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Wefinallymadeittosummer!WhataSpringwehavehad,noonecouldhaveimaginedthatleavingforSpringBreakwouldbethelasttimewewouldseemostofyouface-to-face.AlthoughtheyeardidnotgoasplannedIamsoproudofhowourfaculty,staff,students,andparentsadjustedtothetransitiontoat-homelearning.Ourmodelhelpedusmakethischangewitheaseandwewereabletofinishouttheyearstrong.IwanttosendoutaspecialcongratulationstoourClassof2020;althoughitwasnotthesenioryeartheyimagined,wehopetheirtimeattheUAhasbeenmemorable,Iknowthisisoneyeartheywillneverforget!

Aswebegintopreparefornextyear,pleaseknowthatwewillcontinuetomonitorguidancefromTEAandtheCDCastobestpracticesforthehealthandsafetyofourstudents.Therearestillalotofdetailsthatmustbeworkedoutandweappreciateyourpatienceasourteamofdedicatedleadersworkdiligentlythroughthesummertodevelopplansformeetingthechallengesthatstillliebeforeus.Nextyearwillseesomesignificantchangesinhowwemustoperate,butweareconfidentwewillbeready.Thisnewsletteroutlinessomeoftheimportantdetailswewanttosharewithyousofar.Wewillcontinuetoupdateyouasmoreplansarefinalized.

Weareanxioustogetbacktoworkwithourstudentsandseetheirsmilingfacesinourclassrooms,wehavemissedthem!EnjoyyourSummerandwewillseeyouagainsoon.

JoAnnSimmons,Ed.D.SuperintendentSUMMER HOURS

CampuseswillbeclosedonFridaysbeginningJune12thandtheofficeswillbeclosedtothepublictheweekofJune29-July3.StaffwillreturntocampusJuly6thandtonormaloperatinghoursonJuly13th.

PROPOSED REVISION TO 2020-2021 DISTRICT CALENDAR

Asmanyofyourknow,arevisiontoourcurrentlyadopted2020-2021DistrictCalendarwillbepresentedtotheBoardduringtheJuly9thmeeting.Duetotheextendedclosureourcampusfaced,andtheamountoftimestudentshavebeenwithoutface-to-faceinstruction,wefeelitisbesttobeginschooltwoweeksearlytogetajumpstartontheyear.TheproposedcalendarhasschoolbeginningonAugust3rd,withscheduledmake-updaysaddedtoOctoberincasetheyareneededtomake-upforanypossibleclosures.Additionalmake-updayshavebeenaddedtotheendofthecalendarthroughthemonthofJunetoaccommodatemeetingthe180-dayruleforfullfundingintheeventofmissedinstructionthroughouttheyear.Linkstoboththeadoptedandproposedcalendarsareincludedbelow.

CurrentlyAdoptedCalendarhttps://academy.uttyler.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/District-Calendar-2020-2021.pdf

ProposedRevisiontoCalendarhttps://academy.uttyler.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-05-at-11.00.02-AM.png

DISTRICTNEWSLETTERSummer2020

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CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATION CEREMONY

WearehonoredtosharetheUniversityAcademyClassof2020CommencementCeremonywithourcommunityofscholarsandtheirfamilyandfriends.TheUTTylerAdministration,BoardofTrustees,Faculty,andStaffareproudofeachandeveryoneofthem!Congratstoourseniors,wewishthemthebestofluckintheirfutureendeavors.Towatchtheceremony,gotohttps://youtu.be/o4CYXVTWJv0

LONGVIEW & TYLER

CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

OurLongviewandTylercampuseshavehadseveralimprovementscompletedwhilethestudentswerehomebound.Wearehappytoreportthattheswing-setshavebeeninstalledatboththeLongviewandTylerlocations,aswellasnewperimeterfencing!Wethankeveryoneforsupportingtheswing-setadditions.

Theclassroomsatbothlocationswerealsofreshlypaintedsostudentswillcomebacktoabrightnewclassroom!Lastyearthehallsandmanyofthelargerspaceswerepaintedwhichgivesthecampusesarefreshing,cleanlook.

Additionally,thesecuritycamerainstallationandothersafety/securitymeasureswerecompletedinTyler.Thesewerefundedin-partbyagrantfromTEAtoenhancesafetyandsecurityatourcampuses.

PPE ALLOTMENT

TheTexasEducationAgencyjustannouncedlasteachschoolwillreceiveanallotmentofPersonalProtectionEquipment(PPE)forusebystudents/staff.Theallotmentconsistsofdisposablemasks,gloves,thermometers,andhandsanitizer.

WearestillworkingthroughguidelinesprovidedbyTEAtodeterminewhatprecautionarymeasureswillberequiredandwhichwillbeconsideredencouraged/recommended.

Ourdepartmentisworkingcloselywiththeuniversity’sEnvironmentalHealth&SafetyDepartmenttoensurethatnecessaryprotocolswillbeestablishedandfollowedasstudentspreparetoreturntoschool.Thehealthandsafetyofourstudents,theirfamilies,andourstaffareoftheutmostconcern.

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COUNSELOR CORNER

REPORT CARDS, TRANSCRIPTS, DIPLOMAS

FinalReportCardsarebeingissuedthroughSkywardFamilyAccessandwillnotbemailedthisyear.Pleaselog-intoaccesstheyear-endreportcardandprintforyourrecords.Youwillberequiredtosignforthereportcardelectronically.

FinalTranscriptsforhighschoolseniorswillbemailed.

DiplomascanbepickedupfromyourCampusDirector,pleasecontactthemtoscheduleapick-uptime.

CREDIT RECOVERY

Studentsinneedofcreditrecoverymustcompletefrom6/8/2020through7/3/2020.Thecostis$300andmustbepaidinfullbeforethecoursewillbeaddedtoyourtranscript.FeesareappliedinSkywardFeeManagementandcanbepaidonline.

DUAL CREDIT ENROLLMENT

WatchforUTTylerdualcreditenrollmentformstobesenttotheparentemailonfile.Youwillneedtosignelectronicallyandtheformwillcometoyouremailagainforthestudenttosignelectronically.

REGISTRATION & 7th GRADE VACCINES

July 6th – 17th – RETURNING STUDENT ONLINE REGISTRATION

Allreturningstudentsmustcompletethe2020-2021registrationprocessduringthistimeline,itmustbecompletedbythedeadlineofJuly17th.Anemailwillbesentouttoparents/guardiansofRETURNINGstudentswithdetailsonthisprocessinthecomingweeks.Pleasewatchforthisimportantannouncement.

July 20th – NEW STUDENT ONLINE REGISTRATION

NewstudentswillberequiredtocompletetheonlineregistrationprocessbeginningJuly20th.Thiswillincludesupplyingallnecessarydocuments.Someitemswillneedtobedeliveredinperson,suchasbirthcertificatesandimmunizationrecords,pleasescheduleanappointmentwithyourcampusaftercompletingtheonlineregistration.Anemailwillbesentouttoparents/guardiansofNEWstudentswithdetailsonthisprocessinthecomingweeks.Pleasewatchforthisimportantannouncement.

7th GRADE IMMUNIZATIONS

TexasStatelawrequiresthateachchildattendingpublicschoolbeimmunizedagainstcertainvaccine-preventablediseases.Asyourstudentpreparestoenterthe7thgradeinthe2020-2021schoolyear,theywillberequiredtoshowacceptableevidenceoftheiradolescentvaccinationspriortothefirstdayofschool.Withouttheproperdocumentationofrequiredvaccinationsoravalidmedicalorconscientiousexemption,studentswillnotbeallowedtobeinattendance.ForinformationontheMinimumStateVaccineRequirementsforK-12,pleasevisitourAdmissionspage.https://academy.uttyler.edu/admissions/

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RECOGNITION

SCHOOL BOARD PARENT REPRESENTATIVES

WewouldliketotakethistimetothanktheparentrepresentativefromourSchoolBoard,Mr.JeffryKennemerofTyler,Mr.DannyRodriquezofPalestine,andMrs.AngelaWrightofLongview.Thethreeofthemselflesslyvolunteertheirtimetonotonlyattendmeeting,butalsotocommunicatewiththeircampuscommunityregardingparentalconcerns.WeknowthattheparentsoftheUniversityAcademyarewellrepresentedthroughthevoicesofthesefinevolunteers.Pleasebesuretotellthemthankyou!

Mr.JefferyKennemer Mr.DannyRodriquez Ms.AngelaWrightTyler Palestine Longview

TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

EachyearthecampusesdesignateaTeacheroftheYear,fromthethreecandidatesoneisselectedtorepresenttheUniversityastheDistrictTeacheroftheYearwinnerandnomineefortheRegion7TeacheroftheYearhonors.ThoseselectedasCampusTeacheroftheYeararerequiredtosubmitadetailedpackedthatoutlinestheirteachingphilosophyandaccomplishments,amongotherthings,forconsiderationofDistrictTeacheroftheYear.WeareproudtoannounceMs.ShellyParsonsofPalestineastheUADistrictTeacheroftheYear.OurcampushonoreesfromLongviewandPalestineareMs.TracyBreedenandMs.RaeLynnSutsch.Congratulationstoeachoftheseoutstandingteachers!

Ms.ShellyParsons Ms.TracyBreeden Ms.RaeLynnSutschDistrict/Palestine Longview Tyler

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CURRICULUM TEAM

TheUAcurriculumteam,consistingoftheDirectorofCurriculumandherteamofInstructionalCoaches,workhardbehindthescenestoensureourteachershavethesupporttheyneedtobesuccessfulintheclassroom.Fromhelpingteachersplanlessons,reviewstudentdata,andassistwithactivities,theyareattheheartofeveryclassroom.Thetransitiontoat-home,onlinelearningwouldnothavegonenearlyassmoothlywithoutthemandwecannotthankthemenoughfortheexpertiseandsupporttheyprovideourteachers.Theyareinstrumentaltooursuccess!Thankyouforallyoudo!

Ms.JaclynPedersen

Ms.KellyDyer Mr.BenMoran Ms.SamanthaRector Ms.JenniferRasberry

CURRICULUM CORNER

2020-2021 SUPPLY LISTS

Tyler-https://academy.uttyler.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/2020-2021-School-Supply-List-2.pdf

OrderHere:https://academy.uttyler.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/UTT003_OrderNow_Bilingual-1.jpg

Longview-https://www.teacherlists.com/schools/125340-ut-tyler-innovation-academy-longview-campus

Palestine-Comingsoon,pleasewatchourhomepageatwww.uttua.orgforupdates.

TEA ASSESSMENTS

TEAwillreleaseBeginningoftheYear(BOY)assessmentsthatallstudentswilltakewhenreturningtoschoolinAugust.Thisdatawillhelpourteachersandinstructionalcoachesplancurriculumandneedsforeachindividualstudent.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING EXPANDS

Weareexcitedtoannouncethatinadditiontothe3-7mathclassroomsthatwenttopersonalizedlearningthispastyear,additionalclassroomswillbemovingpersonalizedlearninginthecomingschoolyear.AllmathingradesK-10willbeutilizingapersonalizedinstructionalmodelaswellasallELAclassroomsingrades4-8.Pleasereferencetheattachedflyersinregardstopersonalizedlearning.

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ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORMS

Thedistrictiscurrentlyexploringoptionsforanewlearningplatform(s).PowerSchoolSolutions,formerlyknownasHaiku,isoneoptionthatisbeingconsideredforadoption.Althoughunderanewcompany,manyofthefeaturesandfunctionalityaresimilartowhatwehaveusedinthepastwithHaiku.Wefeelthiswillbeanaddedbenefitshouldtheneedariseforstudentstoonceagaintransitiontoanat-homelearningenvironmentduetoCOVIDrelatedprecautions/closures.Additionally,CanvasisanotherconsiderationasitisusedbyUTTylerintheircourseworkandisaplatformmostofourhighschoolstudentsutilizealready.Wearecurrentlyindiscussionsandareworkingtofinalizedetailsforimplementationatthestartofschool.

TECHNOLOGY

DEVICES

Thedistricthasorderedallnewdevicesforstudentsingrades3-7fortheupcomingyear.Manyoftheexistingdeviceshavemettheendoftheirlifeandweknowstudentswillbehappytohavebrandnewreplacements.

K-2classroomswillbeoutfittedwithdevicesforeachstudent.Thesedeviceswillnotbetakenhome.

3-7willbeissuednewdevicesatthestartoftheyear.

8-12willhaveabring-your-own-device(BYOD)policy.Studentswhoqualifyforfinancialassistancecanrequestadistrict-issueddevice.

Districtissueddeviceswillnolongerrequireindividualized,personalinsuranceplans.Thiswillbecoveredunderdevicewarrantiespurchasedbythedistrict.