Next PTA Meeting

3/6/2026 6:51 pm

PTA General Association Meeting #4

Agenda + Online meeting link.

Tue, Mar 17 @ 6:30 PM

 

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BOOK FAIR: One Week Only Mar 9–13

3/4/2026 7:18 am

 

 

Now that you have a wishlist, it's time to decide what to bring home from the 2026 Book Fair!

    • ▢ Their wishlist (Is your wishlist a mess? If you need a new copy, download a blank form)

    • ▢ Cash or a Literati Gift Card

      • If you choose to buy a Literati Gift card, just write the recipient’s name + gift card balance on your child’s wishlist, or you can print out your confirmation email and send it with your child.

      • If you send cash, exact change is appreciated. 

    • ▢ Reusable grocery bag from home (or buy a Literati tote for 89¢. There's a checkbox on the Wish List)

Tips

  • Use a ziploc bag for all items, labeled with your child's name + total amount.
  • Print out a copy of your Literati digital gift card, or write out the # on the front of your wishlist
  • Kids love the tchotchkes (silly pens, posters, journals); consider adding a little extra to the total!
  • Did your kid forget to write down the price? Can't decipher the book title? Check out the full book and price list (which includes all those little tchotchkes on their wish list).

 

 

Book Fair Schedule + Hours

Parents can visit the book fair—and use a credit card or pay with their phone! Visit us at lunch or after school:

 

 

>>>Click for the list by classroom<<<

>>>Click for the list by classroom<<<

 

 

 

The Literati Spring Book Fair is here! March 9–13
One Week Only 

 

       

   

 

 

 

FAQ

Volunteering

 

how do i get 20% off my purchase?

Volunteer: visit sign up genius today!

what do volunteers do?

The Literati Book Fair is a community effort, and it takes a village of enthusiastic volunteers to run it! We have lots of shifts still available, and volunteers:

  • Help students, especially our TK and Kinders, put together their wish lists during classroom previews
  • Run the cash register during lunch, and after school
  • Oh, and did you know that volunteers receive 20% off every book order? (Just check the box on your kid’s wish list)Thank you in advance!What is the difference between the two volunteer types on sign up genius?

 

why are there different volunteer types?

 

 

LAUSD cleared:

 

At MWE, each class visits the book fair twice: first for a preview, so students can put together a wish list for their adults to approve; and again to return to purchase any approved books. So if you see "Teacher Name (Rm. #) Preview" or "Teacher Name (Rm. #) Sales,"  you can work directly with a specific classroom. NOTE: to work these shifts, you need to be an LAUSD-cleared volunteer. 

 

LAUSD-cleared volunteers have gone through the process of a negative TB-test, background check, and formal application submitted through the front office. These are the only volunteers able to help during class previews/sales. 

 

General volunteers:

 

Don't need special clearance because these slots are during lunch or after school hours and aren't assigned to a specific classroom. After school volunteers are especially needed so the book fair can be open to parents who may want to visit!  

 

Lead:

Limited to PTA executive board members or book fair chairs. 

Book Fair

why are some books only available online? 

A handful of books—especially Scholastic titles like Dogman, Wings of Fire and Baby Sitters Club—are exclusive to our Virtual Book Fair, so they will not be available at the in-person book store. At the same time, some books available in-person may not be online. If your child wants a book that's been "sold out" between their preview and purchase date, we can order it for them at the register! It will arrive in a few weeks. 

my kid forgot to write the title/price on their wishlist! What can i do?

You can look up the book title + price here.

are you only selling books?

*Only* books?! We've got fiction and non-fiction; easy-reader and chapter books; graphic novels and activity books across a wide range of subjects—from animals and nature, to gaming and sci-fi, history to mystery, well-loved characters to new heroes and heroines.
We'll also have a selection of kid-favorite tchotchkes like fun pens, journals, and posters.  

Literati Gift Card + Payment 

what types of payment do you accept at the book fair?

We accept Literati Gift Cards and cash. After you tally up approved books for purchase, please remember to add the 9.75% Los Angeles sales tax! 

how do literati gift cards work? do i have to print a receipt for my kid? what if i have a balance from last year?

After you purchase your Literati Gift card online and receive a confirmation email, write the card #, your name + gift card balance on your child’s Wish List.  
 
If Literati emailed you to say you have a balance on a gift card then hooray! Consider that a gift from the past you. You can clear that balance by using it at the Virtual Book Fair today or your child can use it in person. NOTE: Literati doesn’t allow you to reload a gift card; you can simply purchase another one for this year’s books. (And yes, it can be under the same name!)
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A Message from the Nomination Committee

3/1/2026 8:59 pm

This is your PTA Nominating Committee!


We are truly fortunate to have so many engaged, caring parents at our school, and of course, an amazing faculty, administration and student body!
 
This was a special year, the first year in recent memory that we have had multiple PTA board positions that drew multiple interested candidates. Thank you to all who stepped up to volunteer!
 

That said, there are several elected positions still wide open, including VP Programs and Financial Secretary, as well as many other appointed positions such as Fundraising Assistant, Community Chair and Technology Chair. We need your support! We are still actively looking for people to be part of the team and we welcome deeper discussions with any candidate who wishes to contribute to our community.
 
It has been a busy month for us! As the elected nominating committee, in consultation with the Highlands Council of PTA’s and in the interest of our community, we voted to put forward a single candidate for each role. With utmost care and consideration for both the school community and for each of the candidates, the nominating committee discussed and deliberated at great length before voting for the candidate it viewed as the best fit for each role at this time.
 
The slate of nominees presented by the committee to the PTA membership is a recommendation, and the final vote rests with membership. There is an opportunity for nominations to be brought to the floor at the general association meeting on March 17th. The only requirement is that candidates must be PTA members for at least 30 days and be present during election proceedings.
 
We want your support and involvement and are excited to build an even stronger community for all at MWE!
 
Kind Regards,
PTA Nominating Committee
Angela Vawter (Chair) - parliamentarian@mwpta.org
Andrew Bulbrook - andrewbulbrook@gmail.com
Raúl Fernández - raulbfernandez@gmail.com
Ramona Orley - ramonaorley@gmail.com
Anu Pradhan - programs1@mwpta.org

To learn more about the nomination process, click here. 
To learn more about the vacant elected positions or any of the appointed positions, click here, or reach out to any of the members of the nominating committee.
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Spring Book Fair: March 6–13

2/13/2026 8:52 am

LITERATI BOOK FAIR • Mar, 6–13

 

          

 

Ahoy mateys...The Literati Book Fair is coming March 6–13 and we are getting ready to set sail.

 

Right now, we're on the look out for volunteers (link to sign up genius) to help during lunch & after school. Fun fact: you don't need LAUSD clearance to be on campus, so this is open to anyone.*

 

Did you hear the scuttlebutt? As a small token of our gratitude, volunteers get a 20% discount at the book fair 

 

 

If you want to hang out with your kid(s) when their classroom is visiting the fair, here's the class schedule. (And yep, you need Volunteer Tier II clearance, so this is a good time to submit your paperwork to LAUSD if you haven't already)

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Join the PTA Board Next Year!

1/20/2026 1:42 pm

Tue, Jan 27 @ 6:30 PM • PTA Meeting Link

PTA Meeting #3 is an important one: it's where we begin the search for our new Executive Board. Read more below, and check out the available positions for the 2026–27 school year. Click here to learn more about the nomination process and timeline.

 

 Questions? Please reach out to Angela Vawter - parliamentarian@mwpta.org

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1/11/2026 2:25 pm

THANK YOU

 

Hey everyone, it’s Alex Riguero, Direct Appeal Chair, with an important announcement.  WE DID IT!   We raised 200K! 

 

It was a huge team effort and there are just so many people to thank.  I want to thank our donors (seriously you’re the best) but there were so many additional people who went above and beyond to make this possible: 

  • Ms. Ontiveros, for being so transparent with our school’s budget challenges
  • The parents who hit the class WhatsApps after Ms. O’s budget presentation and raised 10K in a weekend
  • Rachael Morrison and Rachael Garza who’s impassioned plea on behalf of our wonderful little school mobilized tons of parent support
  • Sarah Burns and the room reps who kept reminding folks to give with humor and warmth
  • The people who gave *multiple times* to reach our goal
  • The grandparents who gave so generously
  • The PTA Board for their unstinting support and help
  • ...and last, but definitely not least, my co-chair John Meehan.  Thanks again for supporting our school!
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Mindful Tech @ MWE

9/25/2025 12:00 am

After last week's PTA GA meeting ended, MWE parent Alicia Van Couvering spoke about the rise of  classroom technology and its effects on the learning, safety, and privacy of students in education broadly, and at LAUSD across all grades.

 

In response, MWE teachers Mr. Talty (4th grade) prepared an overview of EdTech as it is currently used at MWE, which includes the platforms used by each grade level. Many thanks to Mrs. Fowler, Ms. Zelina Munoz, and Ms Graham for contributing.  
 

To ensure that the dialogue around tech at MWE is thoughtful, informed and focused on the reality of screens at our school, Mr. Talty will also host a school-wide meeting in late October. More details to come!

 

We thank Alicia for starting the conversation, and are so grateful to Mr Talty, his fellow teachers, and MWE admin for their responsiveness, transparency, and willingness to inform our parents.

 

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CHOICES applications now open!

8/13/2025 7:00 am

Hi Middle School, It's Me, a MWE parent.

Now that you're kinda back in the groove of this school year, let's talk middle school...

LAUSD’s “Choices” application for specialized academic programs—including magnet schools, dual-language programs, and some charter schools—opens on October 1, 2025.

 

Learn about the LAUSD magnet programs and the points system with this presentation from Dr. Keith Abrahams III 🧲

 

Important Deadlines:

 

  • November 14, 2025 — Deadline to submit the application online or by mail.

  • February 2, 2026 — The late application window opens for any remaining spots.

  • March 2026 — Families will receive results for on-time applications.

  • Early April 2026 — Deadline to accept or decline offers from on-time applicants.

  • April 2026 — The late selection process begins.

Check out LAist's handy dandy article for more information! 

 

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THANK YOU!

 

 

 

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