The Lion - 100% Not Endorsed by Ladera Ranch Middle School

Tweens Unleashed: Hide Your Keys!

Kids are getting booted out of school at 12:15 PM sharp on Monday, October 16, so brace yourself for an afternoon filled with attitude and stolen Wi-Fi.

Rubber Band Rebels Snap

Ladera Ranch Middle School is buzzing and the schedule might as well be written in hieroglyphics, but don't worry, it’s all online—just like everything except your kid’s enthusiasm for homework. Mark your calendars for Unity Day (wear that pumpkin spice orange), Red Ribbon Week (turn art class into an anti-drug PSA for candy prizes), and steer your kids away from TikTok trends before they snap themselves into a wrist cast. CUSD is dropping motivational workshops right and left, so between beach cleanups and recipe contests for junior Gordon Ramsays, get ready to feel like you're parenting in hard mode while picking up some PTA donuts as power-ups. Key Dates and Facts: * Unity Day: October 16 (wear orange, avoid bullies). * Red Ribbon Week art contest: submissions by October 25 (film drug-free, win gift cards, and candy!) * Health Recipe Contest: October 14-18 (make kale cool for kids, we dare you). * Veterans Day Google form: submit by November 11. * Key workshops: SnapChat dangers (October 15), Social Media & Self Esteem (October 16), Vaping Webinar, Anxiety workshop (October 18). * Coastal Cleanups: October 13 and 27 (earn service hours while holding back tears over trashy beaches). * Jr. Civic Workshop: November 12 (because lawn gnomes aren't gonna regulate themselves!). * Last day for EL parent survey: October 31. * PTA: Fundraising through basket raffle, movie tickets, and Krispy Kremes (sugar highs guaranteed).

Truancy Tango: $88 Hooky Fee

Get your kids to school because missing a day costs the district $88, which is enough to buy part of a textbook or half a ticket to Disneyland. Our attendance is killing it at 97.01%, but if we hit 1% higher, we’ll rake in $5 million, and maybe your kid will finally learn what algebra is. Bottom line? Attendance isn't just a boring rule—it's your kid’s ticket to becoming a ninja adult with killer time-management skills, cooler social stats than a Sim, and the ability to avoid making the district broke.Key dates and facts: * Ladera Ranch Attendance Rate: 97.01%, almost hitting the 96.88% goal for $$$. * $88 lost for every day your child is absent. * Boosting attendance by 1% = $5 million more for the school district. * Schedule appointments outside school hours or call 949-234-5935 for an independent study contract. * Contact the Attendance Office for early pickups, bring a note and photo ID. * To make up work, ensure absences are excused for full credit._

Phones Off, Donuts On!

Ladera Ranch Middle School is in full swing, folks. We’re talking shout-outs for teachers, Universal Meals (yay, free lunch!), and a new “no cell phone” policy that's basically a trip to a pre-iPhone era. Plus, whether your kid’s collecting cans like a future eco-warrior, sitting in a Jr. Civic Workshop thinking they’ll fix local government, or dodging lunchtime food fights while you volunteer—welcome to the school year, it's chaos, it's hilarious, and it’s only October.Key dates and facts: - October 1st: Free and reduced-price lunch benefits ended (but Universal Meals just saved the day). - October 8th: Jr. Civic Workshop with the Orange County Fire Authority. - October 13th & 27th: Coastal Clean-Up Days—bring gloves, not excuses. - October 16th: Red Ribbon Week parent engagement night (learn about all the drugs your kid is not doing). - October 31st: Survey for Parents of English Learners closes—Yelp, but for ESL. - No more DoorDash deliveries to the school—R.I.P., lunchtime joy. - Cash or Check for PE clothes—because 1995 called and said it's still relevant. - Free breakfast and lunch for all students #MysteryMeatIsTheNewGourmet. - $30 Chromebook Protection Plan for all the "oops" moments. - PTA Raffle & Membership Drive—Help the cult... I mean, the Parent Teacher Association reach their goal of 400 members

Shaved Ice Saves Lives

Alright, buckle up, parents. We’ve got bell schedules, a "Shout-Out Form" for staff, and an English Learner survey that’s longer than the list of things your kid forgets daily. Oh, and heads up—no outside food unless you wanna face the lunch police, plus a new no cell phone policy on the horizon, because clearly we love your kids talking… to each other. Don’t forget Maui Shaved Ice and Krispy Kreme fundraisers are about to hit your wallet harder than school photos, and oh yeah, if your kid's Chromebook mysteriously "fell in the toilet," there’s a $30 protection plan for that. Key Dates & Facts: * EL Parent Survey: Open until October 31, 2024 * Progress Reports: September 30, 2024 * Red Ribbon Week Parent Night: October 16, 2024 at 6:00 PM * Maui Shaved Ice Fundraiser: This Friday ($6) * Krispy Kreme PTA Fundraiser: Ongoing * Cell Phone Ban Pilot: Coming soon * Free Breakfast & Lunch for all students (no outside food) * Chromebook Protection Plan: $30 * PE clothes available at front office (cash or checks)