PTSA - Shark Shoppe We need help stocking our Shark Shoppe that the amazing Mr. Dharman leads for all our students! The 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 all year long. We would be so grateful if you could order from our South Lake PTSA Amazon Shark Shoppe. All orders on our Amazon storefront will get delivered directly to school! You can also pick up some of your students’ favorite treats at Costco, Ralphs, Target, or your favorite store and drop them off to the front office! We have over 150 students come through our Shark Shoppe each time Mr. Dharman hosts the event. Shark Shoppe is a big deal around campus!
PTSA – See’s Candies Fundraiser It’s that time of year to spoil your family, friends and yourself with some sweet treats! You can help support our South Lake Sharks just by ordering See’s from our South Lake See’s Storefront. The shop is NOW OPEN for orders and a percentage of all sales will go directly to our Sharks! South Lake PTSA See's Candies Store. The online store is open until December 31st, so get your order in today! A big thank you to those who have already ordered!
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!
Yearbook Baby Pics Attention 8th grade parent/guardians…we need your 8th graders baby pic for the yearbook. Please send to Ms. Byars at mikaylabyars@iusd.org by December 20th.
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. |