Union Middle Weekly Update V5.19!

Week 19.

Well, it's the first week of the second semester for the 2024-25 school year. This means we're 50% of the way through the school year. I will share again that the second semester flies by, especially for our 8th grade students. Please continue to remain involved in your student's academic and social emotional growth over the next few months. Every quarter break gives our students a fresh start on their assignments and a new set of goals to work toward.

The shift to 2nd semester also means that a good number of our 7th and 8th graders are heading into a different semester elective. While we do try to assign requested electives to our students, there are times where a student may get one elective they like and one elective they're rather not take. If a student wants to request an elective change, they should reach out to their counselor. Please note that how a middle school master schedule works makes it extremely challenging for a student to switch electives from what they're assigned. There are only so many seats available in a class and we do not move "core" classes (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) in the process. Students are always welcome to explore an elective swap with their counselor, but do know that it is quite unlikely, given how jam-packed (and well-built) the master schedule is.

8th grade families - you received information via an alternate ParentSquare ping (and available here) about the end of the year activities (i.e. Great America, Promotion, Gowns, etc) last week. We look forward to holding our 8th grade promotion ceremony at Leigh High School on Friday, June 6th at 10 am. We will provide plenty of information about the event in the upcoming weeks; just add that date/time to your calendar now. :)

6th Grade Parents - The 6th grade dance (Friday, February 7th) is almost upon us. Don't worry, you haven't missed ticket sales or anything yet. We are just letting you know in advance to save the date for your 6th grade student. You will likely have questions - and that's okay - so we have created the 6th grade dance FAQ. If you have any additional questions, just reach out. Here to help.

Below are some reminders for the next few weeks. There are a lot of events over the next few weeks/months; almost of the events/information will be contained in this newsletter. Please try to skim it weekly, if possible.

Todd Feinberg, Principal

REMINDERS:

8th Grade Families - don't forget that we have the Leigh Principal joining our January 22nd Home and School Club meeting. We encourage our 8th grade families to attend this event as you'll receive first hand information on what to expect when your student begins high school in the fall. Our HSC meeting starts at 8:30-ish and the Leigh Principal's presentation begins at 9 am. Both events are held in the UMS library. Hope to see you there.

8th grade families - there is a Leigh High School Incoming 9th Grade Info Night on Thursday, February 4th @ Leigh, starting at 6 pm. Please see the flyer below for more information. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Leigh directly.

Also this January, Leigh counselors will be visiting our 8th grade ELA classrooms during the school day. The Leigh counselors will share what a day at Leigh looks like for our future Longhorns. Thereafter, families will receive, via email, a link to register their student for their classes and electives at Leigh. if you do not receive this email by the end of January, please contact Leigh directly for assistance.

(I'll detour for a moment here to share that it is not uncommon for 8th grade families to ask UMS about 9th grade Leigh questions. As indicated above, we do ask that you contact the Leigh counselors for all Leigh-related questions. You can also call Leigh directly if you need assistance with anything Leigh-related. They have the answers you seek and are the right people to speak with about all things Leigh.)

-Looking to show your UMS pride at upcoming sporting events. Check out the new Tiger gear here! Order UMS Spirit Wear Here

-The *NEW* UMS Store is available at bit.ly/umstigers. I am very hopeful that this version of the UMS Store is a bit more seamless for our UMS community. Feedback always welcome.

We have now begun the mad dash to June 6th These 5 months are going to feel semi-instantaneous upon reflection on the last day of the school year. Enjoy these moments and memories.

All the best,

Todd

(Our staff member profile this week is Lisa Moore, one of our 6th & 8th grade ELA teachers, as well as our Athletic Director and Faculty Cheer Advisor. She also teachers one period of Study Skills to our 6th graders. I hope you enjoy it!)

This is Lisa Moore's 4th year at Union Middle School. She currently serves as one of our 6th grade and 8th grade ELA teachers as well as our Athletic Director and Faculty Cheer Advisor. She also teaches 6th grade Study Skills in the 6th grade wheel. Enjoy the following Q&A below as we get to meet Mrs. Moore!

How long have you been at UMS? What do you love about being an educator at UMS? I've been at Union Middle School for the past 4 years and am so happy to have found a place that believes as much in its educators as it does its students. I work with some of the best teachers I've ever met and with amazing students who truly want to be excellent. I couldn't be more blessed to call UMS my home away from home.

What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching? Or reading? I am a huge fan of the Magnolia network. My favorite shows being The Lost Kitchen, Magnolia Table and Diary of an Old Home. All three give my brain a much needed break in the midst of my otherwise chaotic life :)

What's one thing your students don't know about you that they would be surprised to find out? I play the piano!

What are you most proud of in your career so far? I am proud of my ability to learn, adapt and take on new challenges. My career has taken a couple of unexpected pathways, one being my time spent working in higher education. I worked in the business school at Arizona State University where I spent time academic and career advising undergraduate students. During this time I received my degree in Educational Leadership: Principalship in hopes of one day being a school administrator, which led me back into the teaching profession.

What’s one thing on your bucket list? Visit Europe!

What makes you proud to be a UMS tiger? Everything! I love telling people that I work at Union Middle School. I am impressed every day with how committed the entire staff is to providing a quality education to young people.

What is your favorite lesson/curriculum to teach each year? Why? In 8th grade ELA, every time we get to a new unit I always say, "Oh! This is my favorite one!" but if I had to choose I'd pick Atomic Habits or Twelfth Night. I love teaching Alice in Wonderland in 6th grade because it was one of my favorite stories growing up.

What made you want to become a teacher? In 8th grade I was voted most likely to become a teacher and as much as I thought I wanted to do something else, eventually I ended up going into teaching. It's just in my nature.

If you had to describe your classroom in just a few words/sentences, what would you say? Safe and predictable, rigorous and high expectations, but also silly, sometimes noisy and fun.

What is the most challenging topic/lesson to teach? Why? Grammar - because it requires paying attention to small details that can be sometimes difficult to spot. Grammar rules don't always apply the same in every situation so it requires a deep understanding and knowledge of the rules.

Explain why your subject is important for your students to learn. How will they use this information in their future / "real world"? ELA is all about communication and communication skills are required on a day to day basis in both personal and professional life.

What are your words of wisdom? Your words can stick with someone for a lifetime, so choose them wisely.

• January 13, 2025 - USD Board Meeting
• January 13, 2025 - Multi-Cultural Night Info Meeting (see below)
• January 20, 2025 - Martin Luther King Jr Day - No School
• January 22, 2025 - HSC Meeting w/ Leigh Principal (8:30am-10:15am)
• January 23, 2025 - Presentation @ UMS for New-to-USD Families (9:00am-10:00am)
• January 24, 2025 - UMS Reads - Library (6:00-7:15pm)
• January 29, 2025 - Fire Drill
• February 7, 2025- 6th Grade Dance (4-6pm)
• February 14, 2025 - Earthquake Drill
• March 20, 2025 - Fire Drill
• March 28, 2025 - UMS-DMS Spirit Game @ Branham
• April 17, 2025 - Earthquake Drill
• April 17, 2025 - Multi-Cultural Night @ UMS (5:30 pm - 7 pm)
• April 18, 2025 - 8th Grade Portfolio Presentations @ UMS
• April 25-27, 2025 - Shrek the Musical Performances!
• May 16, 2025 - Fire Drill
• June 2, 2025 - Earthquake Drill
• June 6, 2025 - 8th Grade Promotion @ Leigh (8 am for students, 10 am for guests)

Attention all students, parents, and guardians! We are excited to announce the upcoming Multicultural Night at our school. If you are interested in participating or learning more, please join us for the Information Meeting on January 13th at 6:00 PM in the staff lounge. Please fill out THIS form to let us know you’re attending the meeting.

This event is a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate and share their cultural heritage through performances, food, music, and displays. Whether you want to showcase your culture or just be part of the celebration, this meeting will provide all the details you need! Questions? Email Mrs. Utley (utleyk@unionsd.org) and Ms. Wilcox (wilcoxc@unionsd.org)

We hope to see you there!

If you know of families who do not currently attend USD schools but are planning on registering to attend UMS in the fall, please let them know that each USD school is holding two "intro to USD" in-person presentations. Union Middle School will be hoiding our second such presentation on January 23rd at UMS from 9:00-10:00 am. Please note that this presentation is ONLY for families who do not attend USD schools.

The link for our New to USD families to RSVP for this event is: bit.ly/New-to-USD-Preso. For those families with students already attending USD schools, we will be holding your 5th grade parent night on the third Tuesday of May, the same day of the 5th grade walking field trip. The January presentation is for our new-to-USD or thinking about becoming new-to-USD families only. Thank you for your assistance and understanding.

We will also be hosting an evening online presentation for any families who were unable to attend in person that morning. Again, this presentation (co-led with the DMS admin team) is for families who do not have students attending our UMS schools. It is not tailored for families who have students in our local feeder elementary schools - your presentation will be held in May. These January presentations explain how to register an out-of-district student at UMS/DMS, reviews the various requirements therein, and briefly discusses the inter/intra district process as well.

Do you have a UMS athlete living under your roof? Get your athlete yard sign today!! Show your Tiger pride and support UMS Sports Boosters at the same time. The yard sign will be delivered directly to your home and installed. Order Your UMS Athlete Yard Sign Here

Do you, or someone you know, have a business or organization and would like to support Union Middle School? We invite you to donate to the Union Middle School Home and School Club’s Community Sponsorship program. UMS Home & School Club is a registered charitable trust and a non-profit association under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Community Sponsors donate ONCE, and in exchange, receive visibility to the Union Middle School community. Sponsors receive recognition on our Home and School Club website, in our multiple Music programs throughout the year, our Drama production, our Dodgeball tournament, as well as our biggest community event, coming up in a few short weeks on October 25th, The Blast. To learn more and donate please go to www.unionhsc.org/community-sponsorships.html

There are many ways to get involved at Union Middle School. From leading Art Vistas lessons or helping at the Scholastic Book Fair to participating in fundraisers or supporting music, drama, or athletics, there’s definitely an opportunity to fit your schedule and interests. Sign up here: www.unionhsc.org/volunteer.html.

This year, our primary way to fundraise will be through the Annual Membership Drive. We rely on your generous donations to hit our fundraising goals. If your employer provides Corporate Matching, this is another way for you to double your donation and help support Union Middle School students, teachers, and school programs. Please follow the steps below and donate online today!

Donate online now: bit.ly/umstigers

Your HSC Membership donations support:

• HSC donates approximately $175 per student each year

• Art Vistas, Athletics, Music, Drama, Technology, and Cheer programs

• All of our teachers, who receive $500 each for teaching and classroom supplies, resources, and online education subscriptions

• Grants made available to faculty to fund one-time expenses

• A wide range of student resources and support programs including orientation for new 6th graders (WEB), mentoring, UMS Reads, and leadership training.

Donate online now: bit.ly/umstigers

Bridge the Gap is a principal discretionary fund that enables the principal and staff to provide the best possible educational experience for the students at Union Middle School. Your Bridge the Gap donations support:

• Teacher development and teacher recognition events

• Existing programs that may have been drastically cut or risk cancellation

• Student clubs and student recognition events.

You can easily double your donation via Corporate Matching. Find more information here: www.unionhsc.org/corporate-matching.html

All are welcome at our monthly HSC meetings. Visit the HSC website for updates and information all year long: www.unionhsc.org.

Our morning clinics have begun!

If your student needs extra support, homework help, and/or test preparation, our UMS clinics can help! Whether they are struggling with the curriculum or just want to sharpen their academic skills, our staff (and high school tutors) are ready to assist them. Please encourage your student to take advantage of these opportunities, available throughout the week. Students should arrive with work to do and/or questions to ask - Clinics aren't necessarily 1:1 tutoring; they're a place where students can get extra help with their academic questions.

Math Clinic: Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:05 am to 8:25 am in Room 3

ELA Clinic: Mondays and Thursdays from 8:05 to 8:25 am in Room 4

Science Clinic: Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:05 to 8:25 am in Room 30

Teacher Team Links included below and are available through Teams & Staff on our homepage (via unionms.unionsd.org). Your student should know which team they're on. And of course, please bookmark the below link for usage throughout the school year.

6th Grade Happy Campers

6th Grade Avengers

7th Grade Otters

7th Grade Firefly

8th Grade Mustangs

8th Grade Penguins

We have a NEW location for UMS Athletics: bit.ly/unionathletics!

As the seasons progress, more information will be added for whatever after-school sports become available. Please visit the website for tryout information and other key topics. Questions: Mrs. Moore is our athletic director and is available to answer any questions not already shared on the UMS Athletics website.

Email: feinbergt@unionsd.org
Website: Unionms.Unionsd.org
Location: 2130 Los Gatos Almaden Road, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: (408) 371-0366
Twitter: @goteamums