University School Weekly Update

Let's celebrate Dot Day September 12th, our last day before Fall Break!

Wear your dots, admire Kindergarten-8th grade Art student recreation of the Mona Lisa, and all the things that begin with a dot!

The display will be located at the school and will be available throughout the year for our students, families and staff to enjoy!

Parents/Guardians of Middle School and High School Health/Wellness students: Please be on the lookout for permission slips regarding the Family Life Curriculum. Your child *if enrolled in middle school Health or High School Wellness* has the opportunity to participate in Family Life Classes at University School during the 2nd quarter. This program is the same as that which is taught in the Washington County, TN Schools system. The permission slips were distributed to students this past week. If you have questions, please reach out to Dr. Penley at penleyj@etsu.edu.

Last chance to submit artwork for Art to Remember! If you are working on artwork outside of an art class, turn in your creations to the front office no later than TUESDAY, September 9th. Personalized order forms will be available after fall break for all students who submit artwork.

Want to help our hospitality committee shower our staff with love? Each month, the University School Foundation provides snacks, drinks, and (most importantly!) coffee to show our teachers just how much we appreciate all they do. These monthly treats are a small but meaningful way for us to say thank you and help brighten their day.

To make these special days even better, we’re asking for your support. We’ve created an Amazon Wish List with a variety of individually packaged snacks, drinks, and coffee supplies that can be shipped directly to us. Every donation, big or small, helps us continue this tradition of appreciation and encouragement for our wonderful staff.

Click here to view and donate from our Amazon Wish List:

👉 Teacher Lounge Wishlist

Thank you for helping us keep our teachers fueled, caffeinated, and feeling the love!

Warmly,

Leslie Mullins

Hospitality Chair

University School Foundation

Please plan on joining us for this exciting family event for Grades K-5 on October 9th (5:30-7:00).

🎉 Senior Discount Cards Are Coming September 1st! 🎉

Support the Class of 2026 and score exclusive deals at your favorite local spots! Each $20 card features offers from 40 businesses—handpicked by our hardworking fundraising team. From coffee shops to favorite entertainment spots, these discounts are good all year long.

Proceeds go directly toward senior year activities—from Senior Sunrise to Project Graduation—creating lasting memories for a class that’s shared milestones, friendships, and school spirit across the years (whether they started in kindergarten or joined along the way!).

Find a senior class member to purchase your card and be part of making their year unforgettable.

🛍️ Participating Businesses Include: Dos Gatos Coffee Bar • Chicken Salad Chick • Greekos • Bubbakoo's Burritos • Italian Pizza Pub • Barberitos • Boomtown & Co • The Black Olive • Auntie Ruth's • Into the Fire • Tropical Smoothie • Holiday Lanes • The Scoop • Juan Siao • Buffalo Wild Wings • Little Caesars • Chili's Grill & Bar • BURG'r & BARREL • Quantum Leap • Paradise Acres • Mountain View Restaurant • Nothing Bundt Cake • Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop • Main Street Cafe and Catering • Tiebreakers • Crazy Tomato • Red Pig Bar-B-Q • Wheeler's Bagels • Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop • Dry Clean City • Downtown Axe Throwing • White Duck Taco Shop • Backwoods Burger • The Roots Vietnamese Restaurant • Jeremiah Cafe • Downtown Yoga Center • Fearless Coffee & Kitchen • Mahoney's Outfitters • Terrarium Plant Store • Domino's Pizza

Applications are now being accepted from qualifying junior or senior high school students to participate in the 2026 United States Senate Youth Program. Two Tennessee student delegates will be selected to attend the USSYP Washington Week planned for March 7-6, 2026. The selected delegates will also receive a $10,000 undergraduate scholarship from The Hearst Foundations. Applications close on September 22. More information about the program, including qualification criteria and application materials, can be found on the Tennessee Student Opportunities webpage.

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) has partnered with Tennessee higher
education institutions to provide college application instructional videos. These videos, created by
Tennessee colleges, walk students step-by-step through each college’s application process. The
Video link below will open the college’s instructional video. The Application link will bring you to the
college’s admissions application or website. To celebrate Tennessee College Application and
Exploration Month, many institutions are offering application fee waivers during September, and
you will find the dates below.

If the institution you are looking for is not listed, please visit the institution’s website for access to
their college application. More schools will be added, and new videos shared during September,
so please check back regularly.

A place for young hearts to grieve and heal together - Camp Firefly is a free, one-day camp designed for children and teenagers who have experienced the death of a loved one. Grieving can be an isolating experience, and Camp Firefly provides a safe and supportive environment for participants to come together, share their stories, and find hope and healing. Our camp activities are led by professional social workers, counselors, and nurses.

Camp Firefly 2025
Saturday, September 27
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Warriors’ Path State Park
409 Hemlock Road
Kingsport, TN 37663

What is Camp Firefly? Camp Firefly provides a safe, fun and caring atmosphere for campers and their families to explore their feelings by:

• Developing an age-appropriate understanding of death

• Forming relationships with peers who have experienced similar losses

• Improving self-esteem

• Reducing feelings of isolation

• Strengthening coping skills

Lunch is provided, with time for families to reconnect and relax. The camp day concludes with a memorial ceremony.

For children and teens: Campers come together in age-divided groups to address their feelings of grief, remember loved ones and learn healthy coping skills. Camp Firefly is fully funded by donations and is offered at no charge to participants.

To register for camp, please fill out the online form.
https://balladhealth.jotform.com/form/251054137583152

Student flu vaccinations will be given between October 20-22 for any student who returns the permission forms. Permission slips were already sent home with students and can be found in the office if needed.

5 Mile Club:

• Kindergarten - Everett Andrew
• Third Grade - Miles Claytore & Harrison Braswell

10 Mile Club:

• First Grade: Charlotte Pratt
• Fifth Grade: Olivia Gonder

15 Mile Club:

• Sixth Grade: James Adams

30 Mile Club:

• Sixth Grade: Lindall Hanson

Athletic Season Passes are now on sale. These are year-long passes and will get you in all middle and high school University School events except for tournaments.

Athletic Pass Prices:

• Student Pass: $35.00 each available to all enrolled students at University School with seating in General Admission.

• Adult Pass: $75.00 each available to adults or college students with seating in General Admission.

• Family Pass: $175.00 per family (IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS ONLY– to include General Admission passes for two adults and up to four school age children living in the immediate household).

Case Benchmark Quarter 1 Testing Window - Sept. 4 - Sept 12
Senior ACT Retake - October 7
Optional PSAT/NMSQT for 11th Grade Students - October 14

University School Testing Calendar - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BApkbePIr6L_ZSNp2xid_2_8GCLx0PMzVtlCpVlNyjM/edit?usp=sharing

University School students will complete 1st quarter benchmark assessments beginning on Thursday, September 4th. Teachers will use data from these comprehensive assessments to measure student readiness for TCAPs and EOCs. Detailed student score reports will be sent home as soon as they are available.

Grades 3 & 4 - September 4-9
Grade 5 - September 9-10
Grade 6 - September 8-9
Grades 7-8 and HS - Sept. 8-11 (Testing during normal class period times/no modified schedules)

10/7 Mandatory Senior ACT - Required Steps to Complete or Students WILL NOT be able to Access or Send Official Score Reports

All 12th grade students will participate in the Senior ACT Retake on Tuesday, October 7th. This test is a Tennessee graduation requirement. Prior to testing, all students must enter their unique ACT Student Code into their MyACT accounts. If students do not complete the steps in the email sent to their univschool accounts, they will be unable to access scores or send their 4 free score reports to score recipients. Colleges require official score reports. The only way to access scores or send an official score report is through MyACT.org.

ACT student codes and instructions have been emailed to all students. Check your univschool account for an email from Dr. Campbell. Stop by Room 111 if you did not receive an email or need help.

You are encouraged to complete these steps prior to Fall Break in case you run into difficulty.

All students are required to test on a school issued Chromebook. See Mr. Moore if you need tech help.

Please Note: This is the menu published by Washington County Schools and may vary slightly since we operate on a different academic calendar.

Johnson City Public Library: September Events for School Age Kids

• READing Paws is held Monday, September 8 from 4-5 p.m. AND Saturday, September 20 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Ages 5-10 register for a private 15-minute time slot to read to a trained listening dog in the Library's Storytime Room. Registration is required at jcpl.org/events.

• Family Game Night meets Monday, September 8 from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Children’s Library. Bring your family to play board and video games provided by the library. You can try out the Library’s new infinity Game Table, a giant touch-screen packed with classics like Clue, Operation, and Candy Land. No registration.

• Art Explorers meets Friday, September 12 at 4 p.m. in the Library's Jones Meeting Center. Ages 8-12 explore the work of a famous artist at each session, sparking discovery of art history and creativity. Kids will create their own art piece in the featured style. Registration is required at jcpl.org/events.

• Building with the Lions is held Saturday, September 13 from 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Kids of all ages and families can drop by the Library's Jones Meeting Center to build with LEGO blocks and other construction materials. The Lions Club sponsors this event, and will provide ages 12 and under with free vision screenings, blood pressure and sugar checks, prizes for the best LEGO build, and a photo op with the Lion mascot. No registration.

• Graphic Novel Club meets Monday, September 15 at 6 p.m. in the Library's Jones Meeting Center. Ages 8-12 hear about specific graphic novels and learn about the literary format. Registration is required at jcpl.org/events.

• Shirefest will be Sunday, September 21 from 2-4:30 p.m. outside of the Library. All ages are invited to celebrate the charm of the Hobbits’ Shire and the heart of Appalachian culture. The event will feature live Celtic musicians and a storytelling hour as well as demonstrations by blacksmiths and fiber artisans. The whole family will enjoy playing festival games, sipping locally-brewed soda, and browsing vendors. No registration.

• Pokémon Trading Card Day is held Saturday, September 27 from 2-3 p.m. in the Children's Library. Kids of all ages bring Pokémon or other types of cards to trade. No registration.

Visit jcpl.org/events to find more upcoming events.

September

8 - MS Girls Soccer @ Lakeway (AWAY)

9 - HS Girls Soccer VS. Chuckey-Doak (HOME)

10 - MS Girls Soccer VS. Unicoi Co. (HOME) (8th GRADE NIGHT)

11 - MS Girls Soccer @ Providence (AWAY)

11 - HS Girls Soccer VS. Cumberland Gap (HOME)

12 - Bowling Trip grades K-5 (5th-9:00-10:00; K,1&2-11:00-12:00; 3&4-12:00-1:00)

12 - DOT Day (wear your dots and checkout this year's student Dot Art Display)

13 - Fall Break Begins

13 - MS Cross Country - Iron Mountain Invite

13 - HS Cross Country - The Southern Showcase

15 - MS Girls Soccer @ Cocke Co. (AWAY)

16 - HS Golf District Qualifier @ Elizabethton Golf Course

16 - HS Girls Soccer @ Pigeon Forge (AWAY)

17 - MS Girls Soccer VS Unicoi Co. (HOME)

18 - HS Girls Soccer VS. Greeneville (HOME)

20 - University School Class of 1975, 50th Reunion

22 - HS Golf District Tournament @ Elizabethton Golf Course

27 - HS+MS Cross Country - Bristol Cross

30 - HS Girls Soccer @ Unicoi County (AWAY)

Email: UNIVERSITYSCHOOL@etsu.edu
Website: www.usbucs.com
Location: 68 Martha Culp Dr. Johnson City, TN, 37614
Phone: (423)439-4271
Facebook: facebook.com/uschool1911
Twitter: @USBucs