Utica Community Schools
Continuation of Student Learning
During the State-Mandated School Closure
April 1, 2020 Update
Will my junior be able to take the SAT exam?
The U.S. Department of Education has approved the request from the Michigan Department of Education to waive all state assessments scheduled for this spring. This waiver includes the SAT, which is part of the high school Michigan Merit Exam. Juniors are urged to continue preparing and practicing for the SAT through resources available in their Naviance account using Kaplan or accessing the Khan Academy. Please visit https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat for additional information.
What resources are available to help me talk with my child about COVID-19 and the school closures?
UCS counselors have recommended the following site for parents to address COVID-19 with their children. The site includes age-appropriate guidance for talking with children, important strategies parents can use at home, and tips to care of yourselves. Visit the site to sign up for daily updates and participate in Facebook Live chats.
We have accessed our Schoology account but are experiencing technical issues.
Schoology has been experiencing intermittent technical issues through the increased usage. Utica Community Schools and the Macomb Intermediate School District are working with the vendor to correct the issues.
What is the process to obtain a work permit during the school closures?
Utica Community Schools students should contact their school principal via email for assistance with obtaining a work permit. All other students should contact the Macomb Intermediate School District.
March 30 Update
What is the status of the school calendar and district events?
At this time, school is scheduled to resume on April 14, 2020. The overall school calendar for students and staff remains in effect for dates established through the Macomb County Common Calendar and collaborative agreements with UCS employee groups, including Spring Vacation, Professional Development Day and Memorial Day.
The district continues to review the status of scheduled events to determine their feasibility for planning and implementation in light of the school closure. At this time, April 16 An Evening of Excellence: A Benefit for Scholarship, the April 21 School to Work Luncheon, the April 30 College Fair and the May 6 and May 7 UCS Foundation Career Focus Luncheon will not be held.
March 25, 2020 Update
Based on feedback received from students and parents, we have developed the following list of frequently asked questions. As information continues to rapidly evolve and additional plans are developed, this page will be updated to reflect those changes and/or additions. We appreciate your patience as all questions cannot be answered at this time.
Parents with specific questions about their student are encouraged to contact their school principals or teachers.
When will we be back to school?
At the current time, the mandatory closure is scheduled to end April 13th. Any changes to that schedule could be considered by the State of Michigan based on the status of COVID-19. The goal remains to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Check the UCS website at
http://www.uticak12.org for regular updates.
How will the school closure impact testing?
The U.S. Department of Education has waived the state assessment requirement for all school districts for the current school year. The waiver must still be approved by the Michigan legislature.
For Advanced Placement students, face-to-face exam administrations will not take place. Students will take a 45-minute online free-response exam at home. Some students may want to take the exam sooner rather than later, while the content is still fresh. Other students may want more time to practice. For each AP subject, there will be two different testing dates. The full exam schedule, specific free-response question types that will be on each AP Exam, and additional testing details will be available by April 3.
For UAIS students, the International Baccalaureate examinations will not be held this year. Graduates will be awarded a diploma that reflects their course of study. More information is expected at the end of this month.
Will seniors be able to graduate?
UCS recognizes this is a critical issue for our graduating seniors and their parents. Our instructional team is researching this issue and working to resolve this matter so seniors who meet appropriate criteria graduate on time. Information will be forthcoming.
How will my child be graded for the third quarter of the school year?
The third marking period ends on April 3rd. Teachers and administrators are working on a plan.
What if I do not have a PowerSchool Parent Portal login?
Please contact your school principal who will assist you with logging in.
How will the district continue to provide learning experiences to students?
During the closure, online learning provides students with structure, a personal connection to their teachers and school and consistency. The activities support our parents and students with content that provides enrichment and reinforcement. While at this time online learning is enrichment, if we are closed for an extended period, we may begin using the system for students to earn credit in courses.
UCS Online Learning aims to give each student a sense of structure, a personal connection to their teachers and school, and learning consistency. Activities are being provided through Schoology and are intended to support our parents and students with content that provides student enrichment and reinforcement. Parents will receive a Utica Community Schools email for each student with specific login details as rollout phases proceed. Visit
www.uticak12.org/onlinlearning for more video tutorials and login resources.
For elementary students who need paper copies of materials, drop boxes have been established at the main entrances of all elementary schools. The schedule is as follows for this week:
Wednesday, March 25: 3rd – 6th grades
Thursday, March 26: Kindergarten – 2nd grades
More information on this process will be forthcoming.