Hello Wolves! We can't believe the school year has come to an end already. We are very proud of all the academic and social-emotional growth our students have shown this year, and we encourage you to celebrate your students' hard work and success. Resting is an important part of growing and learning, and we hope you and your students have joyful plans for the next couple of months. Happy Summer Break from your School Counseling Team!

In this issue you will find:

• Congratulations Promoting Class of 2027
• Changes Coming up for LMA
• Tips to Avoid Summer Melt and Learning Loss
• CalKids: Get FREE MONEY to Help Your students Plan for Their Future Career!
• End of The Year School Counseling Data
• Community Resources
• Save the Dates!
• Contact Information

Congratulations to our 8th grade promoting Class of 2027! We are so proud of your accomplishments here at La Mirada Academy. As you move into the next chapters of your life, we hope that you take with you the lessons learned through self perseverance and determination over the past years here at LMA. We wish you success in High School and in all of your future endeavors!

As the year came to a close our school community learned that we would be moving away from the International Baccalaureate program. Although this may seem like a big change it is an exciting one that will create options for our students to be Future Ready.

Elementary Opportunities

Starting in the 2023-2024 school year students in elementary will have some changes in their specials courses. Students will have library, physical education (PE), music, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Middle School Opportunities

Starting in the 2023-2024 school year, students will begin their journey on a pathway they picked at the end of this year. These pathways include Music & Arts (three levels of band, choir,), World Language (Spanish), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), as well as Avid and Avid Excel, which are college preparatory courses that help students succeed in high school and increase organizational skills. We will also be offering ASB (Associated Student Body, also known as student leadership), Yearbook, and Video Production (Wolves TV) courses, which are also offered in high school to prepare students to stay engaged at the next level.

In addition to the new course offerings, our middle school will be moving to a traditional letter grading system. We will help students and families understand letter grades and GPA monitoring to support academic achievement and success.

A Good-Bye Message from Miss Gloria

Dear LMA Family,

It is with great sadness that I share that I will be moving away from La Mirada Academy at the end of this school year to another school in our district. It has been such a pleasure to have been able to work with teachers, students and the families of La Mirada Academy for the past 7 years. In my role as a school social worker that is funded through the district office, sometimes changes need to be made depending on the needs of our sites and students. We go where we are needed.

I will miss working with our TK to 8th grade population, LMA is a unique school setting where our staff really get to know our families as students move along a huge portion of their educational careers. It has been a privilege to have been able to support our school community in its mission of helping students achieve academic competence and confidence through social emotional learning and collaboration with home, school, and our community.

I know our young wolves are in good hands and surrounded by many caring adults that work to support and nurture their whole being. Please know that next year LMA will continue to have school social work services. Expect a message from them at the start of the next school year.

Thank you all for allowing me to serve our beautiful LMA community.

I will miss you!

Ms. Gloria Ortiz

Some call it “summer learning loss,” others call it the “summer slide.” But whatever the term you favor, the idea is the same: Without regular practice, new skills and knowledge fade. So many students experience reversals over the extended summer break.

Research suggests that learning in reading tends to be less dramatic than learning in mathematics, which can be as high as 2 months of growth. To avoid the summer slide, here are a few tips from experts:

• Read, read, read! Get started on a summer reading program, and make sure your child is reading books that are both interesting and challenging. Our local libraries usually have incentive programs over the summer, where kids can earn prizes when they read books!
• Practice math with your students. It’s unlikely that most kids will spontaneously practice the sorts of skills that will prevent learning loss in mathematics. And practice really matters. So it’s a good idea to make math review a regular part of your summer. 5 minutes per day to play math games could be enough to avoid the summer slide.
• Continue your nighttime and daytime routines. Kids thrive with structure, and the summer is no different. While you might not have to wake up super early, you might still want to have routines for night and morning time be as consistent as during the school year. When routines are disrupted, students can get dysregulated which can cause meltdowns and moodiness.
• Engage your students in structured activities. Have them join sports or other types of summer camps and activities where they will continue to practice social-emotional skills like cooperation, focused attention, and following directions. The City of San Marcos and the Boys and Girls Club usually have affordable options. If you cannot enroll them in programs, create your own structured activities using "smart games" like puzzles.
• Spend time together and outdoors! Enjoy the sun with your kids and take day trips to parks, zoos, or any other nature sites as much as possible. Science shows that spending time in nature can increase our wellness and emotional stability and cognitive ability.

References:

How to Prevent Your Kids From Losing What They Learned in School During Summer Vacation

How to Prevent Learning Loss (and Still Have fun)

CalKIDS is a state program that gives children in California a jump start on saving for college. Newborns and eligible low-income public school students are automatically enrolled and given a CalKIDS college savings account with an initial FREE deposit. Eligible participants are identified by data received from the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education. There is no need to apply and no requirement that families make any kind of financial commitment.

Newborns can get up to $100 and current 1-12 grade students can get up to $1500 to save for their future! To check if your student is eligible you will need their State Student ID Number (SSID). Please contact our school office to get this number. For more information about the program please click HERE. You can also review the slides and video below.

CalKIDS Slideshow Presentation

As we close the school year we would like to thank students, families and staff for your continued support and collaboration with the school counseling team. Please take a look to our end of the year data; you can click on the picture below to make it larger. We are excited to see the growth in our students, and we look forward to creating new goals to continue to support their academic, social-emotional and career development in the upcoming school year!

The program is designed especially for first-time campers who are not already in the county's reservation system. If they are already in the system, they will still have opportunities to camp at our parks, free of charge, through the Parks 101 series – details on the Parks 101 First-timer Series page.

When: Saturday, June 10, 2023 | 10:00AM – 4:00PM

Where: Miracosta College| 1 Barnard Dr. Oceanside CA 92056

For more information click here!

2023 Summer Reading Program through the San Diego County Public Library

Checkout the San Diego County Public Library for more events.

Summer at Your Library: Check out some fun activities happening at San Marcos Library!

Check out the list of movies played for FREE in different parks around San Diego County! Do not forget your blankets, lawn chairs and snacks!

Visit Regal Cinemas on Tuesday and Wednesday during the first show of the day and enjoy $2 tickets as they bring great family movies back to the BIG screen!

Check out the camps and activities available in San Marcos this summer. Scholarships might be available, please call their phone to inquire about this.

Boys and Girls Club

Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos offers day camp programs for kids and teens on holidays and during school breaks at our main Jennifer Loscher Branch. Day camp provides youth members with opportunities to take part in activities and programs to keep them engaged in various interests with an educational element. Our members can participate in specialized activities, Fun Friday events, field trips, and more.

Location: Jennifer Loscher Branch | 1 Positive Place, San Marcos, CA 92069

Day Camp Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Cost: $95 per week

A current annual membership ($60) is required for each child attending day camp. Members MUST be at least 6 years old and enrolled in the 1st grade. Each child will receive a BGCSM t-shirt upon enrollment.

YMCA Summer Camp

YMCA offers a unique learning environment where youth are introduced to outdoor experiences, can nurture their passions and explore new interests. YMCA Members save an average of 15% on summer camps. Click on the link to check out their options and prices.

Please click on the following links for a comprehensive list of resources:

• Student Wellness
• Mental Health and Counseling Resources
• Emergency Psych Evaluation Centers
• Community Resources (Housing, Food, Etc.)
• Technology Resources and Support
• North San Diego County Food Resources

Please remember that your school counseling team will not be available during summer break. If you or a loved one experience a crisis or are in need of mental health support, please contact one of the following resources:

School Counselor (Last Names A-L)

Email: marthaanahi.amador@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/
Location: Room A-128
Phone: (760) 290-2006

School Counselor (Last Names M-Z)

Email: miriam.jaimes@smusd.org
Website: https://lamiradaacademy.smusd.org/our_school/school_counseling_department/school_counseling_staff/miriam_jaimes__school_counselor
Location: Room A-126
Phone: 760-290-2016