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Good afternoon Utica High families,
We’ve made it to the end of another fantastic week at the U. Our athletes have been on fire, our students have been great, our seniors are two Monday’s away from the start of their last week of high school and we have a lot of work left to do! A big shout out to People’s Choice Award winner Sydnee Roelandt who was honored by the Congressional Art Contest last week.
Thanks to the parents who helped us celebrate our amazing teaching staff again this week with a wonderful luncheon! Next Thursday is the final luncheon. A number of parents have reached out to ask how they can help! Good news, we’re still looking for dishes for our last Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, for Thursday, May 19. The theme is Utica Pot Luck, and just looking for a fun mix of dishes, soups, salads, pasta, whatever your family loves. We also need more parents to help out both on the 19th and on the 12th! Here is the LINK to the Signup Genius. Please take a second and see if there is something you can contribute!
As of this week, your juniors and sophomores are at the midpoint or progress report period of the last quarter. Please make sure you’re checking their grades with them and that adjustments are made to ensure that they’re on track to earn credits! Two weeks ago, UCS shared its Summer School menu. You can find the UCS 2022 Summer Programs on the UCS website. Should a student lose credit, there are options to earn it back! As, or more, importantly there are many options for credit forward and other opportunities for growth! All summer programming is free this year, so we hope students take advantage of it, regardless of their reasons.
As we get into the spring and nice weather, we always see challenges in behavior, dress, and the rest. Please talk to your student about appropriate dress for school. That can be found in our Parent-Student Handbook on page 28. In addition, we’ve seen an increase in parking violations. Over the past three days, Mr. Kranzo and I have spoke to at least a dozen students about parking in inappropriate places. We’ve had at least a half dozen or more Ticketed vehicles for illegal and handicapped parking – that will continue. Parking in general has been an issue and juniors could lose parking privileges going forward and seniors could have theirs suspended for the year if these continue.
Congratulations to all of our AP Testing students who finished those assessments this week. The amount of work that their teachers and Mrs. Carabelli, our AP Coordinator, put in is incredible. I want to thank them as well as the incredible students who took on this heavy lift and committed to the process. I trust that your efforts will be rewarded!
As we near the end of our Seniors’ time at UHS, we have several reminders. Prom tickets wrapped up sales on Thursday, caps and gowns were handed out yesterday and today, and we are off to the races. Next Monday, our UHS Academic Scholars, invited by the Board of Education, will be celebrated at the Board Meeting. If your student is attending, please make sure to get there early as Utica High and Stevenson are both being honored that night. Tuesday is our UHS Senior Honors Night. We will rehearse with students Tuesday afternoon, during 5th hour. Next week is Senior Week as we celebrate the last full week at the U, and the following week is exam week. Remember, exams will be on Wednesday, May 25 (4-6) and Thursday, May 26 (1-3). On Thursday, all seniors will be released at 10:30 am to the picnic or to home.
Some students were scheduled to attend our last Saturday School, on May 23, but that has been cancelled. Students hoping to use that to make up hours for attendance will have to find another means by working with their teachers or administrator.
Students who are on Credit Review are running out of times to submiut their appeals. Seniors that have been placed on credit review have until May 25th to turn in the appeal and credit restoration paperwork to their associate principal. Sophomore and Juniors can turn the paperwork in May 25th – June 7th. The appeals forms can be found on the UHS website under How Do I and UCS Attendance Policy.
Next week we not only celebrate the seniors last full week, but we celebrate some of our choir and band. The UHS Choir has their last concert of the year on Thursday, May 19. That is followed by our Band who has their last performance of the year on Monday, May 23. Our performing arts students and their incredible teachers bring so much joy to the U. We are grateful for them, and I hope you are able to support them at those shows!
A reminder that during May we will be welcoming Shelby Township Police Department K-9 officers back into the high schools. Please see the attached letter as notice that we will be conducting K-9 searches of the school for illegal substances. This is a continuation of programs in place prior to the pandemic that are a part of a wholistic effort to ensure a safe environment for learning in school. The K-9 unit is specifically trained to identify prohibited materials or substances that should not be on school property, such as a vapor. The time and date that the K-9 will not be made available prior to the visit. The K-9 units will be used in all areas except instructional spaces where students are present.
It is not too late for our seniors to sign-up for Macomb Community College. Whether you’re planning on attending a 4-year university or going into trades, MCC has an incredible roster of offerings. For students who are confused about what they need and how to get started, a Macomb Community College Representative will be here to help you apply or answer questions you might have about your application, admission steps or Macomb in general. The Representative will be here NEXT Tuesday May 17th from 10-12 in our Career Center to answer questions or help those who still want to apply to Macomb for the fall. Students can email Dr. Perry to be released to come down and meet with the MCC Rep.
The 2022 SACC summer camp theme is “Traveling through the Nifty 50” and will run from Monday, June 20, 2022 to Friday, August 12, 2022. Please note that camp will not be held on July 4, 2022. Registration opened on April 25, 2022; please see attached and click here for more information and to register: https://ucscommunityeducation.ce.eleyo.com/
Food Services wants to remind families that the Department of Health and Human Services has provided notice to families qualifying for P-EBT benefits. Families that have not received notice but believe they qualify can complete a reconsideration form. Students eligible for free and reduced meals or those attending a CEP building who were absent due to COVID, may qualify for P-EBT benefits. Please refer to the attached notice regarding eligibility for the Pandemic EBT program. Families that believe they should be reconsidered for benefits can complete the reconsideration form located at www.michigan.gov/pebt. Parents/guardians are responsible for completing sections 1, 2 and 4. Completed forms can be sent to your school’s main office or the office of Food and Nutrition Services.
Join Utica Community Schools Community Education on Tuesday, May 10, 2022 for our walk-in recruitment drive. Apply and interview onsite for a variety of jobs – catering to all experience levels – within our Community Education Department including Early Childhood, Adult Education, Great Start Readiness Program and School Age Child Care.
We have several part-time and full-time opportunities available, many of which will follow the school year:
- Lead Preschool Teacher
- Community Education Clerical
- Early Childhood Coordinator
- Early Childhood Assistant Teacher
- Early Childhood Infant-Toddler Assistant Teacher
- Adult Education and English as a Second Language Supervisor
- Adult Education Testing Assistant
- Adult Education Secretary
- Great Start Readiness Program Lead Teacher
- Great Start Readiness Program Associate Teacher
- School Age Child Care Director
- School Age Child Care Assistant
We look forward to seeing you there. For more information, please visit: www.UticaK12.org/UCSjobs.
Utica High has had another great week in sports. Boys track is undefeated clinching the MAC White for the third season in a row. Tennis had big wins against Stevenson leading them to a pivotal match tonight that could capture a piece of the MAC championship. Golf has had two wins in a row and are back on the course tonight and baseball, softball and lacrosse continue to battle! We have a great deal of pride in our athletes both in their success and the way the represent the U in all they do!
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Tom Lietz
Principal