UCS Elementary Virtual Academy
Week of May 2, 2022
UCS Mission
We are committed to exemplary teaching and learning in order for our students to be prepared for success in the 21st Century.
Virtual Academy Expectations
KEEP AN EYE OUT
Make sure to check out the home school communication for updates on school activities that are coming up. Virtual Academy students are welcome to participate in school activities offered at their home school.
Dates to Remember
MAY
1 - Last day to register for VA for 22/23 school year
4 - 6th grade Career Focus
5 - Community Spotlight: 6:30 - 8:00 pm - Eisenhower High School
6 - Favorite color day
Coming UP
May 10 - Always Changing - 5th grade
May 13th: Favorite Sports team
May 16th - 26th- NWEA Testing Window
May 20th: Crazy Hair Day
May 26th (Thursday) Backwards Day
May 27th - 30th- No School- Memorial Weekend
May 31st - VA kindergarten field trip to Upland Hills
June 3rd: Stuffed animal day
June 6th - 6 grade end of year park celebration - 1:00 - 3:00
June 8th - Mrs. Murray's VA Kindergarten end of year park celebration
June 9th - 1/2 day of school- 11:45 dismissal
June 10th - Last Day Of School- 11:45 Dismissal
NOT IN CLASS?!
VIRTUAL ACADEMY FOR THE 2022/2023 SCHOOL YEAR
If you have an interest in your child being part of the Utica Community Schools Virtual Academy for the 2022-23 school year. Please use the link below to apply for the program. Please complete the application by May 1st. As applications are received, they will be reviewed. Upon acceptance you will then receive information regarding next steps in the process.
UCS Virtual Academy: Application for Admission (tfaforms.com)
Mrs. Breininger's taking part in Virtual Fieldtrips - So much to learn!!
M-STEP TESTING
All students enrolled in Michigan schools in grades 3-8 and 11 will take the M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) assessment. The M-STEP will measure your student's growth and progress on the Michigan Academic Standards. Those standards are available at this web site: www.Michigan.gov/academicstandards
Virtual Academy students have begun testing. If your child has not started/completed the M-Step assessments for his/her grade, please contact Heather Blum or Beth Miller so arrangements can be made for administration of these assessments.
UCS also references these assessments for placement into advanced glasses and other programs.
Summer Enrichment Classes
The 2022 UCS summer camps and enrichment programs opened for registration on Monday, April 25, 2022. Please click this link for more information and to register:
2022 School Age Child Care Summer Camp Registration Dates
Kindergarten Readiness
Summer Academic Programs 2022
Summer academic programs for students in grades one through twelve begin on Monday, June 20, 2022 and end on Friday, July 29, 2022.
Information will be available on the UCS website at: https://www.uticak12.org/SummerPrograms
Registration begins on Monday, May 2, 2022, through Community Education using the following link:
UCS Family Literacy Connection
ALWAYS CHANGING FIFTH GRADE PRESENTATION MAY 10, 1:00 P.M.
The video Always Changing – Boys and Girls will be shown to the 5th grade on May 5, 2022 at 1:00 P.m. This health education presentation explains hygiene, and physical and emotional changes associated with puberty. Parents may preview the video below. Only students that have submitted a signed permission slip will be able to participate.
FREE TUTORING
UCS students have free online tutoring available to them through a partnership with the public library. Students can login by clicking the Virtual Library Card App in their ClassLink. This will connect your student to a professional tutor to receive help with difficult homework problems between the hours of 4pm – 11pm. Students login with their UCS student number (found on PowerSchool) and the password is the student's birthdate (example April 4th - 0404). ‘UCS’ is in front of the student number. More information can be found on the UCS home page in Success Tool Kit.
UCS WELLNESS PODCAST
The UCS Wellness team is pleased to share the release of the fifth episode of the UCS Wellness Podcast. The team worked with community members to create a podcast regarding different physical, mental and social health areas for UCS staff, students and families. These podcasts are available on the UCS Wellness page: UCS Wellness - Utica Community Schools (uticak12.org)
In the latest episode of the UCS Wellness Podcast, UCS counselor, Kim Twarowski, speaks with Danielle Watson, community educator and sexual assault outreach specialist with Turning Point, a local agency aimed at ending sexual and domestic violence with the help of their services, programs and resources.
UCS Wellness Podcast episodes are released the third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year. Current episodes include “Discussing Dating Violence with Turning Point,” “CARE of Southeastern Michigan,” “Family Communication,” “Grief and the Grieving Process for Children” and “Mental Health.”
Below is a list of the podcasts released and the upcoming schedule.
12/14/2021
Mental Health with guest, Nancy Buyle, School Safety/Student Assistance Consultant, MISD
1/12/2022
Grief and the Grieving Process for Children with guest, Michele Kreft, Henry Ford SandCastles Children’s Grief Support Program
2/16/2022
Family Communication with guest, Erica Chavez, Counselor, Shining Light Counseling
3/16/2022
CARE of Southeastern Michigan with guests, Susan Styf and Erika Bradbury
4/13/2022
Discussing Dating Violence with Turning Point with guest, Danielle Watson
5/11/2022
Tacking Tough Topics with the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office with guest, Sargent Renee Yax
6/15/2022
Our Youth and Vaping with guest, Corey Beckwith, Access Community Health and Research
PRIOR COMMUNICATION - BUT STILL WORTH REMEMBERING!
Vaccine Information for Future Kindergarten and 7th Grade Students and their Families
2022 Board of Education Meeting Schedule
VIRTUAL STUDENT MEALS
- Breakfast & lunch meals are available for virtual enrolled students only.
- Meals must be pre-ordered by Thursday the week before to ensure meal availability.
- Meals can be ordered at www.sendmoneytoschool.com.
- You will need your student's school ID number. This is available on PowerSchool as well as from your school's main office.
- We have provided a video link for you on how to order these meals.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut30F33DR_U&feature=youtu.be
- You will only be able to order meals for those students in Virtual School.
- Students attending in person learning, meals are available in their buildings during specified meal times.
- Menus for both programs will be different so please check the menu for your student's specified school and program.
- Meals are available for pickup at Stevenson (door 25) & Eisenhower (door 1) from 12:30-1:30pm on Mondays (Tuesdays when holidays are on Mondays) near the main offices.
- You must park and enter the designated door to pickup these meals. There is currently no outside pickup.
- You receive enough breakfasts and lunches to cover the school days. Non-school days are not allowed in the current program.
- If you have questions please call our office at 586-797-1180