Good Morning South Lake Families,
We are so excited to be starting the school year in just a few short weeks. Our South Lake team is dedicated to making this year the very best we can envision, committed to equity, excellence and joy! Our school motto is South Lake Cares: Take Care of Yourself, Take Care of Each Other, Take Care of Our School. Caring for one another and our community is of great importance and will be the emphasis when we open our doors. We value our strong partnership with our community and together, we can achieve success!
There are several items that you will need to complete before the start of school. There is no in-person Registration at South Lake prior to the start of school. Families are required to complete the online steps as confirmation of attendance and to be ready for the start of the school year. We ask that you read through all the following information to help stay organized and be prepared:
Online Registration (Data Confirmation)
Complete Online Registration by going through all the Data Confirmation steps on the Parent Portal at https://my.iusd.org. Please refer to the Online Registration (Data Confirmation) Guide for steps to complete. Instructions include how to access your student contacts, links to important documents for the school year, and permission for required authorizations. We are updating several of our schoolwide practices around use of technology - it is vital that you read all authorizations. Thank you!
Donations and Optional Items for Purchase are part of this process which can be completed online through https://www.myschoolbucks.com or submitted by your student with cash/check at the start of the school year. Please see Instructions for Setting up an Account to set up your MySchoolBucks account. Items for purchase include Planner, Yearbook, PE Clothing etc.
Please note some schoolwide expectations:
All students are required to use their Planner daily. We ask for a $5 Planner donation to offset the cost of printing. All students will receive a Planner during the first week of school.
The Physical Education Department requires all students to dress out for PE. You can purchase South Lake PE clothing at MySchoolBucks, in person with cash/check during Shark Week on August 13th between 9:20am - 1pm at South Lake or during the first week of school. Students are able to bring in their own athletic clothing and/or shirt from last year to use if they prefer. Students will be issued a PE locker by their PE teacher after the start of the school year.
We strongly encourage donations to our academic, athletic and technology programs to support class activities. All donations go directly to the classroom to provide materials, equipment and other items much needed to allow for enriched learning.
Online Re-Registration (Data Confirmation) must be completed by August 19th…thank you!
Shark Week - 7th Grade
Shark Week is our unique way of welcoming students to South Lake. Please note that this is not a registration event. Students are encouraged, but not required, to attend and there are no make-up sessions. Shark Week for 7th grade students is on August 13th from 10am - 12pm for our incoming students to have fun learning about South Lake, becoming familiar with staff and our school, and meeting new friends so we hope your student attends! Please direct specific questions about Shark Week to our Shark Week Coordinator, Coach Doan at vincedoan@iusd.org.
Shark Week - 8th Grade
Shark Week for 8th grade will happen after the Shark Social on the afternoon of August 13th from 2pm - 5pm at Fallingstar Pool. Students are encouraged to attend but not required to. We will have games, snacks and activities to kick off the school year.
Shark Social
All families, both 7th and 8th grade, are invited to attend our Shark Family Social on August 13th from 12:00pm - 2:00pm at South Lake. This is a wonderful time to connect with new and familiar families, meet some of our staff and eat some lunch! PTSA will have food trucks selling lunch.
Materials
Textbooks & Chromebooks will be checked out to students during the first full week of school. Returning 8th graders will need to bring their charged Chromebook to school with them. We will be checking out Chromebooks to incoming 7th grade students at school. Students are not permitted to use their own device at school due to security reasons. We do not publish a specific school supply list. There will be some minimal supplies suggested by specific classes like a binder, pen and pencils which will be indicated on the syllabus for the class.
Student Schedules
Student schedules will be available Monday, August 18th. Please know that we have made every effort to enroll students in their top elective choices during one of their three trimesters. Students who did not fully complete their elective registration in the spring have been enrolled into electives randomly. We are also using recommendations for the previous school year for placement in our Intervention classes. We will not be able to make changes unless it’s for an 8th grade student in a repeat elective, and we ask that you model a growth mindset for your student as all our electives are great!
Shark Time
Shark Time assignments will be shared during Homeroom on the second week of school. Students will be selecting their Shark Time within the first two weeks of school. Students will learn more about what they will be doing in their Shark Time on their first day of Shark Time on September 10th.
Parent Orientation - Attendance Required
Please plan on attending one of our in-person South Lake Orientation to go over our schoolwide practices and specific South Lake Cares expectations so that we can partner together in ensuring both you and your student are set up for a successful year. The orientation will last about 45 minutes and will be held in the MPR. Translation support will be provided, please bring headphones and cell phone. At least one parent/guardian from every household is being asked to attend on ONE of the following dates/times:
Tuesday, August 19th at 8:20am
Tuesday, August 19th at 5:00pm
Wednesday, August 20th at 9:05am
Wednesday, August 20th at 5:00pm
Thursday, September 4th at 5:00pm
Anxious Generation - Community Read
We are excited to launch a community read of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt—a powerful and timely book that explores one of the most pressing issues facing young people today: the rising tide of anxiety, depression, and disconnection in our children and teens. As a school and community deeply committed to the well-being and growth of every student, we believe that engaging in this shared reading experience will help us better understand the complex challenges our kids face in today’s digital world—and how we, together, can support them.
Haidt’s work is grounded in extensive research and presents a compelling case that the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media has had profound and measurable effects on adolescent mental health. Reading this book together as a community offers a unique opportunity to open dialogue between parents, caregivers, and educators—so we can listen, learn, and take meaningful steps to foster a healthier, more connected environment for our children.
We invite you to join us on this journey. You are welcome to pick up a free copy in the South Lake front office starting August 11th.
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.
e-Vehicle Registration
e-Vehicle Registration is required for students in IUSD wanting to ride and park their electric vehicle on campus. Students and at least one parent/guardian must attend IUSD eVehicle Required Training at one of the high schools. Upon completion of the orientation, students will be able to register their vehicle (e-bike, e-scooter, e-skateboard) with Mr. Vasquez, Campus Security, to receive a registration sticker to be able to park at school. Students are expected to adhere to ALL safety guidelines reviewed in the orientation in order to continue to park on campus. Students who attended in the past, do not need to attend again.
Students who already have completed the training and have a sticker, MUST complete the SLMS eBike Registration Form and indicate your sticker number. Please submit to Mr. Vasquez at the start of school.
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.
Important Dates to Calendar
August 1st - First day of Re-Registration (Data Confirmation) online through Parent Portal
August 11th - Front office opens
August 13th - 7th & 8th Grade Shark Week
August 13th - Shark Family Social
August 19th - Re-Registration (Data Confirmation) Due
August 19th - First Day of School for 7th grade students - Minimum Day
August 19th - Parent Orientation 8:20am or 5:00pm
August 20th - First Day of School for 8th grade students
August 20th - Parent Orientation 9:05am or 5:00pm
August 22nd - Picture Day
August 29th - Minimum Day
September 1st - Labor Day (no school)
September 4th - Back to School Night (Early Out)
September 4th - Parent Orientation 5:00pm
September 5th - Minimum Day
We are really looking forward to an amazing year and hope you enjoy the rest of summer vacation…Go Sharks!
Be well,
Belinda Averill
Principal
