Welcome to the Mirman community
We're so glad to have you with us! Please peruse the sections below to find out more information about life at Mirman, learn about our programs and procedures, and get all you need to have a great start to the school year!
All-School Information
Who Can I Call?
Getting to know a new school may be daunting at first; we want to make the transition as smooth as possible. As you get to know us, we've highlighted some administrators below who can help you with frequently asked "start-up" questions.
Who is my "Division Head?"
Head of Upper School: Ron Simmons
Head of Lower School: Stephanie Leung
Who can answer questions about health forms?
Registrar: Brittani Fowlin
I have a question about payments or tuition assistance. Who should I call?
Controller: Ronna Perel
Who can help me set up a bus contract?
Email [email protected]
I need to get in touch with my child at school. Who should I call?
Administrative Assistant: Toy Kelly
Who can help me set up after-school care and enrichment classes?
Director of Extended Programs: Rita Anne Smith
2018-2019 Academic Calendar At-A-Glance
(Please note: More dates will be included here as the calendar is finalized. Click here to view the live-updated master calendar.)
August 27: First day of school
November 21-23: Thanksgiving Break
December 21 - January 6: Winter Break
March 23 - April 7: Spring Break
June 5: Last day of school / Field day
June 6: Graduation
Required Medical Forms
As required by California law, for your child(ren) to attend school in the fall, you must provide proof of his or her immunizations. Your child(ren)'s will not be allowed to attend school unless we are in receipt of the immunization form. The state will allow an exemption for valid medical reasons from a doctor; however, the personal exemption is no longer valid. Click here to review a list of the required immunizations.
We are utilizing Magnus Health SMR to maintain student immunizations, allergies and other health related information. As this is a secure web-based system, you will have continuous access to your child(ren)’s health records, as well as the ability to make updates when needed. You will also have the option to take the digital health file with you after your child(ren) graduates. Please take a moment to review Magnus’ Privacy & Security Policy.
Magnus provides a form called Report of Health Examination for School Entry, on which your doctor can list your child(ren)’s vaccination history. The school will also accept a comparable proof of immunization form, if provided by your doctor’s office.
In addition to proof of immunizations, Mirman School asks you to review and/or complete:
- Mirman’s Prescription/Non-Prescription Medication Administration policy
- A general medical release form
- A Permission to Administer Prescription/Non-Prescription Medication form
- A Permission, Acceptance of Risk, and Release from Liability Prescription/Non-Prescription Drug Medication form
- Food Allergy Action Plan (if applicable)
You will receive an email from us in the early part of summer 2018 introducing Magnus and giving you instructions for accessing the system.
Transportation
Through the years, Mirman School has provided bus service in conjunction with Berkeley Hall School for the convenience of our families, to lessen the impact of vehicle emissions on the environment, and to alleviate some of the congestion on Mulholland Drive.
Mirman School has morning bus routes. We also have late buses with slightly variant routes. Please visit the Transportation page for detailed schedules and instructions. Guests may occasionally ride the bus for a fee; more information is available on the Transportation page. A user guide to SafeStop, the bus tracking app, is available by clicking here.
We will send an interest inquiry form in May, followed shortly thereafter by information on how to sign up for the bus. We will also send a "carpool roster" in May sorted by zip code to facilitate carpooling.
After-School Care and Enrichment
Mirman's After School Annex runs from dismissal until 6:00 p.m. on days when school is in regular session. Students have the option to choose between supervised free play on the playground, the quiet of a supervised Study Hall, or Homework Club. In addition, enrichment classes are offered for several weeks throughout the school year. The enrichment catalogs are made available via email in advance of each enrichment session opening.
Visit our Annex page to learn more and to sign up.
Uniform Policies & Dress Code
Lands' End is the provider of Mirman School's uniforms. Our dress code is designed to promote a neat, orderly, and appropriate appearance that fosters pride, self-esteem and community. All students are expected to wear appropriate school uniforms every day.
To Purchase Lands' End Uniforms
Please click here to visit the official Lands’ End Mirman School portal. Visitors may either sign-in, create an account, or proceed as a guest shopper. Guest shoppers can easily search for Mirman School’s portal by following the on-screen instructions. Specify your child's gender and whether he/she is in Lower School or Upper School. Please note that it is important to assign each child by division (rather than class or room teacher) to find the list of appropriate uniform options.
The Mirman School portal is up-to-date with all the appropriate options for Lower and Upper School student(s). The Uniform Checklist featured on the portal will help you navigate the uniform selections that are appropriate for each division.
Creating an account is not required, but has several advantages, such as the ability to save your child’s profile information, quicker checkout, and access to more sales and discounts from Lands’ End. If you ever get lost or misdirected while logged in, you can find the Mirman School uniform portal again by clicking “My Account” and selecting “Manage Account.” A link to “School Uniforms” can be found on the left side of the Account Management page.
Please note that all uniform items should be clearly labeled with your child’s name on it.
Mentor Family Program
Current Mirman families volunteer to serve as mentors to new Mirman families to ease the transition to their new school. Mentors will introduce you to other members of the community, invite you to events and playdates, and answer your questions. You should receive an email from your mentor family by mid-April, and meet each other at the Welcome Reception on April 24. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions about the mentor program.
Camp Mirman
Camp Mirman, a comprehensive STEAM day camp for ages 3-14, is a great way to get to know the community before the school year starts! This year, the camp runs from June 18 to July 27. Registration is now open for any of our weeklong sessions on the Camp Mirman page.
Parent Service League
All families are automatically members of the Parent Service League, Mirman's family organization supporting community connections and school service. There are events and volunteer opportunities for every possible level of time and interest. Come visit our PSL Page to learn more and sign up!
Ordering Lunch
Mirman offers a subscription lunch service through Organic Kids LA. Mirman School is a peanut/tree nut free campus.
Mustang Gazette Newsletter
The Parent Service League publishes a weekly newsletter, The Mustang Gazette, which includes a weekly calendar, school news, event announcements and recaps, snapshots from the week, and more! You'll be automatically signed up to receive the newsletter, which begins the week before school starts in August.
Team Sports/Athletics Information
Students in Room 4 through Upper School 4 are eligible to participate in athletics. Practices take place during Physical Education class time, and games will be after school. Each student-athlete must submit an Athletic Commitment Form and sign the Athletics Handbook, both of which are made available by email to all parents of eligible athletes prior to the start of each season.
Additional health forms may be necessary to compete in team sports. The Athletics Director will advise all parents of necessary forms and deadlines as they come up.
Attendance
Please inform the front office at [email protected] as well as Claudiette Wright Bey if your child will be absent. If your student shows up as absent without prior notification, an automated phone alert will be sent to you through our SchoolMessenger messaging system.
Arrival and Dismissal
Our goal is to safely and efficiently receive and dismiss all students from campus in a timely manner. In order to expedite this process, we are asking families to adopt the following procedures.
Morning carpool lines begin at 7:15 a.m. Due to safety considerations, parents must remain in their vehicles while driving through the carpool lines. Students may only exit when assisted by a staff member. Drivers may not pass vehicles in the carpool line. After dropping off your child, proceed directly to Mulholland Drive and turn right.
- Lower School/Mixed Carpools
All Lower School students and Lower School/Upper School mixed carpools are to exit their vehicles at the front Carpool Zone (area directly in front of the flagpole west of the front office). - Upper School
Upper School students are dropped off at the back gate, next to the Upper School building. Upper School students who arrive after 8:00 a.m. must be dropped off at the front gates.
Afternoon Pick-up Procedures
Students will be released to approved caregivers as noted by access to placard placed on the front windshield of your vehicle. All families will be provided with 4 placards to be used in order to identify individuals who are approved to pick up students. Additional placards can be requested at the front office if needed. If your child is in a carpool, they should know the name of the carpool picking them up.
Additionally, we are encouraging caregivers to not park and pick up their child from dismissal area from 3:10 p.m.-3:45 p.m. If you must enter campus to pick up your child during this time please park in the front lot and enter from the security gate, access the crosswalk, and proceed to the front desk.
- Lower School Students
The 3:10 p.m. pickup is for individual Lower School students and carpools that consist of only Lower School students. Students will be called to the Front Launching Pad as vehicles enter the front gate. To ensure the highest level of safety, we ask drivers to stay inside their vehicles while staff members load students. Vehicles must pull up to the front of the line and exit only when directed to. Any child not picked up by 3:30 p.m. will be accompanied to the back gate. - Upper School Students/Mixed carpools
The 3:30 p.m. pickup is for all individual Upper School students and carpools consisting of Upper School students and/or Upper School/Lower School mixed carpools.
Pickup time may not be used as an opportunity for a parent/teacher conference. Teachers are on duty to ensure student safety and to assist with the efficient departure of Mirman students. Any child not picked up by 3:45 p.m. will be accompanied to the Annex to await pickup by the parent or authorized adult. Any child not picked up by 4:00 p.m. will be charged a for Annex. A parent or authorized adult who arrives after carpool has ended should park and proceed to the front office in order to sign the child out of school. Please note that dismissal times will be notated on the master calendar for abbreviated days.
Special Arrangements
Parents should sign out students in the front office when early pick up is necessary. Please inform the front office at [email protected] and the child’s teacher if your child needs to be picked up early. Should the occasion arise when a parent cannot pick up his/her child, it is necessary to inform the front office. The designated driver should be directed to come to the front office for pickup. In the case that a family chooses to use a ride-sharing service (including HopSkipDrive), it is the parent’s responsibility to notify the front desk at [email protected] ensure that the student is being picked up by an appropriate person. In the event of an off-hours front office pickup, front office personnel will release students only to adults listed on the student’s Mirman School Emergency Preparedness Form which can be located on Magnus Health SMR. In the event of a change in dismissal plans, please inform the front office in writing.
Lower School
Daily Schedule
Mirman welcomes families on campus from 7:15 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on regular school days. The academic school day begins at 8:00 a.m. Families should make every effort to arrive to school by 7:45 a.m. Early arriving students should go to the Library or Central Lawn. When classroom doors open, students may unpack and prepare for the day.
We operate on a six-day cycle designated by letter days (A through F). Lower School students split their time between their homeroom and time with specialists (math, science, art, theatre, music, Spanish, Mandarin, etc.) who rotate through the classrooms between one and four times per cycle, depending on the subject.
Lower School dismisses at 3:10 p.m., and Annex runs until 6:00 p.m.
For Kindergarten students, dismissal is 11:30 a.m. for the first week of school in order to help ease their transition to Mirman.
World Language Choice
The Lower School World Languages program consists of Spanish and Mandarin, both of which have dedicated full-time specialist instructors. Kindergarteners are exposed to Spanish or Mandarin four times per six-day cycle and then switch. At the end of the year, parents will then work with their children to select a language in which to specialize from First Grade onwards.
Summer Events
Welcome Reception: Tuesday, April 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Senior Garden (Adults only, please)
Orientation: Saturday, June 9, 10 to 12 p.m.
Kindergarten Playdate: June 23 and August 4, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
Lower School Ice Cream Social: Friday, August 24, 1 to 3 p.m., Pergola
Welcome Coffee: Monday, August 27, 7:45 to 9 a.m., Auditorium
Classroom, Supply, and Reading Lists
Click each link for a downloadable PDF.
Math benchmarks (All new families)
Summer information for incoming First Grade families
Summer information for incoming Second Grade families
Summer information for incoming Room 4 families
Summer information for incoming Room 5 families
Upper School
Daily Schedule
Mirman welcomes families on campus from 7:15 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on regular school days. The academic school day begins at 8:00 a.m. Families should make every effort to arrive to school by 7:45 a.m. Early arriving students should go to the Library or Central Lawn. When classroom doors open, students may unpack and prepare for the day.
We operate on a six-day cycle designated by letter days (A through F). For Upper School, these daily rotations move them through their core classes as well as two- and four-day electives, LEAP (an innovative program celebrating student initiative and passion projects), flex time (study periods), and Advisory (the Social Emotional Learning component of Upper School).
Upper School dismisses at 3:30 p.m., and Annex after care runs until 6:00 p.m.
Homework Policy
Mirman feels that homework is a meaningful part of the educational process. Homework is given for review, reflection, and enrichment.
- Each student is responsible for assigned homework.
- Homework is generally given each day, though not in every subject. All homework is to be completed and turned in by the due date.
- Grades may be adversely affected when classroom projects/assignments are handed in late.
- When students are absent due to illness or for any reason, they are expected to make up all homework assignments.
- Homework assignments will not be given in advance for absences unrelated to illness or family emergencies.
- If a child is absent, homework may be obtained on Moodle.
- If a student or parent has any concerns or questions about homework, he/she may contact the teacher.
Math Placement, Electives, and World Languages Choice
At Mirman, we believe learning should have no ceiling. This philosophy is reflected in our differentiated math options, our robust World Languages program, and our range of two- and four-day electives. Assessments for math will take place over the summer, with Head of Upper School Ron Simmons reaching out to you to begin the process. Elective signups will begin in the fall, and World Language tracks offered include Spanish, Latin, and Mandarin. To explore the Upper School experience, visit the program page.
Summer Reading Lists
Click here to download the summer reading lists for Upper School.
Summer Events
Welcome Reception: Tuesday, April 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Senior Garden (Adults only, please)
New Families Orientation: Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Upper School Orientation: Friday, August 24
Welcome Coffee: Monday, August 27, 7:45 to 9 a.m., Auditorium
Upper School Orientation Information
Upper School Orientation will take place on August 24. During Orientation, students will receive their schedules, get acquainted with their Advisory group, obtain their laptop and school-issued lock (optional), and meet their teachers. A time will also be announced for parents to go over tech issues with our Director of Technology.
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Education trips are a signature component of the Upper School experience. In early fall, each grade will journey to a destination unique to them: from taking in the historic sights of Washington D.C. to "roughing it" in Alpine Meadows, these trips are an excellent time for class bonding as well as building valuable life skills.