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South Lake Newsletter 10/18

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Good Afternoon South Lake Families, 

Next week we have a few days with special schedules. We do this to be able to hold parent/guardian/student/teacher conferences in various formats. We have a Super Late Start on Wednesday and an Early Out on Thursday to accommodate team conferences. Counselors will be sending out invitations for specific students to meet with their team of teachers. On Thursday evening, specific teachers will invite you to meet with them during our Shark Success Night. Please only attend if you receive an email invite to meet. The format for the evening is as follows – our teachers will be seated at tables around campus from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, and will be able to take about 10 minutes or so to meet individually with you and your student. Your student must bring their Planner with them. You DO NOT need to attend if you do not get an invitation from the teacher. Should you have concerns about your student at any time, please reach out to specific teachers. 
 
Progress Reports are available under Grades tab in Parent Portal. Our teachers have included grades for this first progress report to communicate how your students is achieving in their class. Please make sure to also pay close attention to their Work Habits and Citizenship marks. It is important to remember that we do not factor behaviors, like late work, in students’ overall grades, we use these marks to communicate how proficient your child is with essential work habit characteristics and coverall citizenship. Details about how these are determined are in the Planner on page 12. 
  
We are also be holding an English Language Learner Parent Orientation on October 24th before Shark Success Night begins. All our EL Parent/Guardian/Students are invited to attend. Please bring a mobile device and headphones as we will have translation available. 

Red Ribbon Week is also next week, this national awareness campaign that promotes drug-free lifestyles among students. This year's theme, "Life is A Movie, Film Drug Free," encourages our children to make positive choices and see their lives as a story worth telling. By participating in Red Ribbon Week activities, our students will learn about the dangers of drugs, build healthy habits, and gain valuable life skills. We believe that together, we can create a drug-free future for our children. Students are encouraged to dress up all week to show their support and commitment to living a drug-free life!
 
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. 

Your partnership is key to ensuring that every Shark thrives! Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us create the best learning environment for all our students.

Have a great weekend…it’s a great day to be a Shark! 
In kindness,
Belinda Averill
Principal
 

Schedule for the Week of October 21st - 25th 

Monday 

Tuesday 

Wednesday 

Thursday 

Friday 

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm 

Bonus Period PE

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm 

Bonus Period PE

Odd Periods

Super Late Start

9:45am – 3:02pm 

 

Even Periods

NO Late Start 

Early Out

8:15am – 1:30pm 

Bonus Period PE 

EL Parent Night 

Shark Success Night

Anchor Day 

Minimum Day

8:15am – 12:30pm 

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 - Shark Shoppe
The Shark Shoppe is open! Our Shark Shoppe is an incentive program for students to use their Shark Cards. The PTSA along with our South Lake community keep the Shark Shoppe stocked for our students. Please consider ordering some fun stuff or pick some of our students’ favorite treats by visiting our Shark Shoppe on Amazon! Everything will get shipped automatically to school so all you need to do is pick and hit submit. You can also pick things up from your favorite store and drop to the front office. Let’s keep this fun tradition going! Shark Shoppe Link

South Lake Parent & Community Engagement
We have several Parent Engagement and Community events happening at South Lake this month. On October 29th, at 6pm in the MPR, IPD and South Lake Admin will be presenting Healthy Choices, providing valuable information about recent trends with middle schoolers as well as resources and strategies to actively parent healthy choices. 

We are hosting our 2nd Annual Pumpkins and Pancakes Breakfast in partnership with Youth Action Team. This is a community event for parents and students to come before school on October 31st to decorate pumpkins and eat some pancakes and build community!

IUSD College, Career, and Life Readiness Fair
Join us for IUSD’s College, Career and Life Readiness Fair. IUSD's College, Career and Life Readiness Fair is on October 28 from 5-7 p.m. at University High School (4771 Campus Drive, Irvine). All students, families and community members are invited to this free event, which will feature:
 

  • Interactive workshops
  • College and university representatives 
  • Military Information
  • Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway information
  • Learning opportunities from community partners
  • National Collegiate Athletics Association information
  • A chance to engage in your future and life readiness!

Discover pathways, explore opportunities and gain the tools for college, career and life readiness…We hope to see you there!

IUSD Parent and Family Engagement
IUSD Parent and Family Engagement has several parent classes and workshops being held in October. Please Click Here to register and view schedule. Irvine Family Resource Center is offering a workshop called “Screens and Teens”. It will provide information, resources and youth perspective regarding technology and social media usage. Register HERE. 

IUSD Job Fair: Explore Open Positions and Interview on the Spot!
Interested in starting a career in education with IUSD? IUSD is hosting a job fair on Wednesday, October 30th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Learning Center (3387 Barranca Pkwy, Irvine) in Room 6.
We’re hiring:
 

  • Instructional Assistants
  • PE Paraprofessionals
  • Nutrition Services Support
  • Media Technicians
  • SLPA and COTA Positions
  • And more!


Middle School Program (MSP)
If you are looking for great after school activities for your students that build community, have service components and are just plain fun…there are several upcoming events and classes to get involved with through our Middle School Programs hosted by the city of Irvine. Each of the flyers linked below have information about registration, cost and contact information. For more information, please contact Site Coordinator Karley Abeyrama at (949) 724-7190 or at KAbeyrama@cityofirvine.org. 
CO-ED Football 
Youth Action Team - Fall
MSP Fall Registration

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
October 21st - 25th - Red Ribbon Week 
October 23rd – Super Late Start
October 24th – Early Out (No Late Start)
October 24th – Celebrating Shark Success Night (Invited Parents) 
October 25th – Minimum Day 
October 28th – IUSD College, Career and Life Readiness Fair
October 29th – Healthy Choices Parent Engagement
October 30th – IUSD Job Fair
October 31st – Pumpkins and Pancakes