Christa McAuliffe Email Template

*Please take a moment and check out our school marquee for important dates*

July 28th: 7th Grade Orientation

July 29th: First day of school for all students

July 29th: School Portrait

August 6th: Minimum Day, School dismissed at 1:15 pm

September 1st: Labor Day, No School

September 29th to October 10th: Fall Break, No School

October 22nd: Minimum Day, School dismissed at 1:15 pm

Hello, this is Pierre Kirby, Principal of Christa McAuliffe Middle School, welcoming you to the 2025-26 school year and giving you a few important dates. All 7th Grade students will participate in a 7th Grade Orientation Monday, July 28th from 8:55 AM to 1:15 PM. This is a great opportunity for the 7th grade students to learn all about Christa McAuliffe and be ready for the first day of school.

The first day of school for all students will be Monday, August 1st, with a normal day schedule of 8:55 AM to 3:15 PM. All students will receive their schedules at the front of the school 30 minutes prior to the start of their first school day.

July 29th will also be portrait day.

We did have a technical glitch with Aeries, so some student schedules were not created. We are aware of this and are currently creating new schedules for the first school day.

We are very excited to meet all our new 7th grade students and see our returning 8th grade students for what promises to be a great school year!

Thank you and I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer vacation.

Lodi Unified School District Families:

This important update is being shared regarding smartphone use during school in 2025-2026.

Beginning next school year, students will be required to keep their smartphones turned off and stored in their backpacks during the regular school day. This practice, already in place at many of our elementary and middle schools, aligns with Lodi Unified School District’s Board Policy 5131: Student Conduct.

This Board of Education approved change is designed to reduce distractions, support student mental health, minimize instances of cyberbullying and support student academic discourse throughout the school day. Research strongly supports limiting phone use during the school day, and similar policies are being adopted in schools across the state. In fact, California’s Assembly Bill 3216 will require school districts to adopt such policies by July 1, 2026. Please note that exceptions will be made for students with medical needs or accommodations outlined in their IEPs.

We understand that this may change how you communicate with your child during the day, even though they will be able to retrieve messages or return calls at the end of the regular school day. Our school offices are always available to relay important messages, and students can use office phones if needed. In the event of an emergency, it's essential that students stay focused on staff instructions. First responders recommend limiting phone use to ensure safety and clear communication.

We’ll share more information as the school year approaches, but we appreciate your support in preparing your student for this shift. Please take a moment to discuss these expectations with your child.

Thank you for partnering with us to create a safe and focused learning environment.

The catalog has been revised to include the correct course descriptions for 7th and 8th Grade Science, as well as an 8th Grade English Language Arts description.

🔗 Updated Catalog Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B0dIGc21Zu6vfUKQbOAzVIZ0gBDmxLkK/view?usp=sharing

Dear Lodi USD Families,

Students in grades 3-8 and high school participated in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) assessments this school year.

During this year, your child took the following test(s), depending on your child’s grade level:

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments OR California Alternate Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics in grades 3-8 and 11th grade
• California Science Test (CAST) OR California Alternate Assessments in grades 5th, 8th, 11th and 12th grades

English Learner students in grades K-12th participated in the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) assessments:

• Summative ELPAC
• Alternate ELPAC

Lodi USD is beginning to receive Student Score Reports, which can be accessed electronically through the Aeries Parent Portal. Some tests are still being scored and may arrive later. Please check periodically if you do not see your child's results. All parents/guardians who submitted an email address to the school upon enrollment, or at any time thereafter, have an account.

• From lodiusd.net, or your school’s website, select Portals at the top of the page, then select the Aeries Parent Portal. After logging into your account, hover over the Test Scores menu title, then select State Test Scores Reports.
• If you have not utilized your account and require a password reset, click Forgot Password? on the Aeries sign-in screen.
• If you are not sure if you have an Aeries Parent Portal Account, or need to share a new email address and obtain an account, please contact your child’s school.
• If you do not have an email address or access to the appropriate technology, you may request a paper copy of the results from your child’s school.

To learn more about your child’s scores, go to the parent/guardian web page called Starting Smarter. There, you will find:

• Resources to help understand test results on the Student Score Reports
• Access to sample test questions and practice tests
• No-cost resources to support your child’s learning
• A guide to prepare for parent-teacher conferences

Test results are just one way to look at how well our students are doing. Lodi USD uses the results to find areas in which students are doing well and areas in which they need help. It is also important to know that the test results are not used to determine whether a student moves to the next grade.

If you have questions or concerns, please call the school office. To learn more about state assessments, please visit our website.

Summer Meals (Preschool - 12)

(Administrators, please share this information in your next bulletin)

Lodi USD Nutrition Services is proud to offer free meals to all children ages 2–18 this summer at multiple locations across the district. The Summer Meals Program will run during June and July, providing nutritious breakfasts and lunches to help keep kids healthy and fueled all summer long.

Please help spread the word to families in your school community.
You can find a full list of participating meal sites linked below:

Click on the link below for participating meal sites - English:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jejHWtKtl0uK-04Jeo49gyu2IbaW8t7T/view?usp=sharing

Click on the link below for participating meal sites - Spanish:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Kmw8ZBJ0HgwOk8jzxHuxXiD1m6CrsA5O/view?usp=sharing

San Joaquin County Public Health Services asks that your school please share this letter to the parents and guardians of all children enrolled in your school to ensure all students do not miss any necessary school days this upcoming school year.

• Students currently in 6th grade who will be entering in the 7th grade next school season.
• Students currently in TK or any child who will be entering into kindergarten this next school season.
• Any newly enrolled students who will be starting school this next school season.
• Any children who are conditionally enrolled and are due for vaccinations.

Click on the link below to access the Immunization Program Advisory Letter:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yFjBVv7fXhUmwUfIE1AyI6H2T-_bLTG2/view?usp=sharing

If you have any questions, call Erin Genevieve Dizon, SJC Public Health Services at

209-468-8400 Ext. 28030.

To purchase your child's school portrait. Please go to www.mylifetouch.com and with your student ID or picture day ID: EVTQRZBVQ.

If you have not already done so, please fill out the Online Parent Portal Online Data. The following is a “how to” video that walks you through the process. https://youtu.be/v-LrRcpOtOQ Christa McAuliffe will receive $2,000 for every student whose parent fills one out so please make sure to get this completed.

The following is a links to the i-ready family center: https://readyclassroomcentral.com/familycenter/

This page has resources for families to help their students with i-ready. They have frequently asked questions about i-ready, tips and information about what an i-ready classroom looks like.

The following is a link to how students navigate the i-ready dashboard:

https://mcauliffe.lodiusd.net/resources/math-help

We are excited to inform you that your children have recently completed reading and math diagnostics through i-Ready, an adaptive assessment program by Curriculum Associates. These diagnostics are designed to identify your child's strengths and areas for growth in these crucial subjects. We believe that this valuable data will help us tailor our instructional approach to better support your child's academic journey.

To review your child's data and gain insights into their performance, we invite you to access the flyer provided at the following links:

English Letter for Families

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZIsneR5PJ5IlR8S7tmxotVn76wJ4C_-w/view?usp=sharing
  

Spanish Letter for Families

• https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kXWGzWfdkODCslVUM_NDZzlDXRc3y-wR/view?usp=sharing

This flyer will provide you with detailed instructions on how to navigate and interpret the i-Ready diagnostic results. Your active involvement in this process is greatly appreciated and will contribute to your child's educational success.

Chromebook Care Plan Purchases: Please fill out the Chromebook Care Plan Purchases so that your students’ Chromebooks are insured. https://www.lodiusd.net/fs/form-manager/view/76fedbe8-c0a3-482e-ae5b-a38ed84ef4fb

Christa McAuliffe PTA is proud to invite you to join us in our mission; to act as a powerful voice for children; be a relevant resource for our school, families, and community; and to advocate for the well-being and education of all children. PTA annual membership is just $10 per family. If you have any questions, please contact PTA at christamcauliffepta@gmail.com

Good attendance is one of the keys to success in school. Any time a student is absent, that absence must be cleared by sending a note with the student when he/she returns, call the office between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, or email the school office. Please include the first and last name of the student, the date of the absence, and the reason for the absence.

You may call to verify your child’s absence up to 10 school days after your child has been absent. Absences that are not verified within that time will be considered unexcused.

Fourteen (14) absences in the school year may be allowed due to illness. Any further absences due to illness for the rest of the school year will require a doctor’s note to clear the absence.

Excused absences only for the following reasons:

Illness, Medical Appointment, Death of an immediate relative, and Pre-Arranged.

Unexcused absences can include:

Car trouble, Oversleeping, going out of town or on vacation, a parent/guardian having an appointment, and not having a babysitter.

Morning Program, 7:30-8:30 AM, Daily: Staff provide supervision for students who need to be dropped off early in the MPR.

Bridge Program, 3:15 PM – 6:00 PM, Daily: This program provides a variety of activities throughout the afternoon. Please stop by the MPR for more details. Space is limited. Below is a link for the after school bridge enrollment.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv-0fQtvzOYAPk058YDXhWk-yfaz9vJ4FlM8GAq0H5FOpvHA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0