Back to School!
An update for Fall 2022
Moving forward together
We hope that this message finds you well. This newsletter has some of the information that will be helpful as we prepare for the start of the 2022-23 school year. Believe it or not, the year is just around the corner, and typically as the calendar turns from July to August, the days fly by in anticipation of the school year. The purpose of this newsletter is provide you with some of the information you and your children will need for school opening within the pages of this newsletter, so we trust you will find it enlightening and helpful.
First, in terms of our communication, we typically have a variety of methods for keeping families informed. We use email, connect all weekly updates to our website, maintain a blog site (uhsprincipal.blogspot.com) as a place to store information, and offer podcasts for those who prefer to listen. There is a button at the bottom of this newsletter that links to ur podcast channel. Social media is also helpful for quick bits of information, but sometimes the flow of information through social media is not ideal. We would request that people come to us directly with questions rather than fuel speculation or the rumor mill, and if we can provide any information on certain topics, we will do so. We typically attempt to be as transparent as possible.
We hope to see many families at our coming events, including the Fall Athletics Information Night on August 18 or the High School Open House/Meet the Teacher Night, which is scheduled for September 15. Our ability to work with families is as good as the two-way communication we can facilitate - so please reach out to us with information, concerns, questions, and ideas, so we can best support our students. In addition, we will be sponsoring our summer academy in August, which will enable students to take some learning opportunities.
There is much for us to be excited about at UHS, from our robust partnerships and opportunities for real-world learning, to the improving academic performance of our students, to our competitive and championship athletic programs, and our extremely involved extracurricular activities. We will be examining grading practices this year as a faculty to help provide parents and students with better feedback on skills that students can improve or that are defined as areas of strength. We will be continuing to integrate emotional supports and interventions for students who struggle, beyond referrals to student services, to that all students can have their needs met more appropriately.
Finally, it's been great to share an update for school that does not reference health protocols, masks, or COVID-19, if only to mention that we don't have an update on this front at this time. However, we do ask that you keep Ms. Schiller informed of all health situations, both emergency and chronic, so that we can best support students while in the building.
The past three school years have not been without their challenges, to say the least. From the abrupt end to 2019-20, to the hybrid experience of 2020-21, to last year's reset of in-school expectations amidst masks and protocols, we all dealt with challenges in different ways. This year, we open the school year with a new central office team supporting our work, but with some momentum toward some of our school improvement efforts, from our social-emotional programs, to better ways of providing students feedback, to building skills in all our students that will support them as they move forward. In that spirit, we look forward to working with each of you to support all our efforts - both anticipated and unforeseen.
As always, do not hesitate to let us know of any questions or concerns. We look forward to a great fall and 2022-23 school year!
Sincerely,
Mr. Rubin, Mr. Bertrand, Mr. Moura, and Ms. Wandyes
Handbook Updates
Eligibility for Senior Privilege block formalized with eligibility standards based on Junior year: Credits on track to graduate Zero suspension days Less than 5 documented disciplinary incidents Less than 15 absences Less than 20 tardies Seniors have the ability to gain eligibility for Senior Privilege 2nd Semester by meeting criteria during 1st Semester that is equivalent to the criteria referenced above. Administration retains full authority to revoke Senior Privilege for any reason. Headgear (hats, hoods, etc.) no longer explicitly violates UHS dress code, but teachers still have authority to restrict the wearing of hats, hoods, etc. in their individual classrooms. Language around cell phones updated to reflect current practice, which is teachers having the ability to restrict cell phone access in their classrooms, along with the escalating scale of disciplinary consequences related to this infraction. “No Credit Policy” related to student absences removed from handbook. Series of formal attendance interventions for students that exceed specific absence thresholds put into place. Students will be assigned 1-2 detentions if they have 3+ unexcused tardies in a given month. Students will be unable to participate in sports/extracurriculars until they serve the detention(s) related to violation of the tardy policy.
Can you support our internships or senior capstones?
Does your business or organization have a project that is not mission-critical? Perhaps a project on the bottom of your list that you haven’t had the time or manpower to tackle? UHS Interns and associates can work on your project at no cost! We want our students to solve real-world problems with industry tools while being mentored by actual employers. Projects are completed by student teams in the fall semester, from September to early January, or in the spring from January to May.
Past client projects include creating promotional videos, website development, graphic design, computer repair, sample products, and custom materials. If you are interested in partnering with our internship program through client projects, please send your inquiry to dmoura@uxbridge.k12.ma.us
School District Calendar!
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
All information regarding transportation, including bus routes when made available, can be found on the district transportation website: https://www.uxbridgeschools.com/domain/174
Spartan Summer Academy
Hi Everyone! Just a reminder that you can currently sign up for this year's Spartan Academy. Last year was a great success, and we've had a number of sign ups already. This years courses may include;
-Anatomy Table
-ESports Competition
-Open Recreation (Gym)
-Open Weight Room
-Creative Writing
-Digital Photo
-Printmaking
-Design in Nature
-"Bach" to Rock n Roll
(See attached doc for course descriptions)
The Academy will run Mon-Thurs, 8-12 August 15-18 and 22-25
You can choose whatever classes you want with the Google Form Sign Up
There is no cost!!
Space is limited for each class, and classes will only run if there are enough participants.
This is designed to be a fun, social, low key experience, and is a great warm up going into a new school year.
Please take a look at the courses and sign up promptly. Hope to see you in August!!
Please contact Hurley Silbor at hsilbor@uxbridge.k12.ma.us with any questions of concerns.
Monday, Aug 8, 2022, 09:00 AM
Uxbridge High School, Quaker Highway, Uxbridge, MA, USA
The 2022 Fall Athletics registration portal opened on Friday, July 1, 2022 and will run through Monday, August 15, 2022.
Student Activies and Advisors:
Yearbook: Ms. Charpentier
Art Club: Ms. Munley
PRIDE Club: Ms. Henderson
Drama: Ms. Penza and Ms. Mangnall
Robotics: Mr. Lui
E-Sports: Mr. Barros and Mr. DeCoste
Anime: Ms. Charpentier
Book Club: Ms. Charpentier
Mental Health Leadership: Ms. Tobin
DECA: Mr. Guerra
National Honor Society: Ms. Larkin
Science Olympiad: Mr. Lui
Jazz Band: Ms. Penza
Spartones: Ms. Penza
Peer Buddies: Ms. Stewart
Unified Sports: Ms. Taglilatela
Class of 2023: Ms. Smith & Ms. Ritacco
Class of 2024: Ms. Daverio and Ms. Bernasconi
Class of 2025: Ms. Bouchard and Ms. Dzivasen
Class of 2026: Ms. Henderson and Ms. Knauer
Class of 2027: Ms. Ouellette and Ms. Demers