UCS Elementary Virtual Academy
Week of January 24, 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
January-
18th - 31st - NWEA Winter assessment window
Other Dates to Keep on the Calendar
Pathways to Success at Henry Ford High School on March 3, 2022 from 6:00-8:30p.m.
Kindergarten Open House - Thursday, March 24, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
College Fair which will be held Virtual on April 21, 2022 from 7:00-8:30p.m.
REMINDER - CONTACT YOUR HOME SCHOOL OFFICE TO REPORT A STUDENT POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST RESULT
COVID-19 PROTOCOL CHANGE
Dear UCS Community,
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Utica Community Schools has worked closely with the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) and its expert guidance in the development of health and safety protocols. This week, the MCHD has revised its guidance for how schools should approach the isolation and quarantine of students and staff for in-school exposure. The most important pieces have remained the same:
- Keep those who are sick home
- Staff/families must report positive COVID-19 cases and isolation/quarantine remains at five days
- The district will notify families of positive cases in school buildings
- Cases will continue to be reported on the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard
PROTOCOL CHANGE
The Macomb County Health Department has adjusted its contact tracing and school-based case notification from individual to entire classroom. No longer will individuals be identified as close contacts. Instead, the entire class where a positive case was reported will be notified of the potential exposure.
- All students and staff in the impacted classroom should monitor for symptoms.
- Those who have or develop symptoms should isolate/quarantine and test for COVID-19.
- Others may quarantine individually but are not required to unless symptoms develop.
These changes follow CDC guidance and will support our commitment to ensure healthy students who do not have symptoms remain in school. They will also help with staffing issues and the significant amount of resources being spent in schools on individual contact tracing. The continued daily contact tracing has moved the focus of our staff from other critical work, including supporting students’ social/emotional needs, school safety measures, staff development and educational leadership of our schools. We need our education professionals focused on the education and well-being of our students and staff.
The countywide protocol changes will become effective on Friday, January 21. Staff and students currently quarantined due to in-school exposure or are on day 6 or later of a COVID-19 illness and have significantly improved symptoms, can return to school on Monday, January 24. The MCHD website reflects the new protocols.
Your partnership remains critical. Our communities should continue to self-screen every morning and students that do not feel well should remain at home. In addition, I encourage you to take advantage of a federal program that provides up to four free COVID-19 testing kits to families.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Robert S. Monroe
Superintendent of Schools
Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Special Education “Make a Difference” Awards for 2021
Attached is a nomination form for parents who have a student with a current IEP or IFSP, who receives special education services in Macomb County at this time. The “Make a Difference” Award is given on an annual basis to individuals who have made a significant positive impact on the educational experience of a special needs student. The annual “Make a Difference” Award recognition will be held at the MISD on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at 7:00 p.m.
All supporting criteria must be included with the nomination form to become eligible.
Please note that the nomination form has been made fillable and will also be accepted electronically. Should you prefer this option, please email your form to mdeluca@misd.net. Parents may also return the nomination form to Heather.Blum@uticak12.org no later than Monday, February 7, 2022.
UCS Family Literacy Connection
PRIOR COMMUNICATION - BUT STILL WORTH REMEMBERING!
UCS Wellness Podcast
The UCS Wellness team is happy to announce the second episode of our podcast series. The team worked with community members to create a podcast regarding different areas of physical, mental, and social health for UCS staff, students and families. These podcasts are available on the UCS Wellness page. UCS Wellness - Utica Community Schools (uticak12.org)
Oftentimes when loss occurs, whether it be through death or beyond death entirely, grief is experienced by those impacted by the loss. Yet, the grieving process is unique to each individual, including children experiencing grief.
This episode of the UCS Wellness Podcast explores the different levels of grief and how we can cope as well as what to look for to help identify grief in children. We called on SandCastles Grief Support Program, a free, local community-based program to help us with the topic of grief. This episode features Malow Junior High School counselor, April Raupp, speaking with SandCastles program supervisor, Michele Kreft, LMSW.
Supervised Student Chat Restricted in Microsoft Teams
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