Golden Bear News: Sep 20, 2024

Dear UAHS students and families,

The Ohio Department of Education has published the 2023-2024 school year report cards, and you can view UAHS's report card here. We are proud to celebrate earning five stars in all four measured areas, but it's important to remember that this is just one aspect of the complex and meaningful work we do as educators.

Last year, our teachers guided students through 75 service-learning projects, enriching the curriculum with real-world relevance and engagement. Our students also dedicated over 37,000 hours to community service, averaging about 20 hours per student. We commend both our students and staff for their hard work and achievements throughout the year.

As we reach the midpoint of the first quarter, please take a moment to review your progress in PowerSchool.

Enjoy your weekend!

Sincerely,

Andrew C. Theado

Principal

Our Mission: Challenge and support every student, every step of the way.

• Sep 22 ~ Fostering a Conversation
  

• Sep 26 ~ McDonald's High School Sports Digital Fundraiser Day
• Sep 27 ~ Picture Retake Day, 7:30am-12:30pm in the Field House
• Sep 30 ~ Summer Community Service Due Date
• Oct 8 ~ Fall Choir Concert, 7:00pm-9:00pm in the Performing Arts Center
  
• Oct 8 ~ PTO Meeting, 8:30am-9:30am in W1308J (1st Floor Student Support Office)
  
• Oct 10 ~ End of First Grading Period
  
• Oct 11 ~ No School for Students
• Oct 13 ~ Suburban College Fair, 1:00pm-3:30pm at Otterbein
  
• Oct 14 ~ Teacher Work Day (No Students)
  
• Oct 16 ~ PSAT/NMSQT for Grades 10 & 11
  
• Oct 16 ~ Digital Learning Day for Grades 9 & 12 (freshmen and seniors do not attend school)
  
• Oct 16 ~ College Planning Meeting for Juniors, 7:00pm-9:00pm in the Performing Arts Center
• Nov 1 ~ Online Order Extension for Graduation: https://view.vidreach.io/q/HPjfaVl3

  
  

Students: As you prepare for the upcoming PSAT on Wednesday, October 16, we want to share the PSAT Student Guide with you. This guide includes key information about the test, tips for success, and an overview of what to expect in the Reading/Writing, and Math sections. While reviewing the guide is not required, it’s a helpful resource if you're looking for extra support. You'll find explanations on the types of questions and topics covered in each section, which can help you feel more confident on test day. Click this link if the one above doesn't work: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/psat-nmsqt-student-guide.pdf.

As required by Ohio law, the health office nurses will be conducting vision and hearing screenings this fall on all 9th grade, 11th grade and new students to the district. If your student does not pass the vision and/or hearing screenings, you will be notified, and a referral will be sent for a professional exam.

Please contact the health clinic at UAHealthclinic@uaschools.org if you need assistance in covering the cost of an eye exam and glasses. You may qualify using the program called Sight for Students.

Students,

We want to remind you of the importance of driving safely in our neighborhoods. Our community includes families, children, and fellow students, and your caution on the roads helps protect everyone. Please remember to follow the speed limits, be aware of pedestrians, and always drive responsibly. Together, we can ensure the safety of all.

Are you interested in learning more about what makes humans happy? If so, you won't want to miss the upcoming talk by Dr. Laurie Santos, a psychologist who studies happiness, as part of the Fostering a Conversation speaker series. This series is a collaboration between the Upper Arlington City Schools, Upper Arlington Education Foundation, Upper Arlington Alumni Association, and the Upper Arlington Community Foundation.

Click here for more information.

If you or someone you know may be in crisis, there are options available to help. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any time to connect with a trained crisis counselor. For confidential support available 24/7 for everyone in the U.S., call or text 988 or chat at www.988lifeline.org. Here is a LINK for more information from Nationwide Children's Hospital, and click HERE for tips to help your student. For additional support, please reach out to your child's school counselor as well.

Math Tutoring, from student peers, is now available AFTER SCHOOL, Monday through Friday in room 1301. Please encourage your student to stop by for all of their math assistance needs!

Juniors and Seniors who will be at least 17 years old by Election Day have the opportunity to work the polls on Tuesday, November 5 through Franklin County’s Youth at the Booth Program. Participating students must commit to working all day and to attending training. Pay is $193 (or $223 with an additional optional training). Training will be scheduled at UAHS. Interested students can find the details on the Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 Canvas Pages. Students can also reach out to Mr. Soccorsi (rsoccorsi@uaschools.org) with questions. The deadline to apply is September 21.

The High School Guardian Program is a unique opportunity for juniors and seniors to be part of Honor Flight Columbus. The program is being updated for 2025. For more information, see the links below. The deadline for applications is October 4, 2024.

Website: https://www.honorflightcmh.org/get-involved

Application: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=7PG2js9jDUm-2L55E0JLX4bcBl4G67RMh9intCSJV1lUNU1OTzNQQ1RWRlpMUEpQQ01YTzdNUzczTC4u&route=shorturl

Program Description: https://www.honorflightcmh.org/_files/ugd/69091b_d703301320874c1c81db6dced4fdfb30.pdf

All 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students are required to complete six hours of community service to have been excused from school on August 14. As a friendly reminder, it is essential to record your service in x2VOL. Instructions on how to record your hours can be found on the community service page of the high school website. To ensure timely completion, please enter your hours online by Monday, September 30. Failure to do so will result in the retroactive marking of an unexcused absence for Wednesday, August 14 and a potential Saturday School.

We invite you to join us for regular conversations about key topics at Upper Arlington High School. Whether you choose to actively participate, listen in, or catch the recording later, it's a great way to stay connected and informed about what's happening at UAHS.

Family Connection Webinars 2024-2025 (Topics subject to change)

• September 18 - State Report Card Review (Recording)
• October 9 - Preparing Students to be Successful Post-High School (4:15 p.m. - Link to join)
• November 13 - Challenging and Supporting Students: Rigor and Interventions at UAHS
• December 11 - Innovation and Engagement
• January 15 - Academic Scheduling for 2025-2026
• February 12 - Program of Studies Review
• March 12 - Senior End-of-Year Information
• April 9 - Summer 2025 Academic Options

Click HERE for important senior dates and information.

Click the following link for the 2024-25 Senior Checklist: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19yBO1cAvOhpYQW5QHep_g31uR3zelNGUZqgTRJ9_0IA/edit?usp=sharing

Attendance is a critical component to learning. Students need to show up in order to take full advantage of the education programs we offer. Beginning next week when a student has an unexcused absence from class (a potentially skipped class), both student and parents/guardians will be notified of the absence. Beginning the following week, a consequence (detention) may be assigned for each unexcused absence. Be sure to check your attendance each day to ensure it is accurate.

In order to streamline the absence reporting process, we ask that parents/guardians leave a voicemail on the attendance line (614-487-5213), or complete the Absence Notification Form available on the high school website and on the Upper Arlington City Schools APP. We will no longer accept emails. By using the Absence Notification Form, we are able to organize and record absence requests in a more efficient manner. Note that the form will collect your email address, which we will use to verify the request, so please use an email address that is on file in PowerSchool. Additionally, parents/guardians should follow the instructions in the online form to submit Pre-Planned Absence Requests.

A Planned Absence Excuse Form should be printed, signed and turned in to the Attendance Secretary in the Main Office at least 10 days in advance, when possible.

If a parent/guardian submits an Absence Notification Form or calls Attendance at 614-487-5213 to inform the office that their student needs to be dismissed during the day, they will receive an e-hallpass (EHP) to leave class at the designated time. The student can use the EHP to notify their teacher of the dismissal and then should come to the Attendance Office to sign out before leaving.

Please submit your medical notes to uahsattendance@uaschools.org. In order for attendance hours to not accumulate towards habitual absence triggers, medical documentation is needed.

Announcements for the current week are available on the high school website.

Online form for absences (no longer accept emails)

Email if you’ve stopped receiving communication from us

The Daily Bell Schedule and Modified Bell Schedules (Early Dismissal & Two-Hour Delay)

Links to the District Calendars, the UAHS Calendar and the UAHS Athletic calendars

Our webpage with community service options and the link to enter hours

The website for school portraits, club photos, senior class photo

Use LightSpeed Parent Portal Support Page to monitor your student’s internet activity

2024-25 Program of Studies including courses descriptions, academic options, graduation requirements, awards, etc.

The form to report a concern related to safety, bullying, harassment, etc.

The link to purchase season passes for UAHS athletic events

How to Get Help at the high school and familytechhelp@uaschools.org for families with tech support questions or situations