USC March Newsletter

As we move into March, we are fortunate to have some unseasonably warm weather. Yesterday, students in softball and track began spring sports practices and were able to practice outside. It brought a smile to my face to see the students enjoying being outside in the sunshine. I’m also encouraged to hear so many students finding time to spend outside in the warm weather.

The arrival of March also reminds us that testing season is just around the corner. In April students will be testing for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments, MCAs. Students in grade 11 will take the MCA math test and students in grade 10 will take the MCA reading and science tests. We will also have our big testing day on April 9th where grade 12 will take the Work Keys test, grade 11 will take the ACT test, and grade 10 will take the Pre-ACT test. Lastly our 7th and 8th graders will take MCA tests in math and reading during the month of April, along with grade 8 taking the science test. It will be a busy month of testing. Please help your student get plenty of sleep prior to their testing session and encourage them to eat a healthy breakfast so that they are ready to tackle their testing with good sleep and nourishment. This is the letter explaining the MCA testing. A letter with all the testing dates will be shared with families soon.

Students continue to work hard in their classes throughout quarter 3. The end of the quarter is March 27th. Please continue to encourage your student to do his or her best as we approach the end of the quarter and forge forward into quarter 4. Teachers are busy planning some great activities and learning as we move into this important part of the school year.

USC students will also enjoy spring break from March 28th to April 1st. The staff wishes the students a relaxing break where they can recharge and refresh for the last quarter of the year. Often quarter 4 is a time where students need encouragement to finish the year strong and to continue to work hard on their academics. Thank you for continuing to provide that encouragement. At USC, we are lucky to team with parents as we work towards helping your student learn and grow each day. Thank you for being a valuable part of that support team. The high school staff is always willing to help students who need a bit more academic support. Please encourage your student to reach out to their teachers to set up additional help before or after school if needed. Students can also obtain extra help during our WINN class, the last 20 minutes of each day.

Thank you for being an important part of your student’s academic success. Please continue to encourage your student to practice gratefulness and perseverance. These two valuable skills are key components to success in their future.

Enjoy the rest of your month and find things to be grateful for each day.

Jen Bye

High School Principal

jbye@unitedsouthcentral.org

Contributed by Doug Sahr.

The USC Robotics team wrapped up their season on February 17th at USC. This was a mixed middle school and high school tournament so students young and old were competing. USC's results are below.

Team 55301C placed in 9th out of 43

Noah W, Noah T Brody Wa, Brody Wi

Team 55301 B placed 24th (rookie middle school team)

Jadelyn N, Harrison C, Lucy W

Team 55301A placed 27th

Braxton O, Luther W, Kenneth G

With a very competitive season, our teams were edged out of a state tournament invite this year. Regardless of the outcome, the students have put in a TON of time and work and have gained many new skills to carry forward for next year. All teams had a huge change in their robot designs from our first meet in November to last weekend which is exactly what we want to see (learn, adapt, try again). Congratulate them on a good season when you get a chance.

Thanks to the staff who helped with judging and reffing (Pam Krill, Laura Foley, Rosemary Schwartz, Ryan McCue). We also had many alumni come over to help (Tony Milloway, Connor Ehlert, Liz Stern, Aislynn Schlosser) which was cool to see that level of appreciation of the program from those who have moved on and are willing to keep helping out. Hunter Bruckhoff was also back running the rental equipment while serving the obligations of his full ride scholarship at St. Cloud Tech. A special thank you to the community members who also helped at this event. We could not hold this event without community support.

9th graders had the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of career areas at our annual Career Navigator Day. South Central College hosts area students to help their career exploration efforts.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Meyer, the March Renaissance Student of the Month. Elizabeth will enjoy a reserved parking spot and first in the lunch line privileges for the month of March. Elizabeth is involved in many things at USC including basketball, FFA, National Honor Society, and Student Government. Her dedication to her studies and hard work is a positive example for our students. USC is proud to celebrate Elizabeth!

Students in Mr. Scruggs' class recently studied the Lewis and Clark expedition. Students acted out a play that shared the details of expedition of exploring the western United States. This was a fun and interactive activity for students where students reviewed the key events of the expedition.

USC recently welcomed a new part-time school counselor, Mrs. Wischnack. She will be conducting monthly socioemotional classroom lessons for all grades K-12. Last month, in line with Valentine’s Day, the theme was healthy relationship skills. Students learned about setting and keeping appropriate boundaries for their relationships with others, including friends, family, peers, romantic partners, etc.

Students and staff will celebrate USC Spring Week March 18-22. Students can participate in dress up days, activities including trivia, tug-of-war, sweet treats, and fun events during the week. Students in grades 9-12 will have the opportunity to attend a spring dance on Saturday, March 23. More details on the events for USC Spring Week will be shared soon with students.

The USC band performed on Thursday, February 29th. Grade 5, followed by grade 6, began the concert. Grades 7 & 8 performed next, followed by the grade 9-12 band. Mr. Hagen and his students did a great job of entertaining the audience with their musical selections.

The Senior High Knowledge Bowl team competed in regional competition on Thursday, March 7th. While none of our teams received a state berth (only the top 2 teams in each division go), they had a great year with a lot of growth and fun. Below are the results of the March 7th competition.

Team Mighty White - 8th place

Team Puce Pink - 9th place

Team Teal - 14th place

Team Blues Clues - 22nd place

Congratulations to the teams and their coach, Ms. Klemek on a great season.

Thank you to the students and staff who donated on March 28th for the National Honor Society and American Red Cross blood drive. USC surpassed their goal for the day by collecting 31 units for those who are in need of this life saving gift.

Nine students were inducted into the USC National Honor Society on Sunday, March 3rd. Student members of the National Honor Society uphold the four pillars of character, honor, service, and scholarship. USC is proud to celebrate these students as positive representatives of our school.

Congratulations to Jaelyn, Jaiden, Emma, Jake, Alyssa, Eleny, Carissa, Mariah, and Chevelle on being inducted into the USC National Honor Society.

On Tuesday, February 27th, the 8th grade class performed the play, Peter Pan. The students learned their lines and put a show together in just one week. USC is proud of all the work that students put in as a team to make this work a success. Thank you to Josh Edwards, our director this year. The show was enjoyed by the elementary students at the 1:00 PM performance and by parents and family members at the 5:00 PM performance.

The eighth grade students attended a mobile health lab on February 14th during their health class. Students participated in simulations that included helping some one who is choking, surgery simulation, impairment glasses, and hearing simulations. A group of nursing students were at USC in the auditorium to help with these labs as students learned more about health related topics.

The USC Choir attended the large group contest at Loyola school on Monday, March 4th. The group earned a superior rating, which is the highest rating possible. Congratulations to Mrs. Rame and the choir students on this high honor.

All Seniors who plan on attending any type of schooling after graduation should apply for the FAFSA. Each student, along with a parent/guardian will need a FSA ID to sign in and electronically sign. This will take 3-5 business days to verify, so please complete this as soon as possible.

FSA ID: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Senior Scholarships Many local scholarships will become available in February and March. Any opportunities that come through the counseling office will be emailed to Seniors, as well as updated on the counseling website. Seniors should be checking their email at least once every day for information from teachers, as well as any announcements from the counseling office. Counseling Website

The USC choir and band students left for a Choir and band trip on Friday, March 8th. Students will return on Wednesday, March 13th.

April 3: 10th grade Career Expo Field Trip in Mankato

April 9: 10th grade Pre-ACT test, 11th grade ACT test, 12th grade Work Keys assessment