From the Principal


Davis Junior High Families,

We are excited to announce our Open House will be next Wednesday, September 22, at 7:00 p.m.  The Open House will be fully virtual using the same SchoolSoft Conference Manager software we used last year for Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Families enrolled in UCS during the 2021-22 School year should already have a SchoolSoft account and should’ve received an Email from appointments@SchoolSoft.com notifying you that the sign-up for Open House will begin on Thursday, September 16 at 3:00 p.m. 

Please note that the email references “parent teacher conferences”  because SchoolSoft has limited category options.  This email is for Open House, NOT Parent Teacher Conferences which are coming in October!  
It is also important to note that the word “Conference” and “Open House” are used interchangeably in these directions. 

If you attended conferences last year for any UCS building, you already have an account.  You need to follow the link from the email you received from Schoolsoft or you can go to the following website to login: https://utica.schoolsoft.com

Existing UCS parents who have a child that is moving up to Davis Junior High will need to update your account to reflect current school year buildings by following the steps in the link above.  You may still be rostered in the elementary and will need to follow the link above.   


Families of new enrollees coming into UCS this year will need to create a SchoolSoft account by following these steps:

  • Go to the following website: https://utica.schoolsoft.com.

  • Register for a parent account.  To register click the REGISTER NOW button and complete the registration page.  Once registered you will be able to immediately log in to the Conference Manager.  An email will also be sent to the address you specified.  This email restates your username and password and should be saved, as you will use the same username and password when booking future rounds of Parent-Teacher Conferences.  If you forget your password, you can reset it using the FORGOT PASSWORD link under the login button.

    • When registering, if you have multiple students, you should enter all of them at the same time.

    • If you have a student at more than one school (for example Utica High and the Virtual High School), you will need to assign the student to multiple buildings, for example:

      • John Doe   Utica High School  

      • John Doe   UCS Virtual Academy 

       

       

Once you’ve registered your child and set up your account, you can log in to the Conference Manager any time.  The directions below are how to book your Open House sessions when they open up on Thursday afternoon.  You’ll need your child’s schedule from PowerSchool to book the right sessions. 

  • Have a printout of your child’s schedule or your PowerSchool open and login to your SchoolSoft Conference Manager page for the school you’re booking (e.g Davis, Stevenson, Plumbrook, etc.)

 

  • Click the BOOK NOW button and select a conference date in the date drop-down that appears.  Then, select the teacher(s) you wish to meet with and click the NEXT button. To coordinate bookings involving multiple teachers select all the teachers applicable to your child(ren) with whom you wish to meet.  It will then allow you to pick which period.

 

  • Click on an available time slot for each teacher you selected and complete the booking form that appears. The first timeslot will be longer to facilitate a message from Principal and Superintendent.  For classes that are co-taught please select the primary teacher for that class (listed on your student’s schedule).  You will select the teacher that coordinates with each hour of your student’s schedule.  For the junior highs, the open house schedule will be:

     

    • 1st Hour: 7:00 – 7:23

    • 2nd Hour: 7:26 – 7:36

    • 3rd Hour: 7:39 – 7:49

    • 4th Hour: 7:52 – 8:02

    • 5th Hour: 8:05 – 8:15

    • 6th Hour: 8:18 – 8:28

 

  • When finished selecting the appropriate teacher for each hour, you should see the booking appear in the summary list on the right-hand side of the screen.  A confirmation email is sent for each booking you made or subsequently cancel.  You will also receive a reminder and conference itinerary by email.
     

  • Confirm your appointments have been booked by looking at the “CURRENTLY BOOKED CONFERENCES” box on the right of the screen or click on the MY CONFERENCES tab.  Only appointments that appear in the CURRENTLY BOOKED CONFERENCES box or on the MY CONFERENCES page are confirmed bookings.  When finished booking, click the log off button located at the top right of the browser window. 
     

  • You will receive a link to your video conference from Appointments@schoolsoft.com the day of conferences. At the appropriate time, click on the link for that hour and the teacher will admit you to the room. Please note, Open House will last approximately 10 minutes for each class and is a time to receive information from your child’s teacher about the class. 

 

Written directions with screenshots for accessing and setting up your SchoolSoft Conference Account are included at the following link: https://bit.ly/3CdBT7t .

Video directions for all of this information is available at the following link: How to Participate in a Virtual Open House - YouTube.  I will also include the attachment with this email as a separate document.

 

We are looking forward to Open House and appreciate your continued support. 

Click here for this week's Raider Review.

Brian Shepard, Principal

 

Open House Information.pdf 

PARENT GUIDE TO OPEN HOUSE.pdf 
Laptop Use Reminder... 

Students should NOT be using their school issued laptop for personal use. 
It is for student use only.  
The TEAMS chat and call features are to reach out to teachers and staff and to be only utilized during class meetings as well as any platform that acts as a communication tool.  Students can set up group chats but is limited to homework and school related content. 

The Davis Junior High Mission is dedicated to creating a successful partnership of staff, parents and community to prepare our students to be positively-contributing members of society, and productive and responsible citizens.  We promote understanding and respect for all people and strive to inspire our students to become knowledgeable, caring, self-directed and productive learners who readily meet the challenges of a diverse world and global economy.

Students must have their ID card on them at all times during the school day.   All students will receive an ID at the beginning of each school year. 
Please click on the Raider Review tab for all information, consequences, and more  with regards to the school ID requirement.
Replacement ID's are $5 and can be purchased in the main office at Davis.

UCS Vision

All children have the right to a rigorous, high-quality education which meets their individual needs. UCS will respect, encourage and empower each and every student to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful, contributing members of a diverse community and global society.

UCS Mission

We are committed to exemplary teaching and learning in order for our students to be prepared for success in the 21st Century.
We will achieve this commitment by engaging the entire community to focus on each child's achievement, with the expectation that every student will pursue some type of post-high school educational endeavor.

Core Values

  • Every child can learn and achieve.
  • Parents and guardians are partners in the learning process.
  • Being “smart” can be achieved through persistence, hard work and effective effort.
  • Excellence is expected and celebrated.
  • Data is used to guide our decision-making.
  • All employees will exemplify ethical behavior; exhibit a strong work ethic; and continue to develop their leadership, performance and service skills.
  • Technology supports and enhances instruction, business operations, research and communications.
  • The Board of Education, district educators/staff, parents, community members and business leaders must collaborate and work as a team to enhance educational opportunities for student success.