Hello, United South Central Parents and Community Members,
The second half of the school year has officially started, and with our great weather starting in February, it sure seems like spring is right around the corner. As we get into the later portion of the winter, our thoughts quickly turn to planning for the next school year, as we work at the same time towards a successful conclusion of the current school year.
2024-2025 Calendar - Our academic calendar for next year at USC is now officially set. The major change in this calendar for next year will be our dismissal time on Wednesdays. This year, we utilize either a late start or early release each month to facilitate staff development and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). In the interest of consistency, every Wednesday next year, we will release students one hour early at 2:06 (with the exception of the first and last Wednesday of the school year). We hope this modification works to the benefit of having a consistent and predictable school schedule and creates consistent opportunities for our staff to participate in valuable professional development to be at their best for our students. Our calendar is also attached to this email, and we look forward to a great year ahead.
Strategic Planning Process - To give each of our students the skills and support they need to be successful in life following USC, it is critically important that we evolve and grow as a school. With this in mind, we will begin the process of developing a new strategic plan for our district for the next three years and beyond. Our district is enlisting the help of a company called TeamWorks International, which will assist us in developing a comprehensive plan for our future from the “bottom up.” We anticipate having very in-depth conversations with students, parents, community, and staff representatives and are looking forward to collaboratively developing the best goals for United South Central. We have more information on our District website about this process, and stay tuned for more information upcoming this spring/summer.
Upcoming Projects at USC - We are incredibly fortunate to have an amazing facility as we educate our students daily! From a facilities standpoint, ensuring that we are maintaining and taking great care of our building and grounds is an important goal for us. We anticipate having a number of routine maintenance projects on our campus this summer, including some roof replacement work on our main building. After nine football and track seasons in our stadium, the seats repurposed from the Metrodome are beginning to show their age and quickly becoming a safety concern. We are identifying our best options for seating replacement and anticipate this work taking place over the summer. It is a great piece of nostalgia having the Metrodome seats here, and we are hopeful we will be able to retain a few in some capacity in the future. We are also exploring plans for some new equipment on our elementary playground that will create additional options for space and accessibility.
Spring Activities Shuttle Possibility - Looking ahead to spring sports and activities, we are exploring the possibility of adding a late activities shuttle bus to help provide transportation options following practices. We are gathering information to see if we have enough ridership to run a bus, and would appreciate your time completing a brief survey on this topic.
Link to Activities Shuttle Survey
February Staff Recognitions - As a school district, we are fortunate to have many positive things happening on a routine basis. One of the best attributes of our District is our extraordinary staff, including some key individuals we have the opportunity to recognize this month. February 5th is National School Counselors Day, and we appreciate the overall guidance and support Ms. Klemek and Ms. Wischnack provide our students. February 22 is Bus Driver Appreciation Day, and we extend a huge thanks to the drivers who help with our eight daily bus routes and activities trips. As it is getting more difficult to find bus drivers each year, please encourage your students to extend a thank you to these individuals this month. Finally, February is also School Board Appreciation Month, and we are grateful for the hard work and leadership of our six school board members in providing an overall vision for United South Central. Our students are positively impacted by each of the individuals we recognize in February, and we are lucky to have awesome staff members here.
Upcoming Events and Activities at USC -
February 7th, Two Hour Early Out (1:00 PM Dismissal)
February 16 and 19 - Presidents Day, No School
We appreciate partnering with you in educating your student(s), and please don’t hesitate to contact me as we work through the winter.
Go Rebels!
Taylor Topinka,
USC Superintendent