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The Dolphin Digest

October 18th

The Dolphin Digest October 18th
The DolphinDigestOctober 18th

A Message from the Principal A Message from the Principal

Lake Elementary Named to the 2026 ERP Honor Roll

I’m proud to share that Lake Elementary has earned a STAR designation on the 2026 Educational Results Partnership (ERP) Honor Roll. This honor goes to schools that show strong, sustained academic achievement over three years of California state test results, especially among students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. We’re one of 10 Vista Unified schools recognized this year, and the district also earned a STAR Award. VUSD is one of only four unified school districts in San Diego County to receive that distinction. This achievement belongs to our students, our dedicated teachers and staff, and to you, our families.
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Our Quilt Ghosts

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the joy of being a guest reader in many of our classrooms. Together we read The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt, and each student created an art square inspired by the story. We’ve now joined those squares to make our very own Lake quilt ghosts! In every classroom I visited, students were thoughtful, respectful, and welcoming. I’m always excited to see the kindness throughout Lake, and your children show it every day.

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Thank You for Trunk or Treat!

A huge shout-out to all the families who made Trunk or Treat on October 23rd possible. I was in awe of the detail and time you put into this event. It was lovely to see our students so excited to celebrate with their friends and family. Thank you for making Lake such a wonderful community!

Dolphin Highlights Around Lake Dolphin Highlights Around Lake

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Discovering the RIASEC Code

Our 2nd graders are diving into the RIASEC code, a fun way to explore their interests and future careers! Each letter stands for a personality type: Realistic (Doers), Investigative (Thinkers), Artistic (Creators), Social (Helpers), Enterprising (Persuaders), and Conventional (Organizers). 🌈✏️

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Girl Scouts Grow Our Garden

A big thank-you to our local Girl Scouts for making our 4th grade garden bed a little more beautiful! The girls did an amazing job working as a team and we hope they will take pride in seeing their hard work every time they walk by. 🌻💚

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Fall Into Art!

Our 1st graders used their own hands to create beautiful fall trees bursting with colorful autumn leaves. Now that is a hands-on masterpiece! 🍂✋
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4th & 5th Grade Groove

Our 4th and 5th graders brought the energy and showed off their best moves. Way to ROCK it! 🎶💃
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2nd & 3rd Grade ROCK the Party!

Our 2nd and 3rd graders hit the dance floor at our ROCK Expectations Dance Party, a celebration they earned by collecting Dolphin Dollars! 🪩🐬
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TK, Kinder & 1st Grade Dance Party

Our youngest Dolphins danced, spun, and celebrated together. So proud of our littlest ROCK stars! 🕺🎉

Halloween Parade 🎃 Halloween Parade 🎃

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Superheroes on Parade

Our youngest Dolphins marched proudly in their best costumes! 🦸🎃

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Costume Lineup

Princesses, ballplayers, ninjas and more lined up for the big walk! 👑⚾

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Big Kids Bring the Spooky

Our older students showed off their creativity and Halloween spirit! 🧙‍♀️👻

Roar Into School: Our First Student-Inspired Attendance Day! Roar Into School: Our First Student-Inspired Attendance Day!

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Make Waves at Lake Beautification Day! Make Waves at Lake Beautification Day!

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The Weekly Splash: Lake Dolphins Broadcast The Weekly Splash: Lake Dolphins Broadcast

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Dive in! Click here to tune into our latest Dolphins broadcast.

Picture Retake Day Picture Retake Day

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The Nurses Corner The Nurses Corner

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2nd Grade Heroes Project: Community Volunteers Needed!

Our 2nd graders are kicking off their exciting Famous Heroes PBL (Project-Based Learning) project! To help bring their research to life, we are looking for community members who would be willing to come in on Tuesday, November 3rd to be interviewed by our students. If you or someone you know would like to share your experiences and inspire our 2nd grade learners, please reach out or sign up to participate!

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Tech Time Parent and Community Forums Tech Time Parent and Community Forums

Dates: October 7; October 20; November 4; December 10

Time: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Vista Innovation Center (VIC), Multi-Purpose Room, 836 Olive Avenue


  • October 7: Awareness. We will establish a shared foundation by reviewing research and examining what technology use currently looks like across VUSD. We will also consider approaches taken by other school districts, distinguish among the different types and purposes of student technology use, and discuss topics such as social media and artificial intelligence (AI).

  • October 20: Empathy and Understanding. We will deepen our collective understanding by hearing what students, families, teachers, and staff are experiencing. We will also examine the benefits, concerns, research, and practical realities surrounding different types of technology use at different ages.

  • November 4: Synthesis and Ideation. We will bring together what we have learned and identify what VUSD should protect, change, create, or clarify. Participants will help develop potential recommendations and language for a new VUSD Board policy and Administrative Regulation.

  • December 10: Prototype and Feedback. Earlier that week, students serving on the Superintendent’s Council for Innovative Learning will review a draft Board policy proposal. At this forum, we will share the proposal, share what we heard from the students, and gather final community feedback before preparing the policy for the School Board’s first reading in January.

Be A Volunteer At Lake..... Be A Volunteer At Lake.....

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California SB 848 – Volunteer Mandated Reporter Training

California SB 848 requires all school volunteers who interact with students outside immediate supervision to complete annual child abuse prevention training. This applies to public, charter, and private schools and updates Education Code §44691 and Penal Code §11165.7.

Who must train:

  • Volunteers interacting with students without direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or school employee.

Training content:

  • Child abuse identification and reporting, updated to include content per SB 848

  • The purpose of this training is to enhance student safety by ensuring all trusted adults can recognize and report abuse.

Training Link:

  1. Create a Keenan SafeSchools account: Register here

  2. Use this link: https://vusd-keenan.safeschools.com/register/4392b4f8 (Only the section titled Mandated Reporter: Child Abuse and Neglect, needs to be completed.)

  3. Volunteers must print and submit the certificate to the office for annual documentation

Once the training begins, it can’t be paused; it must be completed in one sitting. Keenan training must be completed before application is submitted. All volunteers must complete one of these options annually.

Campus Parking Reminder Campus Parking Reminder

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Safety Reminders Safety Reminders

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Ready, Set, PE! Ready, Set, PE!

Know Your PE Day & Wear the Right Shoes

Do you know which day your Dolphin has PE? On PE days, please make sure your child wears closed-toe athletic shoes, like sneakers or running shoes, that fit securely. Sandals, Crocs, boots, and slip-ons make it hard to run, jump, and play safely, and students wearing them may need to sit out some activities.

PE Days by Grade:

  • Monday: 4th Grade
  • Tuesday: 1st Grade; 5th Grade (Kozyryev & Muter)
  • Wednesday: 2nd Grade & 3rd Grade
  • Thursday: TK; 5th Grade (Foster & Worrell)
  • Friday: Kindergarten

A quick check the night before helps your child be safe and ready to have fun. Thank you for helping our Dolphins move, play, and grow!

Science of Reading Science of Reading

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Digital Wellness Series: Navigating Tech & Screen Time Digital Wellness Series: Navigating Tech & Screen Time

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PTA News PTA News

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Join Our PTA

Hi Lake Families! Join Lake PTA by clicking here!

**It doesn’t require you to volunteer or do anything, you can get involved as little or as much as you wish, but simply being a member helps PTA bring some fun and support to our school and Dolphins!

Parent Resources Parent Resources

Please visit our Lake Website under parent tab for more additional resources.

Let's Stay in Touch!

Family Newsletter: Every Sunday afternoon you will receive an email from Lake with updates and important information. Please take the time each week to review this information.

Social Media: Stay up to date on the learning occurring on campus and the events happening at school by following us on Instagram@LakeDolphins & @LakeDolphinsPTA

District Communication: Please make sure your email address is correct in Aeries so that you receive all school and district communications. You will receive message

ParentSquare Communication ParentSquare Communication

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Our school-home communication in Vista Unified School District is called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection.


Parents—Getting Started Video

ParentSquare Resumen - Espanol

ParentSquare Resources


Please download the App here to make sure you're connected to Lake:


  • iOS App - Apple Store
  • Android App - Google Play Store

Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions or contact the IT Department at 760-726-2170 ext. 92500.

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