Dear Families,

Thank you for making March is Reading Month such a wonderful celebration of literacy! Our Ready, Set, Read! theme brought so much joy to our students, and we hope it helped spark an even deeper love for reading. A huge thank you to all our amazing teachers and parent volunteers who built and raced Lego cars, created boxcars for our parade, and shared stories as guest readers. Your dedication and enthusiasm made this experience truly special!

While March may be coming to an end, the joy of reading should continue all year long. Families play an essential role in fostering a love for literacy, and there are countless ways to incorporate reading into daily life.

Easy Ways to Support Literacy at Home

• Make Reading a Daily Habit

Set aside time each day to read together. Whether it's a bedtime story, a shared chapter book, or reading a recipe while cooking, every bit counts!

• Encourage Writing

Writing strengthens reading skills! Keep a family journal, write notes to relatives, create grocery lists together, or encourage your child to write and illustrate their own stories.

• Bring Words to Life

Read song lyrics, turn poetry into music, or act out favorite books. Engaging with words in different ways builds comprehension and excitement for language.

• Talk, Ask, and Explore (Conversational Turns)

Every conversation helps build vocabulary and critical thinking. Discuss books, share stories from your childhood, and encourage your child to ask questions about the world around them. See the 14 Talking Tips below.

• Celebrate Language and Culture

Many of our families are bilingual, which is an incredible gift! Reading and speaking in your home language helps build a strong foundation for literacy. Read books, sing songs, and share stories in both languages—every language is a bridge to learning!

We know that you are already doing so much to support your child’s literacy journey, and we encourage you to continue making these moments intentional. Your partnership in literacy is invaluable, and together, we can help our students develop a lifelong love of reading.

Warm regards,

Renee Fiema, Ed.D.

Students need to bring their charged laptop and charger to school.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025- Grades 3 / 4 English Language Arts & Grades 5 / 6 Mathematics

Tuesday, April 22, 2025- Grade 5 Science

Wednesday, April 23, 2025- Grade 5 Social Studies

Tuesday, April 29, 2025- Grades 3 / 4 Mathematics & Grades 5 / 6 English Language Arts

Did you know that the simple act of talking with your young child is a powerful tool that helps build their brain? Research shows that early talk and interaction are like the construction crew that creates the foundational architecture in children's brains. These early conversations have a lasting impact, with studies indicating that children who have more back-and-forth conversations in their early years are smarter as teenagers. In fact, language may be the strongest predictor of future success.

It's not just about hearing words; it's about engaging in conversational turns, which are simple back-and-forth exchanges between a child and an adult. These "serve and return" interactions are crucial for development. At least 40 conversational turns per hour can significantly benefit your child's cognitive development and school readiness.

You don't need to talk nonstop. Instead, focus on quality interactions during specific times of the day. Here are some practical tips drawn from LENA (link is below for more information).

• Make time for talk: Try to find 25-minute blocks during the day when you can focus on talking with your child. Even short bursts of focused interaction can make a difference.
• Turn daily routines into talk opportunities: Talk about what you are doing and thinking as you go about your day.
• Tune in and respond: Pay attention to what your child looks at, does, and says, and engage with them on that topic.
• Build more back-and-forth: When your child talks, respond and try to extend the conversation. Each time you get one back-and-forth exchange, try to make it two!.
• Avoid interrupting or appearing disinterested when your child tries to talk to you.
• Be mindful of screen time: Limit passive screen time when your child isn't interacting with anyone, or use TV time as an opportunity to talk about what's happening in the story.

MAP your adventure is a free resource for Michigan library cardholders by providing the opportunity to explore participating cultural destinations, parks, campgrounds, and recreation areas in the state at a discounted rate.

I recommend checking this site out!

March 31 - April 4 Spring into Wellness Week

31- Spring Cleaning Day

April

1- Nature Walk Day

2- Yoga Day

3- Healthy Snack Thursday

4- Refresh and Reset Day

April 7 through May 16 - MSTEP Assessment Window

15- MSTEP Grades 3, 4, 5, & 6

16- MMA Meeting in Person (last one for the school year)

17- 6th Grade Smart Moves Celebration at 9:00 a.m.

18- No School

22- MSTEP Grade 5

23- MSTEP Grade 5, Administrative Professionals' Day (Thank Our Office Staff)

25- Chuck E Cheese Fundraiser

29- MSTEP Grades 3, 4, 5, & 6

May

May 5 - May 9 - Teacher Appreciation Week

6- 6th Grade Career Focus and Group Picture

8- 5th Grade DIA Field Trip

11- Mother's Day

20- Messmore Arts, Beats, and Eats

21- Grades 5 / 6 Field Trip to Tree Runner

26- No School Memorial Day

June

6- Field Day

9- Preschool Last day of School

10- Half day of School, Kindergarten Celebration

11- Half day of School, Last Day, Sixth Grade Celebration

Elisabetta Stupera, President

Paulette Qussar, Vice President of Committees

Amanada Hijazi, New Vice President of Fund Raising

Stacee Jones, New Treasurer

Paul Jones, New "Techetary" aka Secretary

4/16 in-person

PowerSchool: https://ps.ucs.misd.net/public

Family Portal (Lunches): https://utica.familyportal.cloud

PaySchools: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

Utica Community School, in partnership with our community, will empower students to positively transform their future and the world.

Utica Community Schools ignites a passion for learning in all students. We strengthen our community by welcoming all learners, honoring culture, and inspiring remarkable growth and achievement.