Hello United South Central Parents and Community Members,
Well, we are now into the second quarter of the school year, and it is difficult to believe that the Thanksgiving and Winter holidays are right around the corner. We are looking forward to a great November and December here at USC!
Virtual Learning/Snow Day Preparation - We certainly hope that we are not looking at measurable snowfall anytime soon, but we do need to start considering our Virtual Learning plans for when winter does arrive. We have a small cushion of student days built into our school calendar for the school year, and it is possible that we may call a “regular snow day” early on this winter if the need arises, before utilizing our virtual learning days to continue instruction when it is not possible to come into the school building. We do plan to provide as much notice as we can before utilizing a Virtual Learning Day. When possible we will aim to communicate this possibility in advance so our students can have time to prepare and collect their necessary materials. Please begin thinking about what your student(s) will need to be successful on a Virtual Learning Day while learning from home. If your family is in need of internet access for Virtual Learning, we do have a small number of internet hot spots that can be checked out. Please contact us if you have any specific questions about this program.
Winter Season Activities Supervision - We are excited to see the energy that students attending our events and activities bring to USC during the winter seasons. To ensure the safety of all individuals at our events we respectfully ask that parents directly supervise their elementary-aged children (4th grade and under) who are attending events at USC. Please keep in mind that events and activities are not supervised by school staff in the same manner that students are supervised during the school day. If we do encounter students who are not properly supervised during after-school events, we may dismiss these individuals and ask families to come pick them up from the school.
Substitute Appreciation - Friday, November 17th is Substitute Appreciation Day, and I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the extraordinary group of substitutes we have that routinely assist us at USC. Please encourage your students to extend a thank-you to these individuals during the next few weeks! We are always looking to add individuals to both our teacher and paraprofessional substitute lists. Anyone with a four-year degree can qualify for a substitute teacher teacher license in Minnesota. If you have any interest in subbing or questions about licensure, please visit with us!
Upcoming Events and Activities at USC -
November 9, Start of 2nd Quarter
November 10, Veterans Day Ceremony at 9:00 AM
November 15, Early Release
November 16 & 21, Elementary Evening Conferences
November 22, Elementary Conferences - No School for Grades K-6
November 23 & 24, Thanksgiving Break
December 7, MS/HS Evening Conferences
December 12, Two-Hour Late Start
December 22-Jan. 1, Winter Break
Please do not hesitate to stay in contact with us as we work together to best support our students education. Have a great month of November.
Taylor Topinka,
USC Superintendent