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 - ASB Spirit wear
You asked and your South Lake ASB has delivered! You can order your South Lake Cares Spirit wear today on our PTSA website. Deadline to order spirit wear is November 22nd. Sweatshirts are available in grey and teal for the price of $30. Both are great options for holiday gifts too! Spirit wear will be delivered to your student at school in December. Sizes are in both youth and adult. ORDER SPIRITWEAR
 PTSA – Sponsor a Spread
Sponsor a Spread by partnering with your South Lake PTSA! Together we will provide snacks, treats, coffee, and much more to our teachers and staff at South Lake for an entire month! Our teachers and staff pour their heart and soul into our kiddos, so we want to keep them fueled and fed. We will shoutout your company throughout the month and direct our South Lake Community to your socials and recognize you in our weekly newsletter. To Sponsoring a Spread, please reach out to our South Lake PTSA President, Jill Pearson at JillKPearson@gmail.com. Please tell your friends, family, doctors, dentists, realtors and small businesses we would love to partner! We want to recognize your business and pump you up to our community because of your generosity!
PTSA – PTSA Meeting: November 20th @ 9:15am
Please join us for our last PTSA meeting of this calendar year! Our meeting will be in the staff lounge and there will be sweet treats and coffee! We hope to see you there.
*There will be no PTSA meeting in December*
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
Season of Gratitude
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the profound impact that gratitude and kindness can have on our lives and our community. Teaching and modeling appreciation not only strengthens our relationships but also creates a positive ripple effect in our school and beyond.
Ways to Show Appreciation:
- Practice Daily Gratitude: Encourage each family member to share one thing they’re grateful for each day. It can be something simple, like a warm meal or a moment of laughter, but reflecting on it together can set a positive tone.
- Write Thank-You Notes: Whether for a teacher, friend, or family member, handwritten notes of appreciation show that someone’s efforts or presence are valued.
- Fun Fifteen: Exercising for 15 minutes a day not only brings physical benefits, but it also teaches your brain to believe your behavior matters, which then carries (positively) into other activities throughout the day.
- Mindfulness: Take just two minutes per day to simply breathe and focus on your breath going in and out. Doing so will train your mind to focus, reduce stress, and help you be more present in the moment.
- Engage in Acts of Kindness: Volunteer as a family or do small acts of kindness, like baking treats for neighbors or picking up litter at a local park. These simple actions can have a lasting impact.
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.
IUSD Parent and Family Engagement
IUSD has many great workshops and presentations set up for the parents/caregivers of Irvine students. Below you will find the links to workshops and other district wide parent/guardian presentations. Irvine Parent Education Programs (IPEP) are FREE seminars and educational workshops offered to Irvine parents/caregivers throughout the school year. Our goal is to empower parents/guardians with the skills and strategies necessary to become active participants in their student’s education.
We invite you to register for one or more of the IPEP Parent Workshops.
Click here for a full list of November's offerings.
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.
Youth Action Team - Fall
MSP Fall Registration
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. |
