Compendium Digest

November 9, 2023

• Compendium Updates
• Campus News & Updates
• Extended Learning
• University Schools Athletics
• Parent Networks
• Mark your calendars!
• UofM Athletics & Events
• Tech Talks
• Helpful Links & Contact Information

Greetings University Schools,

What an exciting month across University Schools, filled with Fall Festivals, Spirit Days, Canned Food Drives, the Homecoming Parade, Community Gatherings, pumpkin painting, Enrollment Open Houses, Award Ceremonies, Service Learning, Being-There Experiences, Tiger Food Lab adventures, basketball games, XC Meets, STEM activities, PBL progress, and so much fun! Thank you for your support to help make learning fun for our students!

Reminder that University Schools will be closed on Friday, November 10th in observance of Veteran's Day.

As the winter months approach, we are writing with a reminder of our University Schools Emergency Closure Policies. Should the University of Memphis close, University Schools will also close. While closures frequently align, University Schools do not follow Memphis Shelby County Schools closure protocols. University Schools adhere to Policy 205 of the University Schools Policy Manual which stipulates the process for emergency closures. These are summarized below.

In the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies which threaten the health or safety of students and personnel, schools may be closed. Such action is never taken lightly and is only used in extreme circumstances. In making the decision to close schools, University Schools, in consultation with University risk management and safety personnel, will consider any actual occurrence or imminent possibility of an emergency condition which would make the operation of schools difficult or dangerous, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Weather conditions both existing and predicted;
2. Extended loss of power, heat, air, or water;
3. Fire or other emergency conditions;
4. Driving, traffic and parking conditions, affecting public and private transportation operations;
5. Inability of teaching personnel to report for duty, which might result in inadequate supervision of students;
6. Issues of widespread, significant illness which pose a public health concern.

Closures are determined through the use of a rubric that measures current and projected risk factors. Once a closure has been determined to be necessary, the school community shall be informed via:

1. A voice and/or text message issued via the school messaging system;
2. An all-school email;
3. Social media outlets.

Parents may receive communication via text/voice alerts from MSCS about school closures, and those communications should be disregarded. Any relevant school closure communication that applies to University Schools will be sent specifically from University Schools. Please ensure your information is up to date in PowerSchool (K12) and Brightwheel (ELRC) and that you are receiving University Schools emails (like this one) so that you are able to receive closure notices. In the event schools are closed due to inclement weather or other calamity, all extra-curricular activities and after-care/extended learning programs scheduled for those days will be canceled or postponed and any ensuing academic calendar adjustments will be communicated by school directors.

Thank you for your partnership in ensuring the safety and security of our school community!

Our enrollment season is in full swing, and the 2024-25 new student application is now OPEN! If you have missed any of the enrollment open houses, no worries! We will host 1 last enrollment house on November 29th at Orgel Educational Center at 6pm. Please join us at 330 Fogelman Drive.

Please feel free to share this information with other interested friends, families, and neighbors!

Additional enrollment information can be found on University Schools Enrollment Webpage. Questions? Email enrollus@memphis.edu

Tamales with Mrs. Sarah

Ms. Sarah’s UPK class learned how to make Mexican tamales! We mixed our ingredients together to make the masa (dough) while using a measuring cup and our hands. Then, we slathered masa onto moist corn husks and filled them with strawberry and pineapple filling. Then, they were cooked and brought back the next day to try, and they were delicious!

We learned that tamales are a traditional Mexican dish served during holidays and special events. In Mexican tradition, whole families get together to assemble tamales together while they talk and laugh. Tamales are strongly associated with themes of unity, family, hard work, and community. These are all things that we hold true to our heart at the ELRC. We are a family, and we were so glad to express that in a fun and yummy way!

Grizz Saves the Day

Last week in Ms. Erin's class, students were excited to welcome Grizz along with our parent mystery reader! The kids had a blast, listening to a story about how the Grizz saves the day! They got high-fives and hugs, and we even got to take a group picture together.

First Grade Being There Experience: Memphis Metal Museum

First grade’s first quarter PBL project involved students exploring how toys are made. After their engineering PBL unit, students traveled to the Memphis Metal Museum to complete a “Being There Experience”. Students traveled around the museum grounds and completed a tour. Then, students explored the art museum. Lastly, students got to explore life as a metal worker and created their own bracelets with the museum metalsmiths. This was a perfect culminating being there experience for these first graders!

World Unity Day

Unity Day is the flagship event of National Bullying Prevention Month which is celebrated in October. The day calls on all of us to unite in kindness, inclusion and courage in order to prevent bullying. Students celebrated by wearing orange and learning about kindness and unity. These lessons were tied into Campus School’s common language - CAMPUS TIGER PRIDE.

Beautification Day

There were so many helping hands Saturday, October 21 for Campus Beautification Day! It is always one of the most special mornings of the year. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to help beautify Campus School’s shared spaces. We planted so many flowers and bulbs that will brighten our campus all winter long. The Fall/Winter Learning Garden was also planted. Students will be able to check out the plants growing all fall and winter long.

Tigers Take on the Botanic Gardens

Third grade and kindergarten went to the Botanic Gardens for their ‘Being There Experiences’ during October. These hands-on experiences were tied into their quarter PBL projects and unit studies.

Fall Fun at Campus School

Campus School Tigers celebrated Fall this October! Campus School had its well-loved event - Fall Fest. Families participated in basket raffles, students participated in costume contests, and there were moon bounces, games, and treats for the students. On Halloween, all Campus School students went to the Administration building on campus to trick or treat. It was a wonderful month of celebrations!

Tiger Food Lab

The 7th grade STEM group researched healthy recipes that targeted their assigned organ system. Students modified their recipes using proportions and what they learned in math to make enough for each group member. Students also got the opportunity to make their recipes, thanks to the Tiger Food Lab. All recipes turned out delicious! Students recorded the process, so be sure to check out their videos and recipes on exhibition night!

Homecoming Week

Last week, UMS had so much fun participating in spirit dress-up days! From costumes, to pajamas, glitter, sparkles, matching outfits, and UofM attire, it was a week full of best dressed!

Homecoming Parade

The UHS Student Government Association proudly represented University Schools in the Homecoming Parade last week. Special Thank You to the Brigance Family who lent us a truck and trailer for a float, helped decorate the float, and drove the truck in the parade. Also, Thank You to Orgel Educational Center Operations and Finance Coordinator, Mrs. Williams for setting up the many refreshments, decorations, and concessions students and teachers had throughout the week!

Service Learning

Our UHS students participated in various service learning projects this past month. Thank you to these humble and generous student leaders for their servant leadership!

We are very excited to share that we will implement a new software called Final Forms to register our students for Spring 2024 Extended Learning Activities for Campus School, University Middle and University High School! This software will help us improve our rosters, administration processes, and service.

Current EL Families

If you are a current Extended Learning family, you will receive pre-registered access to your email. For your benefit, you will only need to establish a password and update your information. You will receive an email with access to your account on November 17th.

Once you log in, you will be able to see your student's current EL activities and view the EL Spring 2024 offerings, as well as register from Nov 28 - Dec. 5.

New Extended Learning Families

If you are a new Extended Learning family interested in these activities, you will have the opportunity to register a new parent account on November 17th. The link will be added in the Spring 2024 EL Guide

Once you create your account, you will be able to add students to your account and register for the EL 2024 Spring Activities from Nov 28 - Dec. 5.

Please remember that these programs are on a first-come, first-served basis, and some will continue from Fall to Spring (not open to enrollment for Spring). Unfortunately, this software still has not established a cap on the registration, so there will be a chance that you register after we have reached the cap. If this happens, we will contact those families and offer other options to register their students on another program from December 6-8.

More instructions, program offerings, scholarship information, and other details are provided in the Spring 2024 EL Guidebook.

Important Dates:

• Nov 13: EL Spring 2024 Tabling Event with EL Providers @ Campus School, 5pm

• Nov 28 - Dec. 5: EL Spring 2024 Registration in Final Forms

• Dec 5: End of the semester Campus School Showcase @ Orgel Educational Center Auditorium, 5pm

• Dec 6: Spring 2024 EL activities and scholarship confirmation emails sent to families

• Only families surpassing cap registrations may choose other activities until Monday, December 8th.

• Dec 7th: End of the EL semester UMS/UHS Showcase and Tabling Event @ Orgel Educational Center Auditorium, 5pm

• Dec 7: Last day for Fall Extended Learning activities

• Dec 14: Spring 2024 Final Confirmation Emails sent to families

• Jan 5: Spring 2024 First Payment Deadline (tentative)

• Jan 16: EL Spring 2024 starts

• May 16: EL Spring 2024 finishes

We encourage families to pick up students by car and arrive at 4:20 p.m. Dismissal should be done in 10 minutes. Please don’t arrive after 4:30 pm.

Thank you for trusting your student to the Extended Learning Program, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, comments, or feedback to elus@memphis.edu!

UMS Homecoming Court

Congratulations to the 2023 University Middle Homecoming Court!

Homecoming King - J.E. Cooley

Homecoming Queen - Taliyah Irving

6th
Grace Funez

Emaline Hedge

Moses Ochoa

Ella Myers

7th

Oscar Simpson

Christopher Hampton

Gage Woodruff

Colin Robinson

Bliss McKissack

Kyrus Jones

8th

Lauren Blake

Lorin Phillips

Amaiah Lyles

Madison Hampton

Grant McWilliams

Michael Serino

Justin Hardaway

Henry Hayes

Teen Arts Festival

Congratulations to Miles Russell Bell at University Middle School for being accepted into the Teen Arts Festival for his photography work! He is the only middle school student accepted into the show!

The Teen Arts Festival is a prestigious, juried art show funded by the Friends of the Memphis Library. The exhibition will be Saturday, November 11 from 11am - 2pm in the lobby of Benjamin Hooks Library.

Congratulations to Keirstin Neal, Summer Young, and Chloe Hilliard at University High School for also being accepted into the Teen Arts Festival for their work! We are so proud of our Tigers and the amazing work being showcased!

https://www.memphislibrary.org/teen-arts-festival-2023/

Our Teachers are Lifelong Learners

This month, University Schools teachers traveled all over the United States for professional developments!

At Campus School, Melodie Barton attended the American Association of School Librarians Conference in Tampa, Florida. Diane Coleman attended and presented at the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance Conference in Murfreesboro, TN. Kamron Stauffer and Davine Vanneste-Hobbs attended NCTM - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference in Washington, D.C. Kiarra Matthews and Patricia Mendez attended and the National Science Teaching Association Conference in Kansas City, Kansas. Betsy Pillow and Jodie Friedman attended the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network STEM Designated Schools Convening in Nashville, TN.

At University Middle, Daija Patton and Susannah Whitesell also attended the the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network STEM Designated Schools Convening in Nashville, TN representing UMS for the first time since their STEM designation!

We are so thankful our teachers value being lifelong learners! Thank you for representing University Schools!

UMS Faculty of the Month

Patrick Fraser - Japanese Instructor

"Patrick continues to go beyond and above balancing his middle and high school teaching responsibilities. He always is willing to lend an extra hand or offer additional support whenever needed. Patrick epitomizes what a true team player is and should be!"

"Mr. Fraser is a dedicated teacher who is enthusiastic about sharing his love for the Japanese language and culture with his students. We are so appreciative of Mr. Fraser and his willingness to help out in any capacity all while having a smile on his face. He exemplifies the (P) in the pride matrix. He brings joy and positivity to our school, and we are happy to have him!"

Go Tigers Go! The Winter season is upon us and Basketball, Cheer, and Swim teams have started practicing and representing University Schools with PRIDE as they compete throughout the city of Memphis and surrounding areas.

It’s important to remember that Interscholastic Athletics play a vital role in the holistic development of our students. They contribute to physical health, character development, academic success, social and emotional growth, and community engagement. Additionally, athletics offer valuable life lessons and opportunities that extend beyond competition and practice. We applaud our student athletes and their families for supporting our athletic programs!

Campus School

Campus School Cross Country - Like UHS and UMS, our Campus School XC team continues to impress as they too participated in the State Championship Meet!

Campus School Basketball - Teams have been assembled for the 2023-2024 school year. Congratulations to all of our students representing Campus School in basketball this season!

University Middle School

UMS Cross Country - To close out their season, our UMS Cross Country team competed for the TN State Championship at Shelby Farms on Saturday, 10/28. All of our Tigers did a fantastic job! Our state Championship team members:

Michael Serino, JP Patrick, Evey Vanaman, Lydia Patrick, Susannah Flack, Zoe Tucker, Emmy Beaupre, Lucia Crocker, & Laurel Fox

Michael Serino earned ALL STATE Recognition finishing 12th overall in the state of Tennessee with a school record and personal best of 11:08!

University High

UHS Cross Country - On Friday, November 3, our UHS XC team competed in the Tennessee Cross-Country State Championship Meet held in Hendersonville, TN! Runners that represented UHS were:

Liana Nuckolls, Teresa Nuckolls, Alleia Bakker, Emily “Sky” Bomar, Arya Debes, Lydia Patrick, Susannah Flack, Chalmers Scott, Brayden Spann, Jackson Grantham, Coleman Cockrum, Dallas Geer, Hayden Charles, George Patterson, and Parker Foxx!

UHS Basketball - Congratulations to all of our students selected to represent UHS basketball. This, our second season, is set to be exciting as our teams grow in experience and maturity.

UHS Cheer - Our UHS Cheer team is working hard to prepare for the upcoming season and for cheer competitions in the Spring. More information to follow!

UHS Swim - UHS Swim kicks off their season on Thursday, November 9th!

We appreciate all who lend a hand to support University Schools Athletics, especially the hard work and dedication of our coaches. Without them, none of this would be possible!

Coaches are the guiding forces behind the success of athletes and teams in sports. Their role extends beyond teaching skills and strategies; they are mentors, motivators, and leaders. Coaches instill discipline, foster teamwork, and inspire confidence in their athletes. They play a crucial role in developing character, teaching resilience, and imparting life lessons that extend well beyond the playing field. Coaches have a profound impact on the personal and athletic growth of their students, making their role indispensable. Thank you coaches!

Campus School

Cross Country: Coach Ben Fox, Coach Brandt Pence

UMS

Volleyball: Coach Susannah Whitesell

Cross Country: Coach Matthew Peters, Coach Lena McWilliams, Coach Jim Murphy

Soccer: Coach Jennifer Lazar

UHS

Golf: Coach Blake Spann

Volleyball: Coach Kiara Hunt Moore, Coach Jacqueline Copeland

Soccer: Coach Victoria Bentley

Cross Country: Coach Colton Cockrum, Coach Kimberly Grantham

Campus School

4th Grade Boys Basketball: Coach Ashley Gordon

5th Grade Girls Basketball: Coach Rachel Gibbons

5th Grade Boys Basketball: Coach Sally Parish, Coach Danny Parish, Coach Tiger Thompson

UMS

Girls Varsity Basketball: Coach Alisha Gigger

Boys Varsity Basketball: Coach Joey Patrick, Coach Terrence Williams

Boys JV Basketball: Coach Brodrick Patton

Cheer: Coach Kyla Davis

Swim (Sponsors): Mrs. Bridgette Flack and Mrs. Lori Patterson

UHS

Girls Varsity Basketball: Coach Cedric Lewis

Boys Varsity Basketball: Coach Donte Pryor

Cheer: Coach Kyla Davis

Swim (Sponsors): Mrs. Lori Patterson and Mrs. Bridgette Flack

Special thanks to our University Schools Athletic Support team:

Aaron Whitmore

Tiger Thompson

Our very own UMS Varsity Girls Basketball Coach, Alisha Hill Gigger, was recently honored during her alma mater’s Homecoming celebration. During her time at Howard University, led the Lady Bison to THREE consecutive NCAA tournament berths. She is the MEAC women’s all- time leading scorer with 2,179 points. She holds the school record for field goal percentage (70%) and was a three-time All-MEAC First Team Selection along with being the MEAC Player of the Year (1998)! Coach G was the 1st of 8 HBCU players to be invited to the 1st annual WNBA Combine in 1998. Coach G was honored by having her Jersey retired at Howard University and Huntington East High School! Coach G is also a recipient of the prestigious United States Marine Corps Excellence in Leadership Award.

We are happy to have Coach G as a part of our University Schools family!

The Play Tennis, Memphis! Leftwich Grand Opening Play Day will be a free tennis festival, with music, giveaways, kids’s attractions, demonstration matches by The University of Memphis and lots of tennis activities for all! The event is geared toward everyone- children and adults who play a lot, a little or who have never played at all. Please see the linked flyer for details!

Date: November 11

Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Location: 4145 Southern Ave.

Leftwich Grand Opening Coordinating Instructions:

• Check in between 9:30-9:45am

• After a brief ceremony by the Mayor, courts will open at 10:30am

• The entire experience will last about 2 hours, once on court. There will also be time to walk around, observe, get snacks and participate in other activities.

• There will be free MemPops, popcorn and food trucks!

• Family members are encouraged to participate, as well.

Here is the link to register in advance online. We're asking everyone who knows they are coming to do so, although it is not required. It can also be found on our website, tennismemphis.org

https://form.jotform.com/232846930166057

As our schools grow, so does our need for athletic facilities to practice and compete. Our partnerships with the University of Memphis, Campus Recreation, Transportation, College of Health Sciences, MSCIAA, Shelby Farms Park, and Memphis Youth Athletics are just a few that have played a major role in our ability to host quality athletic programs. This year we are excited to partner with the Memphis Sports and Events Center (MSEC) and The Blue Line! Our Volleyball programs have been cruising in comfort on the Blue Line and practicing in the amazing MSEC! As basketball season approaches, our hoopers will also be riding the Blue Line and practicing at the MSEC! More to follow on opportunities through our MSEC partnership!

We have great parent networks for our family members to join! Our parent networks support our schools through volunteering, fundraising, and providing other supports. Reach out to them today to get involved!

ELRC: Parent Resource Page (Parent Network re-launching soon)

Campus School: Campus School Parent Network. Venmo @umcspn your gift today! Click here to subscribe to CSPN Newsletter.

University Middle: University Middle Parent Network (UMPN)

University High: Parent Resource Page Email the University High School Parent Network at UHighParentNetwork@gmail.com

• November 10: Veteran's Day (NO SCHOOL)
• November 13: Campus School Virtual Data Night
• November 13-27: Extended Learning Registration in Final Forms
• November 14: Campus School Reading Night, 5:30-7pm
• November 15: UMS & UHS Q2 Progress Reports
• November 17: UMS 7th grade Discovery Park Field Trip
• November 19: Artists Market at Orgel Educational Center, 11-5pm
• November 20-24: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)
• December 5: UHS Cocoa with Dr. Hodges-Johnson
• December 6-12: UMS Quarter 2 CFAs
• December 7: UMS & UHS Fine Arts Extravaganza!
• December 14 - UMS 6th & 7th Grade PBL Exhibition
• December 12-14: UHS Quarter 2 CFAs
• December 15: Half Day (Early Dismissal)
• December 16-January 1: Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)
• January 2: In-Service for Faculty & Staff
• January 3: Students Return, Quarter 3 Begins

Campus School Reading Night

Date: November 14

Time: 5:30-7pm

Location: Campus School

Come celebrate reading with fun activities, guest readers, games, & more!

University Schools Artist Market

We hope you can join us for University Schools 3rd Annual Artist Market as we host a one stop shopping holiday market for everyone on your gift giving list, plus an opportunity to support over 25 local artists, crafters, and specialty foods artisans! Paintings, clothing, ceramics, jewelry, photography, graphic art, textile art, confections, homemade soap, body care, and home decor will be featured!

All participants will be donating 15 percent of their sales from the day to support University Schools Visual and Performing Arts programs. This is a win-win for all as the community has the opportunity to purchase those one of a kind and difficult to shop for friends and family members for the holiday season!

Date: November 19th

Time: 11:00-5:00pm

Location: Orgel Educational Center at 330 Fogelman Drive

We are very excited to share that Secretary Cardona and several other U.S. Department of Education senior officials will be hosting a live webinar for parents and families to celebrate National Parent Involvement Day — 11/16 at 7pm ET! This high energy event will focus on the Department of Education's commitment to supporting parents and the success of their children and will feature the Secretary and other senior Department officials in conversation with Grace Bastidas of Parents Magazine.

Thursday, November 16 at 7pm ET
Registration link: https://ed-gov.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_BNcAor3cSY2gn0XZs6jOBg

Click here to view the UofM Athletics & Events for the upcoming month. Support our Tigers, and buy tickets here!

Tech News, Information, and Support for University Schools Families

Friendly reminder that lost and broken chargers at UMS and UHS do count as accidental damage, which will void a student tech fee for the year. Please look for your charger at home before declaring a charger as lost. In lieu of the $50 tech fee, we welcome replacement chargers purchased from Amazon.

Please reach out to Mrs. Hernandez if you have any questions jessica.hernandez@memphis.edu

A Tech Ticket station has been setup for student use for UHS students on the 4th floor. It is located on the main hallway by the teacher work room. Students may submit a tech ticket for broken and malfunctioning devices + broken or lost chargers. Students may also visit Mrs. Hernandez during Tech Support Hours. See below for more information.

If you are in need of a device repair, don't wait! Submit a request in person to Mrs. Hernandez during her office hours.

Helpful Links

• Bookmark the University Schools 2023-24 Calendar
• University of Memphis Volunteers Form (complete for field trips, festivals, class parties, etc.)
• Bookmark the University Schools website
• Bookmark the University Schools Technology Hub
• Bookmark the University Schools Policy Manual
• Bookmark the University Schools Student & Family Handbook
• Share the University Schools Student Enrollment 2024-25 Interest Form
• Bookmark the University Schools social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

Central Team (901.678.4200)

• Dr. Sally G. Parish, Associate Vice President of Educational Initiatives sally.parish@memphis.edu
• Josh Czupryk, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, University Schools josh.czupryk@memphis.edu
• Mary Tucker, Assistant Director of Policy and Standards mhtucker@memphis.edu
• Marcos Villa, Assistant Director of Extended Learning marcos.villa@memphis.edu
• Teniesha Anderson, Assistant Director of Operations and Finance tdpender@memphis.edu
• Jessica Hernandez, Coordinator of Technology & Communication jessica.hernandez@memphis.edu
• Keith Loupe, Coordinator of Athletic Programs keith.loupe@memphis.edu
• Art McKenzie, Coordinator of Facilities lmcknze1@memphis.edu
• Michael Carter, UofM Information Technology Liaison michael.carter@memphis.edu

Early Learning & Research Center (ELRC) (901.678.2120)

• Brooke Willis, Executive Director of Early Childhood Programs bwillis3@memphis.edu

Campus School (901.678.2285)

• Dr. Rebecca Scott, Executive Director rhscott@memphis.edu

University Middle (901.678.4200)

• Kerrith Griffin, Executive Director kdgriffin@memphis.edu

University High (901.678.4200)

• Dr. Kristle Hodges-Johnson, Executive Director k.hodges.johnson@memphis.edu

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