Dear IUSD Community,
On behalf of the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education, administrators and staff, we are excited to welcome our new and returning students and families to the start of the 2023-2024 traditional school year on Thursday, August 24. We would also like to thank our year-round students and families, who began school on July 19, for a smooth start. We have been working diligently throughout the summer in preparation for students’ return to school and look forward to making this a wonderful year!
Continuous Improvement
I would like to extend a special thank you to IUSD certificated and classified staff, who have not only been busy preparing for the new school year but who have invested their time and energy into continually improving how we serve students and families by participating in a series of annual professional learning and planning meetings. This includes the District’s Administrative Advance, our Districtwide Professional Learning Day, Professional Learning Communities at each school site, the 2023 Summit on Disability and Inclusion, and our first-ever Science of Reading Institute among many other learning opportunities. To learn more, visit iusd.org/WeLoveLearning.
In Partnership with the IUSD Community
IUSD is committed to providing the highest quality educational experience we can envision for all of our more than 36,000 students. To achieve this vital promise, it requires a visionary Board of Education and district leadership team, dedicated teachers and support staff, engaged students, committed families, and passionate community partners. This collective group is the “US” at the center of IUSD. Together, we have created one of the highest performing school districts in the nation that is student centered, committed to equity and driven by continuous improvement.
Together, in partnership with you, we remain committed to creating positive educational environments in which students and families have a sense of belonging and feel connected to their schools, peers, teachers and our district. In our more than 50 years of service, we know that this is foundational to the academic success and overall social-emotional well-being of our students.
When students feel connected and confident, while seeing themselves reflected in their school communities, they are better able to cultivate the attitudes, skills and knowledge necessary to become resilient and resourceful learners, who are able to adapt and demonstrate hope, optimism and perseverance as they face academic and personal challenges. It is the optimal environment for learning and student success at the highest levels.
Investments in Educational Excellence
To this end, we continue to make investments in teaching and learning, academic supports for students, mental health, professional learning communities, technology, educational equity, student and parent engagement through district committees and surveys that include and elevate their voices, inclusive practices for students with learning differences, along with many other student-centered priorities and initiatives. Through a greater sense of connectedness and belonging, we are setting the stage for students to be college, career and life ready.
Stay Connected to IUSD
Please stay connected to IUSD by regularly visiting our website at iusd.org and our News Center at iusd.org/News for official District information. In addition to checking for email messages from your schools and the District, also like and follow us at Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) and don’t miss our new monthly publication, IUSD Insights, which provides in-depth information and resources about our District.
Important Back to School Reminders
Finally, our District team has compiled some important back to school reminders, including traffic, bike, scooter and helmet safety, and our mandatory e-vehicle trainings for middle and high school students who plan to ride e-vehicles (e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards) to school. Also included is information about IUSD mental health resources, Community Liaisons, the Irvine Parent Education Program and our Parent Center. Click here to learn more.
We appreciate your partnership and support and look forward to making this a year filled with success, confidence and connectedness for our students.
Sincerely,
Terry L. Walker
Superintendent of Schools
Irvine Unified School District