A few updates from UHS this week:
Building Closed
The main office will be closed next week, as will the guidance office, reopening on January 2, 2019. Please be aware that many of our staff members and administration will be unplugging for the week to spend time with their families, so do not expect messages to be returned immediately. We will do our best to get back in the swing of things after we return from the break.
UHS Podcast
Our December Podcast has been posted on our Anchor Channel: https://anchor.fm/uxbridgehighschool/episodes/Spartan-Podcast-December-21-e2qcfn. The podcast is also available on nine different platforms for listening.
School Council Meeting This Week
At Thursday evening's School Council meeting, we had the pleasure of partnering with Jeannie Hebert, Executive Director/President of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, and Mark Lyons, Consultant with AET Labs and Chamber Board Member, to discuss UHS' role in the Blackstone Valley Ed Hub, which has been an ongoing project and partnership with UHS, local industry, higher education, and the possibility of advanced training for both community members and students. We are quite excited about the opportunities that have already come our students' way through the development of our Innovation Pathways, which work hand-in-hand with the Ed Hub.
In the coming weeks and months, we hope to build more effective programs that enhance collaboration between our school and local industry, which will provide students and families with even more opportunities, particularly as students consider best paths after high school.
Week That Was
Our Weekly "Week That Was" video is posted below:
On behalf of everyone at UHS, we wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, a safe and relaxing break, and all the best wishes for 2019!
Warmly,
Michael Rubin, Principal
Friday, December 21, 2018
Thursday, December 20, 2018
UHS Podcast for December 21
Our latest Spartan Podcast is published! Access below or via a number of online options, including Apple Store, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.
Monday, December 17, 2018
SAT Resources
Visit our new webpage… UxbridgeSATPrep.com!
- Watch our SAT tutorial videos that focus on real SAT Questions and how to answer them.
- Learn strategies that will make challenging SAT questions easy and make impossible questions possible!
- Get your own detailed score report, so you can figure out how to minimize your weakness and capitalize on your strengths!
The bottom line…
The SAT is a predictable test and YOU CAN improve your score if you practice!
Don’t go into the SAT unprepared…
Visit UxbridgeSATPrep.com and give yourself the edge!
Questions about the SAT, or any of these resources?
Email studentservices@cottersimplified.com or call 802-424-2378
Friday, December 14, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
Greetings,
We have a few updates from UHS this week:
Cell Phones in the Building
While a ubiquitous part of society and certainly adolescent life, there is no question that cell phone use pervades every aspect of many of our students' experiences. In many cases, there are useful aspects to cell phones, but there are times when they become distractions. For example, we have had some situations of late where students have been unable to unplug during the school day, causing distraction and even distress during academic time, which compromises our teachers' ability to instruct and student ability to meet class expectations.
When we find cell phone use to be problematic, we direct teachers to refer students to the office. Our Student Handbook indicates that a second time the phone is brought to the office, the parent or guardian must come to pick it up, and we try to have a conversation about limiting its use. We also have students check their phones at the main office or with a counselor and retrieve at the end of the day. Parents can contact students through the main office. Some unfortunate by-products of distraction can lead students to spend time with counselors or other resources rather than being in class, which causes students to fall further behind, and which then exacerbates the problems further or adds to student challenges.
We have found that the inability of students to unplug is simply causing more stress than necessarily bargained for. If we reach out to keep phones home, please know that we are doing so in the students' and school's best interests. We appreciate your support toward those ends.
Vacation Week
The school office will be closed from December 22-January 2. Students who may need counselors to submit transcripts for early January deadlines should reach out to the appropriate person next week.
Week That Was
Here's our weekly Week That Was video:
Have a great weekend,
Michael Rubin, Principal
We have a few updates from UHS this week:
Cell Phones in the Building
While a ubiquitous part of society and certainly adolescent life, there is no question that cell phone use pervades every aspect of many of our students' experiences. In many cases, there are useful aspects to cell phones, but there are times when they become distractions. For example, we have had some situations of late where students have been unable to unplug during the school day, causing distraction and even distress during academic time, which compromises our teachers' ability to instruct and student ability to meet class expectations.
When we find cell phone use to be problematic, we direct teachers to refer students to the office. Our Student Handbook indicates that a second time the phone is brought to the office, the parent or guardian must come to pick it up, and we try to have a conversation about limiting its use. We also have students check their phones at the main office or with a counselor and retrieve at the end of the day. Parents can contact students through the main office. Some unfortunate by-products of distraction can lead students to spend time with counselors or other resources rather than being in class, which causes students to fall further behind, and which then exacerbates the problems further or adds to student challenges.
We have found that the inability of students to unplug is simply causing more stress than necessarily bargained for. If we reach out to keep phones home, please know that we are doing so in the students' and school's best interests. We appreciate your support toward those ends.
Vacation Week
The school office will be closed from December 22-January 2. Students who may need counselors to submit transcripts for early January deadlines should reach out to the appropriate person next week.
Week That Was
Here's our weekly Week That Was video:
Have a great weekend,
Michael Rubin, Principal
Friday, December 7, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
Good afternoon,
A few bits of news this week from UHS.
Holiday Concert
Thanks to our many talented musicians and the amazing Ms. Penza for a wonderful Holiday Concert on Wednesday night. The entire cast of ensemble members performed tremendously, and, if you missed the concert, you can catch replays of the the event on Uxbridge Cable. We are so very fortunate to have an amazing music department, a committed Friends of Music partnership, and the support of the community, as our stellar musicians played to a packed house!
Booster Club Opportunities
Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to volunteer at the Basketball Concession stand or gate. We still need many more volunteers especially for girls' games. Please help boosters to support Spartan Athletes. Thank you,
Click one of the links below and signup for the date and time you are able to help. Thank you!
Girls' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4EAAAC28A6FE3-girls
Boys' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4EAAAC28A6FE3-boys
Progress Reports
Progress reports for quarter two will be online at the end of next week. If there are concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor or to the teachers directly.
Winter Athletics
Winter sports opened up this week, as girls basketball played its first game of the year at Auburn on Thursday; the boys will open up at home on Saturday afternoon, also against Auburn, with the tipoff slated for 2:30 p.m. We also welcome to the coaching staff Casandra Knauer, a teacher at Whitin, who will be our new cheerleading coach, with the program starting practices this week as well!
Finally, about three years ago, our administration presented a comprehensive redesign of our Program of Studies, master schedule, and graduation requirements to the Uxbridge School Committee. The title of that presentation was "Strive for Greatness," and it made recommendations to changes that we believed would enhance the experience of students at UHS. We were tasked with the responsibility and the goal of changing the academic and curricular culture of the high school, and, as our accreditation visit has ended and we anticipate recommendations to guide us over the next several years, our goal remains the same: to "strive for greatness." We are so grateful that we have been able to make so many changes to the program at UHS, and that now we are a place modeling new learning experiences for students around the state. Already, we have been visited by close to a dozen schools, and four more will visit in the next two weeks, eager to capture some elements of teaching and learning at UHS. For that, we are appreciative of the opportunity that we have for our staff and students, that our improvement plans have been supported, and that we continue to have the opportunity to reflect, refine, and redesign the school to which we all aspire.
Yours in black and orange,
Michael Rubin
Principal
A few bits of news this week from UHS.
Holiday Concert
Thanks to our many talented musicians and the amazing Ms. Penza for a wonderful Holiday Concert on Wednesday night. The entire cast of ensemble members performed tremendously, and, if you missed the concert, you can catch replays of the the event on Uxbridge Cable. We are so very fortunate to have an amazing music department, a committed Friends of Music partnership, and the support of the community, as our stellar musicians played to a packed house!
Booster Club Opportunities
Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to volunteer at the Basketball Concession stand or gate. We still need many more volunteers especially for girls' games. Please help boosters to support Spartan Athletes. Thank you,
Click one of the links below and signup for the date and time you are able to help. Thank you!
Girls' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4EAAAC28A6FE3-girls
Boys' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4EAAAC28A6FE3-boys
Progress Reports
Progress reports for quarter two will be online at the end of next week. If there are concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor or to the teachers directly.
Winter Athletics
Winter sports opened up this week, as girls basketball played its first game of the year at Auburn on Thursday; the boys will open up at home on Saturday afternoon, also against Auburn, with the tipoff slated for 2:30 p.m. We also welcome to the coaching staff Casandra Knauer, a teacher at Whitin, who will be our new cheerleading coach, with the program starting practices this week as well!
Finally, about three years ago, our administration presented a comprehensive redesign of our Program of Studies, master schedule, and graduation requirements to the Uxbridge School Committee. The title of that presentation was "Strive for Greatness," and it made recommendations to changes that we believed would enhance the experience of students at UHS. We were tasked with the responsibility and the goal of changing the academic and curricular culture of the high school, and, as our accreditation visit has ended and we anticipate recommendations to guide us over the next several years, our goal remains the same: to "strive for greatness." We are so grateful that we have been able to make so many changes to the program at UHS, and that now we are a place modeling new learning experiences for students around the state. Already, we have been visited by close to a dozen schools, and four more will visit in the next two weeks, eager to capture some elements of teaching and learning at UHS. For that, we are appreciative of the opportunity that we have for our staff and students, that our improvement plans have been supported, and that we continue to have the opportunity to reflect, refine, and redesign the school to which we all aspire.
Yours in black and orange,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Week That Was, December 6
Here's a look back at the Week That Was at UHS for the Week ending December 6:
https://youtu.be/zYdUU6ySK1U
https://youtu.be/zYdUU6ySK1U
NEASC Visit Concludes
Our ten-year decennial visit concluded on Wednesday, December 5, and we are looking forward to seeing the final report from the visiting team when it is released in the next couple of months. We are grateful for the approach this visiting team took, in terms of its compassionate, thorough, and insightful look at who we are and what our school aspires to be.
The initial feedback from the team has been positive, and, when we receive the final report, we are confident that the recommendations being made will help guide our trajectory toward even higher standards of excellence. We share this in that we acknowledge that no school is perfect, and that we have some work to do in terms of the accreditation standards and our own practices in order to continue to build toward outcomes and opportunities that benefit our students and community alike. Some key takeaways, though, that we do feel confident in sharing now include those comments about this community. Our visiting team chair has been conducting or chairing visits since 1982, and, in that time, he indicated he had never seen a parent panel as excellent as ours; our school culture and climate was described as "the single best thing we have going for us, in that everyone shows up every day, including students, and feels respected, warm, welcome, and safe." The conversations about leadership were humbling, and the resources we have for students to be successful and to support teachers, including our counseling and student service model, help empower teachers in the classroom.
From a recommendation standpoint, we anticipate some challenging goals being set for us, as to how we can leverage the things we have in place to engage in a richer, challenging dialogue about what we want for students, the practices we put in place in class, and ways for students to demonstrate their learning. We kept hearing the term "raise to bar," and we also know that this creates, for us, an opportunity to build synergy between the schools in our district and help drive strategic planning, since the recommendations being made will be felt by students in our school who are just starting in kindergarten or preschool!
In short, we say thank you. We thank the Dream Team Steering Committee of co-chairs Molly Hendrickx and Nicole Yakstis, Michael DiMeglio, Tracy Larkin, and Christine Prior, our administration colleagues, our faculty and staff, our students, our community and our school committee. To paraphrase School Committee Chair Ms. Stark at Wednesday's School Committee meeting, we have the "awesome responsibility" of caring for the students of Uxbridge, and we embrace that task with the diligence that care demands. To have that work validated by a team of peers with neutral lenses from across New England is high praise, and to see those recommendations in writing will only enhance that care and responsibility as we move forward, together.
The presentation we shared with School Committee is linked below. We look forward to communicating the findings publicly later this year!
The initial feedback from the team has been positive, and, when we receive the final report, we are confident that the recommendations being made will help guide our trajectory toward even higher standards of excellence. We share this in that we acknowledge that no school is perfect, and that we have some work to do in terms of the accreditation standards and our own practices in order to continue to build toward outcomes and opportunities that benefit our students and community alike. Some key takeaways, though, that we do feel confident in sharing now include those comments about this community. Our visiting team chair has been conducting or chairing visits since 1982, and, in that time, he indicated he had never seen a parent panel as excellent as ours; our school culture and climate was described as "the single best thing we have going for us, in that everyone shows up every day, including students, and feels respected, warm, welcome, and safe." The conversations about leadership were humbling, and the resources we have for students to be successful and to support teachers, including our counseling and student service model, help empower teachers in the classroom.
From a recommendation standpoint, we anticipate some challenging goals being set for us, as to how we can leverage the things we have in place to engage in a richer, challenging dialogue about what we want for students, the practices we put in place in class, and ways for students to demonstrate their learning. We kept hearing the term "raise to bar," and we also know that this creates, for us, an opportunity to build synergy between the schools in our district and help drive strategic planning, since the recommendations being made will be felt by students in our school who are just starting in kindergarten or preschool!
In short, we say thank you. We thank the Dream Team Steering Committee of co-chairs Molly Hendrickx and Nicole Yakstis, Michael DiMeglio, Tracy Larkin, and Christine Prior, our administration colleagues, our faculty and staff, our students, our community and our school committee. To paraphrase School Committee Chair Ms. Stark at Wednesday's School Committee meeting, we have the "awesome responsibility" of caring for the students of Uxbridge, and we embrace that task with the diligence that care demands. To have that work validated by a team of peers with neutral lenses from across New England is high praise, and to see those recommendations in writing will only enhance that care and responsibility as we move forward, together.
The presentation we shared with School Committee is linked below. We look forward to communicating the findings publicly later this year!
Sunday, December 2, 2018
Opening Remarks to the Visiting Team
Good afternoon,
I am sharing below the remarks I shared with the NEASC visiting committee upon the start of our visit for our accreditation team.Good afternoon.
As principal of Uxbridge High School, it is my privilege to welcome the visiting team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to our school and community for what we hope will be a productive, enriching, and inspiring few days of learning with our staff, students, administration, and community. For us, your presence is an opportunity: to validate, to share, to showcase, to reflect, and to open our hearts and minds to feedback and critique.
We welcome you today with the knowledge and respect for what this process means for this community and the sacrifices that you are making to your schools and families, as the time and energy you will spend on our behalf is completely appreciated. We also know that this process can bring up a variety of emotions in communities, particularly in a place like Uxbridge that once had some tumultuousness with respect to some of the NEASC dirty words, like warning and probation. Ten years ago, NEASC created for UHS the lever that defined a building, which created its own challenge in this town. More recently, we have sought to put the conversation about a building in the rear-view mirror and define ourselves less for a building and more as a school. And, so, as we undertook our many projects and initiatives over the past several years, we have done just that- we are a charter and pilot DESE Innovation Pathway school, a member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, a Project Lead the Way model school, and a school where our core values and definition as Spartans can be seen every single day, not just a list of words for your sake, no offense.
Before I introduce some of the folks with whom you will meet and get to know over the next four days together, I want to publicly thank our faculty, staff, administrative team, school committee, and our students and parents for their honesty, their social and academic capital, and their consistent and unwavering commitment to excellence. Vince Lombardi once said that “the achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” We believe that our school inspires all who step through its doors to create the very best version of themselves that they can - through our vision of a UHS graduate and our sense of mutual commitment to each other. In particular, we thank the staff for their individual contributions: the honest conversation regarding the self-study, for opening their hearts and minds to an evolved staff, as a staff that welcomed 18 new faces this year, just a couple years after having a dozen new faculty members join us. (Yes, we have 130 more students this year than we did last year, and we have 30 people in the building today who were not here when I started in 2015). It is no small task to get all oars rowing in the same direction, but we have transitioned to having five grades here and incorporated those students and colleagues better than I could have ever hoped. This staff, school faculty, and community as a whole has made a commitment to making UHS a great place to learn and work, not just for yesterday and today, but for the learners and community of tomorrow. In so doing, we have defined, adapted, redefined, and modeled our core values every step of the way. We hope that our school’s culture resonates with you after four days, that this staff and this school will inspire you as it has so of our colleagues, so many of our students, our team, and our community at large.
With that, I have some quick introductions, beginning with our diligent, committed, and dedicated steering committee.
Co-chairs Molly Hendrickx and Nicole Yakstis
Assistant Principal Michael DiMeglio
Science Curriculum & Instruction Leader Tracy Larkin
Mathematics Curriculum & Instruction Leader Christine Prior
We have a number of parents and students in the audience:
People from the community
People from our staff
Finally, it is my privilege to introduce our superintendent of schools, Dr. Frank Tiano.
AFTER FRANK/CO-CHAIRS MOLLY/NIKKI/VIDEO:
At this time, we would like to invite the members of our visiting team to join many of our student organizations, faculty members, and community members in the cafeteria. There you will have an opportunity to interact with students, parents, teachers, and others as we open our doors and our community to you.
Our plan would be to conclude the community fair at 1:15 or so, at which time the visiting team will be joining one of two panels. The parent panel will meet across the hall in the library, and the School Committee panel will meet in the main office conference room.
In closing, one of the last bits of advice we gave our students and staff as we broke for the weekend was not to review standards, not to go through cliched definitions, and not to build off jargon. With all due respect to the standards, we told our community to “just be you.” We did not realize exactly what a double entendre that was until one of our teacher’s husbands pointed it out on Friday, so we leave you with that sentiment - that we want everyone here to “be you/U.” We leave it the team to discover what that is really all about, and look forward to sharing our community with you these next few days.
With that, I invite you to the school cafeteria to meet with our student organizations, faculty, and community.
I am sharing below the remarks I shared with the NEASC visiting committee upon the start of our visit for our accreditation team.Good afternoon.
As principal of Uxbridge High School, it is my privilege to welcome the visiting team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to our school and community for what we hope will be a productive, enriching, and inspiring few days of learning with our staff, students, administration, and community. For us, your presence is an opportunity: to validate, to share, to showcase, to reflect, and to open our hearts and minds to feedback and critique.
We welcome you today with the knowledge and respect for what this process means for this community and the sacrifices that you are making to your schools and families, as the time and energy you will spend on our behalf is completely appreciated. We also know that this process can bring up a variety of emotions in communities, particularly in a place like Uxbridge that once had some tumultuousness with respect to some of the NEASC dirty words, like warning and probation. Ten years ago, NEASC created for UHS the lever that defined a building, which created its own challenge in this town. More recently, we have sought to put the conversation about a building in the rear-view mirror and define ourselves less for a building and more as a school. And, so, as we undertook our many projects and initiatives over the past several years, we have done just that- we are a charter and pilot DESE Innovation Pathway school, a member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools, a Project Lead the Way model school, and a school where our core values and definition as Spartans can be seen every single day, not just a list of words for your sake, no offense.
Before I introduce some of the folks with whom you will meet and get to know over the next four days together, I want to publicly thank our faculty, staff, administrative team, school committee, and our students and parents for their honesty, their social and academic capital, and their consistent and unwavering commitment to excellence. Vince Lombardi once said that “the achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” We believe that our school inspires all who step through its doors to create the very best version of themselves that they can - through our vision of a UHS graduate and our sense of mutual commitment to each other. In particular, we thank the staff for their individual contributions: the honest conversation regarding the self-study, for opening their hearts and minds to an evolved staff, as a staff that welcomed 18 new faces this year, just a couple years after having a dozen new faculty members join us. (Yes, we have 130 more students this year than we did last year, and we have 30 people in the building today who were not here when I started in 2015). It is no small task to get all oars rowing in the same direction, but we have transitioned to having five grades here and incorporated those students and colleagues better than I could have ever hoped. This staff, school faculty, and community as a whole has made a commitment to making UHS a great place to learn and work, not just for yesterday and today, but for the learners and community of tomorrow. In so doing, we have defined, adapted, redefined, and modeled our core values every step of the way. We hope that our school’s culture resonates with you after four days, that this staff and this school will inspire you as it has so of our colleagues, so many of our students, our team, and our community at large.
With that, I have some quick introductions, beginning with our diligent, committed, and dedicated steering committee.
Co-chairs Molly Hendrickx and Nicole Yakstis
Assistant Principal Michael DiMeglio
Science Curriculum & Instruction Leader Tracy Larkin
Mathematics Curriculum & Instruction Leader Christine Prior
We have a number of parents and students in the audience:
People from the community
People from our staff
Finally, it is my privilege to introduce our superintendent of schools, Dr. Frank Tiano.
AFTER FRANK/CO-CHAIRS MOLLY/NIKKI/VIDEO:
At this time, we would like to invite the members of our visiting team to join many of our student organizations, faculty members, and community members in the cafeteria. There you will have an opportunity to interact with students, parents, teachers, and others as we open our doors and our community to you.
Our plan would be to conclude the community fair at 1:15 or so, at which time the visiting team will be joining one of two panels. The parent panel will meet across the hall in the library, and the School Committee panel will meet in the main office conference room.
In closing, one of the last bits of advice we gave our students and staff as we broke for the weekend was not to review standards, not to go through cliched definitions, and not to build off jargon. With all due respect to the standards, we told our community to “just be you.” We did not realize exactly what a double entendre that was until one of our teacher’s husbands pointed it out on Friday, so we leave you with that sentiment - that we want everyone here to “be you/U.” We leave it the team to discover what that is really all about, and look forward to sharing our community with you these next few days.
With that, I invite you to the school cafeteria to meet with our student organizations, faculty, and community.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Weekly News
Good morning,
We have a few announcements from UHS this week, beginning with this letter, which was the first page of our newsletter sent earlier this week:
It has been a few weeks since we last distributed a newsletter, so we appreciate those of you who have continued to follow the many great happenings at UHS through the various forms of communications we put out. We have teachers who are sharing the happenings in class on Twitter, via Google Classroom, and through messages home, and our many student activities forward information through social media as well. We have started a monthly podcast, have videos being sent home, and are now hosting a television show with the superintendent. There are many, many ways to stay informed about UHS, and we trust that our efforts are worthwhile.
The biggest "event" forthcoming is the visit of our NEASC accreditation team, which will occur from December 2-5. While we have been sharing details about the visit, our core values, learning expectations, Endicott Survey for the past couple of years, the visit itself culminates the self-study process, where we hope to validate the great work that has been done at the high school and in the community, while getting a sense of reflection for areas to grow. We have identified critical strengths and needs that we have to both leverage and tackle over the next two and five years, and we are hopeful that the visiting team will leave UHS both inspired and having provided us with opportunities to grow.
Through it all, we have been fortunate to have the engagement and honesty of our faculty, the creativity of our students, and the support of families, either as participants on panels during the visit, or simply by having a presence on School Council or through answering surveys. We have students who will be shadowed, teachers interviews, and multiple panels including administrators from all buildings and central office. The process, while comprehensive, will give the 12-person team a true sense of who we are as Spartans.
Of course, this comes with the knowledge that Uxbridge's relationship to NEASC has not always been smooth. There have been words like "probation" and "warning" and even "loss of accreditation" thrown around this town with an appropriate level of seriousness as recently as 2010. We feel confident in our efforts to connect all of our school improvement efforts to the NEASC standards, and, while we are not perfect, have confidence in the process and our own work as we set out on this journey next week and beyond. We anticipate the report being complete later this spring, and we will have some areas to address with respect to NEASC over the next 2-5 years, which we intend to tie to our School Improvement Plans.
As we enter the holiday season, we are reminded of the spirit of the community, our students, and our staff through many acts of kindness, respect, and empathy. To that end, we know that the holiday season can be challenging for some students and families, so if any assistance is needed, please reach out to your students' counselors. We wish you the best!
Wall of Acceptances
Our senior college acceptances are starting to be posted outside the guidance office. Parents of seniors, as acceptances start to roll in, please remind students to update counselors so we can expand the wall!
Week That Was
Our Week That Was video is linked below.
To all who are helping with the Holiday Party event, thank you for all you are doing to coordinate the event. We look forward to capturing some of the great moments that happen and appreciate the energy on behalf of the community!
Have a great weekend!
We have a few announcements from UHS this week, beginning with this letter, which was the first page of our newsletter sent earlier this week:
It has been a few weeks since we last distributed a newsletter, so we appreciate those of you who have continued to follow the many great happenings at UHS through the various forms of communications we put out. We have teachers who are sharing the happenings in class on Twitter, via Google Classroom, and through messages home, and our many student activities forward information through social media as well. We have started a monthly podcast, have videos being sent home, and are now hosting a television show with the superintendent. There are many, many ways to stay informed about UHS, and we trust that our efforts are worthwhile.
The biggest "event" forthcoming is the visit of our NEASC accreditation team, which will occur from December 2-5. While we have been sharing details about the visit, our core values, learning expectations, Endicott Survey for the past couple of years, the visit itself culminates the self-study process, where we hope to validate the great work that has been done at the high school and in the community, while getting a sense of reflection for areas to grow. We have identified critical strengths and needs that we have to both leverage and tackle over the next two and five years, and we are hopeful that the visiting team will leave UHS both inspired and having provided us with opportunities to grow.
Through it all, we have been fortunate to have the engagement and honesty of our faculty, the creativity of our students, and the support of families, either as participants on panels during the visit, or simply by having a presence on School Council or through answering surveys. We have students who will be shadowed, teachers interviews, and multiple panels including administrators from all buildings and central office. The process, while comprehensive, will give the 12-person team a true sense of who we are as Spartans.
Of course, this comes with the knowledge that Uxbridge's relationship to NEASC has not always been smooth. There have been words like "probation" and "warning" and even "loss of accreditation" thrown around this town with an appropriate level of seriousness as recently as 2010. We feel confident in our efforts to connect all of our school improvement efforts to the NEASC standards, and, while we are not perfect, have confidence in the process and our own work as we set out on this journey next week and beyond. We anticipate the report being complete later this spring, and we will have some areas to address with respect to NEASC over the next 2-5 years, which we intend to tie to our School Improvement Plans.
As we enter the holiday season, we are reminded of the spirit of the community, our students, and our staff through many acts of kindness, respect, and empathy. To that end, we know that the holiday season can be challenging for some students and families, so if any assistance is needed, please reach out to your students' counselors. We wish you the best!
Wall of Acceptances
Our senior college acceptances are starting to be posted outside the guidance office. Parents of seniors, as acceptances start to roll in, please remind students to update counselors so we can expand the wall!
Week That Was
Our Week That Was video is linked below.
To all who are helping with the Holiday Party event, thank you for all you are doing to coordinate the event. We look forward to capturing some of the great moments that happen and appreciate the energy on behalf of the community!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, November 29, 2018
SAT Prep Class
Attention Students & Parents….
Uxbridge High School’s first SAT Prep Class starting in January!
Visit UxbridgeSATPrep.com to register
Use Coupon-code UXBRDIGESAT to get $50 off if you register by December 21st
Classes will meet Mondays & Wednesdays from 5:30-8:30pm
January 28th- February 27th (no class over February Vacation)
This class will be perfect for students taking the SAT in March or May!
Each Comprehensive SAT program will include:
8 Total 3-hour class sessions differentiated to meet students’ needs
4 Targeted Math lessons – Interactive and Engaging – We will help you “dial in” your math strategies for test day!
4 Targeted Reading & Writing Lessons – Our techniques will help you “train your brain” to focus immediately on the most important information!
The $399 cost (after discount) is half the price of most comparable test prep programs!
The “Simple Promise” – retake the class, for free, as many times as necessary to get the score you want!
“This class is definitely worth a student's time. It's a lot of work in the little number of days we have but in the end, it's worth it because of how much you learn and how much help you receive.” – Alexia, Sutton High School
Any questions?...Email studentservices@cottersimplified.com, call 802-424-2378 or visit UxbridgeSATPrep.com
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Spartan Podcast
Our second podcast of the year is now available. The podcast is broadcast on Anchor.fm, but also is linked to a variety of streaming services, including iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
The podcast is also shared below!
The podcast is also shared below!
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Winter Cheerleading
Good morning!
We are hoping to run a winter cheerleading program this year, pending student interest. There will be an informational meeting on Wednesday, November 28 in the cafeteria, scheduled for 2:30 p.m., with our new coach, Cassandra Knauer, who is one of the teachers at Whitin and someone who comes to us with a great deal of cheer experience.
Tryouts begin December 3 at 3:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Interested students and families can reach out to the coach directly via cknauer@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.
Thank you!
We are hoping to run a winter cheerleading program this year, pending student interest. There will be an informational meeting on Wednesday, November 28 in the cafeteria, scheduled for 2:30 p.m., with our new coach, Cassandra Knauer, who is one of the teachers at Whitin and someone who comes to us with a great deal of cheer experience.
Tryouts begin December 3 at 3:00 p.m. in the cafeteria.
Interested students and families can reach out to the coach directly via cknauer@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.
Thank you!
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
NEASC visit
Thank you to the parents and students who will be participating in our NEASC visit, scheduled for December 2-5. We are excited to highlight our school's many successes and use the report as an opportunity for reflection and growth. We look forward to sharing the findings of the team when the full report is released later this year. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about our self-study.
Adams Scholarship
Congratulations to our senior Class of 2019 members who earned the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, which entitles them to tuition waivers at any of the Massachusetts state colleges or universities. A full list of the student names will appear in our next full newsletter; a picture of the group, honored with a breakfast on Monday, is below!
Guidance Newsletter
Our November Guidance Newsletter be viewed here or by copying the following link: http://pub.lucidpress.com/ee50ddfc-8133-4584-aecc-e43b5269c595/#_0
Update from Boosters
Basketball Season is just around the corner. The Booster Club will be running the Concession Stand at Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball Games throughout the season. Please help by volunteering some time to work the concession stand at a game or two. Volunteering is easy. Click one of the links below and signup for the date and time you are able to help. Thank you!
Girls' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/
Boys' Basketball Concession Stand Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/
If you so desire, click here to read my Thanksgiving musings.
We wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving holiday! Stay warm, and we will see you next week!
Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
With Gratitude
I set out to write something inspiring for the Thanksgiving holiday, which, as I penned a year ago, I have long considered "the best day of the year." It has, for me, the camaraderie, the food, the family, and even a little bit of football, which for me, growing up, meant sitting in the usually frigid stands of MacDonald or Hormel Stadium watching the Golden Tornadoes play the Mustangs (bonus points if you know the rivalry).
This year, though, I was less nostalgic and more in the moment, and reflecting more on the things for which I am thankful professionally and personally on a somewhat more selfish level than necessarily waxing poetic about some cold morning back home. I fully understand the irony of the adjective "selfish" in the context of a day that by its very name sets to reflect gratitude, but, the reality is that I am quite selfishly thankful for the good fortune that has been shared with me, even amidst some great challenges.
I thought about the many faculty members, community members, citizens, and students took time to personally share with me their sadness of the synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh last month, and how I was grateful for their consideration and compassion, even when they did not truly comprehend the magnitude of such an event to one of the few Jewish members of their community.
I thought about a faculty that welcomed 18 (!) new faces to its midst this year and adjusted rather seamlessly to the addition of another 130 students to our school, and who, to a person, has adapted to many challenges and initiatives that have come their way. I thought about the 18 "new" people who have been flexible and willing to adjust to a new boss, new colleagues, new culture, and have also done so, well, seamlessly.
I thought about how different my career would be different without the support of some of the best professionals I know - and how very fortunate our students are to have these people as their educators, supports, and advocates - even when times get difficult.
I thought about our students and parents, who have shared with me many perspectives, some which I share, some which I do not, and how we have used those as an opportunity for dialogue, even when we do not agree. I thought about consensus and progress, and how we respect each other even in disagreement, something that is all too often lost in the social media world of anonymous comments and accountability-free castigations.
I thought about our leadership team, which strengthens me and each other, determined to build bridges and share goals more explicitly and directly than we have in the past, and I thought about those who brought us together and are now charged with keeping us in sync, and how we are fortunate to have the ability to reflect and critique each other, with our staffs and students in mind, even when people do not see these everyday conversations, texts, emails, etc.
I thought about the opportunity that UHS has had to lead on a statewide level, to bring our region closer to re-imagining education of the future, and to share our successes with many schools and colleagues, instead of merely "going about our business." I thought about the industry partners who have trusted us with training the workforce of tomorrow and who have shared their expertise and energy with us, and those who have provided us resources for our students that I never could have imagined when I sat down for turkey and stuffing a year ago.
I thought about wins and losses, inspiring artists and singers, clubs and activities that operate without stipended advisors who care about the good of students, about quizzes and tests and projects and iPads and everything in between, because our students really do have so many opportunities provided them by the school and community, even when resources are potentially challenging.
I thought about how some places put their core values on a wall, or in a Handbook, or on banners - and do not see those ideas come to life in classrooms every day, because of a universal commitment to a collective purpose. I thought about my good fortune to know that the school we have is one to which others aspire., because when we come to work, we come to work, and we come to inspire. And I thought about our pending accreditation visit and acknowledge with a strong degree of confidence that this will be far different than previous experiences for this community, for no reason other than that commitment and shared purpose.
And, yes, my thoughts even turned to my own family, who compromise so much for me and let me work the way I think the job ought to be done, even when that means time away from them.
Yes, this time of year is an opportunity for reflection. It's a time for thought. It's a time for consideration. And most importantly, it is a time for thanks.
For all those things about which I have thought, and more, I say thank you, Uxbridge. Happy Thanksgiving.
Friday, November 16, 2018
NEASC: Student Interactions with Visiting Team
Dear Parents/Guardians:
As you may or may not be aware, we are hosting our accreditation visit from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, which will take place from December 2-5, 2018. During the visit, a visiting team of educators will be meeting with faculty, administration, central office, parents, and students, observing classes, and conferencing with different teams in order to get a full picture of life at UHS.
Some students will also be shadowed as part of the visit. With student shadowing, each member of the visiting team will be assigned a student, all of whom have different classroom experiences in the building, which will enable the team members to observe a number of classes, levels, and experiences at UHS. The responsibility of those students is merely to chat informally with the team members, escort them to class, and, generally, to be the kind and respectful Uxbridge High School Spartans that we know them to be. No personal information about specific students is disclosed by the school in any way, other than our students’ names, grade in school, and course schedules. Team members are likewise bound by confidentiality agreements in terms of what they discuss as part of the visit.
Over the course of the week, our entire school community will be an open book, in which students will be asked questions about what they learn in class, our core values and learning expectations, ways that teachers assess student learning, and the resources we have in place to support students. The team members come from a variety of schools across New England, and we are excited to share our students’ experiences, our culture and community, our successes, and areas for growth with this team.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to school administration or any of your student’s teachers.
Sincerely,
Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
Lockdown Drill
Good afternoon,
As many of you are aware, we are consistently taking steps to ensure that our school is prepared for a variety of emergencies. This includes regular fire drills, review of evacuation procedures, and discussions and drills in the event of an intruder. Sadly, these are the times we live in, and, while we are confident and comfortable in the safety and security at UHS, it is important for us to review protocols regularly with staff and students.
This afternoon, in collaboration with our public safety partners and led by School Resource Officer Dan Deveau, we conducted a lockdown and intruder drill with students that included an evacuation or other step taken, based on where the threat to the building was hypothetically occurring. In providing a variety of scenarios, teachers will review proper responses while addressing circumstances unique to the classroom.
Because of the sensitive nature of these conversations, we do anticipate some students potentially struggling, and we have our counselors and staff members being vigilant in noticing when students may be responding with heightened anxiety. Those students will be directed to counselors for support.
This afternoon's drill started at 12:48 and conclude by 12:55. At home, while difficult dinnertime conversation, it may be worthwhile to discuss with students their perceptions and understanding of what took place, recognizing that there is no set playbook for these potential scenarios.
We thank you as always for the support. Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Fire Emergency in Town This Morning
Good morning,
We received word of a structure fire that was on Aldrich Street not far from the school earlier today. There will be some Transportation issues for buses that come down from that area this morning, which the bus company is attempting to work out. Also, as you arrive to campus today, it is possible that you will see some fire apparatus from neighboring towns, as they are using the high school lot as a staging area. Do not be alarmed, and they should be on their way shortly.
Please drive safely today and see you all soon!
Mr. Rubin
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
Some updates from UHS this week:
From the Boosters:
The Booster Club sends out a huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers who helped man the gate and concession stands during the football season. It takes about 20-25 volunteers a game. We cannot THANK YOU enough for all your help! We have the most dedicated volunteers. We couldn't do it without you.
From the Boosters:
The Booster Club sends out a huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers who helped man the gate and concession stands during the football season. It takes about 20-25 volunteers a game. We cannot THANK YOU enough for all your help! We have the most dedicated volunteers. We couldn't do it without you.
Keep an eye out for opportunities for volunteers for Basketball Season.
...And To the Boosters:
Thank you to our amazing Booster club officers, volunteers, and committed parents, some of whom are there every step of the way and meeting, and others who volunteer their time and energy in different ways, all of whom contribute so much to the fabric of our Spartan community! Because of your effort, in part, we had the ability to sponsor two fan buses to the state championship, the cost of which, given transportation rates and the mileage to Chicopee, was significant. We appreciate it!
Reaccreditation Visit
Our reaccreditation visit will be taking place from December 2-December 5. During that time, we will have a committed group of 12 educators and colleagues coming from around New England to evaluate our school and its adherence to the standards of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Our self-study, which we completed last year, was submitted to NEASC a few weeks ago, and we have more than 60 sets of student work, dozens of pieces of evidence, and hundreds of hours of work invested in demonstrating our commitment to these high standards and reflecting on continuous improvement. In particular, we want to thank our Steering Committee co-chairs, Nicole Yakstis and Molly Hendrickx, who have worked tirelessly to organize evidence, work with teachers, and ensure consistency.
In the past couple of years, we have had several teachers and administrators participate in evaluation visits around New England, which has helped us prepare for our own visit. Emily Charpentier, Natalie Daverio, Angela Woislaw, Michael DiMeglio, Nicole Yakstis, Molly Hendrickx, Mary Guilmette, and I have all participated in the process as visiting team members.
We will receive the findings of the visit in the spring, which will publicly released after the final draft is approved and voted on by the Commission on Public Secondary Schools.
We look forward to the team's findings, including the validation of much of our efforts and commitment to improving in the future.
Parent Conferences
Thank you to so many of the parents who took time to conference with teachers on Thursday night. We hope to reach out to parents and families who were unable to make the evening meeting in order to facilitate some productive conversations. We hope to be accessible on a consistent basis, so please reach out to us if you have any questions or needs. With first quarter grades released, this is typically a good time for students to refocus their energy and make adjustments - or to continue their success!
Week that Was
Here's a look at the Week that Was - a busy week that featured Cake Wars, Honor Bowl, many academic successes, and our girls soccer team's amazing run to the State Semifinals!
...And To the Boosters:
Thank you to our amazing Booster club officers, volunteers, and committed parents, some of whom are there every step of the way and meeting, and others who volunteer their time and energy in different ways, all of whom contribute so much to the fabric of our Spartan community! Because of your effort, in part, we had the ability to sponsor two fan buses to the state championship, the cost of which, given transportation rates and the mileage to Chicopee, was significant. We appreciate it!
Reaccreditation Visit
Our reaccreditation visit will be taking place from December 2-December 5. During that time, we will have a committed group of 12 educators and colleagues coming from around New England to evaluate our school and its adherence to the standards of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Our self-study, which we completed last year, was submitted to NEASC a few weeks ago, and we have more than 60 sets of student work, dozens of pieces of evidence, and hundreds of hours of work invested in demonstrating our commitment to these high standards and reflecting on continuous improvement. In particular, we want to thank our Steering Committee co-chairs, Nicole Yakstis and Molly Hendrickx, who have worked tirelessly to organize evidence, work with teachers, and ensure consistency.
In the past couple of years, we have had several teachers and administrators participate in evaluation visits around New England, which has helped us prepare for our own visit. Emily Charpentier, Natalie Daverio, Angela Woislaw, Michael DiMeglio, Nicole Yakstis, Molly Hendrickx, Mary Guilmette, and I have all participated in the process as visiting team members.
We will receive the findings of the visit in the spring, which will publicly released after the final draft is approved and voted on by the Commission on Public Secondary Schools.
We look forward to the team's findings, including the validation of much of our efforts and commitment to improving in the future.
Parent Conferences
Thank you to so many of the parents who took time to conference with teachers on Thursday night. We hope to reach out to parents and families who were unable to make the evening meeting in order to facilitate some productive conversations. We hope to be accessible on a consistent basis, so please reach out to us if you have any questions or needs. With first quarter grades released, this is typically a good time for students to refocus their energy and make adjustments - or to continue their success!
Week that Was
Here's a look at the Week that Was - a busy week that featured Cake Wars, Honor Bowl, many academic successes, and our girls soccer team's amazing run to the State Semifinals!
Have a great weekend!
Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
Uxbridge High School
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Week(end) That Was
After such an incredible weekend, we wanted to share before next Friday with our latest Week(end) that Was video update:
GIRLS SOCCER: CENTRAL MASS CHAMPIONS!
With a 3-1 win over Douglas on Sunday, the girls soccer team captured a Central Massachusetts district title behind a pair of Elena Franzosa goals, a strike by Lindsey Moss, some great goalkeeping from Sidney Bretana, and excellent team defense. Congrats to the team and coaching staff, who advance to the state semifinals to take on Granby High School!
Faculty Feud Postponed
FACULTY FEUD POSTPONED TO DECEMBER 12
The UHS Girls Varsity Soccer Team is the Central MA Division 4 Championship team! They are playing in a State Semi-Final game vs. Western, MA Champions, Granby, in Chicopee on Wednesday. Understanding that many of the students and teachers on the Faculty Feud teams as well as our potential audience would like to go to Chicopee to support our girls, we are postponing Faculty Feud until December 12th. Please spread the word!
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to play on a team - please check your calendars and let Ms. Penza know if December 12th will work for you.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
Some updates from UHS this week:
Faculty Feud:
Mark your calendars now for Faculty Feud on November 14 at 7:00 p.m. Teams from each class - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 as well as the National Honor Society, Student Council, and Tri-M Society will be facing off against teams from the Uxbridge Faculty to see who will reign supreme!
The cost of the event is $3.00 and all profits benefit the UHS Music Department. It should be a fun event for both students and adults!
Girls Field Hockey!
Girls field hockey knocked off Nipmuc on Thursday night, defeating the Warriors 1-0 with a dramatic, last-minute goal! The girls face Oakmont in the divisional final on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Grafton High School.
Girls Soccer!
Not to be outdone, the girls soccer team defeated Oxford on Thursday night, with a 5-1 win over the Pirates. The girls face Douglas on Sunday at 1:00, and the game will be played at Shrewsbury High School.
Cross Country!
The girls and boys cross country teams will take the course on Saturday in Westfield for the Central Massachusetts championship meet. The teams will look to qualify both individually and as a team in the central championship meet, which was moved to Westfield. Good luck to all our Spartan runners!
Football
To accommodate all our athletic schedules, the football team's game against Oxford for this Saturday will kick off at 10:00 a.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
The link for parent-teacher conferences was sent earlier this week. The site for access can be viewed at uxyhs.schoolappointments.com. If there is not a time that can be mutually scheduled, there is a call-back option.
The Week That Was
Our Week That Was video was posted earlier today and is linked below!
Have a great weekend! Go Spartans!
Faculty Feud:
Mark your calendars now for Faculty Feud on November 14 at 7:00 p.m. Teams from each class - 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 as well as the National Honor Society, Student Council, and Tri-M Society will be facing off against teams from the Uxbridge Faculty to see who will reign supreme!
The cost of the event is $3.00 and all profits benefit the UHS Music Department. It should be a fun event for both students and adults!
Girls Field Hockey!
Girls field hockey knocked off Nipmuc on Thursday night, defeating the Warriors 1-0 with a dramatic, last-minute goal! The girls face Oakmont in the divisional final on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Grafton High School.
Girls Soccer!
Not to be outdone, the girls soccer team defeated Oxford on Thursday night, with a 5-1 win over the Pirates. The girls face Douglas on Sunday at 1:00, and the game will be played at Shrewsbury High School.
Cross Country!
The girls and boys cross country teams will take the course on Saturday in Westfield for the Central Massachusetts championship meet. The teams will look to qualify both individually and as a team in the central championship meet, which was moved to Westfield. Good luck to all our Spartan runners!
Football
To accommodate all our athletic schedules, the football team's game against Oxford for this Saturday will kick off at 10:00 a.m.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
The link for parent-teacher conferences was sent earlier this week. The site for access can be viewed at uxyhs.schoolappointments.com. If there is not a time that can be mutually scheduled, there is a call-back option.
The Week That Was
Our Week That Was video was posted earlier today and is linked below!
Have a great weekend! Go Spartans!
The Week That Was, Week Ending 11/9
Here's a look back at the Week That Was at UHS for the week ending November 9:
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Uxbridge Ski and Snowboard Club
Good morning,
We have decided to offer 1 in person sign-up night for Uxbridge Ski & Snowboard Club at The Uxbridge Library from 6:00 - 8:00 PM next Thursday, November 15th. We will have computers set up for your use to register for ski club in full. This is a great opportunity to sign up if you are unfamiliar with the process or have more questions about the club. We will be on the main floor in the room to the left of the main doors.
Please have your credit card & if necessary a check for the bus portion. PayPal is the option for the bus however if you don't have PayPal and don't want to sign up for it than a check made out to USSC for $125 per child can be accepted that night.
We also have included the link to purchase apparel for USSC thru Think Local below. These items will make great gift ideas for grandparents or aunts & uncles so share the link with family. For your convenience we have also added the apparel link to our website, it can be found under the Information tab or Ski Club Chronicles Tab of our website.
Please note we have to close the store by November 20th for Think Local to guarantee Christmas delivery. All orders are in store pick-up only and you will be notified by email from Think Local once your order is ready.
Think Local has a minimum requirement of 12 pieces per logo & we are offering 2 styles of the logo, (black & white) so limiting the store thru the 20th will also help us meet the requirements. This is the first time we have offered apparel so please consider gearing up, it will look great at the mountain as well as promoting the program! We selected items that will be useful ski attire as well as the best sellers at the store.
Think Snow and we will see some of you next Thursday!
Shelley
https://usscgear.itemorder.com/sale
https://uxbridgeskiclub.com/
FYI: The Boston Ski Show is in town this weekend!
$3 off Ski & Snowboard Expo | Nov. 8 - 11. Code: WINTER
We have decided to offer 1 in person sign-up night for Uxbridge Ski & Snowboard Club at The Uxbridge Library from 6:00 - 8:00 PM next Thursday, November 15th. We will have computers set up for your use to register for ski club in full. This is a great opportunity to sign up if you are unfamiliar with the process or have more questions about the club. We will be on the main floor in the room to the left of the main doors.
Please have your credit card & if necessary a check for the bus portion. PayPal is the option for the bus however if you don't have PayPal and don't want to sign up for it than a check made out to USSC for $125 per child can be accepted that night.
We also have included the link to purchase apparel for USSC thru Think Local below. These items will make great gift ideas for grandparents or aunts & uncles so share the link with family. For your convenience we have also added the apparel link to our website, it can be found under the Information tab or Ski Club Chronicles Tab of our website.
Please note we have to close the store by November 20th for Think Local to guarantee Christmas delivery. All orders are in store pick-up only and you will be notified by email from Think Local once your order is ready.
Think Local has a minimum requirement of 12 pieces per logo & we are offering 2 styles of the logo, (black & white) so limiting the store thru the 20th will also help us meet the requirements. This is the first time we have offered apparel so please consider gearing up, it will look great at the mountain as well as promoting the program! We selected items that will be useful ski attire as well as the best sellers at the store.
Think Snow and we will see some of you next Thursday!
Shelley
https://usscgear.itemorder.com/sale
https://uxbridgeskiclub.com/
FYI: The Boston Ski Show is in town this weekend!
$3 off Ski & Snowboard Expo | Nov. 8 - 11. Code: WINTER
Thursday, November 1, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
Some updates from UHS this week:
1. Congratulations to our field hockey team for advancing in the Division II central Massachusetts tournament, defeating Narragansett 2-0 on Thursday afternoon. The Spartans take on Hopedale on Sunday at 2:00.
2. Girls soccer hosts Trivium at Friday at 2:30 in the first round of the MIAA Division III Tournament. If the Spartans advance, they will likely play on Monday.
3. FamilyID's portal will open in the next couple of days for winter registration. Registration for winter sports will be due on Friday, November 16, so please make sure you register in time, otherwise a late fee will be assessed! These registrations will also help us make decisions regarding programs and schedules, so it is imperative that we have accurate numbers as soon as possible!
4. With the holiday season upon us and National Kindness day coming up on November 13th, the Uxbridge Food Service will be accepting products to be donated to The People First Food Pantry in Uxbridge for the month of November. A collection bin will be located just outside the main office. Personal care items and paper goods are in extreme need during the holiday season. We hope you support our efforts and any donation is greatly appreciated.
5. Our Week That Was Video is posted here (https://youtu.be/QbXZiJDYEkk).
6. Parent conference portal, located at uxyhs.schoolappointments.com, will open on Monday. Instructions were emailed earlier this week. Parent-teacher conferences will be held on November 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., with appointments scheduled in five minute periods.
Have a great weekend!
Yours in black and orange,
Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
1. Congratulations to our field hockey team for advancing in the Division II central Massachusetts tournament, defeating Narragansett 2-0 on Thursday afternoon. The Spartans take on Hopedale on Sunday at 2:00.
2. Girls soccer hosts Trivium at Friday at 2:30 in the first round of the MIAA Division III Tournament. If the Spartans advance, they will likely play on Monday.
3. FamilyID's portal will open in the next couple of days for winter registration. Registration for winter sports will be due on Friday, November 16, so please make sure you register in time, otherwise a late fee will be assessed! These registrations will also help us make decisions regarding programs and schedules, so it is imperative that we have accurate numbers as soon as possible!
4. With the holiday season upon us and National Kindness day coming up on November 13th, the Uxbridge Food Service will be accepting products to be donated to The People First Food Pantry in Uxbridge for the month of November. A collection bin will be located just outside the main office. Personal care items and paper goods are in extreme need during the holiday season. We hope you support our efforts and any donation is greatly appreciated.
5. Our Week That Was Video is posted here (https://youtu.be/QbXZiJDYEkk).
6. Parent conference portal, located at uxyhs.schoolappointments.com, will open on Monday. Instructions were emailed earlier this week. Parent-teacher conferences will be held on November 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., with appointments scheduled in five minute periods.
Have a great weekend!
Yours in black and orange,
Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Non-emergency lockdown at UHS
We just concluded a non-emergency lockdown at Uxbridge High School, ending at about 8:40 a.m. We called the lockdown in order to provide some confidentiality for an individual who needed to be transported via ambulance due to a medical emergency. Whether making the decision to transport via ambulance for a teacher, student, staff member, or parent, we take the responsibility of maintaining confidentiality extremely seriously, so clearing hallways and eliminating witnesses protects everyone involved.
As we expected, our students were incredibly compliant and respectful of direction. Once again, we had an opportunity to see how our community models so many of our core values!
We reiterate that there was no threat of any kind, which can sometimes be misconstrued when people hear the word "lockdown." Thank you, and enjoy the rest of the day.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Food Pantry Collection
With the holiday season upon us and National Kindness day coming up on November 13th, the Uxbridge Food Service will be accepting products to be donated to The People First Food Pantry in Uxbridge for the month of November.
A collection bin will be located just outside the main office. Personal care items and paper goods are in extreme need during the holiday season.
We hope you support our efforts and any donation is greatly appreciated.
A collection bin will be located just outside the main office. Personal care items and paper goods are in extreme need during the holiday season.
We hope you support our efforts and any donation is greatly appreciated.
Spartan Podcast
Good morning!
We are excited to be bringing you our first Spartan Podcast! As we are determined to share information in whatever ways possible, we hope to bring you a couple of these episodes a month, with the hope of providing even more insight into the great things happening at UHS.
From a technical standpoint, we know that we will improve on the format and content in time, but we hope that you find this useful during your commutes, listening at home, etc. In the coming weeks, we do hope to have this distributed through iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify, though at present it is published through this link and the format below.
In our first episode, we highlight some steps we have taken with respect to school safety, our new athletic director's first month on the job, and the integration of grade 8 students and staff to UHS.
Thank you, as always, for the support!
Michael Rubin, Principal
We are excited to be bringing you our first Spartan Podcast! As we are determined to share information in whatever ways possible, we hope to bring you a couple of these episodes a month, with the hope of providing even more insight into the great things happening at UHS.
From a technical standpoint, we know that we will improve on the format and content in time, but we hope that you find this useful during your commutes, listening at home, etc. In the coming weeks, we do hope to have this distributed through iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify, though at present it is published through this link and the format below.
In our first episode, we highlight some steps we have taken with respect to school safety, our new athletic director's first month on the job, and the integration of grade 8 students and staff to UHS.
Thank you, as always, for the support!
Michael Rubin, Principal
Monday, October 29, 2018
Parent-Teacher Conferences
We are excited to have Parent-Teacher conferences coming up on November 15. The portal for registering for appointments will open on November 7 at 9:00 a.m., and it will close at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 15.
If you wish to schedule an appointment with a teacher but there is no time, or you are unable to make it on the 15th, please select the "call back" option.
We do apologize for the short time of the conferences, which are only five minutes long. Unfortunately, due to demand, we wanted to make every effort for teachers to see as many parents as possible, and with a two-hour window, that means that 24 parents can be scheduled. It is a far better system than having parents waiting in line in the corridor, and we will make every attempt to honor call-backs or email requests for conferences that cannot be accommodated on November 15.
We do apologize for the short time of the conferences, which are only five minutes long. Unfortunately, due to demand, we wanted to make every effort for teachers to see as many parents as possible, and with a two-hour window, that means that 24 parents can be scheduled. It is a far better system than having parents waiting in line in the corridor, and we will make every attempt to honor call-backs or email requests for conferences that cannot be accommodated on November 15.
Even if you set up an account last year, you will have to set up a new account this year, unfortunately. It is easier to have everyone reset than to field calls for password resets, and we find that many of our users change from year to year. Sorry for any inconvenience.
School Appointments - Parent Instructions
2. Register for an account by clicking the "REGISTER" menu tab and filling in the on-line form. Choose a user id and password for yourself and then click the "Register Now" button.
3. Add your children into the system by clicking the "Add a Student" button. Click "Insert New" button to add more children.
4. Click the "date" icon beside each child's name to schedule appointments. Select the staff you wish to book appointments with and the "View Calendars" button. Use the "Ctrl" or "Command" key to select multiple staff to view at the same time.
5. Click on available time slots to book your appointments and then click the "Book Appointments" button to save your bookings.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Update for Grade 8
Good afternoon!
We are excited to share some updates regarding grade 8 and their transition to UHS, as we have spent the past several days meeting with all students in guidance seminar. During this one-on-one meeting, we went over each student's grades in every class. Ms. Smith helped them identify any missing assignments or assignments that should be followed up on - either for clarification or to take advantage of a retake. We also discussed the transition from the middle school to the high school.
I am happy to report that students feel the transition was easier than they thought and they are really enjoying the high school. Areas of improvement identified include balancing classroom expectations (amount of work and personal responsibility) as well as time management. I was thrilled to hear that many students were not only aware of their standing but had already had a plan in place to meet with teachers.
In the weeks to come, we will be working with students on self-advocacy skills, managing the shift from first term to second term, looking at mid-year projects for classes that may end in January, and collaborating on skills that students will need to grow throughout the year.
We thank you for all the support, and feel free to reach out with any questions!
Ashley Smith
School Counselor
We are excited to share some updates regarding grade 8 and their transition to UHS, as we have spent the past several days meeting with all students in guidance seminar. During this one-on-one meeting, we went over each student's grades in every class. Ms. Smith helped them identify any missing assignments or assignments that should be followed up on - either for clarification or to take advantage of a retake. We also discussed the transition from the middle school to the high school.
I am happy to report that students feel the transition was easier than they thought and they are really enjoying the high school. Areas of improvement identified include balancing classroom expectations (amount of work and personal responsibility) as well as time management. I was thrilled to hear that many students were not only aware of their standing but had already had a plan in place to meet with teachers.
In the weeks to come, we will be working with students on self-advocacy skills, managing the shift from first term to second term, looking at mid-year projects for classes that may end in January, and collaborating on skills that students will need to grow throughout the year.
We thank you for all the support, and feel free to reach out with any questions!
Ashley Smith
School Counselor
UHS: Weekly News and Notes
A few updates from UHS this week:
- Congrats to boys cross country on their championship this week, capping an undefeated SWCL season, led by league third-place finisher Colin Caso and fourth place Ryan Semle! The girls, led by individual champion Hannah Jones, took second place overall, narrowly missing the league meet championship after an undefeated regular season.
- We will be sending instructions on how to register for parent-teacher conferences next week. Our conferences are scheduled to be held on November 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and parents will register for six-minute conferences, which we are told was an adequate amount of time to review first term grades and performance. Parents should bring specific questions to ensure that the time is meaningful. If a teacher does not have an available time, parents may select to have a call back or schedule a conference at a mutually convenient time during the school day.
- First term grades will be closing November 5. Report cards for the first quarter will be distributed online the following week.
- We have been receiving a number of calls regarding family vacations during school time. Please note that vacations only excuse a student from being truant, and we do not condone the practice of missing school time. Even when students are aware of absence, the process and responsibility for making up work falls to the student. It is simply not reasonable to expect teachers to replicate certain classroom experiences after student absences, and makeup work may mean alternative assignments, particularly when dealing with missed collaborative class assignments or labs. Students can also make up assignments during flex time and, for some teachers, before school.
- Here's a link to the Week That Was, our weekly video retrospective. Happy watching! (It can be accessed by copying this as well: https://youtu.be/zNHlWr4waMs).
Thank you, as always, for the support.
Mike Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
- Congrats to boys cross country on their championship this week, capping an undefeated SWCL season, led by league third-place finisher Colin Caso and fourth place Ryan Semle! The girls, led by individual champion Hannah Jones, took second place overall, narrowly missing the league meet championship after an undefeated regular season.
- We will be sending instructions on how to register for parent-teacher conferences next week. Our conferences are scheduled to be held on November 15 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., and parents will register for six-minute conferences, which we are told was an adequate amount of time to review first term grades and performance. Parents should bring specific questions to ensure that the time is meaningful. If a teacher does not have an available time, parents may select to have a call back or schedule a conference at a mutually convenient time during the school day.
- First term grades will be closing November 5. Report cards for the first quarter will be distributed online the following week.
- We have been receiving a number of calls regarding family vacations during school time. Please note that vacations only excuse a student from being truant, and we do not condone the practice of missing school time. Even when students are aware of absence, the process and responsibility for making up work falls to the student. It is simply not reasonable to expect teachers to replicate certain classroom experiences after student absences, and makeup work may mean alternative assignments, particularly when dealing with missed collaborative class assignments or labs. Students can also make up assignments during flex time and, for some teachers, before school.
- Here's a link to the Week That Was, our weekly video retrospective. Happy watching! (It can be accessed by copying this as well: https://youtu.be/zNHlWr4waMs).
Thank you, as always, for the support.
Mike Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School
Thursday, October 25, 2018
UHS Earns National Recognition
For immediate release:
October 24, 2018
Uxbridge High School Earns Acceptance to National Consortium
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Frank Tiano, is proud to announce that Uxbridge High School has earned acceptance into the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools.
The National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS) was established in 1988 to provide a forum for specialized secondary schools focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines to exchange information and program ideas.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2013, the Consortium now includes approximately 100 member schools (high schools), many ‘ranked’ as the best in the country, along with 55 affiliate members (colleges, universities, summer programs, foundations, and corporations) located in 32 states, that share the goals of transforming mathematics, science, and technology education. UHS was accepted through a competitive process that included an application process and interview with the national director.
“It is humbling for us to be considered in the company of some of the best schools in the nation,” said UHS Principal Michael Rubin. “What this means is that we have met some challenges of the evolving face of education, and we now have the opportunity and responsibility to continue to be innovative and creative to say ahead of that curve.”
Uxbridge High School joins Nipmuc Regional High School, the Academy of Math and Science at WPI, Essex (VT) High School, and the Connecticut Academy of Aerospace and Engineering as the only schools in New England who have been accepted into the NCSSS. The school was accepted due to its innovative practices in working with local industry, the Blackstone Valley Ed Hub, the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the MassSTEMHub and Project Lead the Way, as well as its commitment to bringing science and STEM work to a broader population, including its Science Olympiad team and post-secondary counseling program.
“I could not be more proud of the work being done on behalf of our students by our educators and our entire school community,” said Dr. Frank Tiano, Superintendent of Uxbridge Public Schools. “Earning acceptance into the NCSSS is not only an honor for our high school, but it reflects positively on the entire town of Uxbridge.”
Monday, October 22, 2018
Fire Drill Today
Good afternoon,
Earlier this afternoon, we concluded a fire drill at UHS. We notified the staff and students before it took place, and we were able to achieve full accountability rather quickly.
We do hope to hold another fire drill before the winter arrives. We do typically try to give some information in advance just in case, but we were able to manage today's drill with only a few minutes' notice to students.
Thank you,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Earlier this afternoon, we concluded a fire drill at UHS. We notified the staff and students before it took place, and we were able to achieve full accountability rather quickly.
We do hope to hold another fire drill before the winter arrives. We do typically try to give some information in advance just in case, but we were able to manage today's drill with only a few minutes' notice to students.
Thank you,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Friday, October 19, 2018
Weekly News and Notes
In addition to continuing our Weekly News and Notes, we are looking to experiment with some different forms of communication. For this week, we are highlighting "the week that was" for Uxbridge High School, with the week ending this afternoon.
We hope you enjoy this update of happenings at UHS!
We hope you enjoy this update of happenings at UHS!
Minor Naviance Issue
Good morning,
We have been made aware of a technical issue with Naviance that is impacting teacher ability to upload letters of recommendation. Our counselors have been in touch with Naviance and are assured that the company is working on a quick solution.
In the meantime, teachers have been advised to send PDF versions of recommendations to counselors to ensure that they can be processed in a timely manner, and prevent any issues from occurring with respect to applications. If your seniors have concerns, have them see their school counselor or send Mr. Barry or Ms. Hampton an email.
Thank you for your patience!
Michael Rubin, Principal
We have been made aware of a technical issue with Naviance that is impacting teacher ability to upload letters of recommendation. Our counselors have been in touch with Naviance and are assured that the company is working on a quick solution.
In the meantime, teachers have been advised to send PDF versions of recommendations to counselors to ensure that they can be processed in a timely manner, and prevent any issues from occurring with respect to applications. If your seniors have concerns, have them see their school counselor or send Mr. Barry or Ms. Hampton an email.
Thank you for your patience!
Michael Rubin, Principal
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Emergency Drill Concluded
Good morning,
Our emergency drill this morning was successful. We are pleased with the attention to detail shown by the staff and the questions that have come up for us to review. In general, the students and staff alike were able to engage in a robust and thoughtful discussion which will enable us to plan better in terms of the building's safety and security.
One question that has come up from a few people is regarding the timing of our notification. We chose to notify this morning about the drill so as not to create a heightened anxiety outside the building, and for us to model conditions as accurately as possible, considering that real-time safety and security measures often occur without planning.
We thank our public safety partners in helping us be proactive. Again, feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Our emergency drill this morning was successful. We are pleased with the attention to detail shown by the staff and the questions that have come up for us to review. In general, the students and staff alike were able to engage in a robust and thoughtful discussion which will enable us to plan better in terms of the building's safety and security.
One question that has come up from a few people is regarding the timing of our notification. We chose to notify this morning about the drill so as not to create a heightened anxiety outside the building, and for us to model conditions as accurately as possible, considering that real-time safety and security measures often occur without planning.
We thank our public safety partners in helping us be proactive. Again, feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael Rubin
Principal
Emergency Drill This Morning
Good morning,
As many of you are aware, we are consistently taking steps to ensure that our school is prepared for a variety of emergencies. This includes regular fire drills, review of evacuation procedures, and discussions and drills in the event of an intruder. Sadly, these are the times we live in, and, while we are confident and comfortable in the safety and security at UHS, it is important for us to review protocols regularly with staff and students.
This morning, in collaboration with our public safety partners and led by School Resource Officer Dan Deveau, we are conducting a lockdown and intruder drill with students that will not necessitate an evacuation, but will allow students to be informed of proper procedures in the event that an emergency lockdown is needed. In providing a variety of scenarios, teachers will review proper responses while addressing circumstances unique to the classroom. In time, we will have students review at different times and in different periods to see both the continuity from one class to the next and for particular areas of the building.
Because of the sensitive nature of these conversations, we do anticipate some students potentially struggling, and we have our counselors and staff members being vigilant in noticing when students may be responding with heightened anxiety. Those students will be directed to counselors for support.
This morning's drill will commence around 9:25 and conclude by 9:45. After its conclusion, we will send a message notifying families of its end. At home, while difficult dinnertime conversation, it may be worthwhile to discuss with students their perceptions and understanding of what took place, recognizing that there is no set playbook for these potential scenarios. Additionally, we have worked with our public safety partners to devise off-site evacuation plans, in the event that we should ever need to leave UHS for a neutral site. Generally, this occurs in the event of a town safety or health concern and when dismissal to home is not considered a viable option. Today’s drill will not include any evacuation of any kind, however.
We thank you as always for the support. Feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions.
Sincerely,
Michael Rubin
Principal
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