South Lake Newsletter - January 26, 2024

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Good Afternoon South Lake Community, 

Progress Reports will be published toward the end of next week. For this progress report, you will see a grade for every class. At South Lake, we encourage students to be responsible for creating a positive learning environment in our school community. On the progress report, you will not only be able to view grades but also comments regarding "Work Habits" and "Citizenship". You will see a mark for them both. In IUSD, we are moving to a numerical representation of these: “4-consistently”, “3-usually”, “2-sometimes”, and “1-rarely”.
 
These marks do not calculate into students' grades; however, they are tremendous indicators to how well students are doing in class. A student who is getting a "3" may mean that they regularly practice positive behaviors, actively participate in class, turn in work on time, and demonstrate kindness in the language they use with others most of the time. For students that fall in the 1 or 2 area for work habits and/or citizenship, we will be implementing intervention strategies in specific targeted areas. 
 
Here are some of the criteria that would lead to students' success in school and beyond:
Work Habits
 
(Habits that contribute to academic growth)
Citizenship
 
(Behaviors that positively impact the community)
Engages in class 
Completes assignments on time
Demonstrates effective study skills
Utilizes opportunities to improve
Perseveres and seeks help when needed
Respectful of others and the classroom 
Demonstrates kindness, empathy, and inclusivity
Collaborates effectively with peers
Exhibits academic integrity
Follows school expectations
 
Our Counselors in partnership with MSP will be hosting Pancakes and Pumpkins, a great event to come together as a community. Please make sure to RSVP to katherineholcomb@iusd.org. Thank you! 
 
We are very fortunate to partner with our MSP Team through the City of Irvine as they launch the Middle School Youth Outreach Program. This is a free opportunity for all students in our community to receive mentorship and participate in positive community action. Enroll now at https://secure.yourirvine.org/CA/city-of-irvine/catalog, course ID:926260.
 
Thank you for your partnership…it’s a great day to be a Shark! 
Be well,
Belinda Averill
Principal
Schedule for Week of  10/16 - 10/20

Monday 

Tuesday 

Wednesday 

Thursday 

Friday 

No School

Staff Development 

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

 

 

Odd Periods

Late Start

9:00am – 3:02pm

Shark Night Out
Cha for Tea

Even Periods

Late Start

9:00am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

Pancakes & Pumpkins
Turn Irvine Orange

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

 

 

South Lake Announcements & Information 
PTSA Information 
Stay informed with all the latest news! Click here and subscribe for ALL PTSA linksPTSA LINKS
SHARK NIGHT OUT: Join us on Wednesday, October 18th from 6pm-8pm at CHA FOR TEA for SHARK NIGHT OUT! Invite family, friends, and co-workers for delicious drinks and dinner! 😋

Make sure to present the flyer and say you’re from South Lake OR order online using code: SL1018. The drinks are great and the food is delicious! . Dine-in or Take-out.  20% of proceeds will be donated to support our programs and activities! All fundraisers help meet our goal so we can continue to support our school programs!

SLMS GEAR: Fall vibes are coming (right after our second summer😅.) Get your SLMS GEAR and stay cozy while showing your school spirit! PERFECT GEAR FOR TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS!  ORDER HERE

MINTED: Everyone wins with this fundraiser! The holidays are right around the corner! 😬 Save 20% on all holiday photos, cards, and/or gifts when ordering through MINTED. Use our code FUNDRAISESOUTHLAKE and receive 20% off of your entire order AND Minted will give 15% to our PTSA. These funds are used for student activities and programs! WIN- WIN!


SHARK SHOPPE is an incentive program for our students to use their Shark Cards. PTSA helps to keep it stocked. Our Shark Shoppe Amazon wish list has been updated with non food items. Shark Shoppe Wish List

RED RIBBON WEEK: The Irvine Unified School District, the City of Irvine, the Irvine Police Department, Irvine Council of PTAs, parents and students will join forces to champion the Red Ribbon Week theme of “Be Kind To Your Mind. Live Drug Free.” This year’s National Campaign theme resonates with the District’s dedication to fostering student mental health and well-being. More information forthcoming!

Shark Success Night
Shark Success Night is on October 26th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Shark Success Night is dedicated time for our teachers to meet with students and parents/guardians to address specific need(s) for a class or multiple classes. We use this model in lieu of individual conferences so that it is more efficient to get around to all teachers and meet with more families over the two hours. 
 
We will be communicating out to all families after the Progress Reporting window closes with specific information about your attendance. Parents/guardians of students meeting or exceeding proficiency in their classes will receive confirmation that attendance is not required. We will be inviting parents/guardians should your attendance be required. 
 
It is important that you know that you may reach out to a specific teacher(s) at any time should you have questions or concerns about your child over the course of the year. We encourage you to use Aeries, Canvas and your child’s Planner to stay up to date with their progress. 
 
Our math teachers will not be able to review the Math Pathways during Shark Success Night. IUSD website has resources to assist with navigating the pathways on their website at Mathematics Pathways. 

IUSD College and Career Fair
IUSD annual College and Career Fair is at Northwood High School on October 26th. Students and families are encouraged to attend to learn about post-secondary options. 

IPSF Update
SAVE THE DATE: TURN IRVINE ORANGE OCT 19
 Wear orange Thursday, October 19 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! 
www.Ipsf.net/givingday 

Title I Information
Your child attends South Lake Middle School which receives Federal Title I funds to assist students in meeting state achievement standards. Much of the funding allocated to us through Title I is used for reducing class size, providing targeted supports for populations of students not meeting proficiency in state standards, and mental health and wellness supports. As a parent/guardian, you have the right to request information about the qualifications of the classroom staff working with your child. Please see our Parent Right to Know Letter to learn more about this. Prior to the start of the school year, we shared our Parent-Student-Staff Compact in our Data Confirmation process. Our partnership is vital and necessary to ensure all students make the academic, social, and emotional growth. 

Middle School Program (MSP) at South Lake
IIf you are looking for great after school activities for your students, there are several events and classes to get involved with through our Middle School Programs hosted by the city of Irvine. Please contact Site Coordinator Karley Abeyrama at (949) 724-7190 or at KAbeyrama@cityofirvine.org for information.    Paper – Free Tutoring
As your student is getting going with their academics, please know that IUSD offers Paper Tutoring, a free resource, giving your student 24/7 access to chat with tutors for live help and assignment support. Paper helps parents and guardians avoid the cost, time, and stress of having to relearn geometry and poetry or hire a private tutor to help their child with classwork. Paper can provide support with homework help, writing feedback (i.e. editing essays), and study support. Help is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and French. Students can access Paper Tutoring directly from their class Canvas Page. Some additional resources are this informational video on Paper TutoringPaper for Parents & Guardians and Paper Website: Unlimited Tutoring, Anywhere & Anytime.  
 
Student Attendance
It is important to make every effort to have your student in school and on time. While attendance and success in school are positively correlated and directly linked, there are times when a student should stay home and absences are necessary.
  • Illness - Please keep student home when they have any of the following signs and symptoms of illness: Fever (temp > 100.4), excessive runny nose, excessive cough, two or more episodes of vomiting in the last 24 hours, or an unexplained rash.
  • Mental health – a new California law states that absences for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health shall be excused (Ed Code 48205)After 5 absences, a doctor’s note will be required. 
  • Doctor appointments
  • Court appointments
  • Funerals for immediate family members
We want to honor and support the mental and physical health of our students, and we also need to prioritize the importance of attendance both for student success and to ensure that IUSD receives critically important state funding for our schools. Please know that the School Attendance Review Board (SARB process) will be initiated, when a student accumulates 3 unexcused absences or truancies. If you have concerns about extended absences or if you have any questions about attendance, please don’t hesitate to call. We appreciate your partnership in supporting the health, happiness, and academic achievement of our students. 

OCTA Youth Ride Free Program 
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is excited to announce the continuation of their “Youth Ride Free” promotional bus pass program.  This free youth pass allows youth ages 6 to 18 to ride all OC fixed-route buses every day for free. Te new purple/orange Youth Ride Free passes are valid now through September 30, 2024 and require a new Parent Request Form for each recipient.  For more information regarding the program visit: OCbus.com/YouthRideFree. 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 form to the front office to be issued a purple/orange youth bus pass for the 2023-24 school year. 
Parent Request Form: OC Bus Ride Guide – How to Ride:



Bell Schedule 
The 2023-2024 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
Upcoming Events
October 16th – Student Holiday 
October 18th – School Site Council 
October 18th – Shark Night Out at Cha for Tea
October 19th – Turn Irvine Orange 
October 19th – Pumpkins and Pancakes
October 19th – Great Shakeout 
October 23rd – 27th -  Red Ribbon Week 
October 25th – Super Late Start, school will start at 9:45am
October 26th – Shark Success Night by invitation
October 26th – College and Career Fair
October 27th – Minimum Day