South Lake Newsletter - May 10, 2024

Mother's Day

Good Afternoon South Lake Community, 

We hope to see you at our Spring production of Matilda The Musical next week. We have two full casts who will be performing May 13th – 16th so come out to support this incredible group of artists!


Thank you to our incredible PTSA for showering our teachers and staff with a week of appreciation…the South Lake Era is alive and well and will sustain us! We are grateful for such an amazing parent partnership!
 
Next week is our last ASB Spirit Week of the year so bring your spirit Sharks!
     Monday – Dream college colors
     Tuesday - Sportswear day
     Wednesday - Beach day
     Thursday - Jorts day
     Friday - South Lake colors 

Summer is almost here…don’t miss out on all the fun at IPSF Summer! Choose from over 400 exciting and educational classes for students in grades PreK-12, all taught by specialized instructors and IUSD teachers. Session A classes start June 13, register today! https://ipsf.net/classes-camps/summer/
 
8th grade students took their Panorama Class Picture yesterday. We have envelopes available in the office if your student would still like to purchase one from South Coast Photography. Orders must be submitted by Friday, May 17th. 

For 7th grade students who would like to enroll in IVA for World Language class in 8th grade next year, please complete this WL Enrollment Form and we will enroll your student. Confirmation of enrollment will come from IVA. 
 
This past weekend, I had the great honor of accepting our California Distinguished School Award from CA State Superintendent, Tony Thurmond, and IUSD Superintendent, Terry Walker. I am extremely proud of all that we have accomplished as a community and this is a testament to the tireless effort of our dedicated teaching and support staff!

Happy Mother's Day to all our incredible Shark Moms out there!

Have a great weekend Sharks!
In kindness,
Belinda Averill
Principal 
Schedule for Week of  5/13 - 5/17

Monday 

Tuesday 

Wednesday 

Thursday 

Friday 

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

Matilda

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

Matilda

Odd Periods

Late Start
9:00am - 3:02pm 
Matilda

Even Periods

Late Start
9:00am - 3:02pm
Bonus Period PE 
Matilda  

Anchor Day 

8:15am – 3:02pm

Bonus Period PE

South Lake Announcements and Information
PTSA Information 
Stay informed on all SLMS PTSA information by subscribing at PTSA LINKS and here for our Year-At-A-Glance PTSA Calendar
SLMS GEAR: Get your SLMS GEAR and stay cozy while showing your school spirit! ORDER HERE
ASB SPIRIT WEAR: We have a limited supply of ASB spirit wear being sold on our webstore and all proceeds go to ASB. ASB Spirit Wear
SHARK SHOPPE:  We are looking for donations to stock the Shoppe with snacks, candy, and drinks.  Please order from our Amazon link SHARK SHOPPE WISHLIST or purchase from any store and drop off in the front office.  We appreciate any and all donations. This is a great incentive for our students, so please consider donating.
8TH GRADE PROMOTION DANCE
Step into the spotlight and let's LIGHT UP THE NIGHT at our 8th grade graduation dance! We invite our 8th Grade VIPs to join us on June 1st from 7:00pm to 9:30pm at the Boys and Girls Club to celebrate the end of your middle school journey and ignite the excitement for the adventures ahead in high school. It's a chance to shine bright alongside your classmates, reminisce about the success you’ve achieved and eagerly anticipate the glow of your future endeavors. So, dust off your fanciest attire and get ready to glow and grow together as we make unforgettable memories under the shimmering lights.  
Tickets are $30 per student and can be purchases on our webstore at www.southlakeptsa.com or send cash or check made payable to South Lake PTSA to the front office. All students who plan to attend are required to sign this eSign Waiver and submit at signed Dance Contract which will be distributed next week during Homeroom. Students will NOT be permitted to use their cell phone inside the venue. 

8th Grade Families
Yesterday you received an email detailing the end of year activities and events to anticipate. Your 8th grade student came home with the following items: 7th Grade Families
The process for registering students for 8th grade electives is now available on our website at  https://southlake.iusd.org/department/registration. Please choose the 7th grade tab, refer to the Course Catalog for course descriptions and fill out the Registration form.  

All Student Behavior Expectations
With only five weeks left in the school year, we would very much appreciate you taking time to review South Lake behavior expectations with your student so that we have a positive end of the year. This is the typical time of year where we need to remind students of our behavior expectations. We would greatly appreciate you reviewing the following expectations for student behaviors:
  • Tardiness – it is critical to get to school on time as well to class. Please work with your student to plan to get to school before the bell rings (8:05am or 8:55am). Students have lots of time to socialize with their peers during break and lunch, they do not need to socialize during transitions between classes. 
  • Boundaries – it is crucial at this age that students maintain appropriate boundaries with one another. We understand that students are impulsive at this age however, we are reminding students repeatedly to keep their hands to themselves. This includes hand holding, pushing, grabbing, taking other people’s belongings for fun and being silly. At this point of the school year, our students are physically too big to be engaging in this type of behavior. 
  • Language – we have dedicated time through lessons, assemblies, targeted intervention, and reinforcement of using inclusive language with one another. Language that is racist, obscene, and offensive has no place on our campus. At this time, students are VERY familiar with our expectations and MUST adhere to these at all times. 
  • Release Time – school ends at 3:02pm every day. Students are required to leave campus by 3:15pm at the very latest. We ask that you know where your student is going, who they are with and keep a curfew for when they are to be home. Students MUST wear a helmet and adhere to all requirements for riding an eBike or traditional bike. 
Dance Team, Warrior Guard and Lake Guard (middle school)
Interested in Dance team or Warrior guard at Woodbridge High School and Lake Winter guard here at South Lake?   There will be a parent informational meeting this coming Monday, May 13th, at 7 PM at the Woodbridge High School faculty lounge. Look around campus for posters and information.  All are welcome!

Yearbook
Make sure you get your Yearbook! To purchase your Yearbook, please go to MySchoolBucks, instructions for this can be found HERE

IPSF PATS Program
You may have recently seen Irvine Public Schools Foundation’s announcement of their 2024 Innovative Grants Program awards. These grants have the power to bring amazing ideas to life and continue to keep our school and district on the leading edge of innovative teaching and learning!
 
The Innovative Grants Program is made possible by IPSF thanks to the support of parents like you. Donations to the Parents Appreciating Teachers and Staff (PATS) campaign directly support teacher grants. PATS is also a meaningful way to show our South Lake teachers, nurses, and staff how much you appreciate all that they do! When you recognize teachers and staff with PATS, they will receive your family’s personal message along with recognition of a PATS donation made to IPSF in their honor.
To support the PATS campaign and donate in honor of a teacher or staff member, please visit: www.ipsf.net/pats.  Thank you for your support and appreciation of our school, our classrooms, and our teachers! 

Yearbook
Make sure you get your Yearbook! To purchase your Yearbook, please go to MySchoolBucks, instructions for this can be found HERE

Middle School Program (MSP) at South Lake
If 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 several signs and symptoms of illness including a fever (temp > 100.4).
  • 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. The 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
May 13th - 16th - Matilda The Musical
May 24th - Minimum Day
May 27th - Memorial Day
May 28th - 8th grade Awards Night