Hope this finds you having a great fall and getting ready to enjoy Unity Homecoming festivities this weekend. October is a busy month. Here are our updates:
Chromebooks:
Students have been doing an overall good job of keeping up with Chromebooks as part of the District One-to-One Device Initiative. A friendly reminder that charged Chromebooks and earbuds are needed each day.
Parking Lot Safety: Thank you for not blocking the orange cones at dismissal. This helps our students to be able to exit the building with an unobstructed view of the parking lot. Deputy Mayo has asked administration to remind our school community to slow down in the school parking lots. The parking lot speed limit is 15 miles per hour.
Unity Day 2022: The UJHS Cross Country Team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Pep Club present UNITY DAY 2022, hosted on the UJHS/UHS school grounds on Wednesday, October 19. The event will start and finish near the UHS softball field with a 1-mile cross country race for grade school through junior high students. 6th, 7th, and 8th grade runners will start at 3:40; sign up for the races will begin at 3:15 until race time. Once the race is complete, we invite all Unit Seven families to unite in ORANGE in support of kindness, acceptance, and inclusion with a family get-together complete with music, games, Smithburger and Sidney Dairy Bar.
UJHS Fundraiser: Fannie May fundraiser kicks off on October 20, 2022. UJHS limits to one major fundraiser per year. This fundraiser helps to cover the expenses of school trips, student handbook and planner, all-school bowling event, student incentives, and more. We appreciate your participation.
Parent Teacher Conferences:
The district has set aside October 20 from 3:00 to 9:30 for conferences. Parent-teacher conference night is another opportunity to bridge the connection between home and school. Online individual conference signups will be posted at ujhs.com under the Parent-Teacher Conferences link the afternoon of October 11. The following information is provided by UJHS to help you determine what kind of conference or communication would best fit your need.
Individual Meeting:
1. Need for a conversation with a specific teacher.
2. Need to problem solve about performance or adjustment to a specific class.
3. Need to ask questions related to content or curriculum.
Team Meeting Request (Please contact a grade level teacher to arrange this kind of meeting).
1. Parent has information to share about academic, medical, and/or social/emotional information with multiple staff.
2. Student is experiencing adjustment issues at a particular grade level.
3. Student is underperforming in all classes; a problem solving approach is needed.
Email:
1. No need for a conference, but would like a general check in with teacher.
2. Opportunity to provide information that doesn’t require a conversation.
Opt out of parent-teacher conference night:
1. No specific concerns or questions at this time.
2. Already in regular communication with my student’s teachers.
Picture Day Retakes: Retakes for picture day scheduled on the morning of October 20, 2022. Please send the packet you are returning with your student for retakes. Students who were absent on the August picture day will also be able to have their pictures taken on this date.
Today, we had our first all-school assembly of the year. The School Climate team planned fun activities, we recognized individual students and student sports and clubs, and grade levels cheered on their peers and teachers in minute-to-win- it style grades. Our school spirit was electric! It was a refreshing reminder that we are part of wonderful family we call Rocket Nation. Have a great weekend. Go Rockets!
There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 10 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day
There will be an EARLY DISMISSAL at 11:30 on Friday, October 7 for our School Improvement Day.
There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, Sept. 30 due to a Teacher Institute Day.
There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, September 5th in recognition of Labor Day.
Unity West Elementary School is looking for two special education teaching assistants for the 2022-2023 school year. Currently, only a high school diploma is needed, but other paraprofessional requirements must be met within three years. Starting pay is $15.98/hour and includes benefits. Employees of Unit 7 who live outside of the district may enroll their children in the district tuition-free. Please contact Janah Sudduth-Mottola, Unit 7 Special Education Coordinator, at sudduthj@unity.k12.il.us/217-485-6510 for more information.
Tomorrow, Monday, August 29 is Picture Day! Pictures will be taken during PE classes. Order online at INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER use order code: 68818CB
Picture day is Aug 29. Pictures will be taken during PE classes. Order online at INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER use order code: 68818CB
Parents, in effort to maximize safety for our students, orange cones have been placed along the no parking area at the Rocket Center exit/entrance. The purpose of these cones is to allow students to have an unobstructed view when exiting the building to the parking lot. At dismissal, please DO NOT block the cones with your vehicle, park or “line up” in front of the cones, or block the handicap parking spaces. Please park in the lot and have your student walk to your car or walk to the outside area of the building to meet your student. Deputy Mayo will be helping us to support this safety goal. We ask that you share this information with grandparents, older siblings, sitters, etc. who pick up from the junior high. Thank you for supporting a safe school dismissal for our students.
Schedules:
Students schedules were mailed on August 9. After looking over your student’s schedule, If you feel that there is an error or change that needs to be made please email Stephanie Grussing at grussings@unity.k12.il.us. If a change is made an updated schedule will not be available until the first day of school.
Back to School Night:
Signups are posted at ujhs.com. Parents/Guardians will sign up by grade level. You will need your student’s schedule when you sign up. Parents and students will have the opportunity to meet all core team teachers, get information about UJHS, drop off supplies and visit lockers. Students attending the event must be accompanied by a parent or an adult family member. Sessions are 2:00-3:00 and 5:30-6:30 on August 15. Please choose one session.
8th grade signup with third hour teachers
7th grade signup with first hour teachers
6th grade signup with fourth hour teachers
Physicals, Immunizations, and Other Medical:
Nurse Short will be in attendance on Back to School Night. Please drop off paperwork to her during this event.
Picture Day:
Picture day is August 29. Pictures will be taken during PE classes. Order online at INTER-STATE.COM/ORDER use order code: 68818CB.
PE Uniform:
During online registration if you paid for a PE shirt and/or shorts online or indicated that you would pay by check, please call into the school to provide the sizes that you want for your student. Please ask to speak to Sara Farruggia at 217-485-6735. Thank you! Sixth graders who ordered in the spring do not need to call into the office. We have your information.
Planners:
UJHS students will receive planner/handbook on the first day. There is no charge.
Families of UJHS Students: Registration continues at UJHS until 2:00 today! Please check your email to start the registration process with Teacher Ease, the new online registration system. If you did not receive an email please contact the UJHS office at 217-485-6735. Last year's eighth grade, please contact the high school.
The junior high cross country season will begin on August 1st. Practices are from 8 to 9:30am or 6 to 7:30pm whichever is most convenient until school begins. Once school starts, practices are after school until 5:00. Dual sport athletes that have after school conflicts can run before school from 7 to 8am. All runners need a physical before their first practice. Contact Coach Kyle kylej@unity.k12.il.us
JH Softball Information
Tryouts will be July 27, 28 and August 1 from 9-11 at the high school softball field.
All athletes trying out must have a current physical on file to try out for the team.
JH Baseball Information
Tryouts will be August 1st and 2nd from 9-11AM at the high school baseball field.
All athletes trying out must have a current physical on file to try out for the team.
July 15, 2022
The Unit 7 Board of Education is seeking a person that resides within Unit 7 District boundaries to fill a vacated seat on the Unit 7 School Board. This person can be from any of the townships within the district boundaries except Tolono. The board of education currently has the maximum number of board members from Tolono Township seated on the board. All interested parties should send letters of interest to Andrew Larson, Unit 7 Superintendent by August 10, 2022. larsona@unity.k12.il.us
UJHS Updates:
Illinois Assessment of Readiness Testing: State testing begins Monday, April 4 for all UJHS students. Please make sure that students are at school, on-time each day during testing week.
Sixth and seventh grades will IAR test on April 4, 5, and 6
Eighth grade will IAR test on April 4, 5, and 6 and participate in the Illinois Science Assessment on April 20, 21 and 22.
Important details and changes during testing week:
• Students who arrive late will not be admitted to testing. They will wait in the office until the testing schedule is completed.
• Students will need fully charged Chromebooks, earbuds or headphones, and an AR book each day.
UJHS Spirit Week scheduled to begin on March 7 has been postponed to the week of March 28. Please look for reminders in the student announcements later in the month.
FFA week kicks off at UJHS tomorrow with the first spirit day of the week: Country vs. Country Club.
Order your UJHS yearbook at https://inter-state.com/. Last day for orders is 2/28/22. Contact Mrs. Wickline at wicklinek@unity.k12.il.us if you need to check if you have already ordered one.
Information about the 5Essential Survey that UJHS students will take on March 7 can be found under Documents and then under Parent Documents.
The daily bulletin will be coming later today.