing bullying. 2024.
Optum Wellbeing, Mental wellbeing: 10 healthy ways to help your child navigate digital spaces. 2024
>>> https://www.hellobrightline.com/brightlifekids/ (parents and children ages 0 to 12)
>>> https://solunaapp.com/ (youth ages 13-25)
Welcome Back Information
2025-2026
“Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.” Walt Disney, an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur.
"A Force for Good!" Marina Village
Dear parents/guardians, and students,
The staff at Marina Village Middle School is excited about the upcoming school year and wants to warmly welcome you back to school. In order to make the return to school as smooth as possible, we are providing you with some important beginning of the year dates and some general day-to-day information about life on our campus. Please read the information carefully and reach out to us if you have questions.
I would like to welcome everyone back to school and feel fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community. I am privileged to be a part of such an outstanding school community and know that this will be an outstanding year for our students. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns, or input at any time. GO MUSTANGS!!!!
Levi Cambridge
Principal, Marina Village Middle School
Important start of the year dates:
August "Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong." McKayla Maroney, gymnastic gold medalist
"Go for the Gold"
Dear parents/guardians and students,
The staff at Marina Village Middle School is excited about the upcoming school year and warmly welcomes you back to school. We are privileged to be a part of such an outstanding school community and know that this will be an outstanding year for our students. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions, concerns, or input at any time. To make the return to school as smooth as possible, we are providing you with some important beginning of the year dates and some general day-to-day information about life on our campus. Please read the information carefully and reach out to us if you have questions. GO MUSTANGS!!!!
Levi Cambridge
Principal, Marina Village Middle School
Important start of the year dates:
August 1 - W.E.B. Orientation Day (Incoming 6th graders: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM. New 7th and 8th graders: 12:30 - 1:30 PM. See the flyer below)
August 6 - Class schedules for all grade levels are available after 2:00 PM on the Aeries Parent Portal
August 7 - First day of Class (school begins at 8:00 AM)
August 8 - Back to School Night for Parents (6:00 to 7:40 PM)
August 22-23 - Picture Day during PE classes
Important Behavior Reminders:
Phones away for the day. Students are to turn off all electronics (phones, ipads, smart watches, etc.) and put them in their backpacks once studnets step on campus. They may turn them on when they are dismissed at the end of the day. If a student needs to use an electronic device they should come to the office to ask permission.
Gum is not allowed on campus during any part of the school day.
Dress Code requirements can be found by CLICKING HERE (handbook page 8). Please adhere to all dress code requirements.
Starbucks - A message from our friends at Starbucks
Hi All!
My name is Kristen and I'm the Store Manager at the Green Valley & Francisco Starbucks that you all like to come to after school for your drinks and snacks. I wanted to set expectations for visiting our stores. We have what is called the "Third Place Policy" and we will be asking that you all follow this policy and we will be enforcing this policy at every visit.
The Third Place Policy includes Using Our Spaces As Intended, Being Considerate of Our Partners and Other Customers, Communicating with Respect, and Acting Responsibly.
Unfortunately, we have seen furniture misused, bathrooms misused including sharing the bathroom with multiple kids, yelling, wrestling, drinks thrown at each other and our facility, riding scooters and bikes on the patio, and trash and personal items left everywhere.
We love being able to serve you and get to know you. We love that you are able to come down and use our space to study, connect, and hang out with your friends. In order for us to deliver our best to each and every customer, we will need you all to use our space as it is intended to minimize the disruption for each other, other customers, and our partners.
In the event that our policies and expectations are not followed, we will have to ask you to not visit our stores. We are working with your school leaders to support this so that we all can have the best experience. Our goal is to have you all enjoy our space this upcoming year. Your school and Starbucks are committed to ensuring a great school year and experience for everyone.
Kristen Flaherty
Starbucks Store Manager
Green Valley & Francisco
Store #: (916) 941-7524
STUDENTS
Back to School Night: We are planning on holding our Back to School night in person on Thursday, August 8th, from 6:00 to 7:40 PM. Parents will be able to follow their student's class schedule and visit each of their classes and teachers! CLICK HERE for the BTSN Flyer and GO MUSTANGS!!!!
Bike and Scooter Riders: Racks are available for students on the ramp near the office. Students must provide their own locks. By law, students who ride bikes and scooters are required to wear a helmet. Please walk bikes and scooters while on campus and in the parking lot areas. Park in the rack rather than against fences.
NO Skateboards are allowed on campus
Weekly Newsletters—The Best Way to Stay Informed: Each week a parent/student newsletter will be emailed home. It is also posted on our website: www.marinamustangs.com. Highlights from the newsletter will be read to students on Mondays during their first period.
Bus Schedule: Bus schedules and routes are available on the district website: www.rescueusd.org. Click on Departments, then Transportation.
Class Schedules: Class schedules will be available on Aeries on August 6th after 2:00 PM. Please ensure that you have completed the online registration process on the Aeries parent portal (an email from the district will be sent in July from Rene Buenrostro ) in order to enable downloading of your class schedule.
First Day of Instruction: Our first day of instruction is Wednesday, August 7th. Classes begin at 8:00 AM. Students are released at 1:15 PM as this is a Wednesday collaboration day schedule. As a school, we will be meeting our teachers, learning about classroom expectations, and discussing our core values. Over the first few days, we will be sharing our behavioral expectations with students as part of our PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) program. Please see the matrix below to review behavioral expectations in various areas on campus.
PE Clothes: After the first week or two, students will begin dressing out for PE. We will have PE clothes vouchers on sale for $10 per item. PE clothes vouchers will be available for purchase after W.E.B. day from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM and at back-to-school night on August 8th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. PE clothes will also be available to purchase all year long through the office. Students who cannot afford PE clothes will have one set of PE clothes provided at no cost. Students must wear Marina PE clothing to participate in PE.
Phone Use: The office phone is available to students in emergency situations during the school day and as needed after school (within reason). Please make arrangements for transportation, etc., with your student before school to alleviate the need for the office phone to be used. If a student feels ill, they need to call from the nurse’s office only. CELL PHONES are allowed at school but are to be TURNED OFF as soon as students come on campus in the morning. They may be turned back on after school. Violation of the cell phone policy will result in student discipline.
Schedule Changes: Administration may make some required schedule changes as we start the year. The changes will be made with the least disruption possible to the student schedules. We will not be able to make schedule changes based on requests for particular teachers or a particular order of classes. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
School Picture Day: School pictures will be taken on Thursday, August 22, and Friday, August 23 during students’ PE classes. Information about purchasing school pictures will be emailed and detailed in a future weekly newsletter. The picture make-up day will be announced at a later date.
Start and Dismissal: The first bell rings at 7:55 am and students are expected to be seated in their first-period class at 8:00 AM. Students are dismissed at 2:15 pm. Every Wednesday, students are dismissed at 1:15 pm. On minimum days, students will be released at 11:50 AM. Please see the bell schedule below.
Student Planner: Each student will be provided with a daily planner to be used for the school year. The Student Handbook and other valuable information are included in the planner. Students are expected to keep track of assignments in this planner and share this information with their parents.
Textbooks: 7th and 8th-grade textbooks will be distributed during the first week of school during your math class for students to take home. 6th-grade students will be picking up their textbooks on W.E.B. day. Physical textbooks are available for students in each class that stay in the classroom. Students will not need to transport their books to and from school.
W.E.B. (Where Everyone Belongs) DAY: WEB Day is our 6th grade and new student orientation day. See the informational flyer below. Parents may drop off students in the gym on Thursday, August 1st at 8:00 AM. 6th-grade students will pick up their textbooks in the library with the group leaders after the WEB Day orientation. Students will need to be picked up at 12:00 PM after they pick up their textbooks. WEB day is for students only.
ATHLETICS
Athletics: Marina Village has several competitive sports teams in which students may participate. Information on athletics and different sports will be provided as the school year progresses. Students are encouraged to get their sports physicals before school begins. Summer physicals will be valid for the school year. Information can always be found on the school athletics webpage. We look forward to the 2024-2025 athletic contests.
ENRICHMENT
Enrichment: Marina Village continues to provide a variety of enrichment opportunities that allow our students to get connected and stay connected to our school community. Our Project Lead the Way science classes, music performance classes, leadership, garden club, art, advanced math, several different clubs, after-school classes, and sports are just a few of the enrichment opportunities that students can take advantage of while here at Marina Village. We encourage students to get involved and participate as a member of our Ohana. See the weekly newsletter for enrichment opportunities available for students throughout the year.
PARENTS
Employment Opportunities in RUSD
Absent Students: Attendance is one of the key factors of being a successful student in school and maximizing our funding from the state. Please use the school calendar below as a reference that can also be found on our website when planning vacations and making appointments.
If your student is absent, please call as early as you can to notify the school of the absence and the reason. An email will also suffice to explain the reason for an absence. The attendance line can be reached by calling 916-933-3993 and following the prompts to leave a message. Automated attendance calls and emails go out to parents daily at 10:05. At the end of the school day, follow-up phone calls and emails will be sent from Marina if we still haven't received a reason or a phone call about an absence that day. Without notification, students will be considered unexcused.
Back to School Night: We are planning on holding our Back to School night in person on Thursday, August 8th, from 6:00 to 7:40 PM. Parents will be able to follow their student's class schedule and visit each of their classes and teachers! CLICK HERE for the BTSN Flyer and GO MUSTANGS!!!!
Checking Students Out of School: If you need to check your student out of school before the end of the school day, you will need to come into the office to sign your student out. Please note that students in PE will take a longer time to get to the office as they will need to change clothing.
Grade Level Policies and Supply Lists: The grade level policies and supply lists may be found on the Marina Village website.: Supply Lists and Grade Level Policies
Jupiter Ed for Online Grades: Parents and students may track student grades through our online grading program. This is the most used online tool for communication between teachers and parents. Information about behavior and assignments are also posted on Jupiter Ed. Log-in information from previous years at Marina or from the elementary schools will still be active in the coming year for access to current grades. Parents who no longer have their log-in information or who are new to Marina can pick up the log-in information in our school office.
Lunches: A wide variety of healthy and delicious items are offered for breakfast and lunch daily. Bagels, muffins, and juices are available each morning before school. Breakfast and lunches are provided free to all students by the state of California. Students may come to the kitchen to pick up breakfast items starting at 7:30 am. Menus will be posted in the kitchen and on the district website. However, any a-la-carte items such as frozen yogurt and slushies may be purchased but are not part of the free program. Students may purchase a-la-carte items with cash or they may add money to their accounts anytime by bringing checks or cash to the kitchen in the morning for future a-la-carte purchases. Food deliveries, such as DoorDash, will not be accepted a school. ALL families, regardless of family income, are asked to complete a: School Education Benefit Form and a Federal Meal Application. We are asking for your assistance to assure that our schools continue to receive all of the State funding we are eligible for to support student programs. Thank you!
Messages and Forgotten Items to Students During the Day: Please try to set up family plans in advance of the school day. Forgotten homework, PE clothes, and lunches, will not be delivered during the school day in order to minimize classroom disruptions. If your child has forgotten an item, they may come to the office during passing periods, at break time, or at lunch to see if it was delivered. We really appreciate your understanding about advance communications with your child, including messages about after-school pick-up locations and details.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminder: There are many parents who drive their children to and from school. To make the morning drop-off and pick-up as timely and safe as possible, please allow extra time for the inevitable traffic on Francisco Drive. There is a single ENTRANCE ONLY into the parking lot across from the Gym and ALL TRAFFIC will need to exit at the northernmost end of the parking lot at the top of the school. Once entering the parking lot, select the DROP OFF LANE to the right OR the PARKING AREA and through the traffic lane on the left. Please drive slowly and cautiously through the parking lot as there are often students crossing. Please DO NOT drop your student off in the bus circle. This area is for BUSSES ONLY. Do not drop off on Francisco Drive or in the drive-through lane. Only pick up or drop off students at the school curb. If parked, please walk your student from the curb to your car. Do not park or pick up students where curbs are painted red, these are fire lanes that must remain clear. Students should have backpacks ready and exit as quickly as possible. Check out this video for our parking procedures: https://youtu.be/r13tLh_uUyc
Student Information Update: Please ensure you have updated your student information on the Aeries parent portal. Please update personal contacts, address changes, and emergency contact information. The parent portal will be available on July 29th to update student information. For instructions on how to access the parent portal and update student information in Aeries: CLICK HERE. For instructions on how to create an Aeries Parent Portal Account: CLICK HERE. Please login to make changes please log in to: https://aeries.rescueusd.org/rusdportal
While middle school is a time when students are expected to become more aware of their personal responsibilities, it is also very important that parents stay on top of their student’s progress and assist them in becoming more responsible…even if they are thirteen years old. We strongly encourage you to be in regular contact with your child’s teachers. Teacher voicemail and email accounts are listed on our website. Please feel free to contact the counselor or administration if you need additional help or have concerns. We are here for you!
The staff at Marina Village is very excited to start the new school year, and we are looking forward to a successful and positive year. We hope that the 2024-2025 school year starts off on a good note for you and your family. We look forward to seeing you on August 7th!
Levi Cambridge Samantha Schlesinger
Principal, Marina Village Middle School Assistant Principal, Marina Village Middle School
All of the above information, as well as the items below, are on the MVMS website, www.MarinaMustangs.com
Marina Village’s Office Opens July 29, 8:00 AM
School Begins Wednesday, August 7, 2024
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