PTSA
There is a PTSA Meeting on Wednesday, September 24th at 9:15am in the Staff Lounge at South Lake…we hope to see you there! PTSA Direct Donation campaign is underway, your financial support helps our school! See prizes below…
 PTSA Reflections is here!
South Lake PTSA proudly sponsors the National PTA Reflections Program, an arts recognition and achievement program for students. The Reflections Program provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original works of art inspired by a pre-selected theme, while increasing community awareness of the importance of the arts in education.
Students may submit an entry in any of the six arts areas listed below. Only original works of art are accepted. Students may enter more than one work of art. The six arts areas are as follows:
Dance Choreography 🕺🏻
Literature 📖
Photography 📸
Film Production 🎥
Music Composition 🎼
Visual Art 🖼️
❓Questions: please contact our amazing Reflection Co-Chairs Annabelle & Chelsea at slmsreflections2025@gmail.com
Community Advisory Committee
Here is a message from Sandra Albers, our new Special Education CAC Representative for South Lake Middle School…I’d like to invite all parents of children with IEPs or 504 plans to join us for a casual monthly coffee meet-up. Parents from all schools in the district are welcome to attend this meet-up. Our next gathering will be on Friday, September 26th at The Broken Yolk at 9am. It's a great opportunity to connect, share experiences, and support one another. Drop in anytime and stay for as long as you like!
School Site Council
We have our first School Site Council meeting on Wednesday, September 24th at 3:15pm in Room 504.
IPSF
SAVE THE DATE: TURN IRVINE ORANGE OCT 16
Wear orange Thursday, October 16 on IPSF Giving Day to show you value educational excellence in Irvine! Whether you are at school, work, or out in the community, rock your ORANGE to raise awareness about the importance of community support of public education! https://ipsf.net/event/ipsf-giving-day/
TOGETHER, WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
As a new school year begins, we celebrate the incredible impact made possible by our community’s support of Irvine students and schools. Thanks to you, last year IPSF:
- Invested $6.3 million in grants and program support to Irvine students and schools
- Provided enrichment for over 14,500 students through IPSF summer and after school programs
- Advanced long-term impact through multi-year innovation grants at 11 schools
Thank you for helping ensure every child has the tools to thrive. Lean more in our 2024–2025 Annual Report! https://ipsf.net/together-we-make-a-difference/
SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE GALA
Celebrate with fellow community leaders at IPSF’s signature event, the Spirit of Excellence Gala on Saturday, November 22. Enjoy an evening of red-carpet moments and inspiring performances while supporting opportunities that help students shine. Seating is limited—reserve your place today and be part of shaping the future of educational excellence! https://ipsf.net/news-and-events/spirit-of-excellence-gala/
eBike Safety Presentation
All the eBike Safety presentations hosted by the high schools are completed. Moving forward, if you need to complete this in order to obtain a registration sticker to park on campus, please contact our Campus Supervisor, Mr. Vasquez at orlandovasquez@iusd.org. Safety presentations will most likely be held on Thursday mornings before school.
Science Fair
Science Fair registration is due September 30th. Students will not be able to submit their project in January unless they have been registered. To register, go to bit/ly/IUSDScienceFair.
Coffee with the Counselors - Save the Date!
Please save the date for our first Coffee with the Counselors of the year…October 2nd at 8:15am.
Chromebook Insurance
As we all know, accidents can happen with the IUSD Chromebook that is assigned and loaned to each student. Depending on the damage, this can be costly to a household. Please take a moment and get your Chromebook insurance. The 2025-2026 updated information and link is provided to you for your convenience: https://support.iusd.org/hc/en-us/articles/360033840394-IUSD-Chromebook-Insurance-Program.
Math Competition Information
Sharpen your math skills by joining our math competition team coached by Mr. Dharman. He has coached hundreds of students in the AMC 8 and some have even scored in the top 5% in the country!
The link to sign up is HERE. For more information, please contact Mr. Dharman at gregorydharman@iusd.org.
 The link to sign up is HERE. For more information, please contact Mr. Dharman at gregorydharman@iusd.org.
Middle School Program
If you are looking for fun and active activities for your child to engage in after school, look no further. South Lake partners with the City of Irvine Youth Outreach, and they have some great activities coming up…Register now!
Youth Action Team (YAT) – The Middle School Youth Action Team is an after-school community service-based program that encourages students to be actively involved in their community. YAT is a great way for students to learn new skills, experience new challenges, make new friends, and discover they have what it takes to make a difference in their community.
YAT T-shirt included in the course.
All students attend weekly meetings on Mondays after school, but teams of 13 rotate weekly to offsite excursions on Wednesdays. Wednesday projects will start after school at 3:02 pm, and end times will vary depending on project locations. Weekly YAT emails will be sent out by staff.
Who: South Lake Middle School Students
When: Monday and Wednesday after school during the Fall
Price: $39
Course#: 124318
Youth Outreach District-Wide Volleyball Tournament – Join our district-wide volleyball tournament! Create a team with your friends and practice at your school with expert coaching. You'll have the opportunity to scrimmage against nearby schools and wrap it all up with an exciting district-wide tournament. Open to all skill levels and COED. Our program includes instruction, equipment, team t-shirts, supervision, and transportation to off-site scrimmages and the tournament.
1st place will win up to $250 value prize for their school!
Who: IUSD Middle School Students
When: Tue, Thu after school until 5 PM 9/23/25- 10/16/25
Price: $32
Course#: 127634
Visit www.yourirvine.org and search “Youth Outreach” in the filter box to see all locations and options.
Please contact Youth Outreach Senior Leader Jackson Clements with any questions.
Call/Text: (949) 664-2098
Email: JClements@cityofirvine.org
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.
Youth Ride Free
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 blue Youth Ride Free Passes expire September 30, 2025; the new Wave Youth Ride Free Passes are valid now through September 30, 2026, 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 receive the new Wave youth bus pass for the 2025-26 school year.
Parent Request Form:
English – OCTA.net/YouthRequest
Spanish – OCTA.net/YouthRequest_SPN
Korean – OCTA.net/YouthRequest_KOR
Vietnamese – OCTA.net/YouthRequest_VIET
Mandarin – OCTA.net/YouthRequest_MAN
 For more information regarding the program visit: OCTA Youth Ride Free Pass Program
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.
Bell Schedule
The 2025-2026 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.
Stay up to date about what is happening at school and in class by reviewing your student’s Planner, becoming a Canvas Observer, checking Parent Portal and visiting our website.
Canvas https://iusd.instructure.com/login
Parent Portal https://my.iusd.org/
Website https://southlake.iusd.org/ |
