Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Year in Review video
Hi everyone!
As some of you know, I published a weekly "Week That Was" video every week until probably the end of February or so. In the past couple of days, I went back through some of those files, which begat today's impromptu project. It's not perfect, and there are probably some things out of order - and definitely some things I missed. At any rate, I hope you enjoy this retrospective on 2019-20: https://youtu.be/tw9sJIdwoTg
We will be in touch throughout the summer with updates and information as best we can, working on some different modes of communication as well.
We'll be in touch! Be safe and enjoy the summer!
Mr. Rubin
Friday, June 12, 2020
UHS: Weekly News and Notes
We have a few updates from UHS this week, beginning first with a quick comment.
The past few weeks have been rife with challenges for our schools, students, and communities. It is not without a great deal of gratitude that we share our thanks and sentiment with the families and students for hanging with us throughout the year, particularly these past couple of months. When March began, we were cruising through a really remarkable year, where our programs and school were being recognized, some of which I am going to leave below:
Girls Basketball: State Sportsmanship Award
UHS Athletics: Sportsmanship Recognition
Boys Track: SWCL Champions
Cheer: State Championship qualifier
Boys Cross Country: SWCL and District Champion, State Championship Qualifier
Girls Soccer: District Semifinalist
Field Hockey: SWCL Champions, District Semifinalist
Golf: MIAA Team Academic Achievement Award
Girls Soccer: Team Academic Achievement Award
Girls Tennis: Team Academic Achievement Award
We had students selected for All-State chorus and band (Xavier Hicks, Nathaniel Holden, Erin Newhall), and we had students who served as state ambassadors to the MIAA (Nicholas Oliveira). Our students served on state advisory boards (Nick Fernandes and Nicholas Dilibero), and our Student Council earned a gold medal.
As a school:
Project Lead the Way: State Distinguished Program
Project Lead the Way: Nationally Commended Program
US News and World Report: America's Top High Schools (top 25% of schools in the nation)
Michael Smutok: Recognized Educator, MassSTEMHub
Kathleen Penza: State Heart of the Arts award winner
Social Studies: Recognized for their curriculum revision work, partnered in a state civics consortium
Michael Rubin: Massachusetts Principal of the Year
Our school presented on our work in merging school and external partnerships at the state and national level, and Mr. DiMeglio and I were both presented with citations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' House of Representatives for our work in Uxbridge. We hosted more than 30 schools who wanted to see our programs, technology, schedule and professional collaboration, and we have earned acceptance into both the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools and the CAPS Network, mostly on the basis of the applied and authentic learning we do every day at UHS. I had the privilege of presenting at the State House twice in the past year, including a presentation the Joint Higher Education Committee in September, sharing the work we are doing and the need for additional supports and consistency between higher education and secondary schools, which has helped lead to improvements in access to post-secondary courses for students.
The amazing thing is that this work did not stop during the pandemic closure, and folks remained deeply committed to our students and our school. We supported our colleagues at other schools in the district, ensured that our curricular goals remained steadfast, and never lost sight of our school improvement goals. Despite the challenges that we all faced this year, our school stayed just that, and while we have not emerged from the pandemic quite yet, we see the future with far more hope and with the knowledge that our relationships and culture can help us transcend any challenge.
We will not officially button up the 2019-20 school year until we officially graduate the Class of 2020, which we tentatively hope will occur on July 25. Information regarding the booking of tickets can be found below, and will also be sent separately to seniors. We will not share the link publicly to avoid any potential issues.
Thank you, again, for all your support throughout the year. We appreciate it.
Graduation
Graduation will take place on July 25. The window for ticket reservations/space reservations will open on Monday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. Families will book a single space. For families who may have additional needs, please let us know.
Summer Reading
This year for summer reading, students will earn 2 extra credit points added to a first quarter grade of their choice by doing the following 3 things:
For full details about the summer reading activities, to view the list of books recommended by the UHS and Uxbridge community, and to submit summerreading activities, go to uhs2020summerreading.blogspot.com. Information about the recommended books and the summer activities is also available in the attached packet.
Please reach out to Ms. Charpentier (echarpentier@uxbridge.k12.ma.us) with any questions! Happy reading!
Reopening for 2020-21
We have had many inquiries and comments about reopening for 2020-21. Next week, we will convene two teams at the district level, with both parents and families in one group and staff in another. After that, we will be discussing things at the school level to determine best practices for UHS in terms of the fall and reopening of school. While the Commissioner will be providing us guidance that is said to be "prescriptive in nature" to help all schools with a plan, and to ensure some consistency between schools, we will do our best to manage those expectations around what is best for Uxbridge, in conjunction with our district as a whole and the Board of Health.
We hope to finish all our plans by the end of July, and, as the Board of Health shared at the School Committee meeting this week, the plans will all be contingent on data, which means having many plans that require flexibility. We will be sure to communicate whatever we can, as it becomes more clear.
SAT Date
We are working with the College Board to offer an additional SAT in the fall, likely in September. Unfortunately, the College Board is swamped with calls, and we are awaiting further guidance. We appreciate the patience!
Farewells
We wish a few folks farewell next week, as they will be moving on to new chapters in their professional careers. Mr. Bryan D'Amico, who started four years ago as a math teacher, will be relocating, and Ms. Grace Cassell, who has been with us since last spring in the English department, will be returning home to Oklahoma. Mr. Christopher Barry, who has been with us for four years and helped lead the transition of our guidance program, will also be moving on, returning to his alma mater. We appreciate all that they did for the students of Uxbridge and know that they will be missed. Fortunately, we have had tremendous interest in our positions, and we will be bringing some very talented educators come the fall!
Also, we know that there are about 18-20 students who will be leaving UHS for Blackstone Valley Tech. We know that you are in good hands at BVT and that we are at the ready if it does not work out to welcome you back. We also know that those students who are heading to BVT will bring with them some exceptional talents and we wish them well.
The past few weeks have been rife with challenges for our schools, students, and communities. It is not without a great deal of gratitude that we share our thanks and sentiment with the families and students for hanging with us throughout the year, particularly these past couple of months. When March began, we were cruising through a really remarkable year, where our programs and school were being recognized, some of which I am going to leave below:
Girls Basketball: State Sportsmanship Award
UHS Athletics: Sportsmanship Recognition
Boys Track: SWCL Champions
Cheer: State Championship qualifier
Boys Cross Country: SWCL and District Champion, State Championship Qualifier
Girls Soccer: District Semifinalist
Field Hockey: SWCL Champions, District Semifinalist
Golf: MIAA Team Academic Achievement Award
Girls Soccer: Team Academic Achievement Award
Girls Tennis: Team Academic Achievement Award
We had students selected for All-State chorus and band (Xavier Hicks, Nathaniel Holden, Erin Newhall), and we had students who served as state ambassadors to the MIAA (Nicholas Oliveira). Our students served on state advisory boards (Nick Fernandes and Nicholas Dilibero), and our Student Council earned a gold medal.
As a school:
Project Lead the Way: State Distinguished Program
Project Lead the Way: Nationally Commended Program
US News and World Report: America's Top High Schools (top 25% of schools in the nation)
Michael Smutok: Recognized Educator, MassSTEMHub
Kathleen Penza: State Heart of the Arts award winner
Social Studies: Recognized for their curriculum revision work, partnered in a state civics consortium
Michael Rubin: Massachusetts Principal of the Year
Our school presented on our work in merging school and external partnerships at the state and national level, and Mr. DiMeglio and I were both presented with citations from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' House of Representatives for our work in Uxbridge. We hosted more than 30 schools who wanted to see our programs, technology, schedule and professional collaboration, and we have earned acceptance into both the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools and the CAPS Network, mostly on the basis of the applied and authentic learning we do every day at UHS. I had the privilege of presenting at the State House twice in the past year, including a presentation the Joint Higher Education Committee in September, sharing the work we are doing and the need for additional supports and consistency between higher education and secondary schools, which has helped lead to improvements in access to post-secondary courses for students.
The amazing thing is that this work did not stop during the pandemic closure, and folks remained deeply committed to our students and our school. We supported our colleagues at other schools in the district, ensured that our curricular goals remained steadfast, and never lost sight of our school improvement goals. Despite the challenges that we all faced this year, our school stayed just that, and while we have not emerged from the pandemic quite yet, we see the future with far more hope and with the knowledge that our relationships and culture can help us transcend any challenge.
We will not officially button up the 2019-20 school year until we officially graduate the Class of 2020, which we tentatively hope will occur on July 25. Information regarding the booking of tickets can be found below, and will also be sent separately to seniors. We will not share the link publicly to avoid any potential issues.
Thank you, again, for all your support throughout the year. We appreciate it.
Graduation
Graduation will take place on July 25. The window for ticket reservations/space reservations will open on Monday, June 15 at 9:00 a.m. Families will book a single space. For families who may have additional needs, please let us know.
Summer Reading
This year for summer reading, students will earn 2 extra credit points added to a first quarter grade of their choice by doing the following 3 things:
- Read a book. There is a list of books recommended by the UHS community at uhs2020summerreading.blogspot.com, but you do not have to choose a book from this list! If you decide to read a book that is not on this list of recommended books, please submit this Google form to let us know what you plan to read this summer.
- Complete ONE of the following activities:
- Write a letter to a future reader about why you would or would not recommend your book.
- Create fan art based on your book.
- Identify 2 recent articles that tie into the topics or themes of your book.
- Create a social media feed that represents a character or theme from your book.
- Submit your summer reading activity by Tuesday, September 15, 2020. The link where students can upload their work is at uhs2020summerreading.blogspot.com.
For full details about the summer reading activities, to view the list of books recommended by the UHS and Uxbridge community, and to submit summerreading activities, go to uhs2020summerreading.blogspot.com. Information about the recommended books and the summer activities is also available in the attached packet.
Please reach out to Ms. Charpentier (echarpentier@uxbridge.k12.ma.us) with any questions! Happy reading!
Reopening for 2020-21
We have had many inquiries and comments about reopening for 2020-21. Next week, we will convene two teams at the district level, with both parents and families in one group and staff in another. After that, we will be discussing things at the school level to determine best practices for UHS in terms of the fall and reopening of school. While the Commissioner will be providing us guidance that is said to be "prescriptive in nature" to help all schools with a plan, and to ensure some consistency between schools, we will do our best to manage those expectations around what is best for Uxbridge, in conjunction with our district as a whole and the Board of Health.
We hope to finish all our plans by the end of July, and, as the Board of Health shared at the School Committee meeting this week, the plans will all be contingent on data, which means having many plans that require flexibility. We will be sure to communicate whatever we can, as it becomes more clear.
SAT Date
We are working with the College Board to offer an additional SAT in the fall, likely in September. Unfortunately, the College Board is swamped with calls, and we are awaiting further guidance. We appreciate the patience!
Farewells
We wish a few folks farewell next week, as they will be moving on to new chapters in their professional careers. Mr. Bryan D'Amico, who started four years ago as a math teacher, will be relocating, and Ms. Grace Cassell, who has been with us since last spring in the English department, will be returning home to Oklahoma. Mr. Christopher Barry, who has been with us for four years and helped lead the transition of our guidance program, will also be moving on, returning to his alma mater. We appreciate all that they did for the students of Uxbridge and know that they will be missed. Fortunately, we have had tremendous interest in our positions, and we will be bringing some very talented educators come the fall!
Also, we know that there are about 18-20 students who will be leaving UHS for Blackstone Valley Tech. We know that you are in good hands at BVT and that we are at the ready if it does not work out to welcome you back. We also know that those students who are heading to BVT will bring with them some exceptional talents and we wish them well.
We will do our best to keep our podcasts current over the summer, and we will share information about final grades, report cards, and transcripts as it is available. We will also be sharing resources for supporting student mental health and overall wellness during the summer, and, as the school year draws closer, we will also share information about orientation for grade 8 and other supports for getting students back in the routine of school. Until then, we hope that everyone remains strong and healthy, that our situation with respect to the pandemic continues to improve, and that our connections will once again soon be in person. Have a terrific summer!
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Yearbook Info for Class of 2021
Good evening,
I am sharing yearbook information for next year. While we are still dealing with some uncertainty, I am sure that many of our members of the Class of 2021 and their families are looking forward to the senior year. Below is information from our yearbook advisor about some of the coming deadlines and requirements.
Thank you,
Mr. Rubin
It may seem early to start thinking about senior portraits and quotes, but they will be due to the yearbook staff on October 15, so the summer before senior year is the perfect time to take your photo!
While not required, we recommend you schedule a senior portrait session with the official school photographer, David Silverman Photography. His brochure contains information about pricing and portrait sessions. You can email him at dave@dspics.com or call 401-481-8001 to make an appointment for a safe, socially distanced portrait session.
If you choose to use another photographer, it is up to you to make sure your photo meets the following requirements.
Senior Portraits
Head and shoulders portraits, close-ups, and 3/4 length portraits are all acceptable.
The layout for the senior section uses a portrait (tall) orientation, not landscape (wide), for photos. If you submit a landscape photo, we will crop it to fit the layout.
The yearbook is a school publication; please make sure that your outfit complies with the school dress code.
Props are permitted in photos; however, pets and fellow humans are not considered props.
Senior Quotes
Senior quotes may be up to 150 characters.
Senior quotes will be reviewed by the yearbook staff and school administration prior to being printed in the yearbook.
Senior Baby Pictures
If you wish to submit a baby picture but aren't sure where the cutoff for a "baby" is, we usually photos that represent a range of ages from newborns to preschoolers - anything in that range is fine!
Submission Guidelines
Submit your portrait, quote, and baby picture online using this form: https://forms.gle/NX5AHaWf7jV6kRCd9.
All portrait prints or digital files should be submitted by Thursday, October 15, 2020. The following week, the yearbook staff will begin creating the portrait section in anticipation of their first deadline for page submissions. We will do our best to accommodate late submissions, but cannot guarantee that portraits, quotes, and baby photos received after October 15, 2020, will be included in the yearbook.
If you do not submit another photo to the yearbook staff to use as your senior portrait, we will use your school ID photo.
If you have any questions about senior portraits or quotes, please contact the yearbook adviser, Ms. Emily Charpentier, at spartanyearbook@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.
I am sharing yearbook information for next year. While we are still dealing with some uncertainty, I am sure that many of our members of the Class of 2021 and their families are looking forward to the senior year. Below is information from our yearbook advisor about some of the coming deadlines and requirements.
Thank you,
Mr. Rubin
It may seem early to start thinking about senior portraits and quotes, but they will be due to the yearbook staff on October 15, so the summer before senior year is the perfect time to take your photo!
While not required, we recommend you schedule a senior portrait session with the official school photographer, David Silverman Photography. His brochure contains information about pricing and portrait sessions. You can email him at dave@dspics.com or call 401-481-8001 to make an appointment for a safe, socially distanced portrait session.
If you choose to use another photographer, it is up to you to make sure your photo meets the following requirements.
Senior Portraits
Head and shoulders portraits, close-ups, and 3/4 length portraits are all acceptable.
The layout for the senior section uses a portrait (tall) orientation, not landscape (wide), for photos. If you submit a landscape photo, we will crop it to fit the layout.
The yearbook is a school publication; please make sure that your outfit complies with the school dress code.
Props are permitted in photos; however, pets and fellow humans are not considered props.
Senior Quotes
Senior quotes may be up to 150 characters.
Senior quotes will be reviewed by the yearbook staff and school administration prior to being printed in the yearbook.
Senior Baby Pictures
If you wish to submit a baby picture but aren't sure where the cutoff for a "baby" is, we usually photos that represent a range of ages from newborns to preschoolers - anything in that range is fine!
Submission Guidelines
Submit your portrait, quote, and baby picture online using this form: https://forms.gle/NX5AHaWf7jV6kRCd9.
All portrait prints or digital files should be submitted by Thursday, October 15, 2020. The following week, the yearbook staff will begin creating the portrait section in anticipation of their first deadline for page submissions. We will do our best to accommodate late submissions, but cannot guarantee that portraits, quotes, and baby photos received after October 15, 2020, will be included in the yearbook.
If you do not submit another photo to the yearbook staff to use as your senior portrait, we will use your school ID photo.
If you have any questions about senior portraits or quotes, please contact the yearbook adviser, Ms. Emily Charpentier, at spartanyearbook@uxbridge.k12.ma.us.
Monday, June 8, 2020
Senior Student-Athlete Retrospective
Many thanks to our Boosters for compiling this awesome video in recognition of our seniors and our student-athletes.
USABC 2020 Congrats to UHS Spartan Athletes from Bernie Okenquist on Vimeo.
USABC 2020 Congrats to UHS Spartan Athletes from Bernie Okenquist on Vimeo.
Friday, June 5, 2020
Weekly News and Notes: June 5
Good afternoon,
We did already post some updates on Wednesday, but we wanted to share a couple more updates before the weekend, particularly around some details with respect to pickup, materials, facilities, graduation, etc.
Graduation
We have tentatively set July 25, 2020 as our graduation date. We have not yet set a time, but we are looking at an evening event, likely starting sometime around 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. While we are restricting guests to one carload per immediate family, we do acknowledge that there are some extenuating circumstances for some families, likely involving parents or shared guardianship, that may mean two vehicles will be needed for the family. If that is the case, please reach out to the high school office via email, and we will do our best to make sure that families have the appropriate arrangements.
That email should be sent to Mr. Rubin and Mrs. Wise.
Around the Valley
Last Sunday, the work of our high school was featured on "Around the Valley," a weekly show that airs on WCRN in Worcester. We have included a replay of the broadcast on our podcast site, anchor.fm/uxbridgehighschool.
If you subscribe to our podcast using Anchor, Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, Google, or any of a variety of sites, you will get it automatically sent to you every time we post a message.
Pickup And Drop Off
Here are dates and times for pickup of materials, for our seniors and our underclassmen. We will reach out if students either owe the school anything or if there is anything in the school's possession that students can pick up.
The procedure will be that students will come to the building in vehicles. Please have a piece of paper with the student's name and grade on it. Any item(s) being returned will be handed to someone at the front of the building, and anything we have for the students will be brought out and placed in the vehicle through a window or in the trunk.
The below letters refer to the students' last names.
Tuesday, June 9: Senior pickup
Monday, June 16: Grades 8-9
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17: Grades 10-11
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Obviously, if you have students in multiple grades, we will do our best to accommodate a single stop, so families do not have to come back.
Facility Use
Over the past few weeks, we have noticed our facility getting increased use, and there are some areas that, obviously, become more appealing as restrictions on distancing loosen. For example, our tennis courts can be used safely, and many individuals can be seen walking or jogging on the track. However, we have also noticed some use of the facility that is not approved, such as the truck tires being used for cross fit purposes on the turf field.
We have a great facility that we hope will extend long into its life and will continue to be a tremendous asset for our community. We hope that individuals who use it do so not only permission, but also with respect and care. Please take trash away, please use things properly, and please do not bring things onto our facility that could potentially damage it. Most facilities have large fences around them and locks to keep people off, and when school is in session, the field is an extension of our classroom. Please help us keep it safe, clean, and cared for, particularly as we enter the summer months.
Beyond that, we are working with the Board of Health to execute a reopening plan in alignment with Governor Baker's phases and guidelines. When our offices are reopened, we will do our best to communicate with you what our schedule will be.
Town Hall
Just another reminder that we will have a Town Hall meeting on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. This will be brief and will recap a good deal of our updates from the week.
Awards Night
We released our senior awards night this past Thursday on UCTV, premiering on Youtube. It will re-air over the next several days on UCTV. We are so grateful for the efforts of the UCTV crew in supporting this production, and we hope that everyone takes a moment to tune in and hear about the many great accomplishments for the Class of 2020!
Have a great weekend!
We did already post some updates on Wednesday, but we wanted to share a couple more updates before the weekend, particularly around some details with respect to pickup, materials, facilities, graduation, etc.
Graduation
We have tentatively set July 25, 2020 as our graduation date. We have not yet set a time, but we are looking at an evening event, likely starting sometime around 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. While we are restricting guests to one carload per immediate family, we do acknowledge that there are some extenuating circumstances for some families, likely involving parents or shared guardianship, that may mean two vehicles will be needed for the family. If that is the case, please reach out to the high school office via email, and we will do our best to make sure that families have the appropriate arrangements.
That email should be sent to Mr. Rubin and Mrs. Wise.
Around the Valley
Last Sunday, the work of our high school was featured on "Around the Valley," a weekly show that airs on WCRN in Worcester. We have included a replay of the broadcast on our podcast site, anchor.fm/uxbridgehighschool.
If you subscribe to our podcast using Anchor, Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, Google, or any of a variety of sites, you will get it automatically sent to you every time we post a message.
Pickup And Drop Off
Here are dates and times for pickup of materials, for our seniors and our underclassmen. We will reach out if students either owe the school anything or if there is anything in the school's possession that students can pick up.
The procedure will be that students will come to the building in vehicles. Please have a piece of paper with the student's name and grade on it. Any item(s) being returned will be handed to someone at the front of the building, and anything we have for the students will be brought out and placed in the vehicle through a window or in the trunk.
The below letters refer to the students' last names.
Tuesday, June 9: Senior pickup
A-E: 9-9:45 a.m.
F-K: 9:45-10:30 a.m.
L-P: 10:30-11:15
Q-Z: 11:15-12:00
F-K: 9:45-10:30 a.m.
L-P: 10:30-11:15
Q-Z: 11:15-12:00
Monday, June 16: Grades 8-9
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17: Grades 10-11
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Obviously, if you have students in multiple grades, we will do our best to accommodate a single stop, so families do not have to come back.
Facility Use
Over the past few weeks, we have noticed our facility getting increased use, and there are some areas that, obviously, become more appealing as restrictions on distancing loosen. For example, our tennis courts can be used safely, and many individuals can be seen walking or jogging on the track. However, we have also noticed some use of the facility that is not approved, such as the truck tires being used for cross fit purposes on the turf field.
We have a great facility that we hope will extend long into its life and will continue to be a tremendous asset for our community. We hope that individuals who use it do so not only permission, but also with respect and care. Please take trash away, please use things properly, and please do not bring things onto our facility that could potentially damage it. Most facilities have large fences around them and locks to keep people off, and when school is in session, the field is an extension of our classroom. Please help us keep it safe, clean, and cared for, particularly as we enter the summer months.
Beyond that, we are working with the Board of Health to execute a reopening plan in alignment with Governor Baker's phases and guidelines. When our offices are reopened, we will do our best to communicate with you what our schedule will be.
Town Hall
Just another reminder that we will have a Town Hall meeting on Monday night at 7:00 p.m. This will be brief and will recap a good deal of our updates from the week.
Awards Night
We released our senior awards night this past Thursday on UCTV, premiering on Youtube. It will re-air over the next several days on UCTV. We are so grateful for the efforts of the UCTV crew in supporting this production, and we hope that everyone takes a moment to tune in and hear about the many great accomplishments for the Class of 2020!
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Weekly News and Notes
We have a few updates from UHS this week. Before getting into those into details, I wanted to share some thoughts.
Some people have reached out to me or some of our teachers and have been expressing various levels of emotion as they watch the protests, the clashes between law enforcement and citizens, and the increasingly hostile tone that seems to be emergent from a variety of emotions. As an educator, I listen, I express some thoughts, and I try to empathize, knowing full well that there is little I can say or do that will quell the intense emotions that people feel, with good reason. I was asked by a student this week how I felt about it, and I responded with one word, one of the first adjectives I learned as a kindergartner: sad.
I am sad that there are citizens of our nation who are denigrated and left to feel anxious about their very being, solely because of the color of their skin.
I am sad for the good members of law enforcement who keep us all safe and who are being mocked, harassed, or attacked.
I am sad for students who do not and cannot possibly understand what those in the cities are dealing with
I am sad for business owners who have already lost so much in the pandemic, who now must repair their places of work in uncertain times, and who were, in many ways, guilty of only having storefront on the wrong street, at the wrong time.
I am sad for our students who feel maligned and marginalized, because we strive so hard for equity and know that there are those who still feel as though they are on the fringe.
I am sad that there are former students out there who I did not reach, or that our community of educators struggled to reach, who harbor hateful beliefs.
I am sad that our staff who want to help cannot see those faces in their classrooms and make those immediate connections and have those conversations.
I am sad that the streets I so frequently wander in my favorite city (and cities) have been burned and vandalized, and I am sad that some of the very symbols of our country's freedom have been delegitimized.
I am sad for and with my friends of color who are angry.
And I am sad that there are so many people out there who are either ambivalent, or those who have the ability to affect real change who are silent, tone deaf, or, at worst, antagonistic and devoid of listening or empathizing with other perspectives.
So, we have to reconcile that sadness and do so without a phony happiness or cliched words. And yet I cannot remain neutral. Elie Wiesel, one of my heroes, once wrote: "We must take sides. Silence helps only the oppressor, never the oppressed. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the victim."
It is in that spirit that I am so proud of the students who reached out to our staff with questions, who wanted to discuss ways they can improve the world, and who want to support peaceable action - for all of us. The sadness we feel in seeing the discontent in our streets may not evaporate that quickly, but I know that we all cling to hope for a better tomorrow - for all of us. It is that commitment that I promise we will continue to bring to UHS every day - for all of us. And it is that pledge - to listen, to support, to assuage, to validate - that we will hopefully use to make this a better world. For all of us.
Pickup of Materials
Here are dates and times for pickup of materials, for our seniors and our underclassmen. We will reach out if students either owe the school anything or if there is anything in the school's possession that students can pick up.
The procedure will be that students will come to the building in vehicles. Please have a piece of paper with the student's name and grade on it. Any item(s) being returned will be handed to someone at the front of the building, and anything we have for the students will be brought out and placed in the vehicle through a window or in the trunk.
Tuesday, June 9: Senior pickup
Monday, June 16: Grades 8-9
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17: Grades 10-11
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Obviously, if you have students in multiple grades, we will do our best to accommodate a single stop, so families do not have to come back.
Reopening Committee
We will be convening a reopening task force to consider some of the variables that need to be addressed as we prepare to reopen schools for the fall. That being said, we are awaiting guidance from the Commissioner, some of which could be prescriptive, and some of which will be a mandate for us to meet as a district, to ensure some consistency between our buildings. We also realize there will be some procedures that will be unique to UHS, and this would be the focus of this group.
We will be sharing a survey for parents and guardians to sign up for this committee if interested. If we have more interest than numbers, we will make sure that this committee comprises a diversity of opinion, grade levels, and experiences. Expect that survey later this week.
UHS Town Hall
We will host a brief Town Hall meeting next week, on Monday night, at 7:00 p.m. We will share what we know about reopening, as well as some other details. The link will be sent on Monday morning.
Have a great rest of your week. Be safe, be healthy, and be positive, as we enter the home stretch of this school year amidst very unsettling times.
Some people have reached out to me or some of our teachers and have been expressing various levels of emotion as they watch the protests, the clashes between law enforcement and citizens, and the increasingly hostile tone that seems to be emergent from a variety of emotions. As an educator, I listen, I express some thoughts, and I try to empathize, knowing full well that there is little I can say or do that will quell the intense emotions that people feel, with good reason. I was asked by a student this week how I felt about it, and I responded with one word, one of the first adjectives I learned as a kindergartner: sad.
I am sad that there are citizens of our nation who are denigrated and left to feel anxious about their very being, solely because of the color of their skin.
I am sad for the good members of law enforcement who keep us all safe and who are being mocked, harassed, or attacked.
I am sad for students who do not and cannot possibly understand what those in the cities are dealing with
I am sad for business owners who have already lost so much in the pandemic, who now must repair their places of work in uncertain times, and who were, in many ways, guilty of only having storefront on the wrong street, at the wrong time.
I am sad for our students who feel maligned and marginalized, because we strive so hard for equity and know that there are those who still feel as though they are on the fringe.
I am sad that there are former students out there who I did not reach, or that our community of educators struggled to reach, who harbor hateful beliefs.
I am sad that our staff who want to help cannot see those faces in their classrooms and make those immediate connections and have those conversations.
I am sad that the streets I so frequently wander in my favorite city (and cities) have been burned and vandalized, and I am sad that some of the very symbols of our country's freedom have been delegitimized.
I am sad for and with my friends of color who are angry.
And I am sad that there are so many people out there who are either ambivalent, or those who have the ability to affect real change who are silent, tone deaf, or, at worst, antagonistic and devoid of listening or empathizing with other perspectives.
So, we have to reconcile that sadness and do so without a phony happiness or cliched words. And yet I cannot remain neutral. Elie Wiesel, one of my heroes, once wrote: "We must take sides. Silence helps only the oppressor, never the oppressed. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the victim."
It is in that spirit that I am so proud of the students who reached out to our staff with questions, who wanted to discuss ways they can improve the world, and who want to support peaceable action - for all of us. The sadness we feel in seeing the discontent in our streets may not evaporate that quickly, but I know that we all cling to hope for a better tomorrow - for all of us. It is that commitment that I promise we will continue to bring to UHS every day - for all of us. And it is that pledge - to listen, to support, to assuage, to validate - that we will hopefully use to make this a better world. For all of us.
Pickup of Materials
Here are dates and times for pickup of materials, for our seniors and our underclassmen. We will reach out if students either owe the school anything or if there is anything in the school's possession that students can pick up.
The procedure will be that students will come to the building in vehicles. Please have a piece of paper with the student's name and grade on it. Any item(s) being returned will be handed to someone at the front of the building, and anything we have for the students will be brought out and placed in the vehicle through a window or in the trunk.
Tuesday, June 9: Senior pickup
A-E: 9-9:45 a.m.
F-K: 9:45-10:30 a.m.
L-P: 10:30-11:15
Q-Z: 11:15-12:00
F-K: 9:45-10:30 a.m.
L-P: 10:30-11:15
Q-Z: 11:15-12:00
Monday, June 16: Grades 8-9
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17: Grades 10-11
A-D: 8-9:00 a.m.
E-I: 9-10:00 a.m.
J-M:10:00-11:00 a.m.
N-Q: 11:00-12:00 p.m.
R-Z: 12:00 -1:00 p.m.
Obviously, if you have students in multiple grades, we will do our best to accommodate a single stop, so families do not have to come back.
Reopening Committee
We will be convening a reopening task force to consider some of the variables that need to be addressed as we prepare to reopen schools for the fall. That being said, we are awaiting guidance from the Commissioner, some of which could be prescriptive, and some of which will be a mandate for us to meet as a district, to ensure some consistency between our buildings. We also realize there will be some procedures that will be unique to UHS, and this would be the focus of this group.
We will be sharing a survey for parents and guardians to sign up for this committee if interested. If we have more interest than numbers, we will make sure that this committee comprises a diversity of opinion, grade levels, and experiences. Expect that survey later this week.
UHS Town Hall
We will host a brief Town Hall meeting next week, on Monday night, at 7:00 p.m. We will share what we know about reopening, as well as some other details. The link will be sent on Monday morning.
Have a great rest of your week. Be safe, be healthy, and be positive, as we enter the home stretch of this school year amidst very unsettling times.
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