Dear Parents,

We welcome you to our Kindergarten - 6th grade Open House on Tuesday, September 10, 2024! This special event is designed for parents and provides an opportunity for our teachers to share valuable insights about classroom routines, communication methods, and the curriculum for the year. Each presentation will take place in your child's teacher's classroom, giving you a chance to connect directly with them.

To accommodate families with multiple children, we will be offering two identical presentation sessions:

First Session: 6:30 - 6:55 (25 minutes, including the UCS video)

Second Session: 7:10 - 7:30 (20 minutes)

We look forward to seeing you and partnering with you for a successful school year ahead!

Warm regards,

Renee Fiema, Ed.D.

Chuck E Cheese Fundraiser Dates
Thursday Nov 7, 2024
Tuesday Feb 18, 2025
Tuesday March 25
Friday April 25

As we continue to work together to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all our students, I want to take a moment to address an important aspect of our daily routine: parking lot etiquette.

Here are a few key reminders to keep in mind:

1. Slow Down: Please drive slowly and cautiously in the parking lot and stop at the crosswalks before proceeding. Children can be unpredictable, and it's crucial to always be vigilant.

2. Use Designated Drop-Off and Pick-Up Lane west driveway (Arcola): If you're dropping off your child, please use the curbside (to the right) as the drop-off zone and refrain from parking in this undesignated area. This keeps traffic flowing smoothly and reduces the risk of accidents.

3. Thru Lane: The designated THRU LANE is for vehicles entering the parking lot to park and those exiting the lot. Do not park in the thru lanes along the curb. If it is not a parking space, don't park there.

4. Use the Crosswalks: Always use the two main crosswalks.

5. Be Patient and Courteous: We all have busy schedules, but patience goes a long way. Remember, the crossing guard is a parent volunteer. 😊

With everyone's cooperation, we can maintain a safe and efficient process. If you have any questions or concerns about parking lot procedures, please feel free to contact the school office.

We are excited to announce the upcoming Fun Run Fundraiser for our school and would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for your continued support! Your efforts in helping us raise funds make a huge difference, giving us the flexibility to purchase essential materials like consumable supplies, specialty Montessori items, recess equipment, furniture, technology, and so many other enhancements that enrich our students' learning environment.

Our dedicated teachers are committed to this event and have played an active role in shaping the classroom incentives to ensure they align with our Montessori philosophy. In partnership with Apex, we’ve worked together to incorporate lessons that support our students’ growth in leadership and character. The teachers are excited to welcome Apex into our school and look forward to seeing how the fun and learning come together for this great cause!

Here’s the key information for this year’s event:

September 9– Fun Run Kick Off, Wear Orange and Blue our Fun Run Colors

September 10-17 – Leadership Lessons & Challenges

September 19 – Fun Run Day! (A schedule will be coming soon)

• We’re introducing the exciting Glow Run! Students will run in the gym with low lights, wearing their glow gear.
• Teachers will continue to receive 10% of the proceeds from their class donations to enhance their classrooms.
• We’re shifting to a flat rate instead of counting laps and will be tracking steps and miles to keep the competition going!
• Each student will receive a tracker and a T-shirt.
• The top student with the highest donations will have the chance to be Principal for a Day!
• The top class will win a pizza party with the principal.
• We have modified the classroom challenge rewards to include new class incentives.

This year’s theme is Future Leaders, and we’ll be focusing on building leadership habits with the students, including being Grateful, Showing Respect, Practicing Kindness, Doing What’s Right, Sticking With It, and Starting Today.

Your involvement and support in this fundraiser are essential and we appreciate everything you do to help our school community thrive. Let’s work together to make this year’s Fun Run the best one yet!

Each day, there is a challenge, and the classroom with the most participants will earn a class reward. Rewards will vary and are chosen by the teacher.

9/9 Class with the most logins

9/10 Class with the most shares

9/11 Class with the most new logins, shares or pledges

9/12 Class with the most out of state pledges

9/13 Class with the biggest jump in pledges over the weekend

9/16 Challenge TBD

9/17 Principal challenge: The class that raises the most gets to eat pizza with Dr. Fiema!

See the attachment below.

See the Attached Newsletter Below

At the end of August, our Preschool Assistants participated in a comprehensive Montessori Assistant Training Seminar. This two-day event delved into the core Montessori philosophy, highlighted the significance of a thoughtfully prepared environment, explored the vital role of the assistant, and provided an overview of key Montessori materials. Upon completion, our dedicated assistants earned the MMTEC Assistant Training Certificate. We are incredibly proud of their commitment and growth—truly, they are exceptional!

September

9- Fun Run Kick Off Assembly

10- Open House at 6:30 PM

11- MMA Meeting at 6:00 PM

18- No School, Teacher Full Day DPPD

19- Fun Run Day! Lunch on the Lawn (weather permitting)

October

1- Picture Day

9- MMA meeting online

16- No School, Teacher Professional Learning

25- MMA Halloween Event Trunk and Treat

31- Half Day for Students, Records Day

November

1 - Half Day for Students, Records Day

5- No School for Students, Teacher Professional Learning

7- Half Day for Students, Afternoon & Evening Parent Teacher Conferences

13- Picture Re-take Day, MMA meeting online

27 - 29- Thanksgiving Break

Information Flyer Below

Elisabetta Stupera, President

Paulette Qussar, Vice President of Committees

Amanada Hijazi, New Vice President of Fund Raising

Stacee Jones, New Treasurer

Paul Jones, New "Techetary" aka Secretary

9/11

10/9

11/13

12/11

1/8

2/12

3/12

4/9

5/14

1/8

1/22

PowerSchool: https://ps.ucs.misd.net/public

Family Portal (Lunches): https://utica.familyportal.cloud

PaySchools: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

Utica Community School, in partnership with our community, will empower students to positively transform their future and the world.

Utica Community Schools ignites a passion for learning in all students. We strengthen our community by welcoming all learners, honoring culture, and inspiring remarkable growth and achievement.