Union Middle Weekly Update V5.21!

Week 21.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. Hard to believe we are still in the month of January. I think we are all looking forward to February in a week. January is just such a long year. :)

We were recently informed that Union Middle School made Educational Results Partnership’s 2024 Honor Roll list of California’s top performing schools. I'm not too familiar with this award but it's always nice to see the hard work of our staff and students recognized. Here's the link for the list of all California Schools who were recognized; only a dozen middle schools in Santa Clara received the award.

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. We also have the permission slip ready to go - your student needs to turn in the permission slip when they purchase their ticket. You will likely have questions - and that's okay - so we have created the 6th grade dance FAQ. We are looking for parent chaperones as well - here's the link to sign up; Mrs. Utley will ping you to confirm your volunteering. If you have any additional questions, just reach out. Here to help.

There are two upcoming Stanford Basketball games that have discounted tickets for students; buy one adult ticket and you get two student tickets for free. Here's a link with more information.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week.

Best,

Todd Feinberg, Principal

REMINDERS

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. :)

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.

(Our staff member profile this week is Aimee Bankston, one of our 6th Grade Math/Science teachers. I hope you enjoy it!)

This is Aimee Bankston's 14th year at Union Middle School. She currently serves as one of our 6th grade math/science teachers as well as our 8th grade Thrive teacher and Cooking Club / Paper Airplane Club mentor. Enjoy the following Q&A below as we get to meet Mrs. Bankston!

How long have you been at UMS? What do you love about being an educator at UMS?I have been a teacher at Union Middle School for 14 years (might be a year or so off). What I love about being at UMS are the people I work with. Everyone looks out for one another, lends a helping hand and are willing to help any and all students. I also feel valued and trusted by my admin to lead my students as I feel fit.

What are you most proud of in your career so far? I am proud the connections I have made with my students that have helped them see how wonderful they truly are.

What’s one thing on your bucket list? I want to move out to the country and have a bunch of farm animals.

What are your words of wisdom? We cannot always choose our circumstances, but we can choose our response.

What makes you proud to be a UMS tiger? I am proud to be a part of a school that recognizes, values, and celebrates all students, no matter where they are at in their academic, social, and emotional journey.

What's your favorite part of the school day? I love greeting my students outside of my room, giving them a preview of the day, and making connections before class starts. Some of the best mini conversations take place during that time and helps takes the stress away for many kids.

What made you want to become a teacher? My middle school teachers saw me when I was struggling and helped me find the value within myself.

If you had to describe your classroom in just a few words/sentences, what would you say? Compassionate, encouraging, motivating, welcoming, energetic

What's one instructional practice that you've adopted for your classroom that you now cannot live without? I meet with my students 1-1 on a regular basis for mini check-ins. I want to know and teach the 'whole student', not just their math and science knowledge. The smallest amount of invested time is the biggest return on all facets of our classroom culture.

• January 29, 2025 - Fire Drill
• February 7, 2025- 6th Grade Dance (4-6pm)
• February 14, 2025 - Earthquake Drill
• March 7, 2025 - UMS Dodgeball
• 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)

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.

Please see the above flyer for information about four upcoming parent informational nights for TUPE - Tobacco Use Prevention Education.

Parents of English Learners-please save the date! Our next District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) meeting will be held on January 30 from 3:00-4:00 on Zoom. We will be presenting information about the ELPAC, Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) and our teacher leaders from our district EL Committee will share updates from each of their school sites. We hope to see you there!

District employee, Alejandra Aguilar, will be simultaneously translating the meeting for our Spanish-speaking parents. Join Zoom Meeting - https://unionsd.zoom.us/j/83877624810 / Meeting ID: 838 7762 4810

Atención padres de estudiantes de inglés: Nuestra próxima reunión del Comité Asesor Distrital de Estudiantes de Inglés (DELAC) se llevará a 30 de enero de 3:00 a 4:00 por Zoom. Presentaremos información sobre ELPAC, Plan de Responsabilidad de Control Local (LCAP) y nuestros maestros líderes de nuestro Comité EL del distrito compartirán actualizaciones de cada uno de sus sitios escolares. ¡Esperamos verlos ahí!

Nuestra enlace comunitaria, Alejandra Agilar, traducirá simultáneamente la reunión para nuestros padres de habla hispana. Únase a la reunión de Zoom https://unionsd.zoom.us/j/83877624810 - Meeting ID: 838 7762 4810

As a reminder, your student has had their USD Google Account Password changed. Please check your email for the Parent Square communication on the evening of Friday the 17th for the new credentials and information regarding password activation. We will be working with students tomorrow during the school day who were not able to change their password this weekend.

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