Newsletter
Issue 5 | Volume 3 | December 2017
Uxbridge High School 300 Quaker Highway Uxbridge, MA 508-278-8633
Hopefully, many of you are reading this newsletter with anticipating the holidays - a week off from school, a time to spend with friends and family, and a time to consider and ponder the new year, which is already almost upon us. With our school year roughly a third of the way completed, the holiday break often comes at a good time for our students and staff, all of whom can use the opportunity to recharge their batteries. Some anecdotes over the past few weeks: We look ahead to 2018 with a careful blend of excitement and anxiety. As many people no doubt know by now, the School Committee has voted to temporarily close the McCloskey Middle School, citing several factors, including the decline of both enrollment and the decay of the facility in general. We will bring the eighth graders to Uxbridge High School next year; over the past year, in anticipation of the potential move, we have been studying our capacity, both as a community and physical plant, to absorb an additional grade, and we are excited about the opportunities that our staff will have to grow from new colleagues. At the same time, we know that the enhanced programmatic offerings for the middle schoolers are reason enough to welcome them to our facility and school. In the past several weeks, we have started our reaccreditation self-study in earnest, using the results of the Endicott Survey, for which we received an astounding 39% parent response rate (typically, schools are happy with 25%). Within a calendar year, the project will be done, and we anticipate the process being both validating and enriching as we consider opportunities for growth. Last month, we hosted a group from Wahconah Regional High School and East Berkshire Regional School District, including community and school representatives. They are studying model schools for their own building project, and we brought together several stakeholders from the UHS project, including students, teachers, school committee, and town representatives. They paid us the compliment of seeing a real connection between being a "building" and being a "school," and they told us repeatedly how "inspired" our school made them feel. We recently hosted an educational consultant who is working with us on developing additional partnerships. with higher education. As part of his work, he met with a group of students, which started with three students asked to attend and who were told to "bring a friend." After meeting with a random selection of about 16 students, our guest, who has worked with thousands of high schools over the past four decades, told us that was completely impressed with the honesty, articulateness, and intellect of our students. Few occasions have left us so proud. Our guidance counselors have taken students to college visits at three different sites, in addition to hosting our own college fair. The feedback and impressions of our students are effusively positive. We have been paid compliments about our students at the annual Holiday Party, helping out at the elementary schools, showing good sportsmanship across the playing fields, and their commitment to others through a number of community service initiatives. As we look ahead to the 2018 "half" of this school year, we wish you all a happy, healthy holiday and the best for the new year. Warmly, Michael Rubin, Principal
December
A holiday message
Following several months of study by a Building Study Group, and taking numerous points into consideration, the Uxbridge School Committee took action on November 21 to temporarily close the McCloskey Middle School building. In the past several months, we have been working on plans and discussing a number of details, including academics, facility needs, staffing needs, programmatic changes, needed student supports, special education services, transportation, and extracurricular programs. We plan on holding some parent meetings in the winter and spring regarding course selections, explaining some of the needs that our community will face in terms of integrating grade 8 to UHS, and working with parents and students on orientation topics for the coming year. There are many questions that are, no doubt, unanswered or on people's minds. As such, we hope people take advantage of reaching out to administration or following updates to the building reconfiguration website. There is also a form on that site through which questions can be asked.
Bringing Grade 8
School committee voteS to close MCCLOSKEY MS
Plan Ahead!
Some considerations for the future:
We will host scheduling and parent nights for grade 8 AND grade 7 in January and February. Course selections for grade 8 and grade 9 will be completed in February. Counselors and administrators are available now to conference with parents and answer questions.
to UHS
We have plans for some sports to become 8-12 instead of simply 9-12. That will enable some of our sports to have junior varsity programs again, which in an ongoing concern from the entire league. Clubs, activities, and other co-curricular offerings will be 8-12, not 9-12. Grade 8 classes will count toward meeting prerequisites, but will not meet graduation requirements. For example, a student who takes and passes Art I or Spanish I in grade 8 will have the opportunity to take more advanced classes starting in grade 9, but that class will not meet the art graduation requirement or count toward the two-year world language requirement for most colleges and universities. We plan on incorporating elements of the middle school's successful advisory program to UHS in the coming months.
The Holidays
Led by the efforts of Mr. Hurley Silbor, a member of our social studies department, and Ms. Rebecca Wise, one of our building secretaries, the 20th annual holiday party was a success, with several hundred youngsters enjoying a tremendously positive event at Uxbridge High School on Friday, December 1. UHS students decorated the building for a full holiday celebration, with games, crafts, activities, cookie decorating, and even an appearance by Santa. More than 75 UHS students were involved in some form of volunteering for the event, which helped raise several hundred donations for the Uxbridge Food Pantry. The event has been an annual showcase of the spirit of Uxbridge High School's giving and cooperation with the community, and this year was no exception! We appreciate the efforts of our staff volunteers, our students, and those in the community who helped sponsor the event!
20th annual holiday party a resounding success
at UHS
The Music Department showcased a number of talented musicians and an impressive repetoire at the Holiday Concert, held to a nearly packed house on December 5. For those who couldn't make it to the show, or who may have missed it on Uxbridge Cable Access, here's a look at what the hard work of Ms. Penza, the Concert Choir, Jazz Band, Spartones, and Concert Band put together!
ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT Features 20+ acts
Check out the highlights of our fall sports season! Thanks to our colleagues at UCTV for providing this great footage of our Spartans!
Spartan Showcase
On UCTV
Senior Joey DuBois recently chatted with Mr. Rubin about some of the upcoming events at UHS, successes of the fall semester, and plans for the start of our winter.
Some important info
the application process
At this point in the year, some students may be starting to hear back from colleges. It is important, thus, to reach out to the school counselors, set up appointments, and meet to discuss the different opportunities that these schools may be providing, or what follow-up steps may be needed from students. In addition, there may be other students who have yet to apply. Fear not! There is still time this school year, but some deadlines may have passed. If that is the case, schools with rolling admissions, or even a "gap year," may be a good option. A gap year is a period of time where students take a year away from academic schooling to explore other options in life, particularly pursuing career or travel, living in a different part of the country, or volunteering. A good article/resource on the benefit of a gap year can be found here. For the two-year schools, our UHS school counselors can look at different options, including Quinsigamond, CCRI, Mass Bay, and other local community colleges, both public and private. We are hosting a "Decision Day" with QCC here at UHS on December 20! For the second half of the year, our attention will actually turn to the juniors, as we establish some guidelines, processes, and procedures to enable our underclassmen to return to school in the fall with some of the steps to the college application process already in place. Parents of juniors should be on the lookout for a second-semester "junior planning night." Parents should feel free to reach out with any questions or feedback!
application checkpoints come and go
Decide which colleges to apply to and find their deadlines Make sure all colleges are listed on Naviance under “Colleges I Am Applying To” with the correct application deadlines. Common App and Naviance - please double check that the list in Naviance is accurate and add non-Common App schools Check deadlines and only list Early Action as your application deadline IF the college offers Early Action! The only schools that may not have a deadline (denoted by a ‘-’ in your college list) listed are those with rolling admissions, in which case you can talk to your counselor about setting a personal deadline. Create a Common App account and Complete Education section & FERPA Waiver The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted by Congress in order to protect the privacy of students and their parents. FERPA is designed to ensure that students and parents of students may obtain access to the student’s educational records and challenge the content or release of such records to third parties. http://www.naceweb.org/public/ferpa0808.htm Step 1: Create a Common App account on www.commonapp.org Step 2: Complete the Common Application Account Matching step on the “Colleges I’m Applying To” page on your Naviance account. You must have a college listed on the “Colleges I’m Applying To” page in order to match your Naviance and Common App accounts.
for Seniors
College application checkpoints
Application Due Date
Submit Required Materials to School Counseling Office by:
November 1
October 16
November 15
October 30
December 1
December 15
January 1
December 16
January 15
January 4
February 1
February 15
January 29
SPARTAN ACADEMICS
What isTaiChi? Tai chi is a way of moving. It is a graceful, slow-moving exercise often seen in China. Tai chi has also been called the Perfect Exercise. Its accessible to everyone, regardless of age or fitness level. The injury rate is low while the health and fitness benefits are high. Ron Allen from Tai Chi for You visited our creative movement classes twice, talking about the history and benefits of tai chi and having students participate. He also facilitates classes for free at the Public Library! talked about the history and benefits of tai chi Had the students participate in traditional tai chi movements and practice Ron teaches severalTaiChiclasses around the area including but not limited to the senior center and the library. Ron often holds FREE classes at the Uxbridge Public Library
Issue 6 | Volume 4 | 2013
Wellness classes with guest educators, students learn lifelong tai chi skills
Uxbridge High School
One of our re-accreditation standards speaks to the school's purposeful planning of interdisciplinary curricula. In some places and departments, this may happen more frequently, such as when history and English teachers collaborate on similar units. Recently, our Spanish III classes worked with the Creative Movement class to design and teach lessons on different forms of Latin dance!
interdisciplinary curriculum work: spanish and creative movement
Even Mr. Rubin stopped by to get a quick lesson on Flamenco dancing!
SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER: The Uxbridge Public School district continues to use the Connect-ED telephone system, television and radio service, and our local cable access to contact parents, faculty, and staff to alert of school delays/closings. Mr. Rubin will also post on Twitter as soon as he is made aware of any closure, delay, or otherwise, via @UxbHSPrincipal. Please note: Mr. Rubin is not the deciding voice of school cancellation when you contact him the morning of a snowstorm!
News and Notes
Some Important
The main office for the high school will be closed for winter break, starting the afternoon of December 22, and reopening on Tuesday, January 2. There are a number of athletic events over the break, so the building will be periodically open. If there is inclement weather over the break, any building closure will be communicated through coaches, website, Blackboard, and social media.
Issue 5 | Volume 2 | December 2016
Seniors Lucas Horan, Alex McCall, Ryan Morais, Andy Kuros, and Cody Normandin pose with the newly-minted championship banner!
