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Happy New Year
January has arrived and many are working at keeping their New Year resolutions. We often see the new year as a time of hope and new beginnings. It is certainly an easy time to reflect on how we want our lives to transform in the upcoming year.
January is also a time for reinvesting in our goals for the school year. Our students are working hard as we approach the end of quarter 2, marking the end of the first half of the school year. They are learning in their classes, working together to gain information from one another, and finding joy each day in their lives. The students are working to fulfill graduation credit requirements while learning in other classes that fit their interests. They invest time in activities, sports, and work. They manage busy schedules and homework all while being the best learners they can be.
As we approach the second half of the school year, students continue to work on Social Emotional Learning at USC. We are using the Be Good People curriculum to help students learn to be more self regulated, solve relationship problems, and to learn ways to manage themselves in stressful situations. Students engage in these lessons with their teachers and contribute to discussions to help each other learn and grow while talking about self-regulation, goal setting, and stress management.
One other goal that USC continues to emphasize is to improve reading comprehension in all our grade levels. Reading is the gateway to success in all classes for our students. Reading efficiently opens career pathways for our students as they leave USC and become self-sufficient adult members of our community. As our students learn to become efficient, reflective readers, they find more success in all their classes. Our students in grades 7 and 8 engage in a curriculum called Power Up three times per week to improve their reading skills. Additionally, all of our students in grades 7-12 have a daily English class where they continue to learn strategies to become better readers.
USC students are also encouraged to weekly set academic goals for themselves and to monitor their grades. Students fill out grade check sheets each Friday, which facilitates these goals. Students are learning to be responsible for the goals they set and work daily to make those goals a success.
As parents, encourage your child to talk about the goals they are setting each week. Knowing that they have your support will help them achieve their goals. You are an important part of your child's success in all they do. Thank you for being supportive and an encourager of your child's growth at USC.
Enjoy the rest of your month as you look for joy in each day.
Jen Bye
High School Principal