April 3, 2023

• Compendium Updates
• Campus News & Updates
• Extended Learning
• University Schools Athletics
• Parent Networks
• Mark your calendars!
• UofM Athletics & Events
• Tech Talks
• Helpful Links & Contact Information

We are seeking supervising faculty and staff to join us for the 2024-25 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in joining University Schools, please visit the links below!

ELRC

• Early Learning Research Center, Supervising Faculty

Campus School

• Campus School, Supervising Faculty

University Middle School

• University Middle School, Supervising Faculty
• University Middle School, Computer Science/STEM Supervising Faculty
• University Middle School, Middle School Counselor
• University Middle School: Coordinator, Operations & Records

University High School

• University High School, Supervising Faculty
• University High School, Computer Science/STEM Supervising Faculty
• University High School: Coordinator, Student Data & Information
• University High School: Coordinator, College Counseling

University Schools

• University Schools, School Resource Officer
• University Schools, Substitute Faculty

Thank you to our amazing community for helping to recruit new Tiger faculty and staff for our schools!

Reminder that our new student enrollment application closed on December 8th. SchoolMint Registrations were due on February 10th @ 5pm.

Additional enrollment information can be found on University Schools Enrollment Webpage. Questions? Email enrollus@memphis.edu

Thank you to our very own Dr. Sally Parish for shining light on our schools!

Families, do you have students that are interested in pottery?

Join Idlewild Presbyterian Church on Union Ave every Wednesday for an open pottery community studio! Open to public from 6-8pm. Pay what you can - all materials are provided.

Questions? Email: combustionceramics@gmail.com

The UofM College of Communication and Fine Arts is hosting the Central to the Arts Festival on April 6th. Sure to be a good time!

In partnership with The University of Memphis, the Jay Uiberall Foundation is supporting the University Schools to provide a family engagement program. Through this program, all University Schools families will be invited to participate in ten engagements with University of Memphis researchers and faculty in order to learn more about specific child-related topics.

These nights will either be focused on early childhood & elementary topics (hosted at Porter-Leath University of Memphis Early Learning Academy at 2869 Park Ave) or on middle & high school topics (hosted at University Middle & University High at 330 Fogelman Drive Memphis, TN)

Please join us for the last University Schools Family Engagement Night of the 2023-24 school year!

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NIGHT #9

• TOPIC: CPR Training

• DATE: April 9

• LOCATION & TIME: Porter-Leath University of Memphis Early Childhood Academy in Orange Mound from 5:30pm - 6:45pm (2869 Park Avenue Memphis, TN 38114)

Quarter 1

Family engagement nights 1 and 2 held this past Fall featured information on Supporting the growth of Neurodivergent Learners (ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, ODD) through School and Community Based Supports.

Quarter 2

Family engagement nights 3 and 4 featured information on Understanding Secondary Post-Traumatic Stress and Strategies for Self Care during the Holiday Season.

Click on the links below to view the presentations and resources from these past events.

Reggio 4 Class

Teachers: Ms. Erin, Mrs. Hayley, and Ms. Lindsey

In our class, we have been pinning down our interest groups for our end-of-year projects! Our students are currently interested in pirates, crystals, and art. Each child has chosen one of these subjects to work as a group to create a performance piece based on what they learn about their chosen subject. We are so excited to see what our students will learn and create!

A Tradition filled with Heart: The Kids Heart Challenge

Campus School has been participating in Kids Heart Challenge (formerly Jump Rope for Heart) for forty-three years! Facilitated by Physical Education Specialist Diane Coleman, this is an event students look forward to each year. The students participate in a jump rope unit during P.E. class where they learn about their hearts, the circulatory system, and how exercise and eating right benefits to keep their bodies healthy. Students also learn jump rope skills and demonstrate these skills to become members of jump rope clubs. The clubs are: fantastic frogs, kangaroo club, super jumpers, and gold medal club.

Students participate in the Kids Heart Challenge to raise money for the American Heart Association to help fight heart disease and stroke. Students learn about the functions of the heart, how to find their resting and active heart rates, and what their target zones are for where they should exercise. For a culminating event, they participate in the Kids Heart Challenge events. During the Kids Heart Challenge, students earn thank you gifts from the American Heart Association for the donations they bring in. They also take on Finn’s challenge where they learn about hands only CPR and they learn about the signs of stroke. This is an integrated unit with health, science and math. Our tigers don’t do this for the thank you gifts, the why behind this unit is for students to learn how community service helps others. This unit brings awareness and provides funding for research. Campus School students jump rope to keep our hearts healthy. The students love to jump rope. Ms. Coleman shared “My favorite part of the whole unit is seeing them learn new skills, new jumps, and being able to recognize and share why it is important to keep our hearts healthy.” Ms. Coleman also shared that students practice a lot and love to come into PE each day to practice. “The best thing out if it is they learn about community service and helping others. That is something really important to me that they learn to do something to benefit other people."

This year, Campus School students earned over $12,000! The top ten fundraising students are: Elise Hayes (4), Gethers McKinney(1), Micah Davis (1), Ellis Fletcher (3), Amiya Parris (4), Jonathan Davis (3), Sawyer Sullivan (1), Parker Childress (3), Jane Davis (1), John Williams (1). At the end of the Kids Heart Challenge, there is a jump rope party where the grade levels jump rope for the money they earned and celebrate learning about their hearts and being healthy. During this event, names are drawn for special prizes during the events. Grades 3-5 jump altogether while K-2 celebrate during PE class together as a homeroom. Ms. Coleman shared, “It is a joy to see these students jumping their way through this unit, and it is such a special community event for Campus School." Thank you Ms. Coleman!

Careers on Wheels: Memphis Parks

Kindergarten and First grade had a blast with Memphis Parks to learn all about Memphis Parks Rangers! They got to see their special ranger outfits, vehicles, and badges. Students also had the opportunity to have a question/answer session to learn why our guest rangers went into this career field and what it takes to be a ranger!

Students vs. Teachers Basketball Game

Thursday, March 7, Campus School 5th graders challenged Campus School teachers in a basketball game! Pouncer even made a special appearance. Go Tigers, go!

Skate Night

Thursday, March 21, students and families headed to Cordova Skate Center to skate! Everyone had so much fun at this long-standing Campus School tradition.

Shakin’ it Up with 4th Grade PBL

Fourth grade students explored the science of earthquakes as a way to summarize their unit studies for physical science. The project, spear-headed by fourth grade science teacher Patricia Mendez, the unit incorporated Science, Math, English/Language Arts, History, Engineering, and Art. One of the goals of the unit were for students to answer the question: How can we, as engineers, design and build an earthquake proof structure given the design restraints? How can we, as engaged citizens, petition the government to provide residents more financial earthquake protection? To answer these questions, students read and comprehended texts about the history of Tennessee (Reelfoot Lake) and the impact of the New Madrid Fault on the geography of the area. To further build background knowledge, students read materials from the USGS and other resources to make connections between waves, potential/kinetic energy and the science of earthquakes. They analyzed maps to determine where earthquakes are more likely to occur. In groups, students built an earthquake proof building given certain engineering constraints and criteria. Students tested and video recorded their buildings experiencing an earthquake using an earthquake simulation shake table.

Students were able to showcase their designs at an engineering showcase. During the showcase, students from other grade levels visited to hear about the fourth graders’ designs. Students also had the opportunity to see earthquake-proof testing in action. During the showcase, Mrs. Mendez used an earthquake simulator to demonstrate how earthquakes are measured and to show the durability of the fourth graders’ designs. During this unit, students used the Engineering and Design Process. Additionally, they used the Science and Engineering Practices, such as: developing and using models. planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations and designing solutions, and engaging in an argument from evidence. This project had many community partners, including the Center for Earthquake and Research information (CERI).

8th grade Service Projects

Students in 8th grade participated in service projects, where they made lip gloss, face mask, and bracelets. Students also participated in sessions surrounding music therapy, words of affirmation, and meditation.

UHS College Visits

Students at UHS have been embarking on college tours to learn more about academic requirements and college life. The 9th graders visited our very own UofM, Rhodes College, and MTSU. The 10th graders went on a trip to St. Louis to tour the campuses of Washington University, The University of Missouri at St. Louis, and Lindenwood University. We love exposing our oldest Tigers to post secondary opportunities!

National Honor Society

Congratulations to the UHS students that were recently inducted into the National Honor Society! Way to go, Tigers!

We hope your students are enjoying the Spring 2024 Extended Learning Programs! We are excited to announce that we fully operating our Extended Learning program with Final Forms.

Please use our EL Guide (linked below)to review any and all program details. If you need to follow up on an invoice, please visit the UofM Online Market Place, linked here. Don’t forget to contact our partner organizations if you have signed up for an external program.

• May 16th – Last Day for EL Spring 2024 activities

Our friends at CodeCrew have opened enrollment for their annual summer camps, which are designed to help young minds learning coding and computer science in a fun and interactive way. Programs are open to all levels, from beginning to advanced coders. To learn more and register, follow the link here.

Our partners at St. Luke's are offering summer camp for grades K-6! Click here to check out the details.

Come sing, dance, and play with us this summer at Elementary Music Camp! Elementary Music Camp through Summer at the Scheidt is coming up July 8-12. Our very own Mrs. Johnson at Campus School serves as one of the Camp Directors. Students will learn singing, play instruments, and engage in movements and dance from several master teachers from around Memphis. Camp wraps up with a final performance in the new music building at University of Memphis. Registration is open!

Click here for more information.

This quarter, 4th grade performed the National Anthem at the U of M Women's basketball game on March 6th! They rocked it and represented Campus School well.

Six 5th graders will represent Campus School at All City - Off the Beaten Path through MSCS on May 1st at the Cannon Center. The students have attended weekly rehearsals to learn music from cultures around the world. They will be highlighted playing instruments and dancing in the finale. All City is a unique experience that has been a highlight in the Memphis Orff legacy for several decades. Orff music teachers and students collaborate to put on a massive concert to build stronger musicians and showcase the Orff process. It is often a turning point for young musicians and an experience to last a lifetime.

Congratulations to the UMS/UHS chess team for competing in the 2024 Harry D. Sabine TN State Scholastic Team Championship! We are so proud of the grace, brilliance, and fortitude the students brought to the tournament!

UMS students in the extended learning chess club Rosalie Hagen, Ethan Phan, and Alex Papadopoulos competed in the high school division and scored 2 out of 4 points! Thank you to Coach Max Friedman for leading our Tigers!

Congratulations to Mr. Ernie Shadow, Fourth Grade Teacher at Campus School, for being honored in the Memphis Health + Fitness Magazine! Mr. Shadow is a runner with the Pilgrimage track club, and he recently completed the Momba 100 and Big Buffalo 50.

"Running builds tenacity and mental toughness that translates to every area of your life." - Mr. Shadow.

Checkout the March edition below. Mr. Shadow, thank you for inspiring our community! We are so proud to have you as a Tiger!

Happy National Assistant Principals Week (April 1-5) to the BEST Assistant Directors across University Schools! Thank you for the work you do day in and day out to support our students, families, and faculty. We are so thankful to you have you as Tigers!

Interscholastic sports play a vital role in the growth and development of students by providing a multifaceted platform for physical, mental, and emotional growth. Participation in sports promotes physical health by instilling healthy habits, improving fitness levels, and reducing the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Additionally, sports contribute to mental well-being by serving as outlets for stress relief, fostering camaraderie, and enhancing self-esteem and resilience. Through athletic competition, students learn important values such as discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship, while developing crucial life skills such as leadership, teamwork, time management, and goal setting. Moreover, engagement in sports often correlates with improved academic performance, as students learn to balance academic responsibilities with athletic commitments, resulting in enhanced focus, organization, and academic achievement. Overall, interscholastic sports provide students with opportunities to grow, thrive, and develop into well-rounded individuals with lifelong habits that promote success both on and off the field.

Campus School has kicked off their Track & Field season with the first of four regular season track meets all leading up to the MYA City Championships! Good luck to all of our Tigers.

The UMS Soccer, Track & Field, and Golf teams have kicked off their Spring season. Our UMS soccer team remains undefeated in the first half of the season! UMS Track & Field is competing in both the Memphis Youth Athletics and the Memphis Shelby County Interscholastic Athletic Association Leagues. UMS Golf has a deep roster and a tough schedule this season!

We are well into the Spring athletic season and our UHS Soccer and Track & Field teams are representing as they compete around the city. Our UHS track & field program set 16 new school records after competing in the Shelby County Jamboree at Houston High School and the first MSCIAA meet at Kirby HS. At the first MSCIAA meet, the girl’s team finished 2nd out of 8 teams, while the boy’s team finished 3rd out of 8 teams. In that meet, Makenzy Sutton set a new school record in the 100m at 13.1 secs and Liana Nuckolls broke the 800m records with a time of 2:52. The boys 4x800 team of (Jackson, George, Coleman, and Brayden) broke the school record that had been previously broken at the prior meet. AJ Brewer smashed the 200m record with a time of 24.03.

Our launch of University Schools Final Forms for Athletics has been very smooth. Remember, Final Forms is our Athletics and EL administrative management platform. Final Forms allows us to go paperless for athletic administration. So, that thick stack of forms you have been filling out every year for your student to play sports is a thing of the past! You will simply access the digital version of these forms in your account, review, and digitally sign each year. Your single account will give you access to all of your student's EL and Athletic activities for Campus School, UMS, and UHS. If your student plans to participate in athletics at University Schools, we ask that you please set up a Final Forms account and complete all of the required forms. Coaches for each sport will utilize Final Forms for team roster management, emergency contact information, parent communication, and student athlete eligibility.

We appreciate all who lend a hand to support University Schools Athletics, especially the hard work and dedication of our coaches. Without them, none of this would be possible! Coaches are the guiding forces behind the success of athletes and teams in sports. Their role extends beyond teaching skills and strategies; they are mentors, motivators, and leaders. Coaches instill discipline, foster teamwork, and inspire confidence in their athletes. They play a crucial role in developing character, teaching resilience, and imparting life lessons that extend well beyond the playing field. Coaches have a profound impact on the personal and athletic growth of their students, making their role indispensable. Thank you coaches!

Campus School

Track & Field: Coach Fox, Coach Pence, Coach Parrish, and Coach Banks

UMS

Track & Field: Coach Fox, Coach Taylor, Coach Peters, Coach Banks

Boys Soccer: Coach Lazar, Coach “Gil” Arrollo

Golf: Coach Geer

UHS

Track & Field: Coach Robinson, Coach Cockrum, Coach Grantham, Coach Whitmore, and Coach Stearnes

Boys Soccer: Coach Bentley, Coach “Gil” Arrollo

Special thanks to our University Schools Athletic Support team:

Coach Aaron Whitmore

Coach Tiger Thompson

As our schools grow, so does our need for athletic facilities to practice and compete. Our partnerships with the University of Memphis, Campus Recreation, Transportation, College of Health Sciences, MSCIAA, Shelby Farms Park, and Memphis Youth Athletics are just a few that have played a major role in our ability to host quality athletic programs. This year we are excited to partner with the Memphis Sports and Events Center (MSEC) and The Blue Line!

We have great parent networks for our family members to join! Our parent networks support our schools through volunteering, fundraising, and providing other supports. Reach out to them today to get involved!

ELRC: Parent Resource Page (Parent Network re-launching soon)

Campus School: Campus School Parent Network. Venmo @umcspn your gift today! Click here to subscribe to CSPN Newsletter.

University Middle: University Middle Parent Network (UMPN)

University High: Parent Resource Page Email the University High School Parent Network at UHighParentNetwork@gmail.com

• April 1-5: National Assistant Principals Week
• April 4: UMS - 8th grade Capstone Exhibition / Campus School Spring Photos
• April 5: Campus School Grandparent's Day
• April 8: UMS & UHS - Eclipse Field Trip / Campus School - The Great American Eclipse Event on campus at 1:56pm
• April 9: Campus School Fam Jam @ Railgarten 5-8pm
• April 12: UMS - Q3 Honors Assembly / Campus School Kinder Bike Wrap
• April 15 - April 26: TNReady and End of Course Testing Window for students at Campus School, UMS, & UHS
• April 29 - May 3: Teacher Appreciation Week
• April 30: UMS UMPN Sponsored Talent Show
• May 2: UMS Spring Fine Arts Concert

Click here to view the UofM Athletics & Events for the upcoming month. Support our Tigers, and buy tickets here!

Tech News, Information, and Support for University Schools Families

As we approach testing season, this is a friendly reminder to pay attention to the upkeep of your student device.

• Please make sure you are turning off the device at night, by shutting down the operating system completely. This allows updates to your device to take place.
• Plug your device in to your charger for 2-6 hours at a time. This prevents the device from being overcharged and overheated. Devices no longer require to be charged all night long. Charging in small increments is best for device use.
• Make sure you are keeping your device charger safe, in good working condition.

Please reach out to Mrs. Hernandez if you have any questions jessica.hernandez@memphis.edu

A Tech Ticket station has been setup for student use for UHS students on the 4th floor. It is located on the main hallway by the teacher work room. Students may submit a tech ticket for broken and malfunctioning devices + broken or lost chargers. Students may also visit Mrs. Hernandez during Tech Support Hours. See below for more information.

If you are in need of a device repair, don't wait! Submit a request in person to Mrs. Hernandez during her office hours.

Helpful Links

• Bookmark the University Schools 2023-24 Calendar
• University of Memphis Volunteers Form (complete for field trips, festivals, class parties, etc.)
• Bookmark the University Schools website
• Bookmark the University Schools Technology Hub
• Bookmark the University Schools Policy Manual
• Bookmark the University Schools Student & Family Handbook
• Share the University Schools Student Enrollment 2024-25 Interest Form
• Bookmark the University Schools social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn

Central Team (901.678.4200)

• Dr. Sally G. Parish, Associate Vice President of Educational Initiatives sally.parish@memphis.edu
• Josh Czupryk, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer, University Schools josh.czupryk@memphis.edu
• Mary Tucker, Assistant Director of Policy and Standards mhtucker@memphis.edu
• Marcos Villa, Assistant Director of Extended Learning marcos.villa@memphis.edu
• Teniesha Anderson, Assistant Director of Operations and Finance tdpender@memphis.edu
• Jessica Hernandez, Coordinator of Technology & Communication jessica.hernandez@memphis.edu
• Keith Loupe, Coordinator of Athletic Programs keith.loupe@memphis.edu
• Art McKenzie, Coordinator of Facilities lmcknze1@memphis.edu
• Michael Carter, UofM Information Technology Liaison michael.carter@memphis.edu

Early Learning & Research Center (ELRC) (901.678.2120)

• Brooke Willis, Executive Director of Early Childhood Programs bwillis3@memphis.edu

Campus School (901.678.2285)

• Dr. Rebecca Scott, Executive Director rhscott@memphis.edu

University Middle (901.678.4200)

• Kerrith Griffin, Executive Director kdgriffin@memphis.edu

University High (901.678.4200)

• Dr. Kristle Hodges-Johnson, Executive Director k.hodges.johnson@memphis.edu

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