Weekly News and Notes, December 22

Spartan Podcast, December 22

 

Graffiti Found in Classroom

 December 21, 2022

Dear Uxbridge Families, Students, and Extended Community:

On Wednesday, December 21, 2022, our school administration became notified of a swastika that was carved into a surface in a classroom. Unfortunately, this is the second time we have dealt with this sort of situation this year, and the timing and lack of specificity on when it may have first appeared - given that it was first reported or noticed today - has proven the investigation to be inconclusive.

While we have already worked to mitigate the vandalism, this act, which we believe has no direct connection to the graffiti discovered on November 7, is a reminder of the difficult work we have in this community, given the variety of biases and prejudicial attitudes that some people hold. Sometimes these symbols are etched purely for shock value and without a clear nexus to hate, but other times they provide a very clear connection to someone who is harboring truly hateful opinions and views of others. It is clear that we have much to do to continue to educate our students on the meaning behind these symbols; it is also obvious that eliminating these from our society has become even more complex over the past several years with the rise across the country in incidents of hate speech, anti-Semitism, and other forms of bigotry. We are neither immune nor blind to those here in Uxbridge.

It is in our Declaration of Independence that all are created equal, and we strive for a school environment that preserves and protects everyone’s dignity and where we hold ourselves and others to high standards of empathy, compassion, respect, and personal integrity. With our students and families, we share responsibility for building and maintaining a supportive community. 

Sincerely,

Mike Baldassarre Karen Dwyer Mike Rubin

Interim Superintendent Assistant Superintendent UHS Principal

Weekly News and Notes, December 16

Weekly News and Notes, December 9

Weekly News and Notes, December 2

Weekly News and Notes, November 18

Weekly News and Notes, November 10

Spartan Podcast, November 7

Weekly News and Notes, November 4

Weekly News and Notes, October 28

Weekly News and Notes, October 21

Weekly News and Notes, October 14

 

UHS: Traffic Study

 Dear UHS Community:

Over the next several weeks, we will be conducting a series of studies on the traffic patterns in and around Uxbridge High School, specifically looking at the challenges posed because of the single entrance and exit to the campus. To do so we have partnered with the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC), a state organization that supports the city of Worcester and the southern two-thirds of Worcester County in the areas of Transportation, Geographic Information Systems, and Community Planning.

As part of this research, The CMRPC will place two Automatic Traffic Recorders (ATRs) on Quaker Highway at locations north and south of the Uxbridge High School driveway. The exact locations will be selected at the time of installation, but they will be placed between the driveway and Mill Street & the driveway and Chocolog Road; please note that these locations may change after consultation with Uxbridge Police. 

In addition, The CMRPC will also install two traffic recording cameras to record vehicle movements at the two key intersections discussed during the meeting. The cameras will be mounted on aluminum poles to increase the visibility of the recording and will be tagged with CMRPC logos and documentation. The cameras will record the intersections of the Uxbridge High School driveway and Quaker Highway & Uxbridge High School driveway large loop and Uxbridge High School driveway small loop. CMRPC staff will use the information collected by the cameras to determine how vehicles move through the selected intersections and identify possible conflicts. Finally, CMRPC staff will be taking some physical measurements and conducting observations at various times of the day, which will allow them to gain first-hand experience of the issues reported by school, town, and public safety officials.

We remain committed to enhancing our campus to ensure that it meets the needs of our community, in terms of academics and safety, and we are grateful for this partnership. We look forward to sharing more about what we learn in the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Rubin

Principal

Uxbridge High School

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly News and Notes, September 30

Spartan Podcast, September 28

Weekly News and Notes, 9/23

 

ALICE Drill, 9/21

 Good evening,

On Wednesday, September 21st at 9:15 a.m., Uxbridge High School will be participating in a LockDown Drill.  This drill is no different than our required fire drills. The Uxbridge Public School District has a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan developed and maintained in continuous collaboration with the Uxbridge Police Department and Uxbridge Fire Department.  It is expected that all students participate in the prescribed emergency drills in their schools as instructed by the school administration and staff.  It is imperative that students understand the importance of engaging in these procedures in a serious manner so as to be fully prepared should an emergency arise during the school day. 

There are three types of drills that are required for all staff and students in all school buildings during the school year:   

Evacuation/Fire Drill – is used when it is important to move away from the building to a secure location away from the building.  These drills will take place at least four times per year under the direction of the Uxbridge Fire Department. 

Shelter in Place – is used to protect staff and students from incidents and/or distractions that are taking place in the hallway.  A hold in place implies that instruction should continue within the classroom, and that students should remain in the classroom until further notice. These drills will take place at least two times per year.  

Lockdown – is used to protect staff and students from a threat inside the building.  It is to be used when it may be more dangerous to evacuate the building than it is to stay in a secure classroom within the school and utilize tactics from ALICE training.   These drills will take place in coordination with the Uxbridge Police Department.   

Emergencies are unexpected, unpredictable, and take many forms.  No one can ever be fully prepared for everything that may happen as each situation happens in its own unique context.  However, the district Incident Management Plan is designed to provide a proven framework within those unique situations on which leaders and staff can rely.  When a school’s procedures are well rehearsed and automatic, the opportunity for a school leader to assess the situation and make appropriate immediate decisions is greater.   

During Wednesday's drill, there will be no announcement other than the initial call that a “LOCKDOWN DRILL” has been initiated. During this drill, Uxbridge PD will be on scene conducting interior and exterior checks of the building. Role players are not involved in this drill.

During this drill, the following topics and scenarios may be discussed with students.  All discussions will occur in an age appropriate fashion:

1. Review the difference between a lockdown and shelter in place
1. Lockdown - there is a threat inside or outside the building that poses a danger to their safety (This could be a rabid animal.)
2. Shelter in place - there is an incident happening in the school that does not pose any threat to safety.  Class instruction may continue.  All students and staff must remain in their room until drill or incident has concluded.

Review ALICE Procedures:

NOTE: ALICE IS USED IN ANY SITUATION THAT A LOCKDOWN/LOCKDOWN-DRILL IS CALLED

During this part, teachers will review ALICE protocol with students.

A - ALERT - PA announcement or any other communication of an active threat.  Note that this can be initiated by observations of teachers/students or PA announcements. If possible, pass information to notify others. Anyone may initiate the alert. Does not have to come from the principal or main office.

L - LOCKDOWN - Once threat is acknowledged, lock the door and prepare to barricade if warranted.

I - INFORM - The more information gathered, make decisions on actions taken (evacuate or barricade). This may come from additional announcements or your own observations.

C - COUNTER - Last resort: If there is no other option. Engage. Items may be thrown at the intruder, etc.

E - EVACUATE - THIS IS THE BEST OPTION.  If the threat is in another part of the building, evacuation is the best choice. After exiting the building, get as far away from the building as possible to a safe distance. Listen to your teacher’s instructions.  It’s best if the group is able to stay together during evacuation.--

As with any drill, we anticipate there being a number of responses and questions, and we have developed the means to engage students and staff in feedback. Drills such as this help develop our own acuity and situational awareness, even as we hope to never have to draw on these experiences and learnings. Also, please be aware that access to the campus may be limited during the drill.

Finally, we are grateful for the support of our Student Resource Officer, Dan Deveau, and our Dean of Students, Dave Moura, who have coordinated this drill for our school. Feel free to contact either of them or me directly to discuss any concerns or questions. 

Sincerely yours,

Michael D. Rubin

Principal, Uxbridge High School

Weekly News and Notes, September 16

Weekly News and Notes, September 9

 

Weekly News and Notes, September 1

 Good afternoon,

We have a few updates from UHS this week:

Unified Basketball

We have opened registration for Unified Basketball on FamilyID. Unified Sports joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. In Unified Sports, teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. Our basketball will likely practice 2-3 times weekly in preparation for games in October and November. Interested individuals can also reach out to Ms. Taglilatela or Ms. Wandyes with questions.

Locker Questions

Some families had inquired about locker access for students. We have the ability to assign any student a locker, should the student want one. All grade 8 students have been assigned lockers. For the most part, upperclassmen tend to not use lockers, but we offered them the opportunity to sign up for a locker, should they need one. If parents have quesitons about locker assignments, the students can contact their school counselor, Ms. Robertson in the counseling office, or Mr. Moura.

Podcast Episode

We have linked our latest podcast, with Mr. Bertrand and Mr. Moura as the guests:  https://anchor.fm/uxbridgehighschool/episodes/Spartan-Podcast--September-1-e1n8j7m

No School Friday or Monday

There is no school on Friday, September 2 or Monday, September 5.

Some Thoughts on the Opening

At the end of the first day of school, it is common practice for leadership teams to connect on the successes and challenges of a first day of school. This year, the list of challenges was short and those problems quite minor, really revolving around some classroom shifts to accommodate enrollment and making sure that we have adequate lunchroom seating. Our opening days here have been awesome - the energy is palpable, the positivity emergent in every classroom, and the genuine feeling of focus on many of our goals evident in our classroom visits. Our students have been cooperative, supportive, and communicative, while definitely bringing a sense of stability to our classrooms, alongside educators who have the opportunity to start the year by forging relationships and connecting with their students in ways that do not involve face masks and Zoom screens.

Relatively speaking, we had a good school year last year, but if the past couple of days are any indication, we truly are excited for the 2022-23 school year will bring us. We will push and challenge students and hardly think anything will be perfect, but we have the utmost confidence that the tone has been set for an overall great experience. As we have been sharing with students and staff alike, in the words of the late, great Bill Russell, winning streaks start with a single victory, and then we try to match it again. We certainly hope to sustain this momentum beyond this first week.

As always, reach out if there is anything we can do to support our Spartans. Have a great long weekend!

Michael Rubin, Principal

​Uxbridge High School

First Day of School: 2022-23!

Families, Guardians, and Spartans:

We are excited to welcome back our students on Wednesday! Some details for everyone can be found below:

1. For families who are dropping students off, we ask that these procedures for dropoff procedures are followed: https://youtu.be/fbCR_pZO4WE

2. We are again requesting that families wait until buses leave before leaving campus in the afternoon, and also stay away from the middle road if waiting for pickup. With the amount of time that some students are spending on buses, it is particularly important that we have the buses leave first.

3. Tomorrow at the start of the day, our students will be receiving several documents, including a Handbook verification, medical authorization form, biographical information, photo/video opt-out, school picture forms, information regarding free and reduced lunch, and details on optional accident insurance. We are asking that these be returned Thursday, except for picture forms, which will come in when photos are ordered and taken later in September. There is no school Friday.

4. Questions regarding transportation can be directed to central office, where Ann DeYoung, transportation coordinator, can assist.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone back on Wednesday!

Thank you,

Michael Rubin, Principal
Uxbridge High School

Spartan Podcast: Season Premier!

The first episode for 2022-23 can be heard below or by subscribing to the site. If you subscribe, you can listen on a variety of platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google, and others!

2022-23 Schedule Release

Good morning,

Within the next couple of days, student schedules for 2022-23 will be live via iStudent and iParent. Please be aware that there are still some adjustments being made, as counselors will be returning to work later this month. In some cases, some course sections may need to be adjusted as we balance class sizes, address different student needs, and ensure that all prerequisites are being met. For changes that families may wish to initiate, we are sharing a change request form at this link. Please note that we do not honor requests for specific teachers, and it may not be possible to arrange schedule changes for courses that students did not request in the spring. If a change is requested based on teacher personality, we do share those concerns with the teacher so that s/he may be aware of any potential or perceived issues.

We also know that there are some families receiving messages from UHS though they have either transferred from the school, moved, or graduated. The email distribution list will be updated within the next week or so, and if messages continue into September, please reach out so we can investigate how or why that is happening.

Finally, if grade 8 students have not registered for orientation, they may do so here: GRADE 8 ORIENTATION 

Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer!

Michael Rubin, Principal

Mid-Summer Newsletter, August 2022

Spartan Podcast: End of 2021-22 Edition

Weekly News and Notes: Last Day of School Edition

Weekly News and Notes, June 17

Weekly News and Notes, June 3

 

Weekly News and Notes, June 3

 We only have a couple of updates this week, as we are putting the finishing touches on Saturday's graduation.

Bus Registration for 2022-23

The bus registration deadline is Friday, June 17th. After that date, all seats will be based on availability and you may be put on a waiting list. Please go on www.uxbridgeschools.com under Department, Bus Transportation to register. There will be no bus changes accepted after August 22nd and a 2 day turnaround for all bus changes once school starts.

Summer Academy and Orientation

We will be sharing information in the coming weeks about August's summer academy, which provides some enrichment opportunities for students as they prepare for next year, as well as the Grade 8 orientation for the rising seventh graders. Parents/guardians for students in the Class of 2027 can anticipate orientation taking place the week of August 22, likely August 24 and August 25, from 9-1. Students will only have to attend one of the two dates.

Final Exams

Final exams begin on June 16 and continue through June 22, with no school on Monday, June 20. The last day of school, June 23, is an abbreviated schedule where students attend each of their seven classes. If a student requires an exam to be rescheduled, we do have a process for doing so, and that request should start with the administration.

Have a great weekend,

Mike Rubin, Principal

Weekly News and Notes, May 27

 

UHS Achieves National Recognition

 UXBRIDGE, MA – Uxbridge High School announced today that it has been recognized as a 2021-22 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Distinguished School. It is one of 191 high schools across the United States to receive this honor for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Computer Science, Biomedical Science, and Engineering. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in over 12,200 schools across the U.S. 

“Our partnership with Project Lead the Way continues to advance our school’s learning capacity in authentic, creative, and rigorous ways,” said Uxbridge High School Principal Michael Rubin. “For us to be in this select group of schools nation-wide speaks to the commitment of our educators and their skill, our entire school approach to applied learning, and, most importantly, to continue to push forward and relentlessly pursue excellence, regardless of the challenges we face.”

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, Uxbridge High School had to meet the following criteria in the 2020-21 school year: 

• Had 25 percent of students or more participate in PLTW High School courses, or of those who participated during the 2020-21 school year, at least 33 percent took two or more PLTW courses during their tenure at the school;  
• Offer and had students enrolled in at least three PLTW High School courses;  
• Had strategies and procedures in place that support reasonably proportional representation with regard to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender, and can support such claims with relevant data. 

 

Uxbridge High School is one of only three schools in the state of Massachusetts to have earned more than one Distinguished High School recognition. This year marks the third consecutive year that UHS has been named a Distinguished High School, one of only 71 schools in the country to have done so. UHS offers courses in engineering, biomedical science, and computer science.

 

“We are honored to recognize Uxbridge High School for their unwavering commitment to provide students with an excellent educational experience despite the last two years having been some of the most challenging in recent history for students and educators across the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. David Dimmett, Interim President and CEO of PLTW. “Uxbridge High School should be very proud of their achievements in unlocking their students’ potential and equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom no matter what career path they choose.”

Uxbridge High School is part of a community of PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, and corporate and philanthropic partners across the country united around a passion for providing students with inspiring, engaging, and empowering learning opportunities. For more information about PLTW’s recognition program, visit pltw.org/our-programs/program-recognition.  

Weekly News and Notes, May 20

Weekly News and Notes, May 6

Weekly News and Notes, April 28

 

Weekly News and Notes, April 14

 We have a just a few updates from UHS this week:

1. Students in grade 8 have started their last rotation of exploratory. If there are questions regarding specific career pathways heading into grade 9, feel free to reach out to our School Counselors, Dean of Students, or Administration. We will be happy to discuss any of the options that we have and how they intersect with next year's class selections.

2. The high school office will be closed next week for April break.

3. Senior scholarship application deadlines are rapidly approaching! As of this week, we had several scholarships for which applicants were limited or, in some cases, seeing very low numbers. We hope that the Class of 2022 will afford themselves of the many local opportunities, as we often distribute more than $100,000 in scholarship at our awards night.

4. Congratulations to Senior Cristian Oliveira, who attended the Worcester County Superintendents' Association scholarship luncheon, held on Wednesday at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Cristian was the UHS recipient due to his impeccable academic record, strong character, and extracurricular involvement. 

5. We held a grade 7 parent coffee on Thursday morning and plan on hosting another in a couple of weeks. In the interim, if there are any questions from families in the Class of 2027, do not hesitate to contact us directly.

If people are celebrating a holiday this weekend, we hope you have a festive, joyous occasion with family and friends.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Rubin, Principal

Uxbridge High School

Weekly News and Notes, April 8

Weekly News and Notes, April 1

 

Class of 2022 Scholarship Information

Good morning,

Earlier today, we shared local scholarship information with the members of the Class of 2022. This has also been updated on the School Counseling Page of the website, located at this link or by pasting this address into your browser: https://www.uxbridgeschools.com/site/default.aspx?PageID=633.

Please be aware that may of these applications have deadlines and/or specific criteria. Students in need of transcripts, references, or other specific information should plan to be proactive and not be rushing in the hours before a deadline, which is something seen, without fail, every year.

Michael Rubin, Principal

Class of 2022 Letter

Good afternoon,

We feel like it is important to clarify some of the procedures around seniors who invoking the law to dismiss themselves, based on their being age of 18 and having reached the age of majority. As we shared in our senior class meeting earlier this month, we hope to not get to the point of invoking some of these consequences, but it would appear that some students are feeling more entitled to certain things than they ought to be, particularly at this juncture of the year. We shared this exact message with the students earlier today, and we hope to enlist your support as we prepare for these final months of the school year.

It is 100% accurate that a student who is 18 can dismiss him or herself from school. However, when that student leaves school and does not have a reason for the excused absence (i.e. medical appointment, court, legal appointment that cannot be scheduled outside the school day, college visit), and then the student misses class, the student is considered to have cut class or been absent from class without permission. Dismissing during a privilege or Early College block has been permitted, so long as the senior privilege has not been revoked, though we are, at this point, seriously considering removing that for the remainder of the year and moving toward directed study halls.

The language about Senior Privileges from the Handbook is below. We call your attention specifically to #'s 3 and 4, which had been relaxed during COVID-19 but will be followed verbatim:

Senior Privileges

Senior Privileges allow seniors who are on pace to graduate, have maintained academic and behavioral standards, and who wish to have a greater personal independence to elect a self-directed period in the schedule. With administrative approval, a student may elect a Privilege Block both semesters of the senior year. The purpose of this privilege is to permit seniors to practice the core values of responsibility and integrity.

Guidelines for Senior Privileges:

1. Seniors must be passing all subjects at the end of each quarter. Grades are reviewed and privileges suspended or restored on the Monday following the date of report cards being issued.
2. The senior must be on pace to graduate on time, without any outstanding failures or with the ability to take one period for no credit.
3. The senior will elect a period called “self-directed” senior privilege. When that period falls at the start of the day, s/he will be permitted to arrive to school late, at 8:24 a.m., and when that period falls at the end of the day, s/he will be permitted to be dismissed at 12:55. During the day, the senior is permitted to work independently in the library, breakout area, guidance, or cafeteria. Seniors may not leave and return to school if this period falls during period 2, 3, 4, or 5.  Students participating in athletics or extracurricular activities are allowed to leave during the last period of the day, and return for their after school commitments.
4. This procedure is a privilege; it can be revoked by administration or parent at any time.
5. Only those students who have the senior privilege contract signed by an administrator may participate.
6. Those students arriving late to school in the morning must sign-in at a designated area outside the main office, and will report directly to the cafeteria. Students must be on time for the second period of the day.
7. Students must leave the school grounds immediately after signing out and not loiter on school grounds if leaving early.
8. Parents or guardians must sign a release form that releases the school of the responsibility of the student upon the student’s dismissal to school, or prior to the student’s arrival.
9. In the event that a student’s privilege has been revoked, student or parent-requested dismissals that include the designated privilege period will not be granted, unless a dismissal is administratively approved. If it is determined that a student is circumventing a privilege that has been revoked by being dismissed during what would have been a privilege period, the student will face school consequences.
10. With administrative approval, a student may elect a Privilege Block both semesters of the senior year. 

The Handbook is pretty specific about disciplinary consequences for infractions that occur that can result in social consequences, specifically considering the prom, senior week, and graduation, all of which are privileges:

Social and Extracurricular Suspension

1. The principal or designee may remove a student from privileges, such as extracurricular activities and attendance at school-sponsored events, based on the student’s misconduct.
2. Severe or excessive disciplinary referrals may result in ineligibility for all extra-curricular activities including but not limited to: sports teams, clubs, dances, social events, Junior Prom/Senior Prom etc.  Students and parents will have a meeting with administration and receive written notification when in danger of receiving such consequences.
3. Further, if a senior student possesses excessive disciplinary referrals, he/she will not be permitted to take part in any senior week activities (those activities that traditionally take place during the week following Senior Release).  This may also include senior trips, Senior Scholarship Night and/or graduation ceremonies.
4. In cases of social and/or extracurricular suspension, the decision of the principal’s designee (i.e. the assistant principal) may be appealed to the principal, whose decision will be final.

Please note that #1 above does not state the nature of the misconduct, only that we reserve the right to remove students from privileged events. Students who are consistently cutting class by absenting/dismissing themselves from school, under the guise of being "18," will be held accountable. Parent notes in these cases will not suffice, particularly since students who are 18 are taking responsibility for their own action when dismissing. 

We understand that the seniors have had a challenging and unique course of time here at UHS, and we are excited to work with the class on many of their culminating events. We simply do not want some of their decisions to end up creating more significant problems than anticipated, which can obviously compromise prom, senior week, and graduation, which, unfortunately, seems to be the case for at least some students every year. 

We appreciate the support.

Michael D. Rubin, Principal

Uxbridge High School

 

Weekly News and Notes, March 25

Weekly News and Notes, March 18

Weekly News and Notes, March 11

 

Grade 8-11 Scheduling Information

 Slides can be viewed here:

Video can be viewed here:

Audio can heard here:

Grade 7 Open House

Dear Parent/Guardian of the Class of 2027:

It is hard to believe that in a few short months your students will be joining us at Uxbridge High School, as we welcome our incoming eighth graders, the Class of 2027, to school this August. As we progress through the spring, we hope that this Open House will be the start of several opportunities where we will help you, the students, and our staff learn about each other, get excited about the opportunities ahead, and ease the transition.

In that spirit, we are excited to invite you to our upcoming Open House at Uxbridge High School. This has been scheduled for Thursday, March 24, 2022, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The night takes  a structured approach with a combination of time with our administration, introduction to different disciplines, and having an opportunity to see the building. Our hope is that you will not only come with questions to ask of our staff and students, but also use the time to learn a bit about what grade 8 looks like at Uxbridge High School, as the schedule, course offerings, and extracurricular activities are a bit different than what students have experienced as students at Whitin.

So you can plan accordingly, the schedule for the night will essentially be:

6-6:30: Auditorium, presentation by administration

6:35-6:50: Tour stop 1

6:55-7:10: Tour stop 2

7:15-7:30: Tour stop 3

7:35-7:50: Tour stop 4

7:55-8:10: Tour stop 5

8:15-8:30: Tour stop 6

Parents/guardians and their students will be broken up into small groups and will follow different paths around the building, but that will allow all participants to see each of the areas and speak with department leaders and teachers about the experiences and opportunities at UHS.

In the coming weeks, we will also be hosting some parent coffees and Zoom meetings to help alleviate any concerns and answer any questions that parents may have. Additionally, we are hosting the seventh grade students at UHS on the morning of March 10. We also plan on visiting Whitin with students and school counselors over the next few weeks to help build additional relationships and have students answer questions from students.

We look forward to seeing you here on the 24th. Please reach out if you have any questions or needs!

Sincerely,

Michael D. Rubin

Principal

Uxbridge High School

Email: mrubin@uxbridge.k12.ma.us

Phone: 508-278-8633, extension 4000

Weekly News and Notes, March 4

 

Masking Optional at UHS

Dear Families, Guardians, Students, and UHS Community:

We shared before the February break that the Uxbridge Public Schools are transitioning to a “mask optional” status, effective February 28, 2022. As we prepare to return to school from the break, we wanted to share some details with families, students, and the community as a whole to help support everyone in this transition. Some details remain very much the same, even as we move away from masks.

• Daily Health Screening.  Continue to monitor for symptoms while at home, assessing symptoms and being mindful of COVID-19 exposures in your daily lives. If the answer to any questions regarding symptoms or potential exposures, particularly within families or households, it is important that the student stay home and not report to school. For additional support, contact your family’s medical provider and Ms. Schiller, our school nurse. .
• Illness at School.  Should your child become ill during the school day, he/she will be assessed by the School Nurse.  Please note that individuals entering the School Nurse’s Office may be required to wear a mask, in accordance with standard infection control procedures, for the protection of staff and students in the Nurse’s Office.  If, upon assessment by the School Nurse using criteria from the Department of Public Health and our school’s testing protocols, it is determined that your child may be contagious with COVID-19, the child will be monitored and families contacted for dismissal. The School Nurse may recommend a COVID-19 in school test or at home test as needed along with instructions on when your child may return to school.
• Isolation & Quarantine for Positive Cases of COVID-19 and/or Close Contacts to a Positive COVID-19 Case. Notify your School Nurse if your child or anyone in their household tests positive for COVID-19.  School Nurses will continue to follow existing isolation and quarantine policies based on DESE and DPH guidance that have been communicated previously.
• Masks. While masks will be optional effective February 28, 2022, individuals entering the School Nurses’ offices may be required to wear a mask upon entry in accordance with infection control practices. In addition, after testing positive and returning from school, masks are required to be worn until day 10. Also, any student who wishes to wear a mask while in school is certainly permitted to do so.
• In addition, the DESE and DPH dropped the mask requirement on buses effective February 25, 2022.
• COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility.  At this time, students age 5 and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination. If you or your child are eligible and want to get vaccinated and/or get your booster, there are many places to do so. Please communicate vaccination status with Ms. Schiller.
• If you have not previously participated in pool testing or take-home testing programs and wish to do so, please contact the high school nurse’s office, and we will be sure to include students moving forward. Please note: we distribute tests to students directly, and only about 40 of the 180 students who are signed up for at-home testing picked up tests before break. These are distributed in the cafeteria for students to pick up when they report to lunch.

We want to continue to remind all students and staff of the importance of remaining vigilant as we transition to a mask-optional environment. We appreciate your individual efforts towards keeping your child, your family, and those in our school community safe and healthy, and, should there be any changes to procedures as directed by DESE or DPH guidance, we will be sure to communicate those as efficiently as possible.

Sincerely yours,

Michael D. Rubin, Principal

Uxbridge High School

UHS: ASVAB Administration

 Uxbridge High School will be offering the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program (CEP) on Tuesday, April 5th to all interested sophomores.  

The ASVAB CEP consists of a 1.5 hour career aptitude assessment followed by a 60 minute Post-Test Interpretation session using your student’s results.  The Post-Test Interpretation session will be done virtually on Tuesday, April 26th.  

While many people know the ASVAB is a test used for military enlistment and classification, the ASVAB CEP is much more than a military test. The program helps students learn about their skills and interests, identify potential occupations, and discover all the pathways to career-field entry. For students interested in the military, the ASVAB score will provide students a list of jobs in the military they would be qualified to perform.

The ASVAB aptitude test is administered by a representative from the military; however, there is absolutely no obligation to enlist in the armed services after taking the ASVAB.  Test scores and identifying information will not be shared with the military or military recruiters.  ASVAB test results will, however, be sent to your child’s Guidance Counselor who will use the results to help advise your child with postsecondary planning decisions.

Sophomore students who are interested in the ASVAB CEP should submit the Google Form that was emailed to them and posted in the Class of 2024 Google Classroom.

If you are interested in learning more about ASVAB CEP, here is a helpful link with information about the program https://www.asvabprogram.com/.

If you have any questions about the ASVAB CEP, please contact your child’s Guidance Counselor.

Thank you.

The UHS Counseling Team

Weekly News and Notes, February 18

Weekly News and Notes, February 4

Spartan Podcast, February 3

Weekly News and Notes, January 21

Weekly News and Notes, January 14

 

COVID-19 Protocols and Safety Updates

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Extended UHS Community:

We wanted to keep you updated and informed about some of our shifts at UHS, particularly as a number of people have reached out about safety and precautionary measures after 25 cases of COVID-19 were identified over the past four days. We hope that this letter will provide you with some clarity and comfort, even though we know many are anxious about the developments of the pandemic, whether it is the extension of the mask mandate or the prevalence of the Omicron variant.

A podcast with this information can be heard here: https://anchor.fm/uxbridgehighschool/episodes/Spartan-Podcast--January-11-e1cqevb

Pausing Athletics

Earlier today, we communicated with winter track and cheerleading, indicating that we have paused team activities until Thursday. We will make a decision on Wednesday as to resuming activities, since we will be examining data trends to ensure that in-team transmission can be prevented. Please keep in mind that we follow state protocols. That means that close contacts on teams who are not vaccinated will either have to test-and-stay, with parental consent, or quarantine.

For athletes who test positive, we do have a return-to-play protocol that our athletic trainer and athletic director will communicate with individual student-athletes. We do this to ensure that primary care physicians and medical professionals are supporting the student-athletes before they return to competition.

Reconfiguring Lunch

We had our first day of lunch reconfiguration on Monday. This is one step we have taken to help mitigate the spread of the virus in school, since lunch was the time period when students were unmasked for longer periods of time than a simple or casual mask break. For students who return to school on day 6 following a five-day isolation period for illness, we will have them eat in the auditorium as well, away from others, since we do not yet have data on the transmissibility of the virus, though CDC protocol indicates that students can return to school if masked at all times on day 6. (It is impossible to be masked while eating!)

Today’s lunch reconfiguration went well, and we appreciate how flexible and responsible our students have been. Again, we will be attempting to adjust at the end of the month.

Symptom Management

While we recognize that the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to that of the common cold, influenza, bronchitis, and seasonal allergies, it is very important that families contact the school nurse and/or primary care provider immediately when symptoms appear. Unfortunately, due to the contagious nature of the current COVID-19 omicron variant, symptoms appear quickly and are transmissible sooner than previous variants, based on medical observation and data. As a result, sometimes individuals are spreading the virus while thinking they have a simple common cold or allergies, both of which can be managed. Again, with questions, we ask you to reach out before making assumptions. Finally, if students are presenting any symptoms, they should not come to school.

Class Contacts and Learning

Our staff has kept students spaced at least three and up to six feet apart during class time, which assists us greatly with close contacts and contact tracing. Students have been mostly compliant with mask wearing over these past two weeks, since returning from the holiday break. Fortunately, for the vast majority of the past two years, in-school transmission has been extremely rare.

For students who are absent, teachers are still utilizing Google Classroom for posting classwork, which will enable students to stay current. Some teachers may be available for office hours or conferencing, and all teachers access email and Google Classroom throughout the day, for students who may have questions about work that is posted. We understand that some students are anxious about missing work, and we will work to ensure that makeup procedures are manageable. At the same time, we want students to focus on their health if ill, and we also know that some students have had some chronic medical challenges as a result of COVID-19. We are ready to support regardless of the situation. 

The one area where we do not have flexibility is with respect to remote learning. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education no longer approves remote learning for any kind of time-on-learning, which means virtual days cannot take the place of school, even for inclement weather. We will do our best to continue to staff classes as best we can, and, fortunately, we have been able to maintain our schedule without significant changes over the past several days.

Some of the medical professionals with whom we consult have indicated that the plateau of the “spike” may already be upon us, or at least occurring within the next ten days. The pace of the descent from this recent spike is a little less clear in looking at trends from Great Britain and South Africa, but we are hopeful that the worst will soon be behind us.

We appreciate your continued support, flexibility, and cooperation.

Michael D. Rubin, Principal

Uxbridge High School

 

January 11 Podcast

 Tune in below!