With the end of the school year in sight, the Irvine Unified School District is preparing to say goodbye to a number of veteran educators who have opted to retire, capping distinguished careers that, in many instances, have spanned decades.

Omar Mughal’s mom and dad had scoured the country, searching for a campus where their child could thrive both socially and academically. Above all, they needed to find a place where Omar would be safe.

It’s Friday, May 28, and a quick check of the calendar reveals it’s a holiday for students in kindergarten through the eighth grade.

It was impressive enough that a pair of Bonita Canyon Elementary School sixth-graders traveled to the California State Science Fair in Los Angeles last week and placed first and third in their respective categories.

Last week, the Board of Education recognized more than 100 certificated, classified and administrative employees who are set to retire on or before June 30.

At least a few investors still know how to make money in the stock market.

Isabella Tong, a third-grader from Santiago Hills Elementary School, recently learned she placed first in the American Fine Arts Festival’s prestigious piano competition.

As the administrative assistant to the principal at Stonegate Elementary School, Karen Roggero is usually the one to plan the fire drills. So when the alarm sounded early Wednesday morning, she was surprised to say the least. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on,” she said.

A number of altruistic acts have been quietly occurring around the Irvine Unified School District. At South Lake Middle School, a group of students drafted geology textbooks for children in Uganda. Deerfield Elementary kids spent time with residents of a local senior center.

The City of Irvine will generously provide up to $875,200 in matching funds to help IUSD ease the impacts of larger class sizes next year.