Golden Bear News: November 6, 2026

Our Mission: Challenge and support every student, every step of the way.

On this Friday, weather permitting, Decker Construction and their subcontractor, Peterson Construction are scheduled to install striping on the completed section of Northwest Blvd between Zollinger Road and Ridgeview Road and open it to traffic. They will also transition the closure south to include the section immediately south of Ridgeview Road to just north of Wilshire Road. The closure will include the Northam Road intersection, and this intersection will be closed to all traffic for the duration of the closure (two-week estimate).

As we have settled into quarter 2 of the school year, the UAHS administration and staff has noticed a significant uptick in students accessing their phones during the day. As a reminder, phones must be completely stowed out of sight at all times between 8:05 AM and 3:05 PM—this includes during class time, hallway transitions, and forum.

Additionally, AirPods and other headphones must be removed and put away during hallway transitions and class.

Failure to follow these expectations may result in the student being sent to the office to drop off their phone for the remainder of the day. It is critical that we are all on the same page with this so we can do our part to keep our school day focused and disruption-free. If you would like a reminder on how to lockdown your students phone during the day, I have included directions below. Thank you.

iPhone Screen Time Instructions

Android Family Link Instructions

If your student is not currently enrolled in an AP course but feels that they can study on their own and would be able to successfully pass the exam, please have them contact Mrs. Ballheim at cballheim@uaschools.org to receive a “join code” and register for the test. Your student should be prepared to discuss how they plan to study for the exam and, if they are currently enrolled in a non-AP class for the subject, have the recommendation of their teacher. The last day to register for any AP test is Monday, November 9th.

If your student is taking an IB exam this April/May and benefits from having accommodations. IB requires two documents - a 504 plan or ETR and a Doctor's note. Without this documentation, your student will not be able to receive extra time on these exams. Please contact Cynthia Ballheim at cballheim@uaschools.org if you have any questions.

Upper Arlington Schools is once again partnering with the Tri-Village Packers to provide food support for students during school breaks.

The deadline to sign up for Thanksgiving break food support has been extended to Monday, November 9! Families can complete this form to receive grocery items for their children during the days out of school over Thanksgiving break (November 25-29). The same form can also be used to sign up for winter break food support (December 21-January 4) through Friday, November 20.

The food will be provided at no cost for children who would benefit from the support. Information submitted through the form will remain confidential unless a family requests otherwise.

Current Sophomores!

As juniors and seniors, students have the option to attend either Fort Hayes Career Center or the Downtown Career Center. They have the opportunity to focus on specific career pathways by attending the program for 1/2 day during both their junior and senior years. These programs include professional credentials, college credit, and internships — both paid and unpaid — in areas such as Health Science, Performing and Visual Arts, Construction, Manufacturing Technologies, Culinary Arts, and many more! This is a great way to “test” a potential profession before pursuing any post-secondary plans.

Watch this introductory clip to get more information on both Career Centers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJi5WmT-eJM

If you are interested in the Career Center, we recommend attending our visit on Monday, December 7th. Your student will have an excused absence if they attend the visit. Students will be bused from UAHS to Columbus Downtown High School at 11:45 and return to UAHS around 3:00 pm.

Please fill out the form below if you want your child to attend by Friday, November 13th.

Interested? Fill out this FORM.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Miss Keen (mkeen@uaschools.org).

Spots are still available on UA's Tour of New Zealand & Australia this summer! Applicants may apply until December 1st. Learn more about it HERE!

Digital Student IDs from our October 7 retake day are ready!

How to retrieve your ID:

1. Scan the attached QR code.

2. Enter Upper Arlington High School, your Last Name, and your Student ID#.

3. Provide your contact email or phone number to download your ID.

Now that the first quarter is over, encourage your student to seek help from one of our NHS/IB Peer tutors, so they can finish the first semester on a "high" note!

How to talk to your child about anxiety and worries. 6 Ways to Help Kids Who Are Feeling Anxious

Attention students and parents! Halloween is here and we want to see UAHS students in their costumes. Use the link below to submit your photos for the Norwester Yearbook, and tell us a little about the photo.

Jostens Photo Share/Halloween Costumes

Check out the newsletter (link below) for updates, announcements, and information from Student Life.

Student Life Newsletter

Let’s celebrate our Golden Bear senior athletes! If your student-athlete will be participating in the November ceremony, please check out our full announcement HERE for complete details and submit the RSVP form by Sunday, November 8.

Upper Arlington High School announces its 2027 Athletic Hall of Fame class! Click HERE for more details.

Spencer Smith, Director of Student Life - ssmith@uaschools.org

Emily Boerger, Assistant Director of Student Life - eboerger@uaschools.org

Link to online ordering: Upper Arlington High School UPPER ARLINGTON, OH - Graduation | Jostens

Questions: Call 1-800-JOSTENS (567-8367).

Attendance is a critical component to learning. Students need to show up in order to take full advantage of the education programs we offer. Student and parents/guardians will be notified of the unexcused absences. Consequences (detention) may be assigned for each unexcused absence. Be sure to check your attendance each day to ensure it is accurate.

Please submit your medical notes to uahsattendance@uaschools.org. In order for attendance hours to not accumulate towards habitual absence triggers, medical documentation is needed.

Parents/guardians may find additional information, including new attendance requirements in effect beginning the 2026-27 school year on our website.

In addition to School Counselor classroom visits throughout the year, students and families have 24/7 access to College and Career information through MaiaLearning which can be accessed through ClassLink or maialearning.com.

Maia Learning is a platform that equips students with comprehensive career readiness tools and resources.

• Students can explore various career paths, develop essential skills, and make informed decisions about their future.
• Explore career readiness by discovering one's passions, strengths, and skills through assessments. These assessments help individuals gain insights into their interests, aptitudes, and abilities, enabling them to identify potential career paths that align with their unique attributes.
• Identify potential career paths and research those careers thoroughly. This includes gaining an overview of the field, exploring programs and majors, understanding demand and compensation, and identifying companies hiring, training required or colleges to attend.
• Individuals can create a list of potential careers that align with their interests and goals.
• Students can create a plan outlining the necessary steps to enter their potential careers.

Maia career resources can help students to unlock their future by providing personalized resources for education and career planning. These include pathway options in various industries, trades and military as well as careers leading to opportunities into programs such as the Peace Corps. Please login to check it out, and see your School Counselor or visit the College & Career Center with any questions.

Announcements for the current week are available on the high school website.

The website for school portraits, club photos, senior class photo

Contact familytechhelp@uaschools.org for tech support questions or situations

Click HERE to see previous issues of UAHS Golden Bear News.