Newsletter 4/25/25

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Good Afternoon South Lake Families,

Progress Reports are available for this marking period. It is important to review your child’s Work Habits and Citizenship marks as these will determine their participation in our end of year activities. With only five weeks of instruction left in the school year, let's encourage finishing the year strong! 
  
Next week, we will continue with CAASPP Testing. Students will be testing with their Homeroom on the following dates/times:
 

  • Math on Wednesday, April 30th – Math 9:00 – 10:35am
  • Math on Thursday, May 1st – Math 9:00 – 10:35am

Week of May 5th – 9th 
 

  • 8th Grade ONLY will complete CAST Testing during their Science period

Please make every effort to have your student present and ready on these dates. Please DO NOT schedule appointments etc. during these times as they will then need to miss class to make up the test. 
Here are some tips to help prepare your student for testing:
 

  • Ensure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eat breakfast before testing.
  • Talk about the tests and encourage your child to try their best.
  • Bring Chromebook to school for testing, school device only.
  • Remind your students to charge their Chromebook each night.
  • Bring headphones if they’d like to use their own pair.
  • Avoid scheduling appointments or planned absences on these dates.

South Lake has earned California Distinguished School 2024 and National Blue Ribbon School 2024 as a result of our exemplary academic performance indicated on the CA Dashboard which uses our CAASPP testing results. It is critical for your student to do their best as it will indicate their readiness for high school. This will be the last time your 8th grade student tests until 11th grade. The results will indicate their college and career readiness. 
 
Due to testing schedule, Bonus Period PE will start at 7:45am on May 1st…please make note of this schedule change.  

Lastly, we celebrated Mr. Richardson this week for his Teacher of Excellence for South Lake and IUSD Teacher of the Year Awards. We congratulate him on this well-earned recognition and are so proud of this wonderful honor!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend...it's a great day to be a Shark! 
In kindness,
Belinda Averill
Principal

Schedule for the Week of April 28th - May 2nd
MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

Anchor Day

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

Anchor Day

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE


 

 

Odd Periods

Late Start

9:00am – 3:02pm

Math CAASPP

Even Periods

Late Start

9:00am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE (7:45am)

Math CAASPP
 

 

Anchor Day

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

South Lake Information and Resources

PTSA - Contact Info
If you have any questions regarding your South Lake PTSA or would like to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact our PTSA President, Jill Pearson at JillKPearson@gmail.com. You can also visit our PTSA Website at South Lake PTSA. Please follow us on social media @southlakeptsa for all the up-to-date information of what’s going on at South Lake!

PTSA Meeting CANCELED for Wednesday, April 30th
Due to state testing, our PTSA meeting for April has been canceled. Please Join Us for Our Last PTSA Meeting of the School Year on Wednesday, May 28th @ 9:15am! Principal Averill will give one last update on the school year and Counselor Siapin will discuss how the year is wrapping up. There will be sweet treats and coffee to enjoy. We hope to see you there!

PTSA Sponsored 8th Grade Promotion Dance
8th Grade Sharks, You're Cleared for Takeoff! Board South Lake Airlines Flight 2025 for an unforgettable 8th Grade Dance— “The Sky’s the Limit”! ✈️🌌 Get ready to GLOW in celebration of our amazing Class of 2025.  
🎟️ Tickets: $30 – available now at www.southlakeptsa.com ,
 📲 Scan the QR code or click the link in our Instagram bio to purchase
*Exact cash payment ($30) will be accepted at the door
Scholarships are available - Please contact Ms. Holcomb
✍️ Don't forget: School permission slip and PTSA waiver are required for boarding. PTSA Waiver
💬 Follow us on Instagram @southlakeptsa for the latest flight updates!
Get ready to dance, shine, and soar—this is one flight you won’t want to miss! 🌠

8th Grade Field Trip – Wild Rivers
Our End-of-Year Field Trip for 8th graders is to Wild Rivers. Tickets are available for purchase through MySchoolBucks for $35. You are also able to apply season pass for this event. We will not be providing transportation and encourage carpooling. We will be sending out more details about the day in May. We are excited to celebrate our 8th graders before heading off to high school. Scholarships are available…please contact Ms. Holcomb or Mrs. Baringoldz. 

Middle School Programs
Through our partnership with the City of Irvine Youth Outreach, there are some fun after school programs starting soon…register now! Visit www.yourirvine.org and search “MSP” in the filter box to see all locations and options. Click South Lake After School Programs and Activities. Please contact our Youth Outreach Specialist Aaron Silva with any questions. 
Call/Text: (949) 664-2351
Email: asilva@cityofirvine.org

IPSF Summer Programs
Don’t miss out on all the fun at IPSF Summer! Choose from a variety of exciting and educational classes for students in grades PreK-12, all taught by IUSD teachers and specialized instructors. Browse classes to plan your summer and get ready to register for classes on April 8! www.ipsf.net/summer 

After School Tutoring
We have free after school tutoring in Math and Science. See flyer below for more information. All students are invited to attend and NEED to bring their Planner and Chromebook.

Mental Health & Academic Supports
IUSD Family Counseling Center
The IUSD Family Counseling Center (IFCC) offers short-term, evidence-based mental health services provided by licensed mental health therapists for IUSD K-12 students and families.
Care Solace
To better serve our students, families, and staff, IUSD has partnered with Care Solace, which offers free and confidential services to connect families to outside mental health providers. Care Solace provides concierge services to assist families in navigating mental health services in the community.  
Hazel Health
IUSD has also partnered with Hazel Health, a telehealth behavioral health company that provides one-on-one counseling from a professional therapist at no cost to IUSD students. A parent/guardian may refer their student through a link found on the IUSD website, or a referral can be made by the student’s school counselor, elementary resource counselor, mental health specialist, school psychologist, or administrator at their school. Students must have parental permission to enroll for services unless they are 18 or older. 
Academic Supports
Khan Academy and Paper Tutoring provide students with avenues for academic assistance, alleviating some of the stressors that may impact their mental well-being.

For families seeking more information on IUSD mental health supports, please visit the Mental Health and Wellness website.

E-Bike Safety Presentation
Mr. Vasquez, our Campus Supervisor, coordinates our E-Bike registration. If you would like to schedule a time to participate in the Safety Presentation in order to register your student’s E-Bike, please contact him at orlandovasquez@iusd.org.
 
Language and Accessibility Resources for Families
As part of IUSD’s and our school’s ongoing commitment to making important information, resources and services accessible to our diverse community, we want to remind families that they can adjust language and accessibility preferences on the platforms used for school communications. Whether through ParentSquare, the Parent Portal or the IUSD website, it is easy to set your preferred language, ensuring you receive updates, notifications and resources in the language that works best for you.
 
CLICK HERE for resources, in multiple languages, to show how you can select your preferred language and accessibility features on ParentSquare. With ParentSquare, you can set your language preference to receive notifications, messages and updates directly in the language of your choice. 

Attendance Matters
As we move through the school year, I want to emphasize the crucial role that regular attendance plays in your student’s success. Every day of learning matters, and consistent school attendance is one of the most important factors in achieving strong academic outcomes and fostering a sense of belonging at school. Here’s why:

  • Improved Academic Performance: Students who attend school regularly are more likely to keep up with daily lessons and assignments, leading to better grades and a deeper understanding of the material.
  • Building Positive Habits: Consistent attendance helps students develop responsibility, time management, and perseverance—skills they will carry with them long after middle school.
  • Social Connections: Being in school allows students to participate fully in group work, social activities, and extracurriculars that are vital for their emotional and social growth.
  • Strong Foundations for Future Success: Studies show that students with high attendance rates are more likely to graduate and pursue higher education or career opportunities with confidence.

We understand that occasional absences are unavoidable due to illness or emergencies. However, I encourage you to do your best to schedule appointments, vacations, and other non-urgent activities outside of the school day to minimize disruptions to your child's learning. 

OCTA Transportation Information 
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is excited to announce the continuation of their “Youth Ride Free” promotional bus pass program.  This pass allows youth ages 6 to 18 to ride all OC fixed-route buses every day for free.  Last year’s purple/orange Youth Ride Free Passes expire September 30, 2024; the new blue Youth Ride Free Passes are valid now through September 30, 2025, and require a new Parent Request Form for each recipient. To participate in the program complete a new Parent Request Form, available using the below links, printed forms are also available in the front office. 
Return the completed and signed Parent Request Form to the front office to be issued a blue youth bus pass for the 2024-25 school year. 
Parent Request Form:

OC Bus Ride Guide – How to Ride:

For more information regarding the program visit: OCbus.com/YouthRideFree.  OC Connect is another option for students. This is a free shuttle service that runs every 20 minutes between the northern end of Irvine and the Irvine Train Station.  This route drops off at Woodbridge High which is a short walk from here. The IrvineCONNECT webpage may be accessed through this link:  https://www.cityofirvine.org/transportation/irvine-connect. On the webpage there is a link to track the shuttles in real time, which can be used in a similar way to watching for an Uber to see how far out it is.
Bell Schedule
The 2024-2025 Bell Schedule includes all the minimum days and special schedules for the year.  Please make sure to review the start and end times for these schedules.  

Stay Connected
Stay connected by checking your email for communication from South Lake and IUSD.  South Lake is also on Instagram @southlakemiddleschool and our website is at www.southlake.iusd.org

Nondiscrimination Statement 
The Irvine Unified School District is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs and activities including membership in student clubs shall be free from discrimination based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, ethnic group identification, age, religion, actual or potential parental, family, or marital status, or the exclusion of any person because of pregnancy or related conditions, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information; the perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The District does not discriminate in enrollment in or access to any of the activities and programs available. Admission to these programs is based on age appropriateness, class space, interest, aptitude, and prerequisite coursework where applicable. The lack of English skills shall not be a barrier to admission to or participation in the District’s activities and programs. The Irvine Unified School District also does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices.

Upcoming Dates to Calendar
April 30th – May 1st – CAASPP Testing 
May 5th – 9th – CAST Testing (8th Only) 
May 8th – 8th Grade Panoramic Picture