Tomorrow is the first day of the 2019-20 school year! IUSD is excited to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students. If you need information about your child’s school, including schedules, please visit iusd.org/schools.
Below are reminders that maybe helpful in advance of the new school year, including traffic, bike and helmet safety tips, how to Stay Connected to IUSD throughout the year and during emergencies, Parent Portal information, Speak Up We Care resources, language support services, and information about the District’s website iusd.org.
Traffic Safety
As you know, for the next couple of weeks, there will be heavier than usual traffic in and around our campuses. Please remember to leave plenty of time for drop offs and pick-ups, drive slowly, and watch for students walking, biking, crossing streets, and in parking lots.
Once in the school parking lot, please follow all traffic signs and directions from principals and school staff. Also, below are safety tips from the Irvine Police Department (IPD) and a link to the City of Irvine’s Suggested Safe Routes to School.
IPD Traffic Safety Tips:
- Leave early. You won’t have to rush if you plan for a little extra time.
- Obey all traffic laws and signs in school zones.
- Drop children off in the designated locations. Do not allow children to get out of the car in the middle of the street.
- Remember that everyone has the same goal of getting their children to school safely, so be patient with other drivers and pedestrians.
- Always obey crossing guards.
- Always use crosswalks.
- Do not engage in distracted driving. This is especially dangerous in school zones.
- IPD traffic officers patrol the streets near schools to ensure safety. Remember to slow down and make complete stops at stop signs.
Each year, IPD and the City’s Traffic Engineering Division develop Suggested Safe Routes to School for elementary students, who walk or ride to school. The list includes all IUSD elementary and K-8 schools.
For IPD bicycle and helmet safety tips, including videos, click here.
Stay Connected to IUSD
There are a number of reasons to stay connected to IUSD, including receiving important news and information about the District and your school on a regular basis. It is also important to know how to connect with IUSD during an emergency. Below are some ways that you can stay connected to IUSD in real time, 24/7.
SchoolMessenger:
- Check your email, voicemail and text messages first.
- Make sure your contact information in the Parent Portal is up to date.
- If you unsubscribed from school or District emails, you will not receive important updates during an emergency.
- To re-subscribe, please email HelpDesk@iusd.org.
Visit IUSD.org:
- Important alerts and ongoing updates will be posted on the District homepage IUSD.org and at IUSD.org/news.
IUSD Social Media:
- Like IUSD on Facebook: facebook.com/irvineunifiedschooldistrict
- Follow IUSD on Twitter: twitter.com/iusd
- Follow IUSD on Instagram: instagram.com/irvine_unified
In the event of a school or districtwide emergency, please check these resources first. They are updated in real time and will help you get the information you need immediately.
Opt-in for Text Message Alerts:
In order for IUSD or your school to contact you via text message, in the event of an emergency, we need you to "opt-in" to this service first. By enabling this texting feature, and verifying that your mobile numbers in Parent Portal are correct, you are helping the District and your school reach you with important notifications.
It is easy to "opt-in" to receive text messages:
- Text "Y" to 67587 from each wireless device you wish to receive texts on.
- Not sure if you "opted-in" already? No problem! You can never "opt-in" too many times, just follow the step above.
- For additional information, visit IUSD's Text Message Frequently Asked Questions page.
For more information about how IUSD prepares for emergencies and what you can do at home and work, click here.
Parent Portal
Parent Portal is an important and confidential tool for parents, your school and the District. It is critical that you keep your information updated, so that in the event of an emergency we can contact you or you can access your student’s class and teacher information, as well as schedules and grades. It also includes information about emergency contacts and who is authorized to pick-up your child from school, in addition to important health and family information. Visit Parent Portal to make sure your information is up to date. For Parent Portal tutorials and information, click here.
Speak Up We Care
Last year, IUSD launched the Speak Up, We Care initiative districtwide to increase student and parent awareness and access to mental health and wellness services and resources. We want our students to know that their voice matters, they are not alone, there is strength in speaking up, and we are here to help because we care.
The District’s Mental Health and Wellness team, in collaboration with students, parents, school and District staff, as well as city and Irvine Police Department representatives, developed the Speak Up, We Care initiative as part of IUSD’s commitment to building positive mental health and wellness, which is an essential component to lifelong success and integral to developing the whole child.
To learn more, take a moment to watch this short 2-minute Speak Up, We Care video. More information about IUSD mental health and wellness resources, information and contacts by school can be found by visiting iusd.org/WeCare. If at any time during the school year your student needs support, please do not hesitate to contact your principal, school mental health staff, a teacher or District staff.
Language Support Services
IUSD provides multiple ways for parents and guardians of English Leaners and immigrant students to be involved in the work of the school and the learning of their children. Seminars, workshops, and course offerings provide opportunities for families to access District and community resources, to develop an understanding of the learning process, to learn and practice effective strategies that support student learning at home, to establish home/school connections, and become active participants of the learning community. For more information, click here.
IUSD also has a team of district employees who can provide language support (interpretations) for parents in multiple languages for a variety of settings and meetings. In an effort to increase communication and understanding between parents and IUSD, parents are invited to attend any or all of the free meetings and workshops offered by the Irvine Parent Educational Program. More information can also be found at https://sites.google.com/iusd.org/ipep.
Below, is information about our language support staff for Arabic, Farsi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese/Taiwanese, and Spanish speakers.
Arabic
Duha Al-Hakeem
Specialist-Community Liaison
Language Support – Arabic
ضحى الحكيم
أخصائية التواصل للمجتمع العربي في إرفاين
هاتف: 949-936-8472
البريد الإلكتروني: duhaalhakeem@iusd.org
Farsi
Shahrzad Farjadi
Specialist-Community Liaison
Language Support – Farsi
شهرزاد فرجادی
متخصص ارتباطات خانه و مدرسه
شماره تماس: 8504- 936 (949)
Shahrzadfarjadi@iusd.org ایمیل:
Japanese
Chiaki Nanbu
Specialist-Community Liaison
Language Support – Japanese
スペシャリスト：コミュニティーリエゾン/言語サポート（日本語）
chiakinanbu@iusd.org
949-936-8617
IUSD日本語コミュニティー保護者の皆様へ
IUSDへようこそ。
Korean
Insun Kim
Specialist-Community Liaison
Language Support – Korean
교육 담당관 김인순
얼바인교육구 언어발달부서
한국어권 커뮤니티
직통전화 : (949) 936-8502
이메일: insunkim@iusd.org
캘리포니아 초등학교 교사자격증
Mandarin Chinese/Taiwanese
Lichuan Chiang 蒋兆青
Specialist- Community Liaison
Language Support–Mandarin Chinese/Taiwanese
专线电话 / 專線電話：949-936-8525
电子邮箱 / 電子郵箱：lichuanchiang@iusd.org
您好！欢迎您来到尔湾联合学区！我是学区的华语社区联络人蒋兆青。如果您有任何关于孩子就学的疑问，请随时打电话或写电子邮件与我联系。谢谢您！
您好！歡迎您來到爾灣聯合學區！我是學區的華語社區聯絡人蔣兆青。如果您有任何關於孩子就學的疑問，請隨時打電話或寫電子郵件與我聯繫。謝謝您！
Spanish
Ana Anaya
Specialist-Community Liaison
Language Support – Spanish
Ana Anaya
Enlace para la comunidad hispanohablante
949-936-8505 o anaanaya@iusd.org
¡Bienvenidos! Si tienen alguna duda o pregunta, puede contactarme por teléfono o por correo electrónico.
IUSD.org
Two years ago, IUSD redesigned our website to better communicate and meet the needs of our diverse and growing community. Visit iusd.org regularly for the latest IUSD news, student and parent resources, information about our 41 schools, District calendars, enrollment, District departments and contacts, legislative priorities, school funding, student and campus safety, mental health and wellness resources, language support services, and much more!