Welcome Back!

August 17, 2023 

Dear SLA students and families, 

Summer is a special time for me because I get a chance to stop, think, reflect on the past year, and make changes. Not many professions give you a chance to take an extended break and ponder what might be. We at SLA have been doing a lot of thinking this summer—most especially about our commitment to nurturing our students’ souls while providing a space for them to think creatively and critically about our city and the world. We are excited to continue growing the programs you all know and love, and to revive and enhance our Service and Justice initiatives and our commitment to experiential learning.

Our school is unique. We truly do believe in making this beautiful and complicated city a part of our classrooms and integrating it as a central part of our students’ academic experience. Earlier this week we welcomed our teachers back to campus and started preparing an exciting and fulfilling year for our students. Our goal is to engage students in compelling, transformative instruction across all subjects while also giving them a platform to grapple with the biggest questions of our time. Those questions can’t remain merely intellectual—they have to be palpable. How will our learning influence our students’ future actions and help them become leaders for consequential change in their own personal ways? 

You can’t fix a problem or see a different future until you really look at an issue from all angles. We intend to take a long look this year and we can’t wait to share our plans with students—and to include their voices and ideas in those plans. Please review the important beginning of school information below. I’m thrilled to welcome you all to a new school year, and I look forward to meeting you in person very soon!

Warmly, 
Carlos Kassam-Clay
Director of Academic Affairs

Orientation Schedule & Info

We are excited to invite all students and parents / caregivers to orientations ahead of the academic year! We’ll be renewing our focus on community and how to best create a space conducive for learning, creativity, and fun. I sincerely look forward to meeting you all in person! 

Council Orientation
Friday, August 25, 9:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

All students who were elected to serve on a Council for the 2023-2024 school year should attend.

Student Orientation
Monday, August 28, 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

All new and returning students.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided for both student orientations.

Parent Orientation & BBQ
Wednesday, August 30
Orientation: 5:30–6:30 p.m.
BBQ: 6:30–8:00 p.m.

All parents and caregivers.
Students are encouraged to attend the BBQ and are welcome to remain on campus after school.

(Please note: Convocation has been moved to Wednesday, September 6.)

Drop Off and Pick Up Instructions

For those driving, please turn south onto Lillian Way from Lexington Avenue. You must enter the lot coming south on Lillian Way. Enter the carpool parking lot at the West Building (1111 Lillian Way).

Academic Calendar

Click the button below to view the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar. You can also always access the Academic Calendar on this site by navigating to My SLA > Academic Calendar.

This calendar is your 30,000-foot view of the entire school year—all the key dates to keep in mind. For a granular, daily calendar of all school programming, please login to the School Portal.

Medical Forms

Please fill out and submit student medical forms online via the School Portal.

When you log into the Portal, you will see a notification about forms that are ready to review and sign. You can click the yellow banner at the top of your screen to access the forms, or use the drop down under your name in the top right hand corner.

Additionally, we ask that families please complete our dietary restrictions form. This form only needs to be completed if your student has an allergy or food restriction the school needs to be aware of. 

Supplies List

Supplies for Middle School

Required for students in grades 6–8:

  • Notebook for each class 

    • Can also use binders with loose lined paper and tab dividers

  • From the Literature department:

  • Four-function calculator

  • Headphones

  • #2 pencils, one pack

  • Pens--blue or black ink only, one pack

  • Highlighters – three different colors

  • Pack of standard markers

Supplies for Upper School

In grades 9–12 students should bring to class every day:  

  • Notebook for each class 

    • Can also use binders with loose paper and tab dividers

  • From the Literature and Writing Department:

  • Notebook with grid / graph paper

  • From the Math department:

    • Recommended: Students download Desmos app. Compatible with Chromebooks.

  • Set of #2 pencils

  • Set of pens (multiple colors welcome) 

  • Set of highlighters (multiple colors welcome) 

  • Protractor and compass

Athletics Info & Physical Form

SLA Athletics 23-24

The SLA Athletics Department is excited to welcome you to the 2023-2024 academic year!

Rooted in the values of healthy competition, sportsmanship, and supporting the success of our students both inside and outside of the classroom, we encourage all students to participate in our athletic program this year. Our goal is to offer a robust program that is accessible to all of our Middle and Upper School students. 

We encourage students to participate in our tryouts for Upper School Girls Volleyball, which begin next week!

  • Monday, August 21 - 2:00–3:30 pm: Open Gym (all are welcome)

  • Tuesday, August 22 & Wednesday, August 23 - 2:00–3:30 pm: Tryouts

  • Thursday, August 24 - 2:00–3:30 pm: First practice for those that make the team

All will be held at Pan Pacific Park - 7600 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Practices will continue the following week for the team.

Further information for Middle School sports will be available once school begins. If you are interested, please feel free to contact me via email at hannon@school.la.

All students planning to participate in a sport this year must see their doctor for an athletic physical and submit a completed physical form prior to their first competition. Please download, print, and bring the physical form linked below to your student’s pediatrician. Once you have the completed form in hand, visit AthleticClearance.com and follow the instructions for establishing a profile and uploading forms.

Students, whether you’re trying a sport for the first time, or you’ve been playing for quite some time, the SLA athletics department welcomes you! 

Let’s go Coyotes!

Formal Dress Code

Students are asked to adhere to the Formal Dress Code on the following days:

Three Major Feasts:

  • Convocation

  • Lesson and Carols

  • Baccalaureate

Days on which there is a Commons speaker 

Other special events as decided by the Senior Administrative Team

While still adhering to the guidelines of the Standard Dress Code, students should wear the following formal dress items:

  • Loafers or dress shoes

  • Dress slacks, pants, or skirt 

  • A navy or gray blazer, along with a top that pairs well with a blazer—e.g. a dress shirt, blouse, etc. 

  • Ties are optional

Students who attend Senior Dinner and Graduation should follow the Formal Dress Code, but blazers are optional at these events.


1.  Does SLA offer financial assistance for the dress code?

If your contribution to SLA tuition is $5,000 or less, then you qualify for additional financial assistance to purchase clothes within the dress code. A representative from SLA will reach out to you, and offer a time for you to come to campus during the first two weeks of school to retrieve your Dress Code assistance.

 

2.  SLA Closet and Blazer Bank

We have a “pop-up” store that we hold periodically where you can donate and shop gently used items. The pop-up store will make appearances during orientation and events at the beginning of the year.

If you have questions, please contact Ms. McCarron at mccarron@school.la or by calling the school at 323-462-3752.

Summer Reading & Math Reminder

Don’t forget your summer reading! Students are expected to have their reading completed by student orientation on Monday, August 28. During orientation, students will engage with the summer reading in grade-level groups. Students who have copies of the books are encouraged to bring them.

Meet and Greet at Griffith Park Shakespeare

Join the SLA community for a night of Griffith Park Shakespeare!

Thursday, August 24
6:00 p.m. - Meet and Greet
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Griffith Park Old Zoo

Bring your own picnic dinner, blanket or lawn chairs, and wear SLA colors!

Questions? Contact Ms. McCarron at mccarron@school.la

SLA GoPass Tap Card Program

SLA will continue partnering with Metro this year to offer students a GoPass Tap Card, which provides unlimited rides at no cost on Metro bus and rail, City of Commerce, Culver CityBus, LADOT Dash, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, and Santa Monica Big Blue Bus.

Unlimited rides! For free! Even during the summer! We’re glad that many of our students have taken advantage of this program—and we invite all other students to join, new and returning.

For new or returning students who have not yet registered for a Tap Card, please fill out this form, and I will be in touch with further instructions.  

For students who are already enrolled in the program, please reach out if you have any questions (oliva@school.la)!