University School Weekly Update

We would like to invite our families to join us on Wednesday, July 8th between 4:30-6:00 PM for our Back-to-School Bash on the front lawn of the school. Families and students will be able to reconnect with each other and our faculty while enjoying a hot dog and snacks. Our 5th - 8th grade students will be able to pick up schedules, which will be available for pickup at the designated areas in the school gymnasium. Additionally, our K-5 elementary students will be able to drop off their school supplies, meet their new teachers, and see their new classrooms.

Please note: Power School will not be available for students and families to access until Monday, July 9th, so please make arrangements to attend the scheduled time for your grade level listed below. If you have an encumbrance for a tech repair, damaged or lost item/textbook, these must be paid or returned prior to picking up class schedule and device.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8th:

• Schedule pick up
• Schedule changes if needed
• Chromebook/charger pick up
• Locker request if needed
• Medicine drop off to Nurse Bev if applicable

9:30-11:00: 11th grade

• Schedule pick up
• Schedule changes if needed
• Chromebook/charger pick up
• Locker request if needed
• Medicine drop-off to nurse Bev if applicable
• New students: email address info and PowerSchool access info pick-up

12:30-2:00: 10th grade

• Schedule pick up
• Schedule changes only if incorrect classes on schedule. All other schedule change requests need to be emailed to Dr. Day (daya@etsu.edu).
• Chromebook/charger pick up
• Locker number/combination pick up
• Medicine drop-off to nurse Bev if applicable
• New students: email address info and PowerSchool access info pick-up

1:00 - 3:30: Final Orientation for NEW 9th & 10th Graders

• Any new 9th or 10th grader who has not already attended one of the high school new student orientations, will need to plan on attending the final orientation and course scheduling event.

2:00-3:30: 9th grade

• Schedule pick up
• Schedule changes only if incorrect classes on schedule. All other schedule change requests need to be emailed to Dr. Day (daya@etsu.edu)
• Chromebook/charger pick up
• Locker number/combination pick up
• Medicine drop-off to nurse Bev if applicable
• New students: email address info and PowerSchool access info pick-up

4:30-6:00: OPEN HOUSE K-12

• Grades 5-8 Pick-up Schedules in Gym

_________________________________________________

JULY 9: 1st school day – ½ day schedule.

• HS students who have not picked up schedules on July 8 can pick up their schedule on July 9th, 7:30-8:00 a.m. in front of the school.
• HS students who have dual-enrollment periods need to make sure they attend their University School classes on time. Be sure to check the ½ days schedule carefully.
• HS Students who have classes at Brooks and Warf-Pickel should meet their teachers at the flag pole in front of University School.

• HS Students who have not picked up their Chromebook & charger can pick up July 9th at 11:30 from room 216.

• HS schedule changes:

• 11th and 12th grade Schedule changes in the gym @ 11:30.

• 9th and 10th grade schedule changes in the gym @ 11:30 only for students who have mistakes in their schedules. Students who have all the correct classes on their schedule, but who would like to switch classes around should email change requests to Dr. Day (daya@etsu.edu).

PowerSchool will open for students/parents on July 9th.

Note: Any student with an encumbrance will NOT be issued a schedule or device until the item(s) are returned or the replacement cost has been paid.

Welcome Back, Buccaneers! 🏴‍☠️

The University School Foundation (our version of the PTA) is here to help you get connected. Swing by our table at the Open House to learn about volunteer opportunities that fit your schedule. Email Kathryn Comerford at usfoundation.president@gmail.com for more information. Plus, grab some fresh U School merchandise to show your school pride!

Hungry? Grab a "Democracy Dog"! 🇺🇸🌭

Skip cooking tonight and support the 8th-grade class! Stop by for a hot dog, chips, and a cookie. Donations of any size go directly toward funding their end-of-year trip to Washington, D.C.

❤️ Community Spotlight: Big thanks to Food City for partnering with us to feed our families at the open house!

🤝 Want to partner with us? We are actively looking for local community partners for monetary or food donations to help offset costs of the dinner. If your business wants to support a great group of Buccaneers, email Christine Hutchinson at hutchinson.christine@gmail.com.

Please be sure to stop by the cafeteria during the Back-to-School Bash to grab a free hot dog dinner/snack. Donations will be accepted to help benefit this year's 8th grade trip to DC!

Help our 8th grade students experience history firsthand by supporting their educational trip to Washington, D.C. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allows students to visit our nation's capital and explore iconic landmarks, national monuments, museums, and historic sites that bring classroom lessons to life.

Funds raised will help offset the cost of transportation, lodging, meals, and educational activities, making this enriching experience more affordable for all students. Your generosity will help ensure every student has the opportunity to participate, regardless of financial circumstances.

Thank you for investing in our students' education and helping create memories and learning experiences that will last a lifetime. Every donation, large or small, makes a meaningful difference.

Departure: Dismissal begins at 3:00 p.m. and all students must be picked up by no later than 3:15 p.m., except for half-days which have an 11:30 a.m. dismissal time.

Important Reminders:

• Any elementary student riding with an older student or who is being dismissed as a walker must meet their sibling or parent near the end of the ramp next to the school. Upon arrival, the parent or older sibling needs to notify the staff member on duty to call for their sibling or child.
• Please do not exit your car if you are in the car rider line at any point in the AM or PM. If you are needing to walk your child in to the building, all guardians or individuals permitted to pick up your child must enter through the main entrance at the front of the building and check-in to the school office. For safety reasons, anyone entering the building must check-in with the main office with a government issued ID, which will be scanned for a visitor's pass that must be visible at all times.

Please follow the traffic pattern and procedures below for the Grades 5-12 drop-off and pick-up. We will be issuing car tags for grades K-8, please be sure to request one if you will be picking up your child(ren) in either of the pick-up lines this year.

Departure: Dismissal begins at 3:00 p.m. and all students must be picked up by no later than 3:15 p.m., except for half-days which have an 11:30 a.m. dismissal time.

HS Student Parking: All student drivers must acquire a student parking permit (see Officer Steele) and park in designated student parking for University School listed on the map below.

Important Reminders:

• Car Rider Tags for Grades K-8: Car rider tags will be issued this year for all students in grades K-8. Families in grades 1-5 who had a tag issued last year may continue to use the same tag and any new families in grades K - 5 along with all of our 6-8 students who don't have a younger sibling will be issued a new tag.
  
• Please do not exit your car if you are in the car rider line at any point in the AM or PM. If you are needing to walk your child in to the building, all guardians or individuals permitted to pick up your child must enter through the main entrance at the front of the building and check-in to the school office. For safety reasons, anyone entering the building must check-in with the main office with a government issued ID, which will be scanned for a visitor's pass that must be visible at all times.

• For returning students: parents/guardians, please log into your FinalForms account and complete the 2026-27 school forms for your child/children by July 10. This is mandatory for all students. Please log into your FinalForms (https://washingtoncounty-tn.finalforms.com/students) account and complete the forms.

• For new students: parents/guardians, please create an account in FinalForms and add your child. Then complete all forms by July 10. See included directions (ETSU Parent Playbook) to create your account and add your child/children.

The first day of school, Thursday, July 9th is a half-day for all K-12 students. Dismissal for students on this day will begin at 11:30 AM and they will follow the schedule listed below.

Kindergarten students will follow the staggered scheduled below on July 9-11th:

• Thursday, July 9th - half day group A (Dismissal at 11:30 AM)
• Friday, July 10th - half day group B (Dismissal at 11:30 AM)
• Monday, July 13th - half day for all Kindergarten students (Dismissal at 11:30 AM)
• Tuesday, July 14th - Begins full-day schedule (8:00 - 3:00 PM) for both groups.

Please Note: Mrs. Howe will send out group schedules to all families directly. Dismissal for Kindergarten students during half days will be at 11:30 AM.

The University School Cafeteria is ran by the Washington County Schools Nutrition Department. You may access their homepage by clicking on the link above to register to place funds in your child's account or to access important contact information, special diet request information, and Free & Reduced Lunch Applications.

Meal prices for the 2026-2027 school year will be as follows:

• Breakfast: K-8 ($2.25), High School ($2.50), Reduced Price (all grades) $0.30, Adult ($3.00)
• Lunch: K-8 ($3.25), High School ($3.50), Reduced Price (all grades) $0.40, Adult ($5.00)

Families can access the online application portal through our district website. We highly encourage all families to apply as early as possible to prevent delays or unexpected charges. Applications submitted online are processed quickly, and eligibility can begin as soon as the next school day. Washington County Schools does offer the traditional School Nutrition Program (SNP). Under SNP, students will only receive free or reduced-price meals if their household qualifies based on income.

What Families Need to Know: Meal Applications Are Required: If you are applying for free or reduced meals, you must submit a meal application to determine eligibility for free or reduced meals.

Online Applications: We are transitioning to an online application system, which will open mid-July after the annual system rollover.

Quick Processing: Online applications are processed immediately, and eligible students will begin receiving benefits the next school day—helping to avoid unnecessary meal charges.
Paper Applications Available: Paper applications will still be available at your school’s front office upon request. These will be delivered to schools before the school year begins.

After-school care will be provided by University School for the 2026-2027 school year beginning on Friday, July 10, 2026. The program is open to students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The program operates daily until 5:30 in our school building. All school rules will still be in place during after-school.

In the event that school closes early or is not in session, after school care will not be offered.
After school care will not be open on half days. In the event that the school dismisses using a
controlled release due to a threat in the area, after school care will be cancelled unless otherwise
announced.

The daily cost of the program is $15 per day, with a $60 maximum charge per week, for students who use the program. Payment is only expected for the days your child attends after school care.

Payments should be made to University School.

The site for online payments can be accessed here:

University School Online Payments

Registration for after-school will be submitted online using the following link:

2026-2027 University School After School Registration

Any HS student driving and who plans to park on campus must have a school issued parking pass, which will need to be purchased from ETSU Parking Services (132 Stout Dr.). If you are dual enrolled, you may purchase it online. Otherwise, all other students will need to purchase one in person.

Student attendance during all scheduled school days is critical for student academic growth. Therefore, we ask that you please plan to make any appointments and vacations during the breaks or during teacher in-service/professional development days to avoid any unnecessary absences. When reporting absences, please contact the school office (423-439-4271) or send in a note. Notes for medical appointments will be excused and do not count toward parental discretion notes.

When submitting parental discretion day notes, please be mindful that you may only request five parental days to be excused as an absence. Any absence beyond those five discretionary days will be marked as unexcused unless a doctor's note is submitted for the absence or prior approval was granted by school administration.

2026-2027 HEALTH PLANS:

Any student with a previous or new health plan including any needed medication is required to renew their health plan with their PCP every year and submit to the school nurse. Please contact the school nurse, Mrs. Beverly Pritchard at pritchardb@etsu.edu or 423-439-8674, to discuss your child's diagnosis and treatments or to request the required documents for school.

2026-27 IMMUNIZATIONS:

This is a reminder that a Tdap vaccination will need to be submitted on the Tennessee Immunization Certificate for your 7th Grader prior to the first day of the 2026-27 school year.

All 7th Graders are required to have a Tdap and two doses of Varicella vaccine documented on the Tennessee Immunization Certificate prior to the first day of school.

Any student who is not in compliance with the State of Tennessee immunization requirements will be excluded from school until these requirements are satisfied. Those without up-to-date immunizations will be excluded from school until submission of:

1. The official Tennessee Immunization Certificate with completed vaccinations, or
2. A scheduled vaccination appointment document, or
3. A valid temporary immunization certificate, or
4. A valid exemption documented on the Tennessee Immunization Certificate.

All school fees can be either paid online or be submitted directly to our school office. Any family needing assistance may submit a fee waiver form; please note:

• an individual form for each fee must be submitted.
• Extra-Curricular and after-school activities are not eligible for fee waivers; however, our foundation and teams do work individually with anyone who may need assistance. We do not want the cost to prohibit any student from participating but do appreciate your continued support in helping diversify the experiences we are able to offer our students throughout the year.

If you have any questions or need assistance, we ask that you please reach out to the school administration or our athletic and activities coordinator, Dr. Justin Penley, directly by calling 423-439-4271.

July

6 - Teachers Return for In-Service Day

7 - Teacher In-Service Day

8 - Back-to-School Bash/Open House & Hot Dog Dinner from 4:30-6:00 PM

9 - First Day for Students - 1/2 Day - Dismissal at 11:30 AM

10 - First Full Day for Students - Dismissal at 3:00 PM

16 - HS Class Meetings (all 9-12 students are required to attend)

August

6 - Senior Picture Day - CPA Studio (Formal Shots Only)

19 - Early Dismissal @ 1:00 PM for all students

27 - MS Mixer Event @ Wetlands

28 - Parent-Teacher Conference Day

Please note the following changes to our schedule this fall:

• August 19th - Early Dismissal Day for all students; students will be dismissed at 1:00PM on this day due to a University Meeting for the College of Education and Human Development that our faculty will need to attend.

Email: partinbk@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