Mission Bay High
– Japanese Friendship Garden Series continues through April 25 at the Inamori Pavilion, Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. Experience live music in one of San Diego’s beautiful historical landmarks, while supporting music education in San Diego. Organized and produced by the music students of MBHS, all profits from the concerts will go to the Mission Bay High School music program to help the Mission Bay Preservationists travel to perform in Japan in April. For more information, go to missionbaymusic.com.  
Pacific Beach Middle
– A school tour will take place 8 a.m. Thursday, March 7. Sign in at the front office and gather in the library to meet Principal Kimberly Meng and IB coordinator Jennifer Sims and learn about the variety of programs offered and exciting changes coming to PBMS. A tour of the school will follow.
– Zoe Levin, an eighth grader at Pacific Beach Middle, has begun a school project offering lessons and stories of the Holocaust. “With this project, through lessons and stories of the Holocaust, I hope to teach my peers the dangers of hatred and prejudice, along with the ideas of remembrance, empathy and hope,” said Levin.
“I strongly believe in this project, because education given on the Holocaust is declining, and younger generations are becoming less aware of the events during this important time in history. My project aims to improve upon this within the community of PBMS and Pacific Beach as a whole.”
In 2018, Levin invited a Holocaust survivor to speak at PBMS. “From this experience, I learned how one act could strongly impact a group of both my peers and teachers alike,” she said. “This year, I hope to show the documentary, ‘Not the Last Butterfly,’ to the seventh-grade class. Following the viewing, students will be given the opportunity to paint ceramic butterflies as part of The Butterfly Project (thebutterflyprojectnow.org/).”
Levin noted the butterfly project “aims to create a total of 1.5 million ceramic butterflies around the world, representing each of the children murdered during the Holocaust.” Through donations, Levin has raised the fee of $180 to show the documentary, and $144 to buy the butterflies and supplies. Pacific Beach Elementary
– A big thank you to all the local businesses who have supported FOPBE’s annual fundraising auction. To buy tickets or sponsor the event, held on April 26, visit pbe.schoolauction.net/speakeasy/. Kate Sessions Elementary
– On Feb. 11, Sessions offered parents a morning coffee with the San Diego Unified Police. The focus of “Coffee with the Cops” was to strengthen community relations, identify community safety concerns, and provide resources and supports for families. There was a question and answer portion at the completion of the presentation where parents were able to get information about plans that are in place in the event of a natural disaster or a lock-down situation. The police also spoke about cyber bullying and the dangers of vaping. Feedback after the coffee was that there is a need for the police to come back and speak to the fifth graders. Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary
– Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary School celebrated Chinese New Year with a week of festivities. Traditional Chinese lion dancers kicked off the celebration during the Monday morning assembly on Feb. 4. On Feb. 8, students from each classroom staged spirited cultural performances for their families that highlighted different Chinese arts, including dance, song, martial arts, skits, and more.
Barnard’s free, community-wide Chinese New Year festival was held on Feb. 9. Attendees enjoyed hours of entertainment, food, and games throughout the day. Barnard students were also featured performers at Balboa Park’s House of China celebration. 
“I love my school’s Chinese New Year festival because I get to perform on the stage in front of so many people,” said fourth grade student Fiona S., who performed a tai chi fan dance, a lantern dance, taiko drumming, and a duet on the hulusi (a Chinese gourd instrument). “I have been practicing after school several days a week since September. The last four weeks I’ve been practicing even more. The hard work definitely paid off.”
Barnard’s performance troupes took to the main stage at the Downtown Chinese New Year Festival on Feb. 16 and 17. Until then… X?n nián kuài lè! Happy New Year. Crown Point Junior Music Academy
– ASB students ran a Kindness Week from Feb. 11-15. Students came together with a fun week of spirit days, and spread kindness throughout the school. ASB fourth-grade representative, Melody Twiligar, said, “We wanted to spread kindness to all the kids at our school and just make them smile.” FOPBSS
– Registration for the 2019 Schoolyard Dash 5K and 1-Mile Kids Run is open and sign up is at schoolyarddash.org.  The sixth annual Schoolyard Dash 5K and 1 Mile Kids Fun Run is a way to raise money for Pacific Beach Middle and Mission Bay High schools. Join them on Sunday, Feb. 24, to run or walk with family and friends at De Anza Cove along the Mission Bay running path. Breakfast, snacks, coffee, and drinks will follow the race and top runners will be recognized.
– The next FOPBSS meeting will take place 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27 at Mission Bay High School library.