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Newsletter at a Glance Principal’s Message Spirit Days Autumn Serenade Fall Dance College Day Jr. Dance Club Band Spectacular Title I Meetings Great California Shake-Out! PTA Reflections Halloween Dress Up Day Red Ribbon Week “We Scare Hunger” Food Drive

Project Success Expect Respect Bike Safety and Registration Clean Campus Challenge Mock Disaster Drill Free and Reduced Meal Program Community Notice of Qualified Staff Student Fee Information Science Competitions Attendance Line Health Office Reminders SEAMS Program City of Irvine Middle School Program

Events for October 2017 10/05 School Site Council Meeting, Venado Library, 3:15-4:15 p.m.

10/06 Spirit Day: Pink Out for Breast Cancer Awareness

10/09 Staff Development Day - No School for Students

10/11 Autumn Serenade, Irvine High School, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

10/13 Spirit Day: Neon Dress Up Day

10/13 First Trimester Progress Reports Posted

10/13 “Lights Out Neon” Fall Dance, Venado Commons, 3:15-5:15 p.m.

10/16 First College Day

10/16 Jr. Dance Club Begins, Irvine High School, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

10/18 Band Spectacular, Irvine High School, 5:30 p.m.

10/19 Title I Parent Breakfast Meeting, Venado Library, 8:45 a.m.

10/19 Great California Shake Out

10/20 Spirit Day: Black and Gold

10/20-10/22 IPSF Harvest Cup Soccer Tournament

10/23-10/27 Red Ribbon Week

10/23 College Day

10/23 PTA Reflections Entries Due

10/27 Spirit Day: Wear Red for Red Ribbon Week

10/30-11/03 “We Scare Hunger” Food Drive

10/30 College Day

10/31 Spirit Day: Halloween Dress Up Day

11/01 & 11/02 Fall Conferences (11/01 is Minimum Day, and 11/02 is Modified Late Start – School Begins at 10:30 a.m.)

Venado Middle School Newsletter

Irvine Unified School District

October 2017

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Principal’s Message

Trimester 1 Progress Reports: First Trimester Progress Reports will be posted on the evening of Friday October 13, 2017. To view your student’s grades, please sign-in to your Parent Portal account at www.myiusd.org Please see the Principal’s Message from the August/September newsletter for specific information about how to use the Parent Portal to view teacher gradebooks and how to use Canvas to find out what your child’s assignments are in each class. Step-by-step guides are also available on the Parents page of our website: http://web.iusd.org/ve/Parents.html. It’s important to monitor your child’s progress closely.

Direct Donation Drive: For three years, our PTSA sponsored very successful Direct Donation Drives in which we raised just over $17,000 each year for Venado Middle School. The funds were used to complete our 3rd computer lab, purchase Chromebooks and additional charging carts. Unlike traditional fundraisers such as magazine, cookie dough or gift wrap sales, where middlemen take up to 40% of the proceeds, Venado gets 100% of the donations. Students don’t feel pressured to go door to door selling items and parents don’t have to buy things that they may not need.

As you are aware, our fourth annual Direct Donation Drive began on Tuesday, September 19. Our goal once again this year is to raise $17,000. We will use your generous donations to update desktop computers in our computer labs. The majority of the computers in our labs are over 6 years old. Since the typical desktop computer costs approximately $700, the cost of replacing these computers will be significant. Instructional technology is a priority for our staff members. The generous donations and support of our parent community, along with district computer matching and site funds have allowed us to make considerable investments in our technology infrastructure. Three years ago, Venado did not have any Chromebook devices on campus. We now have just over 600+ Chromebooks. In two years, we went from having 2.5 computer labs to 17 “computer labs”, 3 stationary and 14 mobile. These investments would not have been possible without the strong support of our parent community. I strongly urge you to support Venado Middle School by making a donation. This will be the only PTSA Donation Drive this school year. The suggested donation per family is $100, but donations of any amount are accepted and greatly appreciated. One hundred percent of your donations will benefit Venado students and staff. In addition, all contributions are 100% tax deductible. Donating is easy; just visit our website: www.venadoms.org. Thank you in advance for your support!

Fall Conferences: Venado will be holding Fall Conferences on Wednesday, November 1 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and on Thursday, November 2 from 8:00 to 10:15 a.m. The parents of students who received D or F grades, N (Needs Improvement) or U (Unsatisfactory) mark(s) in citizenship or work habits, or the comment “Conference Requested” on the first trimester progress report will be given priority for conference sign-ups in late October. A second round of conference sign-ups for all other parents will take place later that same week.

Sign-ups are on a first come, first served basis. Students are required to attend conferences with their parents and bring their Student Planners and backpacks. Please arrive on time. Please be on the lookout for the Fall Conferences email sent in late October for more information and the sign-up link. If you are not able to secure a conference with one of your child’s teachers, you may request a teacher conference

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at any time throughout the year. For more information about Fall Conferences, please call our main office at (949) 936-6800.

Facilities Update: Our maintenance and operations team recently completed restoration of two large planters in our quad area with three beautiful Desert Museum Palo Verde trees and other drought tolerant plants. Desert Museum Palo Verde Trees have distinctive green trunks, grow quickly and produce large canopies of filtered shade. They also produce beautiful yellow flowers in the spring and bloom periods are lengthy. Please be aware, that no site funds were used for this project.

I am also pleased to report that our and Maintenance and Operations Department recently installed a second new drinking fountain/fill station outside the Theater (the other one is located in The Commons). The drinking fountain/fill station provides cool water, and allows students and staff members to refill water bottles with filtered water. All students and staff members are encouraged to "go green" and use refillable bottles instead of plastic bottles. These investments were made possible with funds our staff earned two years ago by having the highest rate of staff participation in the district’s Wellness Program Health Screening, and with some site funds. A third drinking fountain/fill station will be included in our new science building, which will be ready for occupancy in the Fall of 2019.

Local Control Funding Formula: As you may know, three years ago, the State of California adopted the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), a new framework for funding California K-12 public schools. As part of the LCFF, school districts must adopt a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) with input from stakeholder groups throughout the district. I am pleased to report that average class sizes at Venado this year are lower than the allocated 1:31 teacher to student ratio due to five class sections that were provided to middle schools in our current LCAP. These sections were used to provide targeted intervention in math and reading, and to lower class sizes (individual class sizes may vary). These LCAP investments are set to expire at the end of the current school year. For more information about LCFF or the LCAP, please visit this page on the district’s website: LCAP Information. Another excellent resource is available on the state PTA website: http://capta.org/focus-areas/lcfflcap/

October 9 Professional Day of Learning and Student Holiday: This is just a friendly reminder that Monday, October 9 is a district wide professional day of learning for all district staff. Professional development activities will be held for office assistants, paraprofessionals, instructional assistants, campus control supervisors, certificated staff, etc. I am excited to report that at Venado, certificated staff members will attend an all day workshop on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) presented by Dr. Katie Novak. Dr. Novak is a national leader in the field of education and an authority on UDL. This workshop was funded in part by Pacific Life’s Annual 3T Grant Program. Employees of Pacific Life with children or grandchildren attending K-12 schools are encouraged to submit their Annual K-12 School Survey. Eligible schools for the grant are determined based on concentrations of students whose parents/grandparents are employed by Pacific Life. If you are a Pacific Life employee with children or grandchildren who attend Venado, the survey deadline for this year is Friday, October 6. On behalf of the entire school community, I would like to thank Pacific Life for the generous donation received last year.

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Stay Connected to IUSD: Dear IUSD Families, there are a number of reasons to stay connected with IUSD, including receiving important news and information about the District and our school on a regular basis. It is also important to know how to connect with IUSD during an emergency. Below are some ways that you can stay connected to IUSD in real time, 24/7.

SCHOOLMESSENGER

Check your email, voicemail and text messages first · Please make sure your contact information in the Parent Portal is up to date. · If you unsubscribed from school or District emails, you will not receive important updates

during an emergency. · To re-subscribe, please email HelpDesk@iusd.org.

VISIT IUSD’S WEBSITE

· IUSD.org

· IUSD.org/news

SOCIAL MEDIA

· Like IUSD on Facebook: facebook.com/irvineunifiedschooldistrict · Follow IUSD on Twitter: twitter.com/iusd

· Follow IUSD on Instagram: instagram.com/irvine_unified · In the event of a school or districtwide emergency, please check these resources first. They

are updated in real time and will help you get the information you need immediately.

Following this protocol will also help keep phone lines open for staff and first responders. To keep District contact information at your fingertips and available for the whole family, please save and/or post the flyer and magnet (which was sent home with your child) on your refrigerator. You may also click on the image and save it to favorites on your mobile device, or save the above information in your contacts on your mobile device. ~ Luis Torres, Principal

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Spirit Days

In order to promote school spirit and pride, boost students’ involvement at school and just have fun, Spirit Days will be held every Friday this school year, unless otherwise announced. Spirit Days range from wearing our school colors of black and gold, to other dress up themes. Each trimester, a competition is held between 4th period classrooms for the highest percentage of student/teacher participation. Lunchtime activities related to the dress-up day theme are also planned. At the end of the trimester, the top class will win an In-n-Out lunch celebration! Here are the Spirit Day themes for October:

October 06: Pink Out (Wear Pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month) October 13: Wear Neon October 20: Black and Gold October 27: Red for Red Ribbon Week October 31: Halloween Costumes

~ Cory Adelman, ASB/Leadership Advisor

Autumn Serenade Calling all Concert and Symphonic Orchestra parents: Join your Venado orchestral musicians at their first performance of the year on October 11, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Irvine High School (IHS). This is a joint concert with the three orchestras and wind symphony from Irvine High School. It promises to be a wonderful night of music. The concert begins in the IHS Theater at 6:30 p.m. with the Venado orchestras. Don’t miss the chance to hear these talented young musicians perform! ~ Rebecca Venlet, Music Director

Fall Dance Venado’s ASB/Leadership will be hosting the first school dance/social of the year on Friday, October 13 from 3:15-5:15 p.m. The theme of the dance is “Lights Out - Neon.” Students are encouraged to dress up in neon, bright colors or white. Tickets will be on sale during lunch, from Wednesday October 11 to Friday October 13 for $5.00. Tickets sold at the door on the day of the dance will be $6.00. This dance event is for current Venado students only. Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the event. There will also be plenty of activities, such as video games, dancing, and a photo booth! Parents, this is also a reminder to please pick up your students on time at the end of the dance.

~ Cory Adelman, ASB Leadership Teacher

College Day Does your child know which colleges or universities they are interested in attending? It’s not too early to know. According to the College Board, students should begin applying to institutions of higher learning during the summer of their senior year. For Venado students, this is just 4-5 years away. In order to promote awareness and encourage students to be better prepared for college, Venado Middle School is excited to announce that, starting October 16, we will designate every Monday as “College Day.” We invite all students and staff to join in the excitement and proudly sport their college or career attire

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every Monday. So, staff and students, get your t-shirts and sweatshirts ready, and remember the first official “College Day” will be Monday, October 16. ~ Antoinette Brown, School Counselor

Jr. Dance Club at Irvine High School Irvine High School (IHS) Dance Ensemble is proud to present Jr. Dance Club, a class open to all K-8 grade boys and girls. This is our biggest fundraiser and a great way to introduce future Vaqueros to the dance program. Classes begin on October 16, and will be held every Monday through November 27 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. in the IHS Dance Room (new gym). Dress rehearsals are scheduled for December 5 and 6, and the performances will be held on December 7, 8, and 9. The cost is $55.00 per student, and includes costume, and seven instructional dance classes. Detailed dress rehearsal and performance schedule will be provided when you register. Please register online at Irvine High School Dance. For questions or information, please contact Sheryl Sloate at (949) 936-7175, or by e-mail at sherylsloate@iusd.org.

~ Sheryl Sloate, Dance Director, Irvine High School

Band Spectacular Calling all Concert and Symphonic Band parents: The Venado bands will join all 9 middle schools and 5 high schools in a band extravaganza on October 18, 2017, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Irvine High School Football Stadium. Don’t miss your chance to see and hear almost 3,000 band students perform together. This will be their first performance of the year. You will not only hear your own fabulous students play, but also get the chance to enjoy each high school’s marching band field show. Admission prices and other details will follow in a letter that will be sent home with your band student. ~ Rebecca Venlet, Music Director

Title I Meetings Please RSVP to attend our first Title I Parent Breakfast information meeting in the library on Thursday,

October 19 from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. We plan to share resources, parent involvement strategies, activities,

and services specific to Title I instructional programs. Attend this informational meeting to engage with

your child’s Title I teachers, administration, and learn how we can all work as a team to enhance your

child’s success. Here are some highlights of the Title I meetings:

★ Coffee and a light breakfast will be provided

★ Childcare will be provided

★ Interpreter upon request

★ Opportunity to meet with Title I teachers and administration

★ Parent Portal and Canvas Training by our Counseling Department

★ Provide feedback on an online parent survey

★ Raffle Prizes

This year’s workshops will feature education and parenting experts, Irvine High School Academic

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Advisors, and Venado leadership to offer valuable tools in helping you optimize opportunities for your child. If possible, please reserve the following dates on your calendar for the rest of this year’s meetings:

10/19, 11/16, 12/14, 1/18, 2/15, 3/8, 4/19, and 5/24.

Most meetings will be held in the library on Thursday mornings from 9 to 10 a.m. while others will be offered in the evenings. We have also obtained a parking variance from The City of Irvine, which allows parents to park on the school-side of Deerfield starting at Doe Trail/Deer Creek and ending at Fawn Glenn/Deer Spring. Look for more information in the monthly newsletters.

~ Susy Sarmiento, Title I Coordinator

Great California Shake-out! and Emergency Preparation Venado students and staff will participate in the Great California Shake Out on Thursday, October 19. This is an annual statewide drill to promote earthquake preparedness and practice safe duck, cover, and hold procedures. It also provides an opportunity to assess safety protocols and ensure that students and staff are safe in the event of an emergency, particularly disasters caused by earthquakes. For more information about the Great California Shake Out, or to learn about ways to prepare for an earthquake, please visit: www.shakeout.org We will also spend time this month practicing our various emergency preparation drills, including fire drills, earthquake drills, and lockdown drills. All students were instructed about our emergency procedures during an important orientation lesson in Homeroom the first week of school. We will practice a fire drill on October 2, the earthquake drill on October 19, and a lockdown drill on October 27. Student safety is paramount at Venado. As such it’s important that all students and staff are prepared in the event of an emergency. ~ Shannon Van Dam, Assistant Principal

“Within Reach” PTA Reflections Theme Reflections is an annual National PTA art program to recognize creativity and artistry in children from grades K-12. Within Reach is the theme for the 2017-2018 National PTA Reflections program, and entries for all grades and abilities are now being accepted. Please encourage your child to enter one (or more) of the following categories: Literature, Music Composition, Visual Arts, Photography, Film Production and Dance Choreography. The deadline for submitting your entries to Venado is Monday, October 23, to allow enough time for judging. Please drop off all entries to the school front office. Official rules and entry forms can be found in the Student section of the Venado website: Rules and Entry Forms for PTA Reflections If you have any questions, please contact Theresa Collins at venadoptsa@gmail.com. ~ Theresa Collins, Venado PTSA President

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Halloween Dress-Up Day

Venado will be holding a Halloween Dress-up Day on Tuesday, October 31, a minimum day. Participation by students and staff members is voluntary. If your child dresses up, please make sure your child’s costume follows these guidelines to keep the event fun for everyone, and to avoid disciplinary consequences:

All costumes must follow Venado’s Dress Code Policy. See page XII of the Student Handbook in the Student Planner for more information.

No Masks. No weapons (fake or real). Costumes must not disrupt school activities. Students must be comfortable and fully able

to participate in class while wearing a costume. Costume themes must be school appropriate, safe and inoffensive.

Questions regarding guidelines should be directed to Mrs. Van Dam, Assistant Principal, at shannonvandam@iusd.org or at (949) 936-6806.

~ Cory Adelman, ASB/ Leadership

Red Ribbon Week Venado will celebrate Red Ribbon Week the week of October 23-27, in order to promote awareness and encourage students’ participation in the drug free movement. Our students will celebrate this year’s theme, “Your Future Is Key, Who Will You Be?” by focusing on activities and discussions that promote a drug free lifestyle. Below is a snapshot of the week’s activities:

Monday: Dress up day: Wear a future ideology piece of clothing, such as a college t-shirt, sports jersey, Broadway/concert t-shirt, inspirational saying t-shirt, medical scrubs, business suit, etc. There will also be a guidance lesson during homeroom focusing on this year’s theme, “Your Future Is Key, Who Will You Be?”

Tuesday: No dress up - Lunch time activity sponsored by YAT/MSP.

Thursday: No dress up - Lunch time activity sponsored by Leadership.

Friday: “My Future is Drug Free”. Wear all Red to support the drug free movement. ~ Erin Garcia, School Counselor

We “Scare” Hunger- Food Drive

We will be holding a Food Drive for Families Forward from October 30 - November 3, to help provide families in need, with food to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Our goal is to collect over 1,600 items. Please have your child bring his/her items to their 1st period class on those days. We will be holding a competition between 1st period classrooms to see which class is able to bring in the most cans/boxed food to win a prize. All food items must be inside a can or packaged box. Expired food or personal baked goods will not be accepted. Here are some items we are requesting:

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Boxes of stuffing Jars of gravy Cans of cranberry sauce Boxes of muffin or cornbread mix Cans of sweet potatoes or yams Cans of soup (broth or cream) Cans of vegetables Cans of fruit Cans of evaporated milk Cans of pumpkin pie or other pie fillings Boxed pie crusts Canned chicken, tuna meat Boxed pasta Canned beans Rice Spaghetti sauce Mac and cheese Peanut butter, jelly, honey

Thank you so much. We truly appreciate your generosity.

~ Cory Adelman, ASB/Leadership Teacher and Advisor

Project Success

The Project Success program supplements our Counseling department by providing group counseling for students. The program aims to help students improve internal coping skills, communication, learn how to build healthy relationships, and build healthy self-esteem. They also learn valuable skills such as anger management techniques, conflict resolution, stress reduction, and knowledge about substance abuse prevention, all while maintaining flexibility for the benefit of each individual student. If you would like more information on Project Success, please contact School Counselor, Erin Garcia.

~ Erin Garcia, School Counselor and Project Success Supervisor

Expect Respect

Venado will continue to provide our students will effective ways to address bullying and disrespect through the Expect Respect program. Expect Respect is the bullying prevention part of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program. This program outlines appropriate responses along with the differences between mean, rude and bullying behavior. One important part of Expect Respect is the school-wide STOP phrase, which we encourage students to use, if needed. Our STOP phrase is: “ENOUGH.” To learn more about this program, please see page X-XI in the Student Planner.

~ Erin Garcia, School Counselor

Bike Safety and Registration Many of our Venado students ride their bikes, skateboards and scooters to and from school. This is a great way to be independent, responsible, and healthy, but we also want students to be safe and

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protect their property. The City of Irvine has great resources about safety, bicycle laws, and bike registration. Here are some highlights:

● Always wear and secure a helmet when riding a bike - it’s the law for anyone under 18 (this

includes anything with wheels - bikes, skateboards, scooters, etc.).

● Lock your bicycle in the bike rack using a strong bike lock.

● Walk your bike on school grounds.

● Students may ride their bikes on public sidewalks, but need to be aware of walking pedestrians.

Bicyclists also need to be aware of cars while crossing streets, driveways, and parking lot

entrances.

● The “Hands Free” law applies to bike riders, too! No using cell phones while riding bikes.

● Register your bicycle. It’s a law in Irvine and helps with property recovery.

For more information and bicycle registration, visit the City of Irvine resource at this link: Bicycle Safety Venado is committed to keeping our students safe as they travel to and from school. We make weekly announcements about bike safety and present a special lesson during Homeroom in the first trimester. ~ Shannon Van Dam, Assistant Principal

Clean Campus Challenge Students are encouraged to keep our lunch areas clean and HONOR our campus by participating in our Clean Campus Challenge. The lunch areas, which include the lunch tables, blacktop, field, Field House, grass areas, and planters are graded each day by the supervision staff. The daily goal is a score of 80% or higher, and the score is based on how clean the campus is after lunch. It’s simple to earn a high score if students make an effort to throw away their own trash and recycle water bottles. If students maintain a weekly average of 80%, the Leadership students play music at lunch on Fridays as a reward for keeping the campus clean. As an added incentive, if the students reach the 80% or higher goal for 10 out of 12 weeks in the trimester, they win a special school-wide prize! Thank you for your support of our Clean Campus Challenge! ~ Shannon Van Dam, Assistant Principal

Mock Disaster Drill Venado will practice its emergency preparedness procedures during a mock disaster drill on Thursday, November 16. The purpose of this drill is to mobilize our emergency teams on campus and practice our protocols so that in the event of a massive earthquake or other emergency, our staff and students will be more prepared. The students will report to Homeroom class after lunch and we will conduct the drill from approximately 1:30-3:00 p.m. Students are encouraged to wear hats, appropriate clothing, and sunscreen for the duration of the drill. Students should come prepared with a reading book, homework, or other activity to pass the time. They will not be permitted to use cell phones or other electronic devices during the drill. We will also practice our reunification procedures during this drill; therefore, parents are invited to pick up their students from school from 2:15-2:45 p.m. If you choose to participate in our reunification drill,

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please bring your driver’s license or other government-issued photo identification and be prepared to wait in line. Only persons listed on the emergency contact form will be allowed to sign out a student from school; adults will not be able to sign out students in carpools. All students will be released at the regular dismissal time of 3:00 p.m. at the conclusion of the drill. Thank you for your support. ~ Shannon Van Dam, Assistant Principal

Free and Reduced Meal Program Venado Middle School wants to support your efforts to provide your child with daily access to nutritious meals, including breakfast and lunch. If your family has a limited household income, now is the time to apply for The Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Learn more about the wholesome and balanced breakfast and lunch menu options for your child. Qualifying for the program is strictly confidential, as well as beneficial to your child and our school. Who Can Get Free or Reduced Price Meals? Please refer to the following federal guidelines to qualify:

-or

Your child receives Food Stamps, CalWORKS, KIN-GAP, and FDPIR Benefits, or

Your child is a foster child. You may apply online at Free and Reduced Lunch. A new application must be submitted for each academic year. Please visit our school district’s FAQ page for more details or find information in 33 languages at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/translated-applications or contact us at 936-6819. ~ Susy Sarmiento, Title I Coordinator

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Community Notice of Qualified Staff We are pleased to report that for the 2017-2018 school year all Venado Middle School teachers and instructional aides are “highly qualified” as defined by the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Federal law gives parents the right to request information relative to the certification of teaching staff. Please direct all inquiries to Principal Luis Torres at (949) 936-6805. ~ Susana Sarmiento, Title 1 Coordinator

Student Fee Information

California's Constitution affirms that students and parents cannot be required to pay money to gain access to educational activities, nor can they be charged for materials and supplies necessary to participate in educational activities. “Educational activities” has been clearly defined to include extracurricular offerings such as music, sports and some clubs. Moreover, the rules described above are believed to apply to all affiliated groups supporting district and school programs, including PTSAs, boosters and foundations. The district has worked to clarify that parent donations for most educational activities are voluntary and that students will not be denied participation if their families choose not to contribute. In addition, some “permissible” fees are allowed for certain educational activities. Students will also not be denied participation in these activities due to financial difficulties. Please note that the donations for our school programs help us continue to provide opportunities that would not otherwise be possible. Thank you for your support. Your contributions of time, talent, and resources make a difference at our school. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our administrative staff. For more information, please visit Student Fee Info

~ Luis Torres, Principal

Science Competitions Is your student interested in this year’s IUSD Science Fair or Irvine’s Astounding Inventions Competition? If so, they have plenty of time to be part of these science and engineering opportunities! If your student is curious about science and engineering practices and is interested in participating in these events, then please encourage them to see Mr. Evans for additional information during Tutorial hours. This year’s IUSD Science Fair will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at Portola High School, while Astounding Inventions will be held at Irvine Valley College on Saturday, January 27, 2018. Both events are great opportunities to apply experimental and engineering talents outside of the classroom in a competitive environment that celebrates your student’s efforts. Go Knights!! ~ Robert Evans, Science Teacher/ Science Fair and Astounding Inventions Coordinator

Attendance Line This is a friendly reminder that if your child is absent from school for any reason, please call the 24-hour Attendance Line at (949) 936-6801 and leave a message by 8:45 a.m. each day of the absence. When calling, please be sure to spell your student’s last name, reason for the absence, and the caller’s name and relationship to the student. Absences not cleared by a phone call or note by a parent/guardian will be marked unexcused/cut and the student is considered truant by the school district and State. Thank you for your cooperation.

~ Ruki Charna, Office Assistant/ Attendance Clerk

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Health Office Reminders Here are a few friendly reminders from your School Nurse, Julia Monarch and Health Assistant, Logan Hooker, to help start the new school year healthy and happy. Students should make sure that they are getting plenty of sleep at night during the school week, eating a healthy breakfast before coming to school, and drinking lots of water throughout the day (try bringing a refillable water bottle, and please remember to put your name on it). There are two Fill Stations on campus that dispense filtered water, one in the Commons, and the other by the Theater (Room 101.) Moreover, students should remember to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently throughout the day. Parents, flu and cold season is starting early. Please keep students home until they are fever-free (a temperature under 100°F for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication). This is also a reminder that if your child takes any kind of medication (Ibuprofen, Inhalers, EpiPens, etc.), please make sure the child’s physician completes a Medication Administration Request form (found online at IUSD Medication Administration Request form or in the health office). Please return the form along with the prescribed medication(s) to the health office. Have a fantastic year, and feel free to stop by the health office at any time! ~ Julia Monarch, School Nurse, and Logan Hooker, Health Assistant

Student Empowerment at Middle School (SEAMS) Welcome Knights to the 2017-2018 school year! I am Venado's School Resource Officer, Officer Rick Gramer. I'm excited to spend this school year meeting the new 7th grade students while continuing to support our 8th grade students. I have spent 5 of my 9 years as a police officer working in Irvine middle schools. I take pride in acting as one more positive figure in the lives of our students. As we know, the middle school transition period can be very challenging. This is precisely why we have decided to bring back the SEAMS (Student Empowerment at Middle School) program for our Venado 7th graders. Similar to our 6th grade D.A.R.E. program, SEAMS offers the students a chance to meet with me to discuss the importance of making positive life choices. The topics we discuss include internet safety, anti-bullying, displaying empathy for others, and stress management. This year, I encourage you to think of me as a resource for you and your student. I'm available by email at rgramer@cityofirvine.org, or by phone at (949) 724-7318. I also encourage you to follow me on Facebook by searching Rick Gramer. I regularly post useful parent information focused on student success. Thank you and I'm looking forward to another great year! ~ Officer Rick Gramer, Venado Middle School Resource Officer/ City of Irvine, Police Department

City of Irvine Middle School Program (MSP) The goal of the Middle School Program (MSP) is to engage youth in positive social-recreational activities during non-school hours. Students are encouraged to participate in the development and implementation of program activities that focus on community service, personal skill development, and social recreation. Services are provided in cooperation with the Irvine Unified School District.

Youth Action Team (YAT) – Mondays & Wednesdays

YAT is a free afterschool program where students work on volunteer projects throughout Orange County. Meetings are Mondays after school from 3:00-3:45 p.m. in The Commons, and projects

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are Wednesdays after school from 3:00-5:30 p.m. If your child is interested in joining YAT, please have them come to a Monday meeting so I can give them the necessary paperwork to sign up.

Knott’s Scary Farm – Friday, October 20

MSP is taking IUSD middle school students to Knott’s Scary Farm on Friday, October 20 from 5:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. Students meet at Heritage Park Community Center (14301 Yale Ave. Irvine, CA 92604). The cost is $64 which includes admission, supervision, and transportation. Course ID#: 187459

Freaky Friday Pajama Party! – Friday, October 27 Have your student come join us for a spooky adventure as we prepare for Halloween! Movies, games, and food! This class will be at Heritage park multipurpose room (14301 Yale Ave. Irvine, CA 92604) from 6:00pm-10:00pm. Admission is $7.00 per student, and we provide an approved PG-13 movie, supervision, pizza, drinks, and snacks. Course ID#: 192527

Flag Football – Tuesdays & Thursdays, October 10-November 2

Flag Football is held after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:30 p.m. The cost is $19 which includes football instruction, supervision, transportation for off-site scrimmages, and team t-shirt. Course ID#: 187413

To register for any of these programs, please go online to and use the Course ID for the specific class.

~ Ashley Botana, MSP Venado Site Coordinator abotana@cityofirvine.org or (949)724-6746

Home of the Venado Knights Honest On-time Noble On-task Respectful and Responsible

4 Deerfield Avenue, Irvine, CA 92604 949.936.6800 FAX 949.936.6809 www.iusd.org/ve