Golden Bear News: August 7, 2026

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

• Bear Essentials Community Shopping Hours
• Monday, August 10 | 10:00am-3:00pm
  Tuesday, August 11 | 10:00am-3:00pm
  Bear Essentials (use north entrance on Zollinger Rd)
• Fall Sports Meet the Team
  Monday, August 10 | 6:30pm-8:30pm
  Upper Arlington High School
• First Day for Grade 9
  Wednesday, August 12 | 8:05am-3:05pm
  South End of Golden Bear Boulevard by 8:05am
• Freshmen Picture Day
  Wednesday, August 12 | During Orientation
  Field House

• First Day for Grades 10-12 (all students attend)
  Thursday, August 13 | 8:05am-3:05pm
  UAHS (follow student schedule)

• Picture Day for Grades 10-12
  Thursday, August 13 | 9:30am-3:00pm
  Note: Students may get their pictures taken during lunch periods and during Forum after attendance and approval from your Forum Aide.
  Field House

• New Student Lunch
  Friday, August 21 | Student's Lunch Period
  1st Floor North Learning Commons

• Open House
  Thursday, August 27 | 6:00pm-8:00pm
  

  Open House Schedule

  Upper Arlington High School
  

If you were unable to attend our Parent Orientation on Monday, August 3, or if you'd like to revisit the information that was shared, you can watch a recording of the presentation using the link below.

🎥 Parent Orientation Presentation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10ghbT-l7__ggJqIDE5P8aT00j5oFgdtk/view?usp=sharing

We hope this resource helps you prepare for a great school year. If you have any questions after watching the presentation, please don't hesitate to contact the UAHS main office at 614-487-5200 or regriffin@uaschools.org.

We know parking around campus can be a challenge, so we’re thrilled to share a new solution! The City of Upper Arlington has given our district permission to use the top level of the Kingsdale parking garage during school hours. This extra space should go a long way in easing neighborhood traffic and congestion.

How It Works for Juniors

To make the most of this opportunity, we’re introducing a parking perk system for the Class of 2028:

• Get Your Placard: Any junior who opts into this parking location will receive a dedicated placard to hang from their rearview mirror.

• Scan & Earn: Each placard features a unique QR code. When your student parks on the top level, they simply scan the code to check in. Students are not obligated to park in the garage everyday. This code is only scannable while parked in the lot.

• Perk for Senior Year: Every verified park earns a point! At the end of the year, juniors will be ranked by their point totals, giving top scorers priority when choosing their individual reserved parking spot for senior year.

How It Works for Everyone Else

• All students without an assigned spot are permitted and encouraged to park in the Kingsdale lot.
• Only Juniors will be working off the "point" system for preferred parking their senior year.

NOTE: Additional information will be shared with students during the student orientation meeting held during school on Thursday, August 13th.

If you ordered a 2025–2026 Norwester yearbook, it will be shipped directly to your home from Jostens in early fall.

If you did not purchase a yearbook last year, a limited number of extra copies will be available for purchase during lunch the first week of September, provided they have arrived. If the shipment arrives earlier, sales may begin sooner. Additional details, including sale dates and pricing, will be shared once the yearbooks are received.

What does it mean to be a coffee bean? According to Wall Street Journal bestselling author Damon West, it's choosing to transform the world around you instead of letting difficult circumstances change who you are.

Join our student-led Fostering a Conversation committee this fall for an inspiring evening as Damon West shares his remarkable journey of redemption and resilience — and challenges each of us to become a positive influence in our schools, workplaces and communities.

Tuesday, September 15 | 6:30 p.m.
UAHS Performing Arts Center | 1625 Zollinger Road

The Fostering a Conversation series, led by UAHS students, connects our community across generations through a collaboration between the Upper Arlington Community Foundation, UA Schools, and the UA Education Foundation and Alumni Association.

Tickets — $25, or $10 for students/faculty or senior citizens (65+) — are available for purchase at fosteringaconversationua.com. A ll proceeds will support future Fostering a Conversation events.

As part of our commitment to fostering a love for reading and critical thinking, all Upper Arlington High School students are required to complete summer reading aligned with their 2026-27 Language Arts course.

To access required summer reading texts, use the following link: https://uahs.uaschools.org/academic-program/summer-requirements.

The start of a new school year is a great time to get connected, and one of the best ways to do that is by joining the Upper Arlington High School PTO. The UAHS PTO plays an important role in supporting our students, staff, and school community by sponsoring programs, organizing events, recognizing teachers and staff, and helping enhance the high school experience for all students.

Whether you have a little time or a lot, there are many ways to get involved. It all starts by becoming a PTO member! To learn more about the UAHS PTO, membership, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events, visit the UAHS PTO website.

Based on changes in Ohio law and Upper Arlington Schools Board of Education policy, new attendance requirements will be in effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. These changes affect how schools track student attendance, when families receive notifications, and when districts must intervene to address attendance concerns.

The biggest change is that all missed time is counted — includes tardies, medical absences, pre-planned absences, non-school-sponsored activities and competitions, and Religious Expression days — toward chronic absenteeism. Parents/guardians may find information about the changes in attendance policy on our website.

State law does allow a student’s parent or guardian to request up to three religious expression days for each school year without any academic penalty. Religious expression days may be used to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization.

Parents/guardians must submit this form within 14 school days after the start of the school year (September 1, 2026) to request up to three religious expression days for the 2026-2027 school year. Requests received after 14 days from the start of the school year will not be approved. For additional information, visit our website.

The state of Ohio prohibits students from using personal communications devices (like cellphones and smartwatches) during the school day. Upper Arlington students will need to keep cellphones secured in a locker, backpack, purse or approved storage system throughout the instructional day, including lunch periods, Gold Period, Forum, and class transitions. Students will be allowed to wear smartwatches during school only if the Wi-Fi, cellular, bluetooth, and other connectivity functions are disabled.

In the event of a true safety concern or emergency, students are permitted to access and use their cellphone to contact a parent or emergency services. Please get approval from a staff member first, if possible. Outside of such situations, the use or access of cellphones is not permitted between 8:05am and 3:05pm.

Note: Students with documented medical needs are exempt from this requirement.

Students must have summer service submitted and verified online by Wednesday, September 30. Failure to do so will result in the retroactive marking of an unexcused absence for August 12, 2026, and ineligibility for Early Release, Late Arrival and parking privileges.

For more information regarding requirements, recording service hours and awards and recognition, please go to the high school's community service page.

As we begin the new school year, please take a moment to bookmark the link below. This reporting tool is available for any safety-related concerns that may arise. Reports can be submitted anonymously or with your name, and they are sent directly to both high school and central office administrators.

In addition to the link below, you can also find it in the following locations:

• The top right-hand corner of our school website

• The "Helpful Links" section of each weekly newsletter

• Every student’s iPad

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and supportive school environment.

Stay Safe. Speak Up! Safety Report

To prioritize safety and security, Upper Arlington High School will continue to not permit students to order food from delivery services, such as DoorDash. This decision follows past observations, as the practice had led to security concerns. When students searched for their deliveries, they were inadvertently opening locked doors or interacting with unknown individuals, compromising the safety of our school. We appreciate your understanding and ask that you plan accordingly.

ATTENTION PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF SENIOR STUDENTS!

As your student prepares to enter 12th grade, please be aware that the State of Ohio requires proof of the Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccine. This vaccine helps protect against meningitis, a serious illness that spreads easily in close-contact environments—such as college dorms—and is also required by most Ohio colleges and universities.

What’s Required:

• One dose of the MCV4 vaccine if the first dose is administered on or after age 16, or
• Two doses if the first dose was given before age 16 (the second must be given on or after the 16th birthday).

Common brand names include Menactra, MenQuadfi, and Menveo. The vaccine may also be listed as “MCV4” on your child’s immunization record.

Please submit the date(s) of your student’s MCV4 vaccination by Friday, August 21 by emailing: uahsvaccine@uaschools.org.

Thank you for your attention to this important health requirement.

Please complete a change of address form as soon as possible and return it to enrollment@uaschools.org along with a copy of your proof of residency. Please find the list of accepted proof of residency documentation on the form. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our registration office at 614-487-7676.

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.

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.

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.