This Week:
School Picture Day | Friday, September 22
School Picture Day is this Friday! Seniors will also take their senior class photos on this day. See the flyers below for information on how to order school pictures.
Please note that students should not wear green because they may blend in with the photo background.
College Visits this Week | Wednesday & Thursday
Valparaiso University | Wednesday, September 20, 3:45-4:15 P.M.
Students interested in meeting a college rep from Valparaiso University can join Mr. Howell in the gym on Wednesday after school.
University of Illinois-Springfield Visit | Thursday, September 21, 12:15-12:45 P.M.
Students interested in meeting a college rep from UIS can join Mr. Howell in the gym Thursday during Unity Groups.
Athletics this Week
Please go to our 2023-2024 Athletics page to see the different sports schedules.
Looking Ahead:
Portillo’s Fundraiser | Tuesday, September 26, 5:00-8:00 P.M.
Join us at Portillo's Homewood for a fundraiser to support UCA! See the attached flyer for more details.
Bond Week | September 25-September 30
Bond Week is next week! During Bond Week, students will compete against the other classes while bonding with their own class! The competition will culminate in a trophy and a free pizza lunch. Please click here to sign up for any donations you can provide for the Bond Fire or the dance. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Veldboom at aveldboom@weareuca.org.
Food Pantry Donations | Classes will be able to raise points for their team by bringing in donations. Students can earn points for their class by bringing in the following items on these days:
Granola Bar Day | Tuesday, September 26
Canned Goods Day | Wednesday, September 27
Personal Items Day (deodorant, shampoo, soap, etc.) | September 28
Bond Week Dress Up Days | Students can also earn points by participating in our Dress Up Days! See the schedule below.
Pajama Day | Monday, September 25
Twin Day | Tuesday, September 26
Anything but a backpack day | Wednesday, September 27
Class Theme Day | Thursday, September 28
UCA School Spirit Day | Friday, September 29
Bond Fire | September 29, 6:30-8:45 P.M.
Our annual Bond Fire happens at First Reformed Church located at 15924 South Park Ave. South Holland, IL 60473. Food and fun activities will be provided.
Return to the 90s Dance | September 30, 7:00-10:00 P.M.
Join us for the first dance of the school year! Students should come dressed in 90s clothes. The dance will take place at UCA. Please note that this is not a formal event.
Ford Heights Learning Trip | Thursday, September 28, 3:45-8:00 P.M.
Burnt-out houses, vacant lots, flashing police lights. Fifty years after the Civil Rights Movement, the Black middle-class has doubled in size while conditions in segregated communities like Ford Heights have actually gotten worse. Jesus said, “I have come to bring good news to the poor and to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). Part of the way Jesus did this was not by feeding the poor, but by feasting with them. Jesus used the supper table to defy the caste system of his day (Luke 14 & 15). Students are invited to Ford Heights — the poorest suburb in America — to get a driving tour of town, hear stories of neighbors’ suffering and resilience, and catch a glimpse of what it could look like to accept Jesus’ invitation to share life on the block and around the table those suffering in the shadows. This event is hosted by UCA parents Chico and Tatiana Fajardo-Heflin and Mrs. Morgan.
Please email Mrs. Morgan at hmorgan@weareuca.org with any questions.
Student Learning Conferences | October 4-5
The purpose of Student Learning Conferences is to provide time and space for the student’s learning team—made up of the student, guardian, and teacher—to be on the same page about the student’s strengths, growth areas, and needs. Families will sign up to meet with their student’s teachers for a 20-minute individual conference.
Details about schedule and sign up will be sent later this week!
national suicide prevention month:
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. To honor the awareness campaigns taking place nationwide, we as a UCA community have the chance to bring greater understanding and support suicide prevention efforts by joining in events already taking place in our area. The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention is hosting their annual Out of the Darkness Walk at Montrose Harbor on October 21st. All students, faculty, staff, and parents are welcome to join! Follow this link to learn more and sign up! Please note that there are 2 sign up links: 1 for the walk, and 1 to sign up for UCA transportation to and from the walk!
Please reach out to Ms. Mikitka at mmikitka@weareuca.org with any questions.
parent community opportunities:
Soda Sip and Paint | September 28, 6:00-8:00 P.M.
Bring out your inner Picasso! We will supply the soda and the art supplies necessary to create a display-worthy masterpiece. No experience needed - we supply you with step-by-step instructions as we paint! You will bring your masterpieces home with you.
Event Details:
$20 sign up fee per family (cash in front office, Cash app, or venmo - see sign up form for account details)
Current UCA Students and Parents/Guardians are welcome
Click here to sign up
Parent Dine & Dive: Navigating Hard Emotions with My Teen | October 4, 6:00-8:00 P.M.
Teens experience BIG emotions - how should we respond? Fix it? Change it? Listen to it? All of the above? After everyone dines in fellowship together, we will dive into discussing and learning new ways to support young people in these conversations. Content presented is being adapted from the book The Emotional Lives of Teenagers by Dr. Lisa Damour.
Event Details:
No sign up fee
BYOD: bring your own dinner
UCA Parents/Guardians are welcome
Click here to sign up
UCA Story hub:
Did you see our September Phoenix Rising Newsletter? If not, check out stories about UCA on our website! Go to weareuca.org, click on the “About” tab, and click on UCA Story Hub.
Driver’s ed:
Thank you for your quick and great response for our first ever Driver's Education course here at UCA. The class is now closed to any more students. You will be receiving more information later this week.
Attendance:
If your student is going to be absent, please call the front office or email Ms. Pointer at mpointer@weareuca.org.
