District News
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District • January 2024
UHS Students Named Regeneron STS Scholars
The Society for Science has announced that two Unionville High School (UHS) students, Arjun Praphulla Suryawanshi and Lilly Zhang, were among the top 300 Scholars in the 2024 Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS). UHS is the only high school in Pennsylvania-- and one of only 49 high schools in the United States-- with two or more Scholars to receive this prestigious recognition.
Suryawanshi and Zhang will each receive $2,000. In addition, UHS will receive $4,000 for STEM-related activities.
Kelly's Classroom Comes to UHS!
Unionville High School was featured LIVE during Kelly's Classroom on FOX29! News anchor Bob Kelly joined UHS students and staff at their pep rally on Wednesday, January 3. The pep rally was held to celebrate the premiere of Unionville High School's episode of The ClassH-Room!
Olympian Justin Best '15 at UCrew Boat Christening
On January 2, Unionville High School Crew christened two boats as they celebrated their 10th Anniversary! The first was named after Justin Best '15, a 2020 and 2024 Olympian. He symbolizes the beginning of the crew program and demonstrates the potential outcome of deciding to give rowing a try. The second boat was named after Unionville High School’s mascot, Lenny the Longhorn. This name symbolizes both the present and the future of the club. Both Justin and Lenny made an appearance to commemorate the program's 10th anniversary!
UHS "Reset" for Second Semester
Unionville High School hosted its Reset Day on Wednesday, January 24! A day to Reset, Recharge, and Rebalance! There were about 80 activities for students to choose from. Ping pong, mural painting, terrarium making, acrylic pouring, coloring, lego building, kan jam, chess, escape rooms, drone obstacle course, dog tag engraving, and solving puzzles to name a few. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to reset before the start of the 2nd semester. Thank you to the high school administration and staff for creating this special wellness day for our students!
Patton Wrestling Match
On Friday, January 12, the UCFSD Athletics Department hosted the Patton vs. Peirce wrestling match in Unionville Elementary School’s gym to commemorate UCFSD’s Centennial Celebration! The historic gym created a lively and supportive atmosphere while the Patton Hawks faced the Pierce Chargers. In the end, the Hawks won 51 to 28. Way to go Patton Hawks! Thank you to all who made this event happen so that our students could have this awesome experience!
Chadds Ford Elementary
Chadds Ford Elementary celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s mission of service all year long! Students continue to support their community by collecting and organizing donations for neighbors in need, building relationships with local seniors, and connecting with students at our sister school, Mitchell Elementary in Southwest Philadelphia.
Highlights of the year so far:
- September - collected and organized 1,894 lbs of food and other essentials for KACS
- October - 3rd grade Readathon collected 600+ books for Mitchell Elementary
- November - delivered over 200 coats for those in need this winter
- December - created winter art projects and wrote letters for the seniors at the Friends Home in Kennett
- January - CFES students collected and organized individually packaged snacks for classrooms at Mitchell Elementary
Hillendale and Pocopson Unite for a Day of Service
On Monday, January 15, Hillendale Elementary and Pocopson Elementary united together at Hillendale to participate in Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, a day dedicated to volunteer service in honor of Dr. King's legacy.
The two schools joined forces to learn, create, and donate their time and effort in support of seven local charities! About 400 people from both school communities participated in the three-hour event. The benefiting charities included BVSPCA (West Chester), KACS (Kennett Square), Nemours (Wilmington), Cradles to Crayons (Philadelphia), STEHM (Wilmington), Julee Cares (Greenville), and Pocopson Home (West Chester). Representatives of each organization were on site and volunteers had the opportunity to learn about how they make our communities better.
Thank you to our HES and PES PTOs for planning a successful day of service! We are so proud of our families, staff, and community members who spent the day fulfilling a mission, helping those in need, and making an impact on the community and in the lives of others!
The Unionville-Chadds Ford School District School Board approved the calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. The calendar has been posted on the Unionville-Chadds Ford District website under “Calendars.”
Check it out to start planning ahead for the upcoming school year!
Centennial Gala
Save the date for the UCFSD Centennial Gala! The gala will take place at Longwood Gardens on Saturday, April 13 from 7pm to 11pm. We hope you will join us as we celebrate 100 years of excellence in education at this grand event! Proceeds and silent auction to benefit the UCF Education Foundation and the UCF Community Scholarship. Stay tuned for ticket information. If you would like to be a Centennial Sponsor, click here to learn more.
January is School Director Recognition Month! Our School Board Directors play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape, making crucial decisions that impact the lives of our students and the overall success of our school district. Their commitment goes beyond attending meetings; it involves thoughtful consideration, strategic planning, and a genuine passion for fostering a positive learning environment. Please join us in celebrating our Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board Directors who volunteer their time to serve our students, schools, and communities.
