Welcome Back!
2024–2025
Academic Year
Carlos Kassam-Clay
Director of Academic Affairs
Dear SLA students and families,
I am extremely excited to return to SLA for the 2024–2025 school year. As you may recall, I took a leave of absence last spring semester to support my family as my wife battled breast cancer. She is doing great and on her way to recovery! The SLA community has been an amazing source of support for me over these past few months. Before this illness I understood in the abstract that SLA was a strong community, thanks to our traditions and the depth of our relationships. Now I have personally felt the power and support of this community when my family and I needed it most, and I am incredibly grateful.
This school year, we are excited to further develop the one-of-a-kind programs and initiatives that make the SLA curriculum unique. Instructionally, our focus is on creating a classroom culture of high student engagement through interactive activities designed to promote deep thought. We will continue to emphasize application-based curricula, while adding further structure and student support to our classrooms and building college preparatory skills. We have invested time in developing clear rubrics in courses so that students know their strengths and also how to improve in their areas of growth. All of our returning faculty are excited to continue refining their unique curricula, engaging students and fostering a joy of learning.
We are also excited for the second year of City Week! A foundational element of all of our programming is to draw meaningful connections between the learning done in SLA classrooms and the realities of the city in which we live. Our adventures and explorations outside the classroom serve to deepen and transform the learning done on campus, and vice versa. We are grateful to gather student feedback after each City Week in order to further refine our programming. Based on last year’s responses, our goal is to offer the same variety of experiences while more clearly emphasizing the connections between City Week and our standard curriculum—so that activities feel relevant and engaging. We are also looking to promote more interaction between grade levels, both during City Week and more generally.
I am looking forward to seeing our students at the upcoming orientations and our first day of school. After a summer of exciting and dedicated work, this coming year is shaping up to be an enriching and fulfilling one for SLA students, families, and staff alike. See you soon!
Warmly,
Carlos Kassam-Clay
Director of Academic Affairs
Janie Hannon
Dean of Academic Services
Academic Calendar
Click the button below to view the 2024–2025 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.
Academic Schedule: First Two Weeks
Week One: Adjusted Schedule – Please note the late start on Thursday, August 29!
August 26–30
Week Two: Adjusted Schedule
September 2–6
Chuck Watterson, Jr.
Director of Student Affairs
Orientation, Convocation, and the First Day of School – Schedule & Info
We are excited to invite all students, parents, and 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. To our new families, I sincerely look forward to meeting you all in person!
Thursday, August 22
Council Orientation (9:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
For ALL 2024-2025 Council Members
Friday, August 23
New Student Orientation (8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
For ALL New Students
ANY returning students who would like to come and help, please send an email of interest to watterson@school.la
Meet the new students!
Lead activities
Give campus tours
Students are welcome to get picked up at 3:00 p.m., or stay on campus from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. during New Parent Orientation.
Monday, August 26
All Student Orientation (8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
Mandatory for ALL students
Wear your team colors!
New students and faculty will be sorted onto Red/White Teams!
What to bring:
Water bottle
Summer reading books
Tuesday, August 27
NO SCHOOL - Enjoy your last day of summer!
Wednesday, August 28
First day of classes: 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Remember to bring your charged Chromebooks
Thursday, August 29
Convocation (6:00 p.m.)
Remember to wear Formal Dress
Students will sign the honor book
Nicoli Stamps
Assistant Head of School
Some Information on Student Orientation & New Parents and Caregivers Orientation
Friday, August 23
New Student Orientation: 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
New Parents and Caregivers Orientation: 3:30–5:45 p.m.
SLA Campus
We are so excited to welcome those of you who are new to our community to the 2024–2025 academic year at the School of Los Angeles. To get the year started off right, orientations for both new students and new parents and caregivers will be held on SLA campus on Friday, August 23.
New Student Orientation will take place during regular school hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All students who attend orientation are welcome to stay on campus afterward, during New Parents and Caregivers Orientation from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. Hearty snacks from the SLA kitchen will be provided.
Additionally, light snacks and refreshments will be available to parents and caregivers during orientation in the Chapel. We do ask that at least one parent or caregiver from each new family is able to attend the orientation. Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Watterson at watterson@school.la if you have any questions.
We look forward to seeing you!
Supplies List
Supplies Needed for SLA Students
Required for students in all grades:
Backpack or tote for supplies
One dedicated notebook for each class
Can also use three ring binders with loose leaf lined paper and tab dividers
Notebook with graph paper
Set of #2 pencils
Set of pens (multiple colors welcome!)
Set of highlighters (multiple colors welcome!)
Water bottle
Closed-toed shoes
Middle School students:
Athletic clothes for Physical Education
Jane McCarron
Dean of Student Life
Summer Reading Essay: Due August 19
Students will read both assigned books for their grade level and write one essay. An overview of the assigned books can be found at the Summer Reading page on our website. Summer reading essays are due August 19 via email to mccarron@school.la.
For a step-by-step guide to writing the essay:
Middle School students click here.
Upper School Students click here.
Essay Rubric
Students will not receive a grade, but their essays will receive a score that will help students and faculty identify strengths and areas for growth.
Athletics Info
& Physical Form
Geovany Mendez
Athletics Coordinator
SLA Athletics 2024–2025
The SLA Athletics Department is excited to welcome you to the 2024–2025 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!
Required: Sports Physical
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. For Upper School students this is a CIF requirement for participation. Physicals are valid for one year for all sports.
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.
Athletic Clearance
After completing a sports physical, Upper School athletes are required to complete an athletic clearance application. In order to do so, first create an account with Athletic Clearance. Once logged in, complete the athletic clearance application for the 2024–2025 academic year. During this process, you will need to upload a file of your sports physical. This application is also a CIF requirement.
Students who need help completing the form can email Mr. Mendez directly at mendez@school.la. Students who do not complete their sports physical and athletic clearance will not be allowed to participate in practices or games.
Click the video below for step-by-step instructions on how to complete athletic clearance:
Volleyball Tryouts – Next Week!
Tryouts for Upper School Girls Volleyball
Tryouts for Upper School Girls Volleyball will take place on Tuesday, August 13 and Wednesday, August 14, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Any Upper School student interested in being a member of the volleyball team must attend both dates. Athletes who are not able to make it to tryouts must reach out to Mr .Mendez directly at mendez@school.la.
An Update on SLA Cross Country Tryouts
There will be no tryouts for the Cross Country team this season. The team is open to any interested Upper School students who have completed their required sports physical and athletic clearance application.
Formal Dress at SLA
Dress Code Buying Guide
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. If you have questions, please contact Mr. Watterson at watterson@school.la or by calling the school at 323-462-3752.
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.
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.
*From the Student Handbook: SLA students are asked to use their best judgment and dress in a manner that supports their learning, does not impede others’ learning, and allows them to safely and comfortably navigate campus. All dress code guidelines are gender-neutral. Students are required to wear closed-toed shoes that cover up their heels and allow for running in the event of an emergency and for impromptu Red & White competitions!
Stherling Oliva
Family Inclusion Coordinator
SLA GoPass Tap Card Program
SLA will continue partnering with Metro this year to offer students a GoPass Tap Card. This card provides unlimited rides at no cost on Metro buses and rail, the City of Commerce, Culver CityBus, LADOT Dash, Montebello Bus, Norwalk Transit, and the 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 interested in a Tap Card, please contact Stherling Oliva at oliva@school.la.
