Short Avenue IB Learners Strive to Be...

A Message from Mr. Lamb:

Happy Weekend Short Avenue Families and Friends!

I am entering an interesting time of parenthood with my oldest about to graduate from college and the youngest navigating her college journey as well. All of us are moving through the beautiful and often exhausting journey of parenthood. There is no one road map. There is no instruction manual. We all hope we are doing it well. It is important, therefore, to pause and recognize the extraordinary work of raising children into thoughtful, compassionate, resilient human beings. Parenting is filled with moments of immense joy and pride, but also uncertainty as we constantly balance when to step in and when to step back. We want to protect our children from disappointment and struggle, while also understanding that growth often comes through mistakes, perseverance, and learning hard truths. The work of parenting never truly ceases, and neither does the love, sacrifice, patience, and hope that fuel it every day. I am constantly amazed that I did not break my daughters and that they are thriving. It took a lot of help. I thank you for entrusting us to partner with you in this important work.

This coming week provides more wonderful opportunities to celebrate our community and the incredible growth of our students. On Thursday evening, our 5th grade students will present their “Exhibition,” a culminating showcase of their International Baccalaureate learning journey, growth, and inquiry. Finally, Friday’s school assembly promises to be full of fun and school spirit with student performances and a celebratory dunk tank in honor of reaching our Dolphin Derby fundraising goal.

With only 17 school days remaining, we remain committed to finishing the year strong. Expectations for attendance, behavior, effort, and academic focus continue through the final day of school. Please continue reinforcing the importance of being present, engaged, and ready to learn each day. As always, we encourage all students to Be in the Right Place, At the Right Time, Doing the Right Thing.

Thank you all for your continued support!

See you Monday!

Mr. Lamb

Mark Your Calendars...

5/21- 5th Grade Exhibition, 5pm

5/22- Dolphin Cafe and Schoolwide Assembly

5/25- Memorial Day, no school

6/09- 5th Grade Graduation

6/10- Last Day of School, 1pm dismissal

Bottles Needed- Help our 5th Grade Students!

Please help our 5th graders with their exhibition project by sending in any empty plastic bottles that you have at home. The bottles should be labeled as CA CRV or CA Cash Refund. The goal of their project is to eliminate the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean. They will use the money raised from the bottle recycling drive to adopt an endangered sea animal. You can drop off your bottles in the box outside the front office. Thank you!

LAUSD Summer of Learning

Program runs from June 22 – July 20

Los Angeles Unified provides students with core academic support, opportunities to enhance their mastery of academic subjects for college readiness, and enrichment courses designed to engage and motivate students in learning through self-selected courses of interest. The TK-7th Summer School program will be offered in person and is designed to support core instruction, provide targeted academic intervention in a small group setting, as well as in-person enrichment activities in the Arts and Sciences at all participating TK-7th summer school sites. Click this link for more info. (Including participating school sites)

Student registration will open April 9, 2026. More details to follow.

FoSA

🌮 Restaurant Nights at HomeState Playa Vista - May 19 & 20

Join us for our LAST Restaurant Night of the school year at HomeState Tacos in Playa Vista next week! Grab takeout, delivery, catering, margaritas, or dine- in and support our school community!

🛍 For takeout, delivery & catering orders: Order ONLY through the HomeState website or app and use code: QUESOFORACAUSE

🌮 Dining in or ordering in person? Show the backpack flyer or a digital version of the flyer when ordering. You can find the digital flyer in pinned posts on ClassDojo.

📣 ⁠May Spirit Week presented by Student Council is next week! (May 18-22)

Monday: Dress up like a Teacher

Tuesday: Crazy Hair Day

Wednesday: Pajama Day

Thursday: Anything but a Backpack

Friday: Dream Job "Dress up like your Dream Job"

Here are some more details from Student Council for "Anything but a Backpack" Day: Kids can bring something that can carry/hold their backpack items. It should be a version of a bag.

🍭🍫 You’re invited to Short Avenue Elementary’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka!

Our talented students have been working so hard, and we can’t wait for our community to see this sweet and magical show!

🎟️ 4 nights only!

Cast A: Wednesday 5/27, Thursday 5/28

Cast B: Wednesday 6/3, Thursday 6/4

Doors open at 5:15pm, Show begins at 5:30pm.

🎟️ Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased via:

• Venmo: @marinadavis

• Zelle: (323) 377-8011

• Cash at the door

If purchasing via venmo or zelle, please put date you’d like to purchase for in notes.

Avril's Community Corner

Biliteracy Awards

We had our 2nd annual Biliteracy Awards on Wednesday Night where 62 students were awarded certificates! This was a wonderful evening to celebrate our students who are multilingual or on the path to becoming biliterate. We hope to recognize even more students next year! Congratulations!

2026/27 VOLUNTEER PORTAL OPENS MAY 26TH!

Hey Short Ave Volunteers, The Office of Student and Family Engagement will open the Volunteer Program Application for the 2026/27 school year on May 26th! Mark your calendars to fill out a NEW APPLICAION to be approved and ready to volunteer at the start of NEXT School year! If you are a new volunteer you will need to get me a recent negative TB test. The Volunteer portal for THIS school year is CLOSED!

Social Media

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

A Happy Mother's Day post, a Congratulations post of being re-authorized in IB, and the Willy Wonka Musical 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!

Previously Published

🎨 Short Ave Art Banner Program

Did your kids create a lot of art over break? Let it shine on campus!
Students can submit artwork to be printed and displayed on outdoor banners around school.

https://friendsofshortavenue.org/collections/art-banner

🎉 Birthday Marquee

Celebrate your child’s birthday in lights. The Birthday Marquee is a fun way to make their week extra special.

Please allow at least 72 hours notice for requests.

🎈 Reserve your spot:

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

Sibling Interest List for 2026/27

Attention Short Ave Staff and Families with younger children/silbings who you would like to attend Short Ave next school year, 2026/27. PLEASE fill out this Google Form so we know who you are! This includes.both Neighborhood Families and those on Permit.

https://forms.gle/cHu2nmr2wFjN3R3h9

Please understand that we cannot guarantee a spot for our sibling and staff children who do not reside in our designated neighborhood. But if we do have room for permits, you will recieve priority over outside families looking to permit in. PLEASE have a solid plan B in place in case our neighborhood numbers exceed our capacity. We are seeing a trend that more of our neighborhood families are enrolling, and thus we might not know our numbers for sure until after school starts in August 2026. After this week, this link will live in the Already Published section at the bottom of the Wave.

Volunteering

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!! PLEASE NOTE: Everyone who wants to volunteer MUST FILL OUT THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION EVERY YEAR!

1.You must be an APPROVED volunteer with a NEGATIVE TB TEST to volunteer on campus in the classroom, or attend a field trip. Please email Avril your Negative TB test first, soon after filling out the LAUSD Volunteer Application.

New volunteers must have a recent negative test done within 60 days of filling out your application. PLEASE email a photo of your negative result with your name, date of test and place and/or doctor 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 Returing 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 2021, it will expire on your date in 2025. If you did it in 2022, it will expire in 2026.

2. Please fill out the Volunteer Application through this LAUSD VOLUNTEER LINK! This is for BOTH new and Returning Volunteers. 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 .

Here is a link to the 2025/26 Volunteer Information Guide

And here is a link to the 2025/26 Volunteer Job Aide to become a volunteer, 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.. ALL Volunteers (both new and returning) MUST WATCH The Mandatory Volunteer Orientation Zoom , if you did NOT attend the live Zoom on 9/24.

Here is a link to the 36 minute recording:

Https://bit.ly/4pX9Xi7

5. Approval can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks depending on how many volunteers the district is processing. You will recieve an email from the district when you are fully approved.

Parent Portal

In early September a letter was sent home to families who do not have a registered parent portal account. 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. Please sign up for the Parent Portal, at this link. 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.

Weekly Wave

Week of May 17, 2026

Short Avenue IB Learners Strive to Be...

A Message from Mr. Lamb:

Mark Your Calendars...

Bottles Needed- Help our 5th Grade Students!

LAUSD Summer of Learning

FoSA

🌮 Restaurant Nights at HomeState Playa Vista - May 19 & 20

📣 ⁠May Spirit Week presented by Student Council is next week! (May 18-22)

🍭🍫 You’re invited to Short Avenue Elementary’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka!

Avril's Community Corner

Biliteracy Awards

2026/27 VOLUNTEER PORTAL OPENS MAY 26TH!

Social Media

Previously Published

🎨 Short Ave Art Banner Program

🎉 Birthday Marquee

Sibling Interest List for 2026/27

Volunteering

Parent Portal

Short Avenue IB Learners Strive to Be... Short Avenue IB Learners Strive to Be...

A Message from Mr. Lamb:

Mark Your Calendars...

Bottles Needed- Help our 5th Grade Students!

LAUSD Summer of Learning

FoSA FoSA

🌮 Restaurant Nights at HomeState Playa Vista - May 19 & 20

📣 ⁠May Spirit Week presented by Student Council is next week! (May 18-22)

🍭🍫 You’re invited to Short Avenue Elementary’s production of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka!

Avril's Community Corner Avril's Community Corner

Biliteracy Awards

2026/27 VOLUNTEER PORTAL OPENS MAY 26TH!

Social Media

Previously Published Previously Published

🎨 Short Ave Art Banner Program

🎉 Birthday Marquee

Sibling Interest List for 2026/27

Volunteering

Parent Portal

Short Avenue IB Learners Strive to Be...

FoSA

Avril's Community Corner

Previously Published