USC November Newsletter

It is great to see our students working hard to finish quarter 1 strong. Students have demonstrated learning through discussions, presentations, assignments, and assessments. Classroom discussions fill the classrooms and students are talking about what they have learned. I'm proud of all the hard work that our students are doing at USC.

As students begin quarter 2 on Thursday, November 9th, it is important to know that this is a chance for a fresh start and renewed focus on academics. Students continue to work on increasing their reading comprehension and social-emotional skills. They are also learning strategies to become better learners and exploring new content daily.

In the next two weeks, winter sports begin. Practices start next week with this schedule:

7-12 Girls BB practices start Nov. 13 (next Monday)

9-12 Boys BB practices start Nov. 20

7-12 Wrestling practices start Nov. 20

7-8 Boys BB practices start Nov. 27

Many activities are available for students to explore and enjoy with friends. Please encourage your student to explore clubs at USC such as Robotics, Mock Trial, Knowledge Bowl, FFA, FCCLA, Theater, Chess Club, or a sports activity. It is not too late to join a club or sport at USC. Students can ask for more information about any sport or activity in the high school office.

USC is fortunate to have great students. Much of that is a result of what you do as parents, guardians, and family members of these young people. Thank you for your support and encouragement for your students as we work to help each student at USC be successful academically and emotionally. Please remind your students to practice gratefulness each day to promote well-being and happiness. I'm grateful for our students and their parents and teachers who are there to support them as they grow and thrive.

Jen Bye

High School Principal

jbye@unitedsouthcentral.org

USC High School students will enjoy a 2-hour early out on Wednesday, November 15th at 1:06 PM. The staff members will be working with their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) on programs to help students to build reading comprehension skills.

USC Juniors attended a college fair on October 12th. They were able to explore and meet with over 70 colleges from the 5 state area.

Congratulations to Kendal Harpestad for being named the November Renaissance Student of the Month. Kendal will enjoy a reserved parking spot and first in the lunch line privileges for the month of November. Her dedication to her studies, positive attitude, and continued hard work is a positive example for our students. USC is proud to celebrate Kendal!

Several USC students had the opportunity to visit the MinnWest Career Exploration on Tuesday, October 24th. Students learned about career paths and completed some hands-on activities during the visit as they learned about the programs offered at MinnWest.

The USC Theater department proudly presents "Frozen Jr" on November 10th and 11th. The student performers will entertain guests with a lively performance including many familiar musical selections from the well-known Disney story.

The USC students, led by director Kirstyn Wegner, are looking forward to the production. Thank you to the parent volunteers, the students, and Mrs. Wegner for all the hard work that goes into this production. USC is fortunate to have the USC theater program that helps students learn confidence, public speaking skills, team work, and the value of working together towards a common goal.

Performances are on Friday, November 10th at 7:00 PM and on Saturday, November 11th at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the USC High School Office or at the door prior to the performance.

The Junior High Knowledge Bowl team attended their second meet of the season on November 1st. This is the first year that USC has a Junior High Knowledge Bowl team and they have been very competitive in their first two meets. The team recently achieved these team scores:

Peacock Blue: 24th with an overall score of 46

Shamrock: 22nd with an overall score of 48

Cornflower: 21st with an overall score of 49

Razzmatazzlers: 3rd with an overall score of 73, taking home some hardware.

Their next meet will be on November 21st. We wish the team the best of luck!

Seniors are preparing for their futures and looking at their next journey after high school. Many of them had time to apply for colleges on October 25th during Senior Application Day. Ms. Klemek, along with an intern and a representative from Riverland College were there to help and answer questions for the day.

On October 31st, Mr. Scrugg's 8th grade classes celebrated Halloween and dia de los Muertos by baking bread in Mrs. Feist's FACS room. Students practiced cooperating as teams, reading recipe directions, and following instructions as they completed this fun activity.

USC Tennis players posed for a photo on Senior night on Friday, September 29th. Four student players were also honored with t-shirts for their 100 hours of tennis in the off season.

On October 2nd, the team traveled to Maple River for their first section match. The USC tennis season wrapped up on October 5th with individual play-offs.

Congratulations to the USC Tennis Team as they played well this season.

Contributed by Ms. Klemek

Juniors and Seniors have the ability to have two days excused from school to go on college visits. There is a form in the high school office that students should fill out and return at least three (3) days ahead of time. We highly suggest taking these visits in preparation for your post-secondary journey.

USC also welcomes college admissions representatives to our school. Juniors and Seniors are emailed about these visits and encouraged to sign up to visit with a rep to find out more about schools and programs they may be interested in.

Upcoming Dates

The virtual meetings will have a link sent out via email ahead of the day.

November 8- Senior Financial Aid Virtual Meeting 6pm

November 13- Senior Financial Aid Virtual Meeting 6pm (same as Nov. 8 meeting)

November 14- Junior Planning Virtual Meeting 6pm

Submitted by Michelle Gottberg

Clay Target League had a great season this Fall. We finished in 3rd place in our conference.

Team Awards:

MJ Shepherd tied for 2nd place in the conference and was the High Male Shooter and High Varsity Shooter

Chloe Lutteke was 3rd place in the conference and was the High Female Shooter

Male Standings:

Braxton O'Rourke tied for 5th place in the conference

Caleb Warmka tied for 7th place in the conference

Maddex Niebuhr took 16th place in the conference

Jerome Young tied for 21st place in the conference

Female Standings:

Jadelyn Niebuhr tied for 8th place in the conference

Grace Walton tied for 24th place in the conference

Kolbe Segebart was our High JV Shooter

Holden Allard was our Novice Shooter

Trey Seedorf earned the Most Improved Shooter for the Fall Season

State Standings for the Top 100.

MJ Shepherd tied for 29th place

Braxton O'Rourke tied for 53rd place

Caleb Warmka tied for 60th place

USC Rebel volleyball started their post season with a round one play-off win against Martin County West to advance to round two action in St. Peter. The Rebels fought a tough battle against Sleepy Eye, losing in 4 very close games. The USC pep band attended the match in St. Peter to provide upbeat pre-match music.

Congratulations to the USC Rebels and their coaches as they finished their season strong.

USC Rebel Football won their first playoff game on October 24th against the St. James Saints to advance to round two playoff action. The student section cheered the Rebels onto victory for the first round game.

In the round two playoff game, the Rebels fell to the Mayer Lutheran Crusaders on October 28th, bringing their season to an end.

Congratulations to the players and coaches on a great season with many memorable moments.

The USC Cross Country team had a fun season with several meets with good weather and favorable running conditions. The Section Cross Country meet was held on October 26th at Baylor Regional Park. While USC did not have any runners advance after the section meet, they did have a great season with much improvement for many runners.

The season wrapped up with a junior high meet on October 28th.

Congratulations to the team and their coaches for a great season.

During American Education Week, we celebrate public education and show our appreciation for the people who make a difference by ensuring our students grow and thrive every day.

USC is the cornerstone of our communities. Educators and staff at USC welcome students of all backgrounds, abilities, and incomes. They play a role in ensuring our schools are open to all. During the Week of November 13 - 17, we thank all staff who play an important role in the education of our students.

Please take time to thank an educator during this week of celebration. They strive to make each student's journey at USC the best it can be.

USC will host our annual Veterans Day Program on November 10th at 9:00 AM. All community members are invited to the program. Students are preparing songs, recitations, and readings for the celebration. Bryan Ward will be the guest speaker for the program. We thank our Veterans for their valuable service to our country. We are grateful for the sacrifices you have made for our country.