Lakeside Handbook

Students are expected to demonstrate honesty and integrity while in attendance at Lakeside Middle School. Each student is expected to do his or her own work on individual assignments. This includes test-taking, homework, classwork, and the original creation of essays, research papers, and other writing assignments. There is no distinction between giving or receiving unauthorized help; the one who provides unauthorized information will be held as accountable as the one who benefits from it. All work submitted by a student should be a true reflection of his or her own effort and ability. If submitted work is not, then the student has demonstrated unacceptable academic behavior. Students should actively discourage and refuse aid in any form, cheating or plagiarism by others.  The following criteria are considered examples of unacceptable academic behavior:

1. Claiming credit for work not the product of one’s own honest effort.
2. The lending, copying, or giving of answers or information on any assignments or test.
3. Providing unwarranted access to materials or information so that others may dishonestly claim credit.
4. Forging or falsifying of any school/teacher records or forms.
5. Behaviors such as talking, looking on another’s paper, or any action that gives the appearance of dishonest behavior during a testing situation.
6. Knowledge and tolerance of any of the above.

Ethical and Responsible AI Usage

Prior Teacher Approval: Students must be given or obtain teacher approval before using AI tools for any assignment or activity.

Responsible Use: AI should assist learning, not replace it. Students must use AI as a support tool while maintaining their own critical thinking and originality.

Attribution & Sourcing: Any pre-approved A.I. work product must be properly source or attributed (e.g., Magic School, 2025), (Grammarly, 2025) or (Adobe Firefly, 2025)

Consequences for Academic Honesty infractions may include, but are not limited to:

1. ‘0’ grade on assignment/test/quiz/etc.
2. Infraction is logged in student’s assertive discipline file
3. Student conference with Teacher, Administrator and/or Parent
4. Student will be required to write a reflection and submit the reflection to administration
5. Student may become ineligible for any academic or scholastic award or honor society within the same year of the infraction
6. Participation in student leadership may be reevaluated
    

Participation in activities and field trips is considered a privilege. Students must meet the following requirements to participate:

1. Be in good academic standing.
2. Maintain good behavior.
3. Maintain good attendance and be on time to class and school.

If a student is not in good academic standing, is excessively tardy or absent, displays poor behavior or has been suspended, he/she may lose the privilege to participate in school activities. The administration and staff will determine when a student loses the privilege to participate in activities.

Any student who attends a Lakeside field trip or event, on or off campus, without permission from school staff and/or without having earned the activity, is subject to disciplinary action.

Absences

Students are required by law to attend school regularly. Every absence from school MUST be cleared by a parent or guardian. Absences should be cleared by calling the 24-hour Voice Mail ATTENDANCE LINE (949) 936-6101 on the day of an absence. A doctor’s note must be submitted within three days of the student’s return to school to excuse absences or tardiness. If the note is not submitted to the attendance clerk or a call is not made within this timeframe, the absence will be unexcused. When contacting the school about an absence, it is necessary to include the following information:

1. Student’s full name (spelling last name)
2. Date of absence
3. Specific reason for absence
4. Name of Parent/Guardian
5. Name of student’s advisor

If a student is late to school over 30 minutes, is unexcused absent from school three times, is excused absent from school 10 times, or a combination of these, the student may be deemed truant, a mandated referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) will be submitted, and a doctor’s note or visit to the school health clerk may be necessary to excuse absences.

Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulations. Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of the principal or designee, these absences may be excused.

Tardy Policy

Students are expected to be in their advisement classroom at 8:30 a.m. (or 9:30am on late start days). If students are not there at that time, they are to report to the office for a tardy slip. Students must also be on time to all classes as attendance is taken each period. Five tardies will result in the assignment of an essay and/or detention. Additionally, all Late Start tardies will result in a detention. Excessive tardiness and absences will be handled through a mandated referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

Excessive tardiness and absences in Extended Day PE will result in removal from that class as well as one elective.

Make-Up Work

Students have as many days to make up missed work as they were excused absent. Make-up quizzes and tests are often scheduled for Tutorial, lunch and after school. Students are expected to contact a reliable classmate, and reference Canvas, immediately to find out about missed work. Determining what assignments were missed is the student’s responsibility, not the teacher’s.

Students should check CANVAS for work assigned during an absence by clicking the CANVAS icon on Lakeside’s website.

Homework Request

If a long-term assignment was given before the student’s absence, it must still be turned in on time. Students who are absent due to illness for more than two days may request homework assignments beginning with their third day of absence. A 24-hour notice is required: e.g., a request on Tuesday afternoon will result in homework assignments being ready on Wednesday afternoon. Please contact the attendance office at 936-6100.

Appointments Off Campus

Students must be signed out in the office before leaving campus by a person listed on the emergency contact list. The student may sign him/herself back in upon return. If your child is dismissed for a medical appointment, please make sure to provide a doctor’s note. If possible, appointments made during the school day should be avoided.

• E-Vehicles, Bicycles, skateboards and scooters are to be locked in the bicycle rack area.
• Students are allowed in this area only to put their modes of transportation away and pick them up.
• Once the student locks their mode of transportation, they must leave the bike rack area.
• Students are to bring their own locks and may not lock their mode of transportation with another student’s. (This can be disruptive if one student must unexpectedly leave during the school day.)
• Students are required by law to wear bike helmets fixed securely to their chins.
• If a student is found not wearing a helmet while using their mode of transportation it can be confiscated.
• No mode of transportation should be ridden in the campus quad area marked by yellow lines.
• All modes of transportation are the responsibility of the student.
• The school is not responsible for damage or loss to them.

• School telephones are used by teachers and staff members for school business.
• Students may use school phones in an emergency and when they are supervised by a teacher.
• We strongly recommend that students do not bring cell phones or other electronics to school as we are not responsible if they get lost, stolen or damaged.
• If students choose to bring these items to school, from 8:30-3:05 they must be turned off and they may NOT be on the student’s person.
• They must be stored in their locker, a backpack or bag and if they are observed, heard or become a distraction, they will be confiscated and a parent must pick them up
• Lakeside is not responsible for any lost, damaged or stolen personal property.

• Lakeside Middle School has a Closed Campus policy.
• Students are expected to remain at school once they arrive on campus in the morning until they are dismissed at the end of their last period.
• Students may not leave campus for lunch.
• We ask that parents not take their children out to lunch.
• Lunch is only 30 minutes long; we cannot have students return tardy and disrupt the classroom environment.
• All visitors to the campus must sign in at the office and obtain a “Visitor’s Badge” which they must wear while on campus.
• Visitors are not permitted to attend classes with our students without prior approval.

Please Note: Parents must drop off students at the school-side curb at both the Lemongrass and the Stone Creek entrances, and not in the school parking lot. They must obey all traffic laws, including not parking along red-painted curbs and making illegal UTurns.

It is important that parents receive information regarding school activities; therefore, it is the students’ responsibility to take all bulletins and notices home to their parents. In addition, timely articles about school activities are posted to our website on a regular basis. Check our website regularly to keep up with the news (www.iusd.org/la).

Parents are encouraged to use e-mail and voice mail with teachers. We also use a mass phone dialer system to reach homes with special messages. Student information is available via the IUSD Parent Portal. You may sign up at: https://my.iusd.org/

The students are supported by counselors and a school psychologist who provide individual assistance to students/parents upon request and may also have group meetings with students to address concerns. Appointments may be made with our counselors and/or psychologist by either student or parent request.

School dances are held for Lakeside students only. Annual passes are sold each year at Registration. This pass provides entrance into all dances, except the 8th grade dance, which is free of charge. Individual tickets may be purchased at the door before each dance. Student eligibility may be revoked at administration discretion (i.e. overdue library books, a disciplinary issue, etc.)

Dance Behavior Expectations

1. Each student must bring his/her Lakeside student ID card and present it at the door of the dance.
2. Once students arrive at the dance, they must remain until the end of the dance unless they are picked up personally by a parent. There will be NO RE-ENTRY.
3. Students may not use and/or purchase another student’s dance ticket.
4. Students who are absent from school on the day of a dance will not be allowed to attend the dance.
5. Refreshments may be purchased at the dance and can only be consumed in the designated eating area.
6. Lakeside’s Student Behavior Code expectations are in effect at all dances. This includes dress code and NO GUM.
7. Inappropriate behavior at a dance (before, during or after) could result in the loss of future dance privileges and/or disciplinary consequences.
8. Students must leave campus promptly once the dance is over.

Lakeside Middle School expects that all students will dress in a way that is appropriate for the school day or for any school sponsored event. Student dress choices should respect our intent to foster an atmosphere of learning while encouraging positive behavior. The primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s). The school is responsible for seeing that student attire does not interfere with the health or safety of any student, that student attire does not contribute to a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for any student, while encouraging students to develop the responsibility of dressing appropriately for different situations. Any restrictions to the way a student dresses are made to support the overall educational goals of the school and are explained within this dress code.

Basic​ ​Principle:​ ​Certain​ ​body​ ​parts​ ​must​ ​be​ ​covered​ ​for​ ​all​ ​students​ ​at​ ​all​ ​times.

Clothes must be worn in a way that all gender distinctive body parts and undergarments are fully covered. All items listed in the “must wear” and “may wear” categories below must meet this basic principle.

Students​ ​Must​ ​Wear*​, while following the basic principle of Section 1 above:

• A​ ​Shirt​ (with fabric covering the entire front, back, and sides under the arms), AND
• Pants​ ​or​ ​the​ ​equivalent​ ​(for example, a skirt, sweatpants, leggings, a dress or shorts), AND
• Shoes​.

*Courses that include attire as part of the curriculum (for example, professionalism, public speaking, and job readiness) may include assignment-specific dress, but should not focus on covering bodies in a particular way or promoting culturally-specific attire. Activity-specific shoes requirements are permitted (for example, athletic shoes for PE).

​Students​ ​May​ ​Wear​, as long as these items do not violate the Basic Principle/Section 1 above:

• Religious headwear
• Skirts or shorts that have a minimum inseam of 4 inches (or equivalent length)
• Hats and/or hooded sweatshirts may only be worn outside
• Fitted pants, including opaque leggings, yoga pants and “skinny jeans”Ripped jeans, as long as undergarments are not exposed and holes are not located above the 4 inch inseam line
• Tank tops, as long as undergarments would not be exposed
• Athletic attire

Students​ ​Cannot​ ​Wear:

• Violent language or images
• Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal item or activity)
• Hate speech, profanity, pornography
• Images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class or consistently marginalized groups
• Any clothing that reveals undergarments or is strapless
• Swimsuits
• Accessories that could be considered dangerous or could be used as a weapon
• Any item that obscures the face (except as a religious observance or for medical reason)

​Revised​ ​2/14/2020 

Parents are required to provide the school with emergency information and to notify the school should name, addresses and telephone numbers change. MyIUSD accounts are a convenient way to change information easily. Please visit the district website for more information (www.iusd.org)

Reduced / Free Meals

Students may receive meals free of charge if they reside in households receiving food stamps or AFDC. They also may receive meals free of charge or at a reduced price if they reside in a household whose income is within the specified range. You may obtain more information and applications in the office.

Services Available:

1. At break, snacks and beverages are available.\
2. For lunch, students and staff may select from a plate lunch and/or a la carte items.

During lunch, students must be seated at the lunch tables or in designated eating areas. Sitting on tables or standing on planters is not permitted. Backpacks should be placed in designated areas and are never allowed in the cafeteria. Students are encouraged to use their I.D. numbers when purchasing their food.

Progress Reports

Progress Reports will be delivered electronically midway through each trimester accessible through Parent Portal at MyIUSD.org. Grades of "C-" or below are required to be reported. If no grade appears for a class, it means that the student is receiving a “C” or better and “meets or exceeds” the class requirements at the time of the report. Students receive “NM” no mark for Advisement. If a student is in a high school equivalent or accelerated class, the threshold for reporting a grade on the mid-term progress report is a “B- “

Report Cards

A week after the last day of each trimester, report cards will be delivered electronically through Parent Portal at MyIUSD.org. This report will identify the grade the student earned in each class as well as his/her work habits and citizenship marks for each class. Students all receive “NM” (No Mark) for Advisement.

Awards and Student Recognition

Students are encouraged to get the most out of school so they will be as well prepared as possible for future endeavors. Students are recognized on a regular basis for scholarship, citizenship and service. Students are selected monthly by faculty members as “Mariner of the Month” for their positive attitude and service to their school and on-going citizenship.

Lakeside staff also recognizes students who exhibit traits of SAIL (Show kindness, Achieve Honorably, Inspire Integrity, and Live Respectfully). These values are discussed in Advisement regularly.

In addition, staff utilizes other incentives and opportunities to recognize students for their positive behavior and effort. Examples are:

• Mariner of the Month Certificate.
• SAIL cards
• Break Passes (front of the line at snack/lunch.)
• Positive notes and/or phone calls home.
• Lakeside Awards Night (end of year). Student honorees will be mailed an invitation.

No gum is allowed on campus at any time. Chewing gum may result in a reflective assignment, campus clean-up, or detention.

Irvine Unified School District takes appropriate steps to protect your child from injuries. Even so, accidents can and do happen while participating in normal activities that take place on campus, on school trips and during extra-curricular activities and sports. Since our school district does not provide accident medical insurance for school-related injuries, it does make available a variety of affordable insurance plans to help you in the event of an accident and urges you to purchase the plan that best fits your needs. Students participating in interscholastic sports are required by state law to have medical insurance.

Students and parents are required to sign the IUSD Internet and Computer Use Agreement before students will be allowed to use a computer at Lakeside. Please read this document carefully. Students who do not follow the terms of this agreement may have their computer privileges suspended, and activities that violate other school and IUSD behavior policies will be subject to further disciplinary action. Many computer activities require students to use a username and password. Students need to keep their class schedule in the provided pocket of this planner to access the information needed for their usernames and passwords.

CANVAS: Lakeside’s online homework management system, may be accessed by clicking the icon on Lakeside’s homepage, www.iusd.org/la. Accelerated Reader: 4-digit student number that appears on the student schedule.

The Library/Media Center (LMC) offers students a place to study and relax. Students are expected to use books, computers and other media in a responsible manner. In order to do this, students must:

• Talk in quiet voices.
• Have an ID card to check out materials. The ID card must be at school EVERY DAY.
• Turn in or renew all materials on or before the due date.
• Use computers for school assignments only – NO GAMES!
• Keep walkways and computer areas obstacle-free.
• Pick up all trash. Leave food outside—NO FOOD OR DRINK!
• Treat all library materials (including the set of textbooks kept at home) with care and take personal and financial responsibility for all lost or damaged items. Some textbooks cost more than $100; do yourself a favor and take care of them so you do not pay a fine at the end of the year.

Students with out-standing library books, textbooks, or fees will not be permitted to participate in end-of the-year activities until their obligations are met.

We are open daily from 8:00 to 4:00 on all regularly scheduled days. We open at 9:30 on Wednesdays and Late Start Days and close at 12:45 on all Early Out Days.

Every student is given one free student ID card and one free copy of any required consumable workbooks. In the event of loss or extreme damage, students may purchase replacement ID cards ($5.00) and student workbooks ($15.00) in the LMC. Please make checks payable to Lakeside.

The Lost and Found is located in the Front Office, the Student Activities Center, and in the Physical Education Department. All items found, such as purses, wallets, rings, keys, eyeglasses, P.E. clothes, etc. should be turned in immediately. Check the lost and found for anything you may have lost. Articles not claimed will be periodically donated to charitable organizations.

Students are not to have any medication in their possession, including aspirin. If it is necessary for a student to take medication during school hours, please obtain the proper forms in the office and have them completed by parents or guardians AND A PHYSICIAN. The forms are to be returned to the nurse with the medicine in the prescription bottle. Medicine will be administered according to the physician’s directions. Students need to check in with the health office to call home. Students are not to use their cell phones. If your child is injured and needs crutches, a doctor’s note is no longer required. However, please check in with the health office so we can make sure your student is receiving any accommodations on campus while they are injured.

Off-Limit/Restricted Areas

1. Eating areas are identified by the yellow painted lines on campus. On rainy days, students are to assemble in the Field House or designated classrooms to eat. Students may not eat in the P.E. areas (courts and field).
2. Bike Rack area is off-limits except when students arrive at school or leave school.
3. Students are not permitted in the buildings before school, after school, during break, and/or during lunch unless they are supervised by a staff member. To return to a classroom at any of these times, the student must make arrangements with the teacher.

In order to leave a room during class, students MUST have a hall pass issued by a teacher. Students should arrive prepared with necessary materials for each class and should use the restrooms between classes. Therefore, requests to leave class for these reasons may not be honored. Teacher assistants must be identified by a badge assigned by the teacher. If students are on designated school business (ie. with a counselor or administrator), they need to go to the Attendance Office and sign in.They will receive a pass that they must then give to the teacher upon return to class.

P.E. lockers are the property of the school district on loan to students for their use. The locker is intended as a convenience for students to store P.E. clothes necessary for school. Students that choose to bring electronic devices to school (cell phones, iPods, etc.) will be asked to keep them in the P.E. locker as well. All textbooks are to be taken home to be used for assignments. A set of textbooks is kept in each classroom.

School IS NOT a safe place for keeping money, valuables or electronic devices. Bring only enough money to school to meet the needs of the day. Lock money and electronics in your P.E. locker for security.

Certain school employees have keys that open all lockers. Students can expect lockers to be checked occasionally.

The person to whom the P.E. locker is assigned will be held responsible for the contents of that P.E. locker. Use only the P.E. locker assigned to you and store P.E. clothes and electronic devices only in the locker. Keep your P.E. locker combination secret!

Students assume sole responsibility for loss or damage to any school or personal property issued to or belonging to them, such as 10 supplies, garments, equipment, books, folders, or musical instruments. Items such as cell phones and cameras and other electronic devices may not be used at school during school hours. All electronic devices should be stored in P.E. lockers during the school day. School personnel will confiscate these items if they are in use or visible. The school is not responsible for any personal items.

Each student is expected to make decisions that protect both his/her own safety as well as the safety of others. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Students should not run on campus.
2. Students should wear shoes at all times.
3. Students should not engage in “rough housing.”
4. Student should keep hands, feet, and all body parts to self. Parents must drop off students at the school-side curb at both the Lemongrass and the Stone Creek entrances and not in the school parking lot. Be mindful of students crossing the street.

Students are not permitted to sell anything on campus. This includes, but is not limited to items such as cookies, candy, baseball cards, magic cards and/or personal items.

Students should not arrive before ten minutes prior to the beginning of school and must leave the campus within ten minutes after school, unless they are involved in Zero Period P.E. or in activity supervised by staff.

If a student is moving out of the area and transferring to another school, a note advising the school of the change, including the new school’s address, should be brought to the office. Prior to leaving school, the student will be required to take a transfer form to each class and the media center to receive grades, turn in books, and obtain signatures.