Union Middle Weekly Update V5.06!

Hello Union Middle School Families,

Just a few quick announcements/reminders for the upcoming week...

First, we have our 7th and 8th grade school dance this Friday, September 27th. Each year, we have approximately 75% of our 7th and 8th graders attend the dance. We are looking forward to another well-attended UMS dance this week. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Monday); we always encourage our students to buy their ticket early, as the ticket line can get quite long later on in the week. If your student has their ASB card, they do get a discount off of the dance ticket. Here is a copy of the permission slip; reminder - students do not get an actual ticket. They simply provide the permission slip and the appropriate funds to have their name added to the "guest list". This format makes it harder for a student to lose their ticket (as there isn't one to lose).

If your family has a hardship, please reach out; we want every student to be able to attend the dance. Don't forget that we do expect a "responsible" adult to pick up their student from inside the school gates. We just want to make sure every student makes their way home and doesn't get somehow sidetracked, ending up at Safeway instead (where nothing good happens).

Second, we are planning to pivot away from the current storefront used for UMS into a much similar, hopefully much more user friendly option. At this point, you do not need to do anything with this information; just be prepared for a shift in how to make donations, contribute to field trips and/or after school sports, and everything else we use the UMS store for in the near future. Based on my experience thus far, I believe this will be a huge improvement in terms of the user as well as the admin experience.

Third, now that we are halfway through the 1st semester, it is a great time to sit down with your student, review their powerschool work, look for any missing assignments that can still be completed for full/partial credit, and discuss any improvements that may need to occur in your student's study habits / homework completion. If you have any questions about your student's classroom performance, please don't hesitate to reach out to their teachers. As a reminder, there is an expectation that you will receive a response within two to three working days...meaning, if you send a message Friday night, you should hear back by their prep period Wednesday at the latest. Often, you will receive a much quicker response; however, if you don't hear from them, simply reply back with me cc'ed on the email. I'd be glad to follow up to ensure your message didn't get lost into the ether somehow.

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Some quick reminders...

From Mrs. Utley - Our Activities Director: Chaperones Needed for 7th/8th Dance 9/27

Hi parents. Are you looking to get involved? If so, we have an opportunity for you. Parent chaperones are needed for the first dance of the year. The dance is for 7th and 8th grade students and will take place on Friday, September 27th from 6-8pm in the gym. If you are interested in chaperoning, please fill out the following form. We appreciate your help!

-Tryouts are starting! Please visit the athletics website (bit.ly/unionathletics) to stay updated!

-We are looking for more lunchtime supervisors. It's just a half hour daily and is a paid position. You can sign up for one to five days a week - it's up to you! No experience necessary. If interested, please email Mrs. Mantell at mantellA@unionsd.org. Thank you!

-Our staff member profile this week is Mrs. Kim Watkins, one of our 6th grade ELA/SS core teachers. I hope you enjoy it!

Todd Feinberg, Principal

(Also this week, we have our first installment of a "video message" where one of my four children join for UMS updates, assorted dad jokes, and most likely Pokemon discussions. There is very little UMS-related content in these videos; please do not think you have to watch them as all of the "important" information is included in the newsletter already. Tyson joined tonight for a "quick" video; usually he's a bit more energetic but I pulled him away from Super Smash Bros time so he wanted the convo to be as brief as possible. Happy Sunday!)

• September 23, 2024 - September HSC Meeting @ UMS Teacher's Lounge (6:30pm)
  
• September 24, 2024 - Special Assembly Tuesday (See Bell Schedule)
• September 26, 2024 - Picture Make-Up Day
• September 27, 2024 - 7th & 8th Grade Dance @ UMS Gym (6-8pm)
• September 30, 2024 - Tentative Start Date for Wrestling (3 pm Cafeteria)
• October 4, 2024 - NO SCHOOL
• October 7, 2024 - Spelling Bee @ Lunch (All Week)
• October 8, 2024 - Special Assembly Tuesday (See Bell Schedule)
• October 14, 2024 - Girl Soccer Tryouts Begin (check sports website for more information)
• October 14, 2024 - Boys Volleyball Tryouts Begin (check sports website for more information)
• October 18, 2024 - UMS Games @ UMS Library (6-7:15pm)
• October 21, 2024 - UMS Book Fair Begins!
• October 22, 2024 - Special Assembly Tuesday (See Bell Schedule)
• October 22, 2024 - October HSC Meeting @ UMS Library (8:45-10:15am)
• October 23, 2024 (tentative) - Quality Quad Time @ Lunch (more info to come)
• October 25, 2024 - UMS BLAST - More info to come!
• October 29, 2024 - Halloween Concert @ UMS Quad (6:30-8pm) TENTATIVE DATE
• November 1, 2024 - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Staff Professional Development Day
• November 11, 2024 - NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day
• November 18, 2024 - November HSC Meeting @ UMS Teacher's Lounge (6:30pm)
• November 19, 2024 - Mid Quarter Reports - Check PowerSchool!
• November 19, 2024 - Special Assembly Tuesday (See Bell Schedule)
• November 25-29, 2024 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL
• December 6, 2024 - 7th & 8th Grade Winter Dance @ UMS Gym (6-8pm)
• December 10, 2024 - Special Assembly Tuesday (See Bell Schedule)
• December 13, 2024 - Girls Basketball Tryouts Begin (check sports website for more information)

Mrs. Kim Watkins has been at Union Middle School for the past 20 yaers. She currently teachers 6th grade ELA/Social Studies core. Enjoy the following Q&A below as we get to meet Kim Watkins!

How long have you been at UMS? What do you love about being an educator at UMS?I have been at Union Middle School for the past 20 years. What I love about being an educator at UMS is the community. Our students are eager and our parents are supportive. I am also fortunate to work with a wonderful staff of professionals.

What's one thing your students don't know about you that they would be surprised to find out? I have traveled to Kenya to help build homes for people in a small village.

What, if anything, are you currently binge-watching? Or reading? I am currently binge watching The Bear. I just finished reading The Season of the Monster -- a horror series written by my second cousin. I also like to listen to the murder mysteries on Audible by Jeneva Rose.

What are your words of wisdom? Don't forget to be awesome. This is a saying coined by author / educator John Greene. People need to acknowledge that they are amazing. We sometimes tend to forget the good things about us.

What is your favorite lesson/curriculum to teach each year? Why? My favorite lesson to teach each year is the Create Your Own Civilization project in social studies. Students are able to use their ingenuity and work together while reinforcing the GRAPES concepts.

What's one instructional practice that you've adopted for your classroom that you now cannot live without? One instructional practice that I like to use is quick, informal formative assessments to gauge student learning in the moment.

If you had to describe your classroom in just a few words/sentences, what would you say? Information-centered. I try to have lots of pictures and text about what we are learning in my classroom.

What made you want to become a teacher? It took me awhile. I resisted my dad's suggestions for many years when I was working in the corporate world. I realized ultimately that I was destined for this career in education since several family members were teachers, including both my parents. My very first day of school as a teacher was one of the best days of my life. I loved it instantly and knew I had made the right decision.

Noddin Elementary Volunteer Opportunity: Calling all volunteers! Noddin Elementary is hosting their annual fall Noddin Fest on Friday, September 27th from 4:30 - 8:15 pm, and there are lots of fun opportunities for volunteer hours available. Noddin Home and School Club is asking for middle school volunteers to sign up, if you are interested (and not attending the UMS dance), please visit https://noddinfest.eventbrite.com/.

There are many ways to get involved at Union Middle School. From leading Art Vistas lessons or helping at the Scholastic Book Fair to participating in fundraisers or supporting music, drama, or athletics, there’s definitely an opportunity to fit your schedule and interests. Sign up here: www.unionhsc.org/volunteer.html.

This year, our primary way to fundraise will be through the Annual Membership Drive. We rely on your generous donations to hit our fundraising goals. If your employer provides Corporate Matching, this is another way for you to double your donation and help support Union Middle School students, teachers, and school programs. Please follow the steps below and donate online today!

Donate online now: www.umsstore.org

Your HSC Membership donations support:

• HSC donates approximately $175 per student each year

• Art Vistas, Athletics, Music, Drama, Technology, and Cheer programs

• All of our teachers, who receive $500 each for teaching and classroom supplies, resources, and online education subscriptions

• Grants made available to faculty to fund one-time expenses

• A wide range of student resources and support programs including orientation for new 6th graders (WEB), mentoring, UMS Reads, and leadership training.

Donate online now: www.umsstore.org

Bridge the Gap is a principal discretionary fund that enables the principal and staff to provide the best possible educational experience for the students at Union Middle School. Your Bridge the Gap donations support:

• Teacher development and teacher recognition events

• Existing programs that may have been drastically cut or risk cancellation

• Student clubs and student recognition events.

You can easily double your donation via Corporate Matching. Find more information here: www.unionhsc.org/corporate-matching.html

We offer sponsorship opportunities for businesses and organizations to support Union Middle School. Community sponsors are invited to donate ONCE, and in exchange, receive visibility to the Union Middle School community through the website! Go to www.unionhsc.org/community-sponsorships.html for more information.

All are welcome at our monthly HSC meetings. Visit the HSC website for updates and information all year long: www.unionhsc.org.

​It will be 40 years since 8 parents at Alta Vista Elementary school got together and started the Art Vistas program for their students. For almost 40 years, we've delivered the finest art education to Transitional Kindergarten through 8th grade classrooms in Union School District and beyond, exposing students to art history and technique, bringing the joy of art and growing creative confidence in children, everywhere.

40th Anniversary Gala - Support Art Vistas with a fun night out!

Date/Time: Saturday, October 12th, 2024 6pm - 9pm
Location: The San Jose Clubhouse/We and Our Neighbors
Address: 15480 Union Avenue, San Jose, CA 95124

The Gala will include:

• Appetizers, drinks and adult beverages
• Stand-up comedy featuring local comedians, with headliner Kathy Guest
• Art-themed trivia, silent auction and more....

Purchase your tickets HERE.

Our morning clinics have begun!

If your student needs extra support, homework help, and/or test preparation, our UMS clinics can help! Whether they are struggling with the curriculum or just want to sharpen their academic skills, our staff (and high school tutors) are ready to assist them. Please encourage your student to take advantage of these opportunities, available throughout the week. Students should arrive with work to do and/or questions to ask - Clinics aren't necessarily 1:1 tutoring; they're a place where students can get extra help with their academic questions.

Math Clinic: Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:05 am to 8:25 am in Room 3

ELA Clinic: Mondays and Thursdays from 8:05 to 8:25 am in Room 4

Science Clinic: Tuesdays and Fridays from 8:05 to 8:25 am in Room 30

Teacher Team Links included below and are available through Teams & Staff on our homepage (via unionms.unionsd.org). Your student should know which team they're on. And of course, please bookmark the below link for usage throughout the school year.

6th Grade Happy Campers

6th Grade Avengers

7th Grade Otters

7th Grade Firefly

8th Grade Mustangs

8th Grade Penguins

As the seasons progress, more information will be added for whatever after-school sports become available. Please visit the website for tryout information and other key topics. Questions: Mrs. Moore is our athletic director and is available to answer any questions not already shared on the UMS Athletics website.

USD is seeking qualified, interested individuals to serve on a committee of community leaders which will serve as the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (“COC”) for the implementation of the District’s Measure J and Measure R school facilities and technology bond program. COC members are appointed to two-year terms, and the time commitment is approximately one hour per quarter.

The vacancies are currently in the role of:

• Business Representative - Active in a business organization representing local business

• Taxpayer Organization Member - Active in a bona fide taxpayers’ association.

If you are interested in serving, applications are available here.

We are actively seeking parents to join the District's Wellness Committee. This committee will meet monthly to review and provide valuable feedback on the District's initiatives to support student wellness through various areas: including health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, and a safe and healthy school environment. If you are interested in joining the District’s Wellness Committee please contact Rachel Duncan at duncanr@unionsd.org.

he Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program is hosting two engaging and informative evenings, packed with tips on talking to your teens about vaping, cannabis, and tobacco. Available in both English and Spanish, you’ll leave with the knowledge and resources to guide your family towards a safer, healthier future.

When & Where:

• Thursday, October 24 | 6-7:30 PM
  1290 Ridder Park San Jose, CA 95131
  (English: Oak Grove Room | Spanish: Milpitas Room)

Registration: sccoe.to/parentsRP

• Tuesday, October 29 | 6-7:30 PM
  South County Annex Gilroy, CA 95020
  (English: Conference Room | Spanish: Multi-Purpose Room)

Registration: sccoe.to/parentSCA

Email: feinbergt@unionsd.org
Website: Unionms.Unionsd.org
Location: 2130 Los Gatos Almaden Road, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: (408) 371-0366
Twitter: @goteamums