Weekly News and Notes

Greetings!

Some updates from UHS this week:

Friday, February 1

On Friday, February 1, we will be hosting our first-ever "LIFE" Conferences at UHS, which will enable our students to engage in real-world learning from professionals on specific topics that were driven by student interest, including sessions on car maintenance, tax preparation, a how-to guide on apartment rental, some different crafting and art projects, computer coding, and self-defense. In all, there will be more than 70 sessions involving our entire student body. We cannot thank the teacher team that organized the event enough, including Mr. D'Amico, Mr. Balunas, Mr. Bennett, and Ms. Yakstis. In particular, Mr. D'Amico has worked tirelessly to ensure that all elements of the schedule have been coordinated, and our entire staff has worked to ensure that the day will be personally meaningful for our students.

In the afternoon, we are hosting parent-teacher conferences. Some teachers have busy schedules, while others have some openings. Please sign up using https://uxyhs.schoolappointments.com/.

Course Selections for 2019-20

We will be publishing dates for course selection for next year very soon, but we do require some flexibility, particularly given sports post-season. Our hope is to have the Program of Studies' changes approved at the February 26 School Committee meeting, and then we will be able to begin these conversations in earnest within the first two weeks of March.

Week That Was

Our Week That Was video is linked below; we will have a Podcast, dubbed our "State of the School," being released on Friday, February 1, as well as coverage of the visit with the Lieutenant Governor and the LIFE Conference coming soon.

Week That Was:

Channel 3 coverage of the Lt. Governor visit and our Innovation Pathways:

Have a great weekend,

Mike Rubin, Principal

Weekly News and Notes

Good morning,

Apologies for not sending this on Friday; with the end of term, my attendance at a conference, and some travel snafus, there was little opportunity to provide an update. Fortunately, with the end of the semester, there are not too many pieces of information to share from UHS.

Semester Two Begins

Semester two begins on Monday. For some students, that means that the courses will change, as half-year classes end. For seniors who have senior privilege on their schedule, permission/acknowledgement forms must be turned in before the senior privilege can take effect.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

We will be holding parent-teacher conferences on Friday, February 1. Be on the lookout for the registration. These are only being held during the day and not in the evening.

Lieutenant Governor Visit

On Tuesday, January 29, we will be welcoming Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito to UHS. She will be visiting a number of our classrooms and meeting with students, and, as a result, we will have some traffic patterns that will be different. If you are arriving to the building between 9:20 and 9:40, please know that there may be additional police presence, both locally and from the State Police, on Quaker Highway and at the building. We are excited to share our building and programs with her and thank her for the support of the Baker-Polito Administration with respect to our Innovation Pathways.

Have a great week!

UHS students earn statewide engineering accolades!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JANUARY 24, 2019

Uxbridge Students Earn State Engineering Accolades


A team of four Uxbridge High School students won the overall winner of the Online Industry Challenge, an engineering design competition sponsored by the Mass STEM Hub and conducted in conjunction with industry professionals from Seaboard Folding Box Company and Abbott-Action Inc.

The student team of Joe Costa, Wiley Kimball, Braden Pomeroy, and Josh Schweibish earned the win for their design, not only as the best submission from UHS but from across the state of Massachusetts, which includes more than 100 secondary schools. As students have been learning in the Introduction to Engineering Design class at UHS, feedback and iteration are key components to the engineering design process, through which students get feedback from people with different viewpoints and skills, particularly those with expertise in the product being developed.

“I could not be prouder of our program and all the students who participated,” said UHS Principal Michael Rubin. “That UHS students are among the top future engineers and innovators in the Commonwealth is a credit to the program and the support that so many have put in the hands of our school and educators.”

In the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Introduction to Engineering Design class, high school students dig deep into the engineering design process, applying math, science, and engineering standards to hands-on projects. After learning about engineering design and manufacturing, they apply that knowledge to work in teams to design, test, and improve a manufacturing process to build boxes.  The boxes the students build are key components to a later project in the course.

Through the Online Industry Challenge, students submitted their work to two Massachusetts box manufacturing companies: Abbott-Action Inc., a corrugated and protective packaging manufacturer with sites in Attleboro, Canton, and Northboro, and Seaboard Folding Box Company, a custom structural packaging company based in Westminster. Students received feedback from industry professionals on their submitted technical drawings, manufacturing process flows, and images of their prototype boxes, connecting the work they did in the classroom to the work these experts do daily. The professionals at each company were impressed by the great work students did and excited to share their insights.

“We see these partnerships, where students and STEM professionals are able to connect around the real-world projects done in the classroom, as a critical complement to high-quality STEM programs,” said Andreina Parisi-Amon, Director of Partnerships for Mass STEM Hub. “Huge thanks to the professionals at Seaboard Folding Box Company and Abbott-Action, Inc., who reviewed student submissions and provided expert feedback around improving technical drawings and manufacturing process flows based on their years of experience – connecting the work Project Lead The Way students are doing in the classroom to the work they’re doing every day on the manufacturing floor.”

Seaboard Folding Box Co. is a custom structural packaging company based in Westminster, Massachusetts. Student work was reviewed at Seaboard by their Vice President of Sales and Marketing; from Abbott-Action, Inc., a corrugated and protective packaging manufacturer with sites in Attleboro, Canton, and Northboro, the student work was reviewed by a team of professionals including a Marketing Manager, Structural Designer, and Protective Packaging Engineer.

All of the teams that submitted the design from the classes of both Mr. Michael Smutok and Ms. Melissa Silva, both teachers in UHS’ Project Lead the Way engineering program, received specific feedback from industry professionals on their process flow diagrams, technical processes, and prototype drawings. For their win, the UHS team earned ribbons, certificates, and Rocketbook notebooks. Additionally, Seaboard will be sponsoring a field trip for the entire class (covering bus costs) to visit their box manufacturing site in Westminster because of the UHS students’ competitive win.

“We were thrilled to work with local box manufacturing companies, Seaboard Folding Box Company and Abbott-Action, Inc., to connect students and professionals around the manufacturing a box project students completed in their PLTW Introduction to Engineering course,” Dr. Parisi-Amon added. “The professionals at each were impressed by the great work students did and excited to share their insights.”

“It is certainly one thing to have your work evaluated by your teacher, and quite another to be evaluated at this level by industry professionals,” Mr. Rubin said. “This brings our partnerships with industry to life and helps students see relevance in what they are learning. We are grateful for the opportunities our partners at Mass STEM Hub and Project Lead the Way have opened up for the students of Uxbridge.”

Mass STEM Hub is a program of the One8 Foundation that partners with schools to implement high-quality, applied learning programs. Their mission is to provide schools with access to and support for premier STEM programming that engages students and prepares them for 21st century careers. We identify proven programs, develop supports to help ensure high-quality adoption, and create complementary offerings (e.g., trainings, events) to supercharge the impact.

Supporting schools’ adoption and quality implementation of Project Lead The Way is the first Mass STEM Hub initiative. PLTW is a premier STEM curriculum and PD provider with a proven ability to dramatically shift classroom practice, transform the teaching experience, and improve students’ interest and aptitude in STEM. PLTW has grown from a high school engineering program to offering comprehensive PreK-12 pathways in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, balancing the rigor and engagement needed to have a real impact for students.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

We are excited to have Parent-Teacher conferences coming up on February 1, from 11:05-2:00 p.m.. The portal for registering for appointments will open on January 28 at 9:00 a.m., and it will close at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 31.

If you wish to schedule an appointment with a teacher but there is no time, or you are unable to make it on the 1st, please select the "call back" option.

School Appointments - Parent Instructions

1.     Go to our school appointments web site:  http://uxyhs.schoolappointments.com/

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.

More detailed instructions can be viewed by clicking here.

Weekly News and Notes

Good afternoon,

Some updates in advance of the long weekend:

Midyear Exam Schedule

We have half-days next week for our midyear exams. The schedule is linked here. All our students are expected to be present if they have exams scheduled, and there are some periods where students will be presenting projects for their mid-year or final assessment in the class.

In case of snow, the exam day will move to the next day, and exams will push to the following week.

Skills Capital Grant

From a press release shared this afternoon to the staff and community:

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Tiano is proud to announce that Uxbridge High School and its Innovation Pathway has been named a recipient of a Skills Capital Grant in the amount of $119,489.

Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito created the Workforce Skills Cabinet in 2015, bringing together the Secretariats of Education, Labor and Workforce Development and Housing and Economic Development in order to align education, economic development and workforce policies, and to strategize around how to meet employers’ demand for skilled workers in each region of the state. “It is gratifying to see the forward thinking, dedication, and hard work of our high school, in conjunction with our partners in Uxbridge and the Blackstone Valley, be recognized by the Governor and his Cabinet,” said Dr. Tiano. “This is a highly competitive grant that reflects the direction in which this district is headed. Even without the award, providing the skills and experience for post-graduate opportunities for all of our students while they are still in public school is the right work.” The goal of the Skills Capital Grants is to help high schools, colleges and other educational institutions invest in the most up-to-date training equipment to give their students an advantage when they continue in their chosen field or particular area of study. The Skills Capital Grants cover a broad array of fields, from construction and engineering to healthcare and hospitality.

Parent Conferences

We will be hosting parent-teacher conferences on Friday, February 1 in the afternoon. More information on signups with be forthcoming.

Week That Was

Here's a look back at the Week That Was:

Have a great long weekend!

Mike Rubin, Principal

Weekly News and Notes

Good afternoon,

We have a few updates from UHS this week!

Junior Parent Night

College Night for Juniors will be held on Wednesday, January 30 in the auditorium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The snow date is February 5. We expect the presentation, which covers the college application and financial aid process from a UHS perspective, will take until about 8:00 p.m. We also will review the work that our counselors will be completing in classes with students over the next few months to have them ready for the post-secondary process, including starting college essays and application data.

We hope you can join us!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to so many of our winter track athletes on their performances at last week's state Freshman-Sophomore meet. Medalists included Stephen Sanches (1000), Colin Caso (2-mile), and Abby Deary (1000), while Iyonna Dinsmore captured a championship in the shot put while setting a new school record!

Senior Acceptances

As college acceptances come in, we hope to post as many as we can to our wall in the main foyer. However, our information is only as good as the info that students bring to us. As acceptances for colleges are learned, please have students bring those to guidance so we can include them. We have heard some complaints that schools are not posted, but we cannot post information that we don't know!

Scheduling for Next Year

Be on the lookout in the coming week or so regarding our scheduling calendar for students in grades 8-11, including our Program of Studies review nights and other presentations. We hope that many of you will be able to join us to learn about the many great academic opportunities we have at UHS.

New Podcast!

From Mr. Barros, our digital media teacher, we are excited to be adding another Podcast to our library of media coming from UHS. The topics of "School Talk" are generated by students and about students, but not necessarily about school, per se. The channel can be accessed at: https://anchor.fm/school-talk.



Memory Project

Thanks to Ms. Struppa and her art students for their collaboration with the Memory Project, an international organization that helps use art to spread goodwill and happiness to students in war-torn, destitute, or otherwise compromised parts of the world. The video below highlights our students' work!

Week That Was

Our Week That Was Video is posted below.




Have a great weekend!

Yours in black and orange,

Michael Rubin, Principal

Wizard of Oz!

Uxbridge High School Drama Club To Perform

“ The Wizard of Oz”

(Some of the cast and crew)

The Uxbridge High School Drama Club will be proudly presenting their spring musical, “The Wizard of Oz,” with book and lyrics by Greg Kotis and music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann.  This play is produced by arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.

Based on the beloved novel  by Frank L. Baum and featuring songs by Harold Arlen and  E. Y. Harburg,  “The Wizard of Oz” takes place after a Tornado hit Kansas and sweeps both Dorothy and her dog Toto to the magical world of Oz, Dorothy must get to the Wizard to find her way home. Along the way she meets a scarecrow who needs a brain, a lion who needs courage, and a tin man who needs a heart. They all set forth on the yellow brick road to reach Emerald City and eventually the Wizard of Oz who will supposedly solve their problems.This musical has an abundance of fun, quirky characters and dazzling dance numbers.

The show will be performed on March 15th, 16th, and 17th. Tickets will be on sale starting the second week of February! You can purchase tickets from any cast or crew member, at the UHS main office or the Administrative Central Office (9 North Main Street – Cove Insurance Building). Ticket prices are $10 for students/seniors (+65) and $12 for adults. For more information please call 508-278-8648 x102.

Junior College Night

The Uxbridge High School guidance department will be presenting College Night for Juniors on Wednesday, January 30 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. The event will be held in the UHS Auditorium. The hope is that we will be able to share details about the college planning process, our counseling curriculum through the junior of high school, plans for the coming semester, and other relevant questions and answers to help support the process.

The snow date will be Tuesday, February 5 from 6:30-8pm.

Weekly News and Notes

A few updates at the end of this very short week:

Midyear Exam Week

The end of the first semester is rapidly approaching. During the week of January 22-25, we have half-days at UHS for all students, during which many subjects will hold end-of-course assessments (if a half-year class), summative projects, or other performance-based tasks to help demonstrate class outcomes. We will have the ability to offer a grab-and-go lunch for students who wish to sign up ahead of time. If a student signs up, and does not pick up his/her lunch, that lunch will be charged to the student's account. All students who receive free and reduced lunch will be entitled to a lunch but will still have to sign up in advance, so that we make the appropriate number.

There is also no school for students on Friday, January 18.

Parent-Conferences

We will be hosting parent-teacher conferences during the day on Friday, February 1. We will have a half-day for students, and parents may sign up for a conference using our online program during the week of January 28-January 31. If parents are able to attend, since the conferences are during the day, a call-back can be requested.

Course Selections for 2019-20

We will be sharing dates and times for parent presentations on course selections for next year for students currently in grades 7-11. Please be on the lookout or reach out to counselors.

We do schedule for all students, even those who are considering transfers for next year, as sometimes decisions and thoughts change in the spring semester.


Finally, the yearbook and library newsletters are linked.

Have a great weekend!