The U Scoop
Some thoughts for the starting school year
Principal's Greetings
Hello March!
As we are now approaching the middle of 2nd semester, let's all remember that we must be a team to ensure our students can witness a true partnership amongst all. As a team, we will continue to wrap our arms around our scholars and ensure they are well prepared to achieve. Our students prove each and every day their commitment to being present, being prepared, and being prosperous in each class and for that we say THANK YOU! We have witnessed many success stories and can't wait to hear more. We know that our stakeholders are fully invested and simply want the best. So as our EAGLES SOAR, we will see them soar in Arts, Academics and Athletics! Let's go Eagles!
As we continue to support our Eagles, please know that we have a system at The U to support their academic, emotional and social needs. If a Scholar is having issues with a class, Teacher, and/or peers, please utilize this "chain of command:"
1) Classroom Teacher
2) Department Chairperson
3) Counselor
4) Mrs. Patterson, Assistant Dean
5) Mr. Bogins, Dean
6) Dr. Freeman, Associate Superintendent
7) Dr. Green, Superintendent
Our goal is always to resolve any issues at the building level. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, March 13, 2024 - Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL for Students
Monday, March 25 - Friday, March 29, 2024 - SPRING BREAK - NO SCHOOL
Make sure to follow The U on Instagram and Facebook !
Educationally Yours,
Orlando T. Bogins
State of Michigan MEASLES outbreak
Please read the following information regarding the recent outbreak of measles.
Black History Month Program - February 29, 2024
This year's Black History Month Program entitled "The Black Experience" was a "journey" that took the audience from Africa to present day. There were a range of performances that included narrative speaking, dancing, singing, and modeling. The pictures below highlight the program.
"Get Them to Freedom" dance by The U's Dance Company
Kema showcases his African attire while escorting Ms. Barrett
Drama Club recites "Negro Speaks of Rivers"
Band plays "Feelings good"
Black History Month Program Sponsors with Administration
ChorUS sings "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit"
Winter 2024 iReady Reports
Winter iReady Reports coming home to U!
Please be advised that UMSA students received their Winter iReady reports from their ELA Teacher (Orse-Simpson for 6th and 8th, and Trexler for 7th) on Monday, March 5, 2024. Please review it, and consider setting goals with your student(s) in preparation for their Spring iReady assessment, which will occur in May, 2024. Personalized instruction modules are now available via the iReady portal based on his/her Winter performance. He/she should utilize days without homework and/or Seminar time to complete them.
If you have any questions/concerns regarding iReady reporting, please contact Ms. Lewis (lorri.lewis@southfieldk12.org).
Spring 2024 Testing Information
Chromebooks Ready? Spring Testing is coming...
Spring Testing - M-STEP, PSAT 8/9 and 10, and SAT w/ Essay (11) will begin shortly after Spring Break. Because all assessments, except ACT WorkKeys (11th graders only), are taken ONLINE, students' SPS Chromebooks MUST be updated and in good condition to avoid any testing irregularities. As a precaution, we will be scheduling Digital READINESS checks the week of April 1st.
IF your child's SPS Chromebook is not working properly and/or is in need of repair, YOU must contact the Oakland County Help Desk (helpdesk@oakland.k12.mi.us) to create a Help Ticket. We can NOT create a ticket on your behalf. Please note, students can NOT test using their personal devices. A SPS Chromebook will be provided to any student who has NOT been issued one.
U Students of the Month!
UMSA Student of the Month - 7th grader Jevin Blue
Jevin Blue is a stellar student. He is punctual, responsible, and always prepared. The care that he puts into writing his stories is top-tier. He also works well on collaborative assignments.
Submitted by Mrs. Wilson
UHSA Student of the Month - 11th grader Brooklynn Hunter
Submitted by Mr. Maciag
UHSA's Honor Roll
First Semester results are IN!
The U is proud to announce the following:
42 students achieved 3.0-3.49
86 students achieved 3.5-3.9
Students names are proudly displayed in the Main Office Hallway.
Congratulations to Senior Ryan McAfee!
Last fall, Ryan entered the Southfield photo contest to have her photographs displayed throughout the City of Southfield. There were more than 200 contestants, and Ryan was chosen in the top 25 to have her photos voted on. Out of that top 25 she placed number 11. We celebrated her for that because this was her first photo contest and this is her passion.
Her photo is displayed for the month of May in the City of Southfield 2024 calendar Congratulations Ryan for this great accomplishment!
Ryan is also one of our top Photographers for the 2024 Yearbook!
What's Happening at The U
English at The U
6th grade University Middle School students participated in interview projects for Mrs. Simpson's ELA classes. Student's dressed in character based upon the novel, Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz-Ryan. Everyone chose roles and came dressed in character for their interviews, such as the host, Esperanza, Miguel and others.
Dr. Jaussen from Lawrence Tech University Visit
Dr. Paul Jaussen came in to Mrs. Tomlinson's AP Language class to speak with the students about poetry in early February. He gave a very interactive lesson. Dr. Jaussen is in the English Department from Lawrence Tech University. He left the students with some very profound statements about poetry, and one is " The poet creates the rules."
PreAP English 2 with Tomlinson
Based on the infamous inspirational speech, "What's Your Life's Blue Print?" delivered by the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. students took the opportunity to create steps and character traits that they need to possess to be successful and productive citizens of society.
Fine Arts at The U
Black History Month Projects
We have some talented artists at The U and we're happy to showcase Mrs. Marsh's students for their jewelry creations, pottery, and artistic drawings which are showcased in the following slideshow. Please take a moment to check out our Student's talent.
Math at The U
Odds of picking a perfect bracket? You have a better chance of winning the Powerball!
Every March, the NCAA basketball tournament takes place to determine the National Champion. The field consists of 64 teams that will compete in a single elimination tournament.
Our local teams, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan have had a good deal of success. In 1989, Michigan won the National Championship. The Spartans were the champions in 2000. Since, both teams have made multiple Final Fours and National Championship game appearances.
Due to the popularity of this event, many people attempt to pick the winners of the games and compete with friends to see who can pick the best bracket. The cable network ESPN offers a $1 million prize to anybody who is able to correctly pick the entire tournament! Also, back in 2014, billionaire Warren Buffett offered an astonishing $1 BILLION prize for anybody able to predict a perfect bracket! So, just how difficult is it to correctly predict every game? Well, with a field of 64 teams, 63 teams must lose before an eventual champion is crowned. In each game, one team loses and is therefore eliminated. Therefore, the complete tournament will have 63 games. If one were to guess on each of those 63 games, there would be a total of 263 or 9,223,370,036,854,755,808 (9.2 Quintillion!) possible combinations of winners! This is the same as the number of combinations of results from flipping a coin 63 times!
So for someone just guessing randomly, the chance of picking a perfect bracket is the same as correctly predicting the result of 63 consecutive coin tosses!
Social Studies at The U
Semester 2 is the start of Mr. Stetz's Financial Literacy class. Students so far this semester have learned about Financial SMART Goal Setting, explored possible careers that match those goals, and learned about how to properly write resumes and cover letters for when it is time to start their careers. Further into the semester they will learn money management skills, how to complete a simple tax return, banking and investing, credit card management and other skills to become financially successful in life.
Science at The U
AP Chemistry with Lott
Mrs. Lott's AP Chemistry students use Thermochemistry concepts, environmental impact, and cost to determine which ionic compound would make the best hand warmer solution.
Pre AP Chemistry with Lott
Mrs. Lott's Pre-AP Chemistry students used distillation to separate soda pop, a mixture, into its component parts. Students then performed various tests to determine the identity of the mixture components.
World Languages at The U
March already? Time flies when you are having fun in Spanish Class!
Our Spanish I students are working on present verb conjugation, and applying their new skill to write pretend text messages to their grandmas.
The Spanish II students wrote and performed songs that can be found @theunidifference Instagram account. Now, they are sharing with us their world inside their bedrooms by making comparisons, using superlatives, and stem-changing verbs.
Our Spanish III are showing off their Spanish speaking abilities talking and writing about their opinions with respect to movies and television programs,.
Spanish IV students have been talking about past events and running errands. Their next topic will be “what I was like as a child”.
*This year, students enrolled in Spanish 4 are eligible to take the STAMP 4S Exam to earn the Michigan Department of Education Seal of Biliteracy. For more information use the following link: MDE Seal of Biliteracy
U Announcements
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!
Counseling Corner
UMHSA - The U PTA - Parent Teacher Association
The PTA's mission is to make every scholars' potential become a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all scholars. Please join the PTA at our next meeting Tuesday, March 19, 2024 6-7:30pm in the Media Center or join us on Zoom. We are now hybrid!
Thank you parents that completed the survey; you can now join one of four committees created due to your input.
The PTA discussed Social Emotional Learning with SPS Educator Paula Lightsey ED.S at our February PTA meeting; please review some of her tips attached.
Please join the PTA's Family Dinner Fundraiser at Panera Bread Thursday March 21, 2024, 4-8pm.
Have Suggestions? Please scan the QR code to access our virtual suggestion box!
Thank you for being a part of UMHSA PTA we appreciate you.