The U Scoop
Principal's Greetings
Hello U Families!
I'm thrilled to honor the accomplishments and future plans of the Class of 2024 and our 8th graders in our yearly graduation and promotion ceremonies. This year has demanded adaptability, and as I finish my second year as Principal and 29th year in Education, I'm thankful for the resilience and growth shown by our faculty and students.
As the academic year draws to a close, please remember to complete the Summer Work assignments in ELA and Math (pages 14-16) to keep your minds engaged and prepared for the upcoming school year.
This will be our last communication until late August or early September. Take advantage of the next eight weeks to unwind, contemplate, and reconnect with your loved ones. Also, keep in mind the important Dates to Remember provided below.
Dates to Remember:
Friday, June 7, 2024 - ASYNCHRONOUS Day for Grades 6-11 - NO IN PERSON CLASSES
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - 8TH GRADERS
Class of 2024 Commencement - Friday, June 7, 2024 at 2pm - The Aretha Amphitheatre
2600 Atwater Street, Detroit, MI ~ No Tickets needed
8th grade Promotion Ceremony - Monday, June 10, 2024 at 1pm - UMHSA Auditorium
1/2 day - FINAL SCHOOL DAYS: Tuesday, June 11th, Wednesday, June 12th,
and Thursday, June 13th - ALL STUDENTS ARE DISMISSED at 11:10 a.m. (see schedule below)
Make sure to follow The U on Instagram and Facebook !
Educationally Yours,
Orlando T. Bogins
2024 Yearbook Update
Please see the attached letter regarding the status of the 2024 Yearbook, and the official letter from the publishing company, Balfour.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Lewis (lorri.lewis@southfieldk12.org)
Middle School iReady Spring Reports
ALL students in grades 6-8 will receive their iReady Spring reports via their ELA Teacher, Mr. Trexler OR Mrs. Orse-Simpson on Wednesday, June 5th. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Lewis, Testing Coordinator via email: lorri.lewis@southfieldk12.org.
The U Class of '24 Prom King Brandt Stewart and Queen Naria Penn
All photos courtesy of Capture the Moment Photography
Congratulations to the Class of 2025
Class of 2025 Officers
Congratulations to all students who ran for an office. After campaigning and speeches, the Class of 2025 have elected the following to serve as Leadership for the 24-25 school year:
President: Uriah Foster
Vice President: Christen Banks
Secretary: Cedrick Coburn II
Treasurer: Tanner Herrington
Historian/Public Relations: Parker McCauley
Class of 2025 Yearbook Photos
Class of 2025!!
Please see the attached flyer regarding scheduling your Yearbook Photo session. ALL Seniors need to take a Yearbook Photo. Please note that Motor City Portraits is offering a special discount if you book by June 30, 2024.
Class of 2025 - Schedule your Yearbook Photo Session:
Congratulations to Mrs. Tomlinson!!
She was invited to join the 2024-25 Teach Plus Michigan Teacher Policy Fellowship. The applicant pool was very strong, making selection decisions quite difficult. Your application was judged to be of the highest standard among our qualified candidates. We look forward to your contributions to the cohort and the impact you will have on the future of teaching and learning in Michigan.
Congratulations Senior Maegan Williams
Crowned Miss AKATeen via the Pi Tau Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. by UHSA Alumna and 2023 AKATeen, Cassidy Tomlinson
Congratulations to UHSA Alumnae - Ava Campbell and Bianca Smith-Allen
U Students of the Month!
UHSA - Keira Vails - 11th grader
As the Art Club President, member of the Drama Club, and participant of many auxiliaries, Keira Vails has shown tremendous talent, drive, and ambition. We celebrate you, and look forward to seeing what the future holds for you!
Submitted by: Mrs. Marsh
UMSA - Kiyan Carrion - 7th grader
Kiyan Carrion has shown great growth and progress this school year. He began 7th grade as a 10 year old making him the youngest 7th grader at The U! He has matured tremendously and has been consistent in academic excellence. When asked about science class he said this “ The class goes by really fast because the discussions are really good and we learn a lot, fast. The work is really easy, fun and interactive. We must be really smart since we’re doing 10th grade work that 10th graders are having trouble with… I mean it is University so it’s not really a surprise.” Great job Kiyan, you show us what a University Middle School student looks like for sure.
Submitted by: Ms. Barrett
What's Happening at The U
AP African-American Studies
We've successfully completed the pilot year of the AP African American Studies course, which will go LIVE in the Fall to all schools in the contiguous United States. Because of our participation, data from Mr. Deegan and Ms. Lewis' classes and students' performance on their Oral Defense Presentations and AP Exam will benefit the course for years to come.
Recently, the Oakland Press highlighted The U's pilot program; you can read the article here.
English at The U
Mrs. Tomlinson's Pre-AP English II
For Learning Cycle 2 in Unit 3 of Pre-AP English, my tenth graders were introduced to a variety of sources on the subject of vaccination. One of their assignments was to analyze textual and visual representations of Herd Immunity. The photos you see are examples of how student groups creatively interpreted the principle of mass vaccination protecting the vulnerable. We have photos of houses protecting houses, knights protecting the countrymen they serve, birds protecting their young, etc. Try to look at each photo closely to understand the visual!
Fine Arts at The U
"Year in Review"
As wonderful memories have been made this year at the U, we have created a "Year in Review" showcase to honor those moments! Be sure to check it out in the main entrance. A huge thanks to Mr. Bogins for the concept, and the Visual Arts students, and Art Club members for making it happen successfully!
Math at The U - SUMMER WORK
University’s Math Summer Work can be found on pages 15-16 of the SPS Summer Learning Manual. There is also a link to this Manual on our school website. Please complete summer work prior to the start of school in Fall 2004. We know that students will retain what they have learned and be ready to move forward with instruction after participating with the grade or course specific plan. Please have them do the work for the grade or course that they are going into next school year. Teachers will give students a grade in the fall for their participation.
Social Studies at The U
Students in Mr. Stetz’s Financial Literacy class have been learning about investing in the Stock Market. Students were given $500 to invest in any stocks that they think would make wise investments. All students will track their stock portfolio's performance from now until the end of the school year to see who was able to gain the most money out of their initial $500 investment. Students will learn what a stock is, how to read stock reports and see how stock prices fluctuate from day to day and even minute to minute. Not only are the students competing against each other to see who can make the most money, they are also competing against Mr. Stetz who has invested $500 as well. A fun financial literacy lesson to finish out the school year.
Science at The U
Ms. Barrett's Science 7 class wrote wedding stories about elements becoming compounds as they learned about ionic bonding. The Science and My World classes picked up 15 pounds of trash around the school grounds on Earth Day
U Announcements
Entrepreneur Club
The Entrepreneur Club had a successful turnout at their first annual Business Fair! Student entrepreneurs (both member and non-members) showcased their products and services to the U's school community. Expect to see much more from these young business owners, as the EClub members continue to sharpen their skills!