Hello United South Central Families,
The 2024-25 school year is upon us, and we are excited to welcome students back to the building next week! We are putting the finishing touches on several summer projects and look forward to seeing our students return.
Updated JMC Information: As the school year begins, please ensure that your contact information in JMC is current. Updated information is crucial for communicating school events, activities, and weather-related closures throughout the year. If you need assistance, please contact any of our school offices.
Student Academic Progress: Official scores from the state assessments (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments or MCAs) were released today. We are pleased to report that United South Central students demonstrated significant growth during last spring’s testing sessions and exceeded state averages in Reading, Math, and Science. We are proud of the hard work our students put in and appreciate the support from families in achieving these results.
Emergency Drill Procedures: Ensuring a safe environment for our students and staff—both physically and emotionally—is a district priority. In 2023, the Minnesota legislature enacted changes to emergency drill procedures in schools. USC has been conducting routine lockdown drills for many years, and we do not anticipate major changes in practice for the upcoming school year. We are required to conduct five lockdown drills each year, including both “soft lockdown” and “hard lockdown” drills.
Please note that none of the drills conducted by United South Central are considered “active shooter simulations.” Our procedures are designed to prepare students for extreme situations while minimizing any potential negative impact on their experience. Recent changes in state statutes allow parents and guardians to opt their students out of hard lockdown drills. If you choose to opt-out, an alternative designated location within the school will be provided during the drill. We are scheduled to practice hard lockdown procedures on October 29, 2024, and January 14, 2025. To opt out, please contact Mr. Taylor Topinka:
Mr. Taylor Topinka, USC Superintendent
By Email: ttopinka@unitedsouthcentral.org
By Phone: (507) 553-3134
The United South Central School District also partners with the Wells Police Department to provide a School Resource Officer assigned to our district. This past year, school staff members and our resource officer participated in training on a non-student day to ensure they are prepared to act for the safety of our students and staff. We also collaborate regularly at both the building and district levels to maintain a safe learning environment.
We are excited to welcome middle and high school students back on Tuesday, and elementary students on Wednesday next week. I hope you and your families have a great Labor Day weekend!
Go Rebels!
Taylor Topinka
USC Superintendent