Weekly Wave

Short Ave. IB Learners Strive to Be...

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

At Short Avenue, we strive for excellence in everything we do, but the truth is that none of us is perfect. Even when we do our best to stay healthy, challenges arise. Unfortunately, COVID has made its way to Short Avenue, and we have had many students and adults test positive. Please know that times have changed, and current guidance for COVID is much more similar to managing the flu. If you have a fever, stay home. Once your fever has passed and you are feeling well enough to participate in the school day, please return to school. In the meantime, keep drinking plenty of water, getting lots of rest, and washing your hands. Taking care of ourselves and one another remains a community responsibility.

Speaking of learning, Thursday’s emergency drill was another reminder that mistakes can make us better. The drill was successful, but we identified some challenges with our systems. That is exactly why we practice! Recognizing areas for improvement allows us to make adjustments, strengthen our procedures, and ensure we are even better prepared to protect our students and staff during an actual emergency.

Finally, a quick reminder about communication. If there is a change in your child’s dismissal plans or other important information your child’s teacher needs to know, please communicate directly with the teacher in a timely manner. While our TAs and office staff work hard to relay messages, sometimes information gets lost in the game of telephone. Including the teacher directly helps ensure everyone has the information needed to keep our Dolphins safe, supported, and successful.

Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to seeing you on Monday!

Mr. Lamb

10/19- Middle School Options Meeting, 5:30pm, Auditorium

10/20-10/21- Baby Blues Restaurant Nights, 11am-9pm

10/24- Fall Festival, 4pm-7pm

10/30- Halloween Parade and Assembly @ 8:30am

10/29-10/30- Dia De Los Muertos Ofrenda viewing

11/02- Dia De Los Muertos Conchas and Hot Chocolate

Attention 4th and 5th Grade Families! Our annual Middle School Options meeting will take place on Monday, October 19th, at 5:30pm in the Short Avenue Auditorium. This will be an opportunity to learn about the process of applying to middle school and the options that are available through LAUSD. Additionally, we will have a panel of Short Avenue graduates available to answer any questions about the middle schools that they are currently attending. We plan to have students representing the following schools:

-Marina Del Rey Middle School

-Mark Twain Middle School

-Palms Middle School

-Paul Revere Middle School

-Emerson Community Charter Middle School

-New West Charter School

-Girls Academic Leadership Academy (GALA)

For our 5th grade families, the EChoices application is open through November 6, 2026. You should use this application to apply to any Magnet, SAS, or Affiliated Charter programs. We encourage you to go on tours at multiple middle schools to decide which is the best fit for your child. You can visit the middle school websites to get tour dates and information.

Día de los Muertos is just around the corner, and we’re inviting our Short Avenue community to help us create a beautiful ofrenda (altar) honoring loved ones who have passed. Every contribution helps make this meaningful tradition extra special!

🌼 There’s Still Time to Contribute! We’re collecting framed photos of loved ones, marigolds, sugar skulls, fresh fruit, traditional food items, clay vases, Talavera-style plates, woven baskets, and neutral decorations.

🖼️ Sending a framed photo? Please label the back with your child’s name and classroom number so we can return it after the celebration.

📍 Drop-Off: Room 4 - Nonperishable donations: Now through October 26, Fresh flowers & fruit: October 26–28

🙌 We Could Use Some Helping Hands! From decorating and setting up the ofrenda to serving treats and helping with clean-up, there are plenty of ways to be part of this special celebration!

Volunteer Sign-Up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4DAAAB2EA7FFC07-66293330-diadelos?useFullSite=true#/

Wish List Sign-Up: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/LF7D3C7CLIU6?ref_=wl_share

🧡 Come See Our Community’s Ofrenda! Join us on October 30, following the schoolwide assembly and Halloween Costume Parade, to view the completed ofrenda and celebrate the memories of those we hold dear.

Fall Festival is THIS SATURDAY, October 24, from 4–7 PM! We are SO excited to bring our Short Avenue community together for an evening of spooky fun! A few important reminders to help make this year's festival a success:

🙌 WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! Fall Festival is a BIG lift, and we need our community to help bring it to life! Volunteer opportunities are available Tuesday, October 20 through Sunday, October 25. Our biggest needs:

• Tuesday: Storage haul-out (pickup trucks and large SUVs especially appreciated!)

• Wednesday–Friday: Festival prep and Haunted House construction

• Saturday: Setup and evening teardown

• Sunday: Final cleanup and storage

Can't commit to an entire shift? No problem! Even 30 minutes or an hour makes a difference! Sign up for the closest available shift and leave a comment with your availability: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084EA8A62DA1FBCE9-66723738-fall

🎟️ GET YOUR TICKETS! If you haven't purchased your Fall Festival tickets yet, now is the time! Purchasing in advance helps us plan for a great event.
Tickets: https://friendsofshortavenue.org/collections/event-tickets
Request pay-it-forward tickets: https://forms.gle/kLAgmABX13K5c1PF9

DONATION REMINDER - If you signed up to donate items, please drop them at the bin in the front office the week of Monday, October 19. We still have a few items on our wish list that need to be purchased! Every contribution helps us create a magical event for our kids. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EA5AF2EA5FEC61-66522775-fall

COSTUME SWAP STARTS MONDAY! Our Short Avenue Costume Swap kicks off Monday, October 19! We'll have a costume rack and bin on the front lawn where families can drop off gently used costumes or pick up something new-to-them!

🧡 IT TAKES A VILLAGE! Fall Festival is one of our biggest community events of the year, and it truly takes all of us to make it happen. Whether you're volunteering, donating, or simply coming out to enjoy the fun, we can't wait to celebrate with you!

See you Saturday, October 24, from 4–7 PM! 🎃

From classroom adventures and playground friendships to field trips and Dolphin spirit, there's so much to remember about a year at Short Avenue! 💙

Our 2026–2027 Yearbooks & Yearbook Ads are officially ON SALE! Snag Your Yearbook at the Presale Price!

Get your copy for just $40 through January 11, 2027! After that, the price jumps to $45.

🌟Give Your Dolphin Their Own Moment in the Spotlight! Want to add an extra-special surprise to their yearbook? A personalized yearbook ad is the perfect place for a favorite photo, a sweet message, or a big "We're so proud of you!"

Choose the perfect size for your shoutout:

Full Page — $100
Half Page — $50
Quarter Page — $25

Order your yearbook or purchase an ad here:

https://link.entourageyearbooks.com/my/shortave2027

Skip the cooking and make your next meal count! Join us for Short Avenue Restaurant Nights at Baby Blues BBQ on October 20 & 21! 💙

Whether you're stopping by for lunch, enjoying a family dinner, or picking up something delicious to take home, it's an easy way to support our school while treating yourself!

📅 October 20 & 21, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM, Baby Blues BBQ - 444 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

🍴 Dine-in, takeout, and delivery available! If ordering online, don't forget to use code SHORTAVE so your order supports Short Avenue! Order only on https://babybluesbbq.com.

NEW Parent Portal UPDATE!!:

We are now at 93% with our Parents signed up to the Parent Portal!! This means we have 34 students who do NOT have at least one parent signed up. This is for ALL your children who attend Short Ave. We are striving for 100%!!! If you are one of those 34 families, you received a letter in your child's backpack this past week with the information you need to sign up for the Parent Portal. We will be calling families who have not signed up in the coming weeks:)

LAUSD releases a Family Newsletter every Wednesday at 4pm

• Here is this week’s update.

This last week of school, I posted on our Instagram and Facebook:

The Multilingual Parent Meeting flyer, Fall Festival and Dia De Los Muertos flyers, phtoos from our Wednesday Specials, Photos from our Earthquake Drill, the Kindergarten Publishing Party, pics from 5th grade's Tortilla Celebration, and a Restaurant Nights Flyer!

Please set you Instagram notifications to be notified when I post, so you don't miss anything, and of course like and comment on our posts, it is the best way to see what is happening on campus and get important reminders!

Are you interested in volunteering in your child's classroom, the library, the garden, or going on a field trip? We LOVE volunteers and hope that you will be one!! You must be an APPROVED volunteer with a NEGATIVE TB TEST to volunteer on campus in the classroom, or attend a field trip. Please know approval can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks depending on how many volunteers the district is processing.

ALL Volunteers (both new and returning) must watchThe Mandatory Volunteer Orientation Zoom recording, if you did NOT attend the live zoom on WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH. There is a Code Word in the video that you will be asked!

2026/27 Mandatory Volunteer Orientation Recording

1. ALL Volunteers (New AND Returning) must first fill out the LAUSD Volunteer Application through this LAUSD VOLUNTEER LINK! Please only check Tier II assignments. Do NOT check Tier III assignments, as we do not typically have volunteers do those jobs. Tier III requires a fingerprint, if you want to be cleared for Tier III please email me to discuss avril.lipsky@lausd.net .

2. All Volunteers must have a Negative TB test. Please email Avril your Negative TB test AFTER filling out the LAUSD Volunteer Application. TB tests are good for 4 years once you are approved.

SEE THE FLYER BELOW ABOUT A FREE DISTRICT TB SCREENING on Tuesday August 25th from 5:00 to 6:30pm at Daniel Webster Middle School.

New volunteers must have a recent negative test done within 60 days of being processed by me, meaning if you did your TB test more than 60 days ago, you will need to have it re-certified by a medical professional, get a new test or pass a TB assessment. PLEASE email a photo of your negative result with your name, date of test and place and/or medical professional who performed the test visible to avril.lipsky@lausd.net so that I can enter it into your application. TB tests for returning volunteers are good for 4 years. If you are a Returning Volunteer, you still must fill out a Volunteer Application every year. Your TB test should auto populate in the application. Please check your TB test date. If you did your original test in 2022, it will expire on your date in 2026. If you did it in 2023 it will expire in 2027.

Here is a link the the most recent Volunteer Guide if you want a step by step visual of how to fill out the volunteer application.

3. Volunteers need to sign a Liability Waiver and the Commitment Form electronically in the application..You do NOT need to email them to me.

4. Please see the LAUSD Volunteer Page for answers to questions.

https://www.lausd.org/volunteer

5. Your official Volunteer Badge will be mailed to the office and will live there on the counter in our Badge Bin. Badges are filed alphabetically. You are responsible for wearing your badge when you are volunteering on campus, and for RETURNING your badge to the bin. Please DO NOT take your badge home!

The LAUSD Parent Portal is LAUSD’s Parent Access Support System portal. It is a one-stop online system that connects parents and guardians to important information about their child's education. It is secure...it is personalized to your child...and it is custom-made for YOU, our parents and guardians. We ask for every student to hav e at least one parent or guardian signed up for the Parent Portal. Please sign up for the Parent Portal, at this link. You should have received a letter in your child's backpack at the beginning of school with your child's student ID and your own parent pin. If you are having any difficulty with your account, please try resetting your password. You can also contact the main office if you are having any other difficulties.

Turn your child’s masterpiece into an Art Banner featured on our art wall along the perimeter fence! Their artwork will be enlarged and displayed on campus for an entire year for our whole community to enjoy.

It’s such a special way to celebrate your student’s creativity while adding color and personality to our campus!

🎂 And don’t forget about Birthday Marquee messages! Celebrate your student’s birthday with a personalized message on the Short Ave marquee.

Both are fun ways to make your Dolphin feel extra special — while supporting FoSA and our school! 💙

Art Banners: https://friendsofshortavenue.org/collections/art-banner/products/art-banner
Birthday Marquee: https://friendsofshortavenue.org/collections/birthday-marquee

Did you know you can wish your child a Happy Birthday on the Short Avenue School marquee?

Light up their day and proceeds benefit FoSA and help support Short Avenue! Click below to purchase and remember to enter your child’s name and birthdate in the Special Instructions section at checkout, and we’ll take care of the rest!

Purchase now so you don’t have to remember later. We’ll schedule it and make sure their birthday message goes up when their special day arrives!

https://friendsofshortavenue.org/collections/birthday-marquee/products/birthday-marquee-message

I am Avril Lipsky, your Community Rep. I was a parent here at Short from 2013 to 2019, and was hired as the Community Rep in 2019. I am responsible for approving volunteers, (more on that below!!) helping families sign up for the Parent Portal, taking photos and posting to our Instagram and Facebook. I also help spread the word about LAUSD Family Academy, and lots more district resources. I am here to answer your questions, or get you to the person who can! Please don't hesitate to reach out. My email will be in every Weekly Wave: avril.lipsky@lausd.net

The Parent Center has moved! We are now just past the front office in Room 4, please come visit!

Each month LAUSD offers a variety of classes, both in person and on zoom. Please click this link to learn more:

LAUSD Family Academy