University School will be administering state-mandated TCAP Achievement Assessments to students in grades 3-8 and those enrolled in high school subjects with End of Course exams will continue on Monday, April 22, 2023 and end on Tuesday, April 30, 2023 (please see schedule below).

Required TCAP Assessments for students in grades 3-8 include: Math, English/Language Arts (ELA), Science, and Social Studies. High School End of Course assessments are required for English I and II, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Biology, and US History.

Good luck to all of our students - we know that you are going to do an incredible job!

April 25th will be remote learning days for students in grades 7-12. Students in grades K-6 and any student scheduled to take an EOC/SDC Challenge Exam/SAILS test are required to attend school on campus from 8:00 - 3:00. Assignments and remote learning expectations will be communicated by your child’s teacher.

Parent request days will not be approved during state testing. Please do not schedule appointments on testing days and encourage your child to do well on the tests and help them at home by doing the following:

• Discuss the tests with your child to ease their worries and show you are interested.
• Make sure your child goes to bed early and gets plenty of rest.
• Make sure your child eats a good breakfast.
• Arrive at school on time.
• Send your child to school with words of encouragement.

TestNav Practice - an online tutorial is available for grade 6-8 and EOC students who wish to practice navigating in the testing platform. Go to: https://home.testnav.com/

The University School High School Prom will take place on Saturday April 27, 2024, from 7:30-10:30pm, at the Carnegie Hotel, lower ballroom. The prom is open to Juniors and Seniors. Students can bring one guest who is not a current Junior or Senior. Guests must be at least in high school and must be under 21 years old (photo ID will be checked for guests who are not current University School students). A guest permission form must be completed and turned in to Dr. Day for any guests who are not current University School students. Forms must be received no later than Wednesday 4/24/24.

To register for prom, students need to complete the steps below:

1. Submit your registration no later than 4/26/24.
2. Purchase one or more tickets (University School Seniors are free - do not purchase a ticket).
3. If you are brining a guest who is not a current University School student, turn in the completed guest permission form to Dr. Day no later than Wednesday 4/24/24.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Day (daya@etsu.edu).

Field day is an active day filled with fun games and fellowship. The day starts with the students rotating to different activity stations. The 8th grade students will be helping at the stations. Parents are welcome to enjoy the day with their child.

Students will walk over to the fields at the CPA around 9:30. They will have lunch first before the activity stations. For lunch we will have a picnic together. Please pack your child a healthy lunch (no Pals or other fast food!).

Then, we will end the day with all K-5 going swimming. We are swimming at the CPA at ETSU. Your child may bring a life jacket, water wings, or any other life preserver if they need to. All K-Kids need to have a life jacket or water wings. If a student does not want to swim, the courtyard will be open to hangout. Please have your child wear their swim suit to school under their class color t-shirt. They will also need a towel.

You will need to pick your child up at the CPA at 3:00.

If you have any questions - 439-4361 or email- cradicsj@etsu.edu

The University School Middle School (6th – 8th) will be participating in the “Survivor Field Day”. This is our annual field day. This event is a fun and a special time for the students to celebrate a successful school year together. Students will walk over to the CPA field around 9:15. The games will begin around 9:45. After the team competitions we will eat lunch (bring bag lunch) and finish the day inside the CPA with swimming, basketball, or just hanging with friends in the court yard. Students will return to the school by 3:00. If there are any early dismissal, the school office needs to be notified first for check out.

I hope this message finds you in great spirits. As we wrap up our Bloom 2024 online auction, I wanted to take a moment to extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of you.

Your enthusiastic participation as bidders and donors has not only made this event a joyous occasion but has also significantly contributed to its success. With your generous support, we are thrilled to announce that we have raised over $17,000! These funds will play a crucial role in enhancing the educational experience for our students and teachers, providing them with new opportunities and resources.

Please check your email to see which items you won and to pay your balance. Your winning items will be available for pick up on the U School front lawn on Monday between 2:30 and 3:30. If you require alternate arrangements for pick up, please reach out to Amber at usfoundation.fundraising@gmail.com.

Your commitment to our cause is truly inspiring, and it is supporters like you who make University School a remarkable place for growth and learning. We are honored to have such a dedicated community by our side.

A special thank you to the following donors for helping make our auction a success, we could not have done it without your generosity and support!

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up - May 6 - May 10

If you are interested in volunteering with our Hospitality Committee that week, please email Christine Hutchinson at hutchinson.christine@gmail.com.

The University School Foundation is open to all parents interested in attending. The meeting dates are listed below and are scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM in the school library on each of the designated days. Immediately following the meeting, all executive officers will remain to vote on pending requests.

May 6th

June 3rd (tentative time. The last meeting of the year is typically used for voting members to vote on any requests needed for the summer, as well as to vote on the 24-25 board and budget).

University School T-shirts and Window Clings available for purchase in the office

The Foundation has U School T-Shirts and window clings available for purchase in the front office. Quantities and sizes for the shirts are limited, so visit the office now and grab your shirt to show your U School pride! T-shirts are $20 and window clings are $5

The Tennessee Department of Health requires all students starting Kindergarten, all upcoming 7th Graders, and new enrollees to submit mandatory immunizations before the first day of school. A physical health examination is required before entering a Tennessee school.

Kindergarteners & New Enrollees must be up to date on all the mandatory vaccines including 2 doses MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), 2 doses Varicella, Hepatitis B series (3-4 doses), 2 doses Hepatitis A, DTaP series (4-5 doses) and Polio series (3-4 doses) with last dose after 4th birthday.

7th Graders must have a single dose of Tdap before entry in the new school year. This requirement is met if Tdap is given any time after the 7th birthday.

Those without up-to-date immunizations will be excluded from school until submission of: 1) The official Tennessee Immunization Certificate with completed vaccinations, or
2) A scheduled vaccination appointment document, or
3) A valid temporary immunization certificate, or
4) A valid exemption documented on the Tennessee Immunization Certificate.

Tennessee Department of Health Immunization Requirements
https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/health/cedep/immunization-program/ip/immunization- requirements/childcare-12th-grade-immunization-requirements.html

TN Immunization Requirements Summary Table
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/immunizationrequirements/tenniis/TN_Immuniza tion_Summary_Table.pdf

TN Immunization Certificate Sample
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/immunizationrequirements/tenniis/TN_Immunization_Certificate_Sample.pdf

There are several nights this week and next when we will be recognizing our Graduating Seniors and 8th grade Spring Athletes, so we want to invite everyone to join us on the following nights to celebrate their seasons and commitment to play for University School:

Tuesday, April 23rd:

• HS Tennis Senior Night vs Greeneville (4:00 PM - ETSU CPA Courts)
  

• MS Softball 8th Grade Night vs Johnson County MS (5:00 PM - Carnegie Park)

• HS Baseball Senior Night (recognition between games) vs Unaka (5:00 PM - Thomas Stadium)
  

Thursday, April 25th:

• HS Boys Soccer Senior Night vs Chuckey Doak (6:30 PM - ETSU Summers-Taylor Field))

Tuesday, April 30th:

• HS Girls Softball Senior Night vs Hancock County (5:00 PM - Basler Softball Field @ ETSU)
  

High School Boys Soccer Senior Night is this Thursday at 6:30PM at the ETSU Soccer Complex. We are looking for K-5 volunteers to walk out with our seniors before the start of the game. If you have a young futbol enthusiast who would like to volunteer, please email Christine Hutchinson at hutchinson.christine@gmail.com to participate in this special tradition.

The Jonesborough Storytelling Guild hosts tours at the Christopher Taylor Cabin in Jonesborough on the 4th Saturday of every month from 11:00 - 2:00 PM. They are in need of people who will give a little 5-minute history of the cabin (training provided on April 20th at 1:00 PM) for people as they come and go. They are very interested in using our HS students, so if you are interested you may reach out to the storytelling guild directly or stop by and see Dr. Dycus for more information.

University High School girls basketball will be having open gyms on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Lower Brooks from 3:30-5:00pm throughout the month of April. Current students in grades 8-11 that are interested in playing high school basketball next season are encouraged to attend. Please contact Coach Hazelwood at hazelwoodbud@gmail.com with any questions.

The University High boys basketball team will be having off season workouts every Wednesday & Friday 3:30pm-5:00pm for the months of April & May. This is open to any high school or 8th student interested in tryouts out for the high school team. If interested, please report to the boys locker room in brooks gym after school. If you have any further questions, please email me at bucscoach55@gmail.com

Congratulations to Lucy, River and Sawyer Smith on receiving the Wayne C. Henderson Scholarship for kids who play traditional Appalachian Music! They received notification recently that each of them will receive a $500 Scholarship that can be used to pay for traditional music camps and lessons, which they all plan to use to help pay for individual lessons and attendance to the ETSU Bluegrass Camp.

A.J. Murphy was recently selected as a member of the TSWA All-State Boys Basketball Team. Way to go A.J. - this is a wonderful and well-deserving honor!

Hi Senior Class Parents,

The week of Graduation is known as "Senior Week" at UH. This year it will be Monday, May 20th - Friday, May 24th. Graduation will be Friday, May 24, 2024. During this week there are several special events scheduled for all Seniors. We will be sending out a formal schedule of events next week.

In the meantime, we need help with planning, decorations, set-up and tear-down, food, activities, door prizes, etc. for all of these events. Please reach out to the following people if you are willing and able to help with anything regarding these events.

The Senior Sunset event is planned for May 4. Cindy Ryder is coordinating this event. If you would like to help with this event, please let Cindy know at RYDERC@mail.etsu.edu or by phone at 423-483-5214.

Senior Class Trips and Luncheon after Graduation Rehearsal are being coordinated by Bridgette Ward, please let her know at bridgetteward1@gmail.com or 423-440-5885 if you would like to help with these activities.

The Baccalaureate Ceremony is being coordinated by Laura Willard. If you would like to help with this event, please let Laura know at uhclass2021@gmail.com or by phone at 423-483-2414.

• An honoured tradition at UH is the Baccalaureate Ceremony. This is a formal ceremony held one evening during Senior Week. Historically, this ceremony has been held at a local church; it is a non-denominational, secular service. This ceremony is a time where you and your family gather to pause, reflect on this rite of passage, and celebrate your achievements and perseverance.

Project Graduation is being coordinated by a group, Jessica Rogers, Bridgette Ward, Mysty Underwood. Please reach out Bridgette Ward at bridgetteward1@gmail.com or 423-440-5885 if you would like to help with Project Graduation.

• Project Graduation, an all-night event for graduates, begins the evening of graduation and concludes the next morning. This event is held in the CPA on ETSU's campus. Food, door prizes and activities are planned for the entire evening/morning.

3D Youth Leadership introduces rising juniors and seniors to leadership development exercises, communication skills, and teaches them how to develop and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Youth Leadership gives students an opportunity to participate in an empowering and productive experience that concentrates on developing strong leadership skills and promotes community involvement.

The mission of 3D Youth Leadership is to equip, empower, and inspire selected high school juniors to become more engaged and impactful leaders in their school and community.

Since 1998 , the program has developed young leaders and exposed them to the various elements that form a strong, dynamic community. The program covers a variety of topics designed to ensure students have fun while learning skills that will serve them well for a lifetime. Some of these include Team Building; Communications; Community Service; Leadership Skills, etc. Sessions are held one Saturday a month, August through April.

Rising juniors and seniors from Science Hill, Daniel Boone, David Crockett, University School, and Providence Academy, you will meet numerous business and community leaders. These are valuable relationships that could assist you in the future.

You are required to attend and participate in all sessions of the program.

You will be required to complete a volunteer group project at a non-profit organization as part of the 3D Youth Leadership program in March.

You must maintain a minimum of a “C” average in all classes to continue your participation in the program.

You and your family are responsible for transportation to and from 3D Youth Leadership activities.

You are responsible for appropriate demeanor during 3D Youth Leadership activities. Inappropriate demeanor will result in your dismissal from the program.

Tuition is $100.00.

The Chamber of Commerce
Attn: Elisa Britt
602 Sevier Street, Unit 101
Johnson City, TN 37604

Phone: 423-461-8000

britt@johnsoncitytnchamber.com

Discover the exciting world of STEM learning this summer by joining our STEM summer camps! We have designed several new camps this year that are aimed at providing a fun and engaging experience for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, we've got something for everyone. So don't miss out on this opportunity to explore and learn about the fascinating world of STEM!

Where: ETSU Valleybrook Campus

122 Pickens Road

Kingsport TN 37663

Cost: $150.00 per week

Are you ready for the ultimate STEM adventure this summer? Look no further than our immersive and exciting STEM camp! With an array of topics, including robotics, underwater robotics, coding, and much more, you'll be sure to expand your knowledge and skills in STEM. Our hands-on projects will challenge and inspire you, allowing you to learn about the latest technologies in the field. Whether a beginner or an experienced coder, this camp perfectly fits you. Plus, you'll have the chance to explore and learn about other summer camps that complement this program. This enriching and fun-filled experience is one to take advantage of! Join us for an unforgettable summer of learning and growth.

At the forensics camp, we get to learn cool stuff about solving crimes using science! We learn how to analyze fingerprints and other types of evidence to figure out who the bad guys might be. We also use fun techniques like DNA analysis, ballistics, and forensic photography to help us solve cases. By doing hands-on activities and simulations, we become super-sleuths and learn to combine all the clues to solve tough mysteries. It's like being a real-life detective!

22 - Girls on the Run

22 - MS Baseball Tournament Begins @ Johnson County (5:30 PM)

22 - HS Tennis @ Elizabethton (4:00 PM)

22 - HS Softball Home vs. Hampton (5:00 PM - Carnegie Park)

22 - HS Baseball Away vs Happy Valley (5:30 PM - NE Community Credit Union Field; Elizabethton)

23 - HS Track JV Only @ Science Hill (4:00 PM)

23 - HS Tennis Senior Night vs Greeneville (4:00 PM - ETSU CPA Courts)

23 - MS Softball 8th Grade Night vs Johnson County MS (5:00 PM - Carnegie Park)

23 - HS Baseball Senior Night (recognition between games) vs Unaka (5:00 PM - Thomas Stadium)

23 - HS Softball @ Cloudland (5:00 PM)

23 - MS Boys Soccer @ Providence Academy (5:00 PM)

23 - HS Soccer @ Gatlinburg-Pittman (6:00 PM)

25 - Girls on the Run

25 - HS Boys Soccer Senior Night vs Chuckey Doak (6:30 PM - ETSU Summers-Taylor Field)

25 - HS Softball @ Happy Valley HS (5:00 PM)

25 - MS Softball vs Cloudland (4:30 PM - Carnegie Park)

25 - HS Tennis @ Johnson County (4:00 PM)

25 - HS Baseball @ West Ridge (5:00 PM)

26 - HS Soccer @ Cumberland Gap HS (6:30 PM)

26 - HS Softball vs Providence Academy (5:00 PM - Carnegie Park)

26 - HS Baseball @ David Crockett (5:30 PM)

26 - MS Baseball Tournament (TBD)

27 - HS Prom (7:30-10:30 PM - Carnegie Hotel)