The U Scoop
Some thoughts for the starting school year
Principal's Greetings
This school year has truly been exciting and engaging for multiple reasons. However, nothing compares to receiving the great news that our school is College Board/AP Honor Roll - with a Gold Status. We have beat our neighboring districts, and as Eagles we will continue to soar!
None of this could have been done without the great diligence and dedication from our UMHSA staff members. Please join me in applauding our entire UMHSA Staff for their due diligence and perseverance in maintaining a strong AP program!
We are looking forward to all the upcoming celebrations for the Class of 2024, including Decision Day, Senior Spirit Week, Prom and Commencement in the upcoming months. More details will be forthcoming from the Senior Class Sponsor, Mr. Carey, very soon.
Dates to Remember:
Parent-Teacher conferences: Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 3:30 - 6:30pm
Appointments ARE required! Please see my April 1st email to access the PTCFast Link.
Class of 2024 Senior Pinning - Friday, April 5, 2024. RSVP Required
Spring Testing begins the week of April 8, 2024
Make sure to follow The U on Instagram and Facebook !
Educationally Yours,
Orlando T. Bogins
Gold Award for The U
On March 18th, SPS Chief of Staff James Jackson and SPS Board Trustee Jillian Holloway came and presented The U with the College Board's Gold Star Honor Roll Certificate to Principal Bogins and Assistant Principal Patterson. This is the first year for this recognition and it's based on the following factors from the Class of 2023:
- College Culture: 40% or more of the graduating class took at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
- College Credit: 25% or more of the graduating class scored a 3 or higher on at least 1 AP Exam during high school.
- College Optimization: 2% or more of the graduating class took 5 or more AP Exams during high school. At least 1 of those exams was taken in 9th or 10th grade.
We are VERY close to achieving PLATINUM status with the Class of 2024.
We had performances by The U Dance Team, the Marching Band, plus, we had Turbo, the mascot from Motor City Cruise who participated in dance contests with students and gave free t-shirts.
Spring Testing - PLEASE READ!
Please review the following Testing schedule with your son/daughter. Students must arrive ON TIME for testing. Additionally, students MUST adhere to the following to avoid any irregularities, including students' dismissal from testing and/or cancellation of scores:
- NO food or DRINK is allowed in the Testing Room at ANY time. Snacks will be provided during BREAKS.
- NO Cell Phones, including SMART watches are PROHIBITED. If any device is left in the testing room and an alarm or alert goes off, the student will be dismissed.
U Students of the Month!
UMSA Students of the Month - UMSA Girls' Cheer Team
Congrats to the University Middle Cheer Team and Coach Kayla Winston (UHSA Aluma) for their recent victories. They won 1st place at the Game Time Athletics Middle School Cheer competition AND they won 1st place at the Southfield Public Schools Middle School Competition.
UHSA Students of the Month - Yearbook Team
Kudos to Editors-in-Chief, Mirra Battle and Skylar Little; Photographers: Kevin Haynes, Ryan McAfee, and Maegan Williams; Copy Editors: Shoniece Akins, Kassidy Williams, and Carlos Gunn; Graphic/Page Design: Serigne Bamba-Diop, Megan Roberts; Sales/Marketing: De'Ja Shelton and Brandt Stewart.
Welcome to The U! Danyale Dockery
Danyale Dockery is a College Adviser serving the University High School Academy on behalf of the University of Michigan. Having studied at Michigan State University and Grand Canyon University, Danyale understands the impact of the former and current educational structure in America. Hence, in her role as a college adviser, she not only mentors her students, but also empowers them to navigate the college experience with knowledge and confidence. With a longstanding volunteer history too, it is easy to understand her passion, interest, and investment in advocacy. In her free time, you can find Danyale thumbing through historical documents and spending time with her dog Shiloh
Congratulations to the Southfield Swim Team!
The Southfield Swim Team comprised of UHSA Students was recognized at a recent Southfield Public Schools Board Meeting. Tanner Herrington (11th) qualified for the Michigan (Ultra) State Swimming Championship Meet at Eastern Michigan University. He achieved personal records in a few events over the weekend of March 25-27, 2024, AND he won the Breastroke B final with the 8th fastest time in the State. Congratulations Tanner!
What's Happening at The U
The U's A/V Club
AV Club hosted our first-ever UHSA Scavenger Hunt. We hid over 170 items across the school building for our contestants to find. The first prize winner was Morgan Struthers who won a $30 gift card to Tropical Smoothie Cafe! Second place went to Kevin Haynes, and third place went to Jerjuan Gilbert! Congratulations again!
Debate Team - Upcoming Competition
Good luck to Juniors Daelynn Mitchell and Temilola Olorunsola who will be traveling to Chicago to compete in the Urban Debate National Tournament.
English at The U
Pre-AP English 2 Students
On March 2, 2024, some of Mrs. Tomlinson's 10th grade students went to see "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" (abridged) version of the 32 works of the author performed by the Rosedale Community Players. We just finished analyzing an excerpt of Macbeth so this was perfect timing.
Fine Arts at The U
Congratulations to Jasmine Wright (12th), Sophie Martin (11), and Szilvia Laszlo (8th) who were chosen to represent UMHSA in the Oakland Schools Fine Arts Advisory Council’s 2023 - 2024 District Points of Pride Exhibit at Oakland Schools for the month of April. Their artwork (shown below) is currently on display on the second floor of the Oakland Schools Building at 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford TWP, MI 48328. An evening opening celebration them and other student artists learning in Southfield Public Schools is Wednesday, April 17th from 4-7pm. All are welcome!
Math at The U
As April arrives and May approaches, math teachers at The U get excited to look at student growth data. Students put in a lot of time and effort throughout the year learning and improving their math skills through class lessons and assignments, math help during seminar, and personalized support from digital tools. Students: Please make sure that you are rising on the day(s) of your spring assessments to SHOW OFF what you have learned. We encourage students to have a positive mindset and persevere through test sessions. Showing growth and improvement this school year is our goal for every student at The U.
Here are some tips for during the test:
1) Be calm and confident. You're ready for this!
2) Don't linger too long on any one question. If you're stuck, mark it and come back to it later.
3) Can't figure out an answer? There is no penalty for guessing, so try to eliminate some choices and guess strategically. There will be plenty of questions you CAN answer, so spend your time on those!
4) If you find yourself losing concentration, getting frustrated, or stressing about the time, stop for 30 seconds. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and relax your shoulders. You'll be much more productive after taking a few moments to relax.
5) Use your breaks effectively. During the break, go to the restroom, eat your snacks, and get your energy up for the next section.
Social Studies at The U
In Mr. Stetz's Financial Literacy class students spent the last few weeks of March learning about taxes. They learned about the important dates in the Federal Tax calendar, important federal tax forms, and how to read each form for financial information. The students ultimately learned how to file a simple tax return form (Form 1040) using a W2 form to see if a person would receive a refund from the government or owe more taxes than were taken out for the year.
Science at The U
Ms. Eidt's seventh-grade students are studying chemical bonds. The students were asked to construct four covalent bond models. They used their whiteboard tables and markers to create and edit their models. Students who mastered the concept were asked to help out their peers. All students had fun drawing and creating.
U Announcements
Spring Sports Calendar - April 2024
UHSA's Student Council is sponsoring a U Spirit Shop!!
Starting March 1st, you can order any type of U Gear and/or accessories via our new U Spirit Shop. The University High School Academy's Student Council will earn a commission from each sale that will go towards sponsoring students to the MASC/MASH Leadership Camp this summer!