Across our community parents, staff and students are working together to create meaningful connections and continue learning in Michigan’s second largest school district, even as the world addresses a pandemic.

“A Sense of Normalcy and Structure”

For parent Lisa Watson, school continues for her children.

“Throughout this time of at-home schooling, connecting to our Flickinger community has been so important for the kids to maintain relationships and thrive with continued learning through interactions with teachers and classmates,” Watson said.

She said her children’s teachers and school staff have used creative means to provide lessons to her children and establish a learning routine.

“These (lessons) help my kids to cope and feel some sense of structure and normalcy,” Watson said.

She said her family has further bonded by being together, and they are taking part in a “Rainbows Over Michigan” project by painting stained glass art on their home to brighten the day of others in her neighborhood.

“We have witnessed such a movement of togetherness and kindness throughout the community that even words can’t explain the joy it has brought our family,”

Watson said.

“What We Do Is Important”

For UCS staff, meeting student needs has always been

From the Superintendent...

Christine M. Johns, Ed.D.

Celebrating The Human Spirit in UCS

Even in the face of a global pandemic, every member of our school district continues to embody a culture of leadership and service. With this edition of Focus for the Community, we celebrate this culture and the “Human Spirit” that is at the very heart of Utica Com-munity Schools.

Through the personal stories being shared with you, we illustrate how Utica Community Schools pursues excellence by making students the center of everything we do.

While face-to-face instruction has been suspended in Michigan, learning and the building of positive relationships continue in Utica Community Schools. Our school staff has worked tirelessly to find new and unique ways to make connections with our students and families to provide the stability that is so needed in times of great change.

New technology teams comprised of teachers and staff members have worked with our parents to provide students fresh approaches and innovative education-al methods. Teams of UCS employees from every department have provided assistance to our students. Our combined efforts continue to demonstrate that schools are a vital part of our community.

Consider that throughout the past two months:

• Nearly 450,000 meals have been provided to students since the middle of March through mid-May. Working together, we have supported remote learning by distributing more than 3,700 laptops to families that needed additional devices to support their students. Support staff and transportation employees are assisting these efforts.

• Teachers continue to deliver lessons to our students through online resources and Schoology.

• Our clerical staff members remain key to the contin-ued operations of Michigan’s second largest school district.

One of the successes we celebrate in this issue are the amazing accomplishments of the Class of 2020.

Continued on page 4

Supporting student needs through leadership and service

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UCS and UEA Reach Shared AgreementIn the face of a global pandemic that has changed the way schools operate and engage with the families of our community, the teachers, staff members, and lead-ership of Utica Community Schools have responded with a strong positive shared direction. Recently, that positive shared direction continues as an agreement has been reached between the Utica Community Schools (UCS) and the Utica Education Association (UEA).

“This agreement allows the educators at UCS to focus their efforts on what is critically important during this difficult time,” said Dr. Robert Ross, president of the UCS Board of Education. “We remain committed to educating our students and ensuring that our gradu-ates leave our district prepared to make a difference both locally and globally.”

The $22.1 million agreement runs through June 30, 2022. The contract includes a 1 to 1.5 percent

increase in the salary schedule and step advance-ments for eligible members over the duration of this contract.

“The agreement reflects our shared commitment to provide academic excellence for all students,” said Dr. Christine Johns, Superintendent of Schools. “While face-to-face instruction has been suspended in Mich-igan, learning has continued and will not stop within Utica Community Schools.”

Going forward, the UCS and UEA remain committed to serving the families of Michigan’s second largest school district. While the educational process contin-ues to change and be transformed by safety concerns, all sides remain focused on helping every student succeed.

“Throughout this extraordinary time, our entire UCS team has continued to embody a culture of leadership and service.”

Continued on page 4

Food service staff members Albino Nkoj and Sana David have helped serve nearly 450,000 meals to students. Below, Collins Elementary students hold a zoom discussion.

2 FOCUS FOCUS 3

Megan SidawayRyan SiegleAngela SimoskiJacob SmithKatelyn SoniaOlivia StackAllyson SzymanskiKennedy ThomasSarah ThomasBrian VeliajCole WeberJennifer WeirMelissa WhippleKaleyna Zahuranic

SALUTATORIANSJames Boyle VEvan DoanBenjamin Hall

Henry Ford II High SchoolVALEDICTORIANSBrendan ArndtMatthew AttishaHaidy AzizCameron BorchertAmber BrunettJill CharbonneauRhea ChhokerGiselle DepakakiboAndre EdgertonJacob EmaryJoseph FrancisBrooke GagnonLuke GibsonClaire GordonAmber HardyIsaac HarrisMadelyn HartwigLilly HilgendorfAdriana IvezajIsabella JohnsonTimmy JosephBrendan KaczmarekEvgenia KonevaAmber LipeJoseph LockhartBrandon MatjaMegan OcelnikKendra Oja-KiserAaryan PatelClaudia PilarskiAmanda PollyMurphy PoxsonCarlie SienkowskiJacob ThomasJoshua ThomasBenjamin Van HoveMelanie WalkerJordan WidenerMarco Yu

SALUTATORIANSGrace AlaskaLanie Wisniewski

Stevenson High SchoolVALEDICTORIANSRusul Ali Slevia AliasMegan ArnoldBrandon Attisha Evan BarashAlexander BeutherSophia CostaJessica CulverhouseJulia DanielClaudio Dell a TorreMcKenzie EisingerLena El-GhorouryMichelle El-SayahCharles GuccioneMaram Hanna KachlVanessa HannoshHeather HareDuy HoangDaphne JacintoMalak KalashoGrace KannouGerald KelleziDavid KiesRiley KlumbDonovan LeeAndrew LucasAlexia ManiadakiBrianna MearimKayla MekaelKaitlyn MihajlovskiSamuel MolnarCatriona MunroBlaine Kristian Thomas OaniaMary PardingtonJenny SchramDiana ShlemonMichael VuJennifer WeihsChristopher WodkiewiczKorey Zelda

SALUTATORIANSDaniel AustermanSukhman BathBenjamin DubeyBrooke HomrockyKirthika KrishnanOmar Nayfeh

Utica High SchoolVALEDICTORIANSRegina Araujo-PedrozaJulia ClementsMadison DavisKayla EvansSophia GielniakJoseph GjonajGenta GollopeniChad GoodwineCarly HitchcockLauryn HolmesParker HopkinsMelissa HotiAidan Huyghe

Arianna JalicsDorian JenkinsLauren KerrKurt KessenAnna KotlarzOlivia KurekAlexandra LaBrecqueLogan LamphierTaNia LeeSarah LubienKyle ManzellaRima MarokiSofia Martinez MartinezNathan OkeSarah OnkaloSimon PatanoKatherine PhillipsJoy PielackAngelo PipitoneArtur PtakFrancesca ReaRiley RedmondVictoria RuminBrennan RylanderGina SapianoSebastian ShamanAshley SilukRaeleen SobetskiNevaeh UrbanMegan WalkerGracie Whaley

SALUTATORIANSAnthony BarneyMary GoepperMorgan HillAbigail JenkinsKaitlin KerrGloria LevinKevin Yarrington

Utica Academy for International StudiesVALEDICTORIANSJenna AlamatChristopher AlexopoulosSamantha BeattyEmily BennettAbigail BrownTricia Carreon Dominic CatalloKaylee ChanNicholas ChapmanMiranda DavisAlexis DerecicheiCecilia DiCesareEthan Dondonan Julie ElFishawyIsabella EliasVictoria FadelAnjali FrancisJennifer HoldstockDanielle HopfingerAleena JohnLydia Joo

Lucy KalajAndrew KimMaya KrishnanMeghna KrishnanNicole KuchtaLuc LeMeriseKylie LynneNatalia MakaroAdem MartuscelliAnnika MathewsJenna MeriDaniel MihailovicOlivia MorowskyJessica MynyAngel NajjarJoshua NeumannNisha PatelMattea PelleritoAvinash PillaiKaitlin PoindexterZoe PolishReese PrestonRachael RewitzerAnnelise RiceCatherine SaarPierre SamiaMeena SavayaKeri SchoofSarah ScopasMikaela SenkusAiden SheppardOlivia Slewa Ronak SringariMelanie StroupRia ThomasAngelina TohmeOlivia VitaleAngelina VrzovskiAngela Zaitouna

SALUTATORIANS Jake McQueenAmanda Taylor

Eisenhower High SchoolVALEDICTORIANSMatthew Adamski Riya AggarwalIsabella AgrusaBrandon AmesEmily ArnoldAlexa BajouwaLeo BarriosKaterina BastounisHannah BeckMatteo CandelaRebecca CartwrightNicholas CatenacciDavid CireneseJoseph CurroKrystal CvetkovskiBlake CzaplaKayla DeSchepperMichaela DharteHannah DunnMegan EldredJennifer FischerAllison GottshallEvan GregorichMichael HagenEvelyn HempelRyan JaklicEmilia JakucAleksandra KaciAnna KirschAlexis LadsonJoseph LaFeirAaron LangtryNoah LemmonsPaige LovinsSamantha LudwigMatthew MalskiKamryn MaplesBrendan MarshallFaith McGuireBrandon McLaneIsabella MeccaKevin MensahRosalia MidullaLauren MischKelly MorckMatthew MozariwskyjRyan MozariwskyjJacob MunnMitchell MychajlukPaige NicholsonKaden O’LoughlinCameron ParkerRebecca PopovskiTrevor RankinHope RauschEmma RonneMadison SacraSamantha SacraOlivia SalernoZachary SchmatzAnna SchmidtClara SchmidtOlivia SchultzSophia SchultzJacob ShallowKevin Shehu

Stevenson High SchoolMatthew AbdulFlorjan AzisGeorge BatoIan CampoverdeKatharyn ChalcraftVerna CholaghDaniel ClarkEmmanuel CoFrankie ColemanJaylen DavisMakenna DelphKami EckelZena FerraraLouis FrancisMichael FullarEthan HackerAngelina HangAyani HinsonTrevor JamesRachel JarjesGabrael JibraelMatthew KinnairdSam KowalskiMaxenne LabasbasMarianna ManniKaram MattiSean NguyenPheenix Nguyen-TranMarena NounaDurva PatelMeera PrajapatiKelly Puentes

Yousif RazzokiMarteno RomayaNick SittoStevie SorensenKayla StewartStephanie SwannerJoshua Wilson

Utica High SchoolReem AhmadMonica Alejos-GomezBreanna BleischJuan Campos NietoEmily ChurchillZachery CorderoHaley DupuisLogan GeigerNikolina GjonajSeth HammLaila HicksAnna LaVerdiereTaNia LeeCelestina MarogiHalie MatoskiNyla McPhersonMarilyn MunyaNikole PizzoMichael RumbleBlake SimoneJosephine SobakDamiano TempestDua UsmanAlexandrea Wauters

By The Numbers2,258

Students Graduated

241 Advanced Placement

Scholars

716 Academic Scholars

241 Seal of Global Language

Candidates

30+ Million Dollars in Scholarships

Awarded

Alternative Learning CenterShaniya Buyck SuperintendentChandler McElhaney Superintendent

Eisenhower High SchoolKaterina Bastounis SuperintendentAnthony Berkimer SuperintendentDavid Cirenese SuperintendentMichael Hagen SuperintendentAaron Kenward Stefan’s Hope Kamryn Maples SuperintendentCeline Matway SuperintendentJennifer Weir Superintendent

Henry Ford II High SchoolCameron Borchert SuperintendentJoseph Francis SuperintendentBrooke Gagnon SuperintendentKendra Oja-Kiser SuperintendentClaudia Pilarski Superintendent

Stevenson High SchoolDrake Castiglia SuperintendentBenjamin Dubey KlenowJennifer Weihs SuperintendentJohn Youhanan SuperintendentRiley Klumb Superintendent

Utica Academy for International StudiesKaylee Chan SuperintendentJulie ElFishawy SuperintendentKylie Lynne Superintendent

Utica High SchoolRegina Araujo-Pedroza SuperintendentCharles Borus SuperintendentSophia Gielniak SuperintendentMegan Hanoush SuperintendentKurt Kessen SuperintendentKyle Manzella Superintendent Sofia Martinez Martinez SuperintendentNoah Mousseau SuperintendentSebastian Shaman Superintendent

2020 Superintendents Scholarship RecipientsOver the past 12 years, the UCS Superintendent Scholarships have been awarded to graduating seniors. The awards were given to 32 seniors this year for post-secondary support. They are gen-erously funded by the UCS Foundation for Educational Excellence, a non-profit organization, as well as the Brett Klenow Scholarship Fund and Stefan’s Hope.

AVID ScholarsAdvancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) develops the necessary skills for taking rigorous courses, such as Advanced Placement and Honors, to promote success in college. AVID is opening doors for UCS graduates by challenging them to reach their full potential.

CTE Career Development Students of the Year

Rei FejzullaStevenson High School

Medical Science Program

Clayton ScottEisenhower High School

Marketing Program

Macomb County All Academic TeamEisenhower High SchoolRiya AggarwalLeo BarriosKrystal CvetkovskiHannah DunnBenjamin HallKevin MensahRosalia MidullaRyan MozariwskyjKaden O’LoughlinMegan SidawayOlivia Stack

Stevenson High SchoolKirthika KrishnanJenny Schram

Utica High SchoolArtur PtakRaeleen Sobetski

Henry Ford II High SchoolBrendan ArndtHaidy Ayman AzizAndre EdgertonTimmy JosephAaryan PatelJoshua Jim Thomas

Utica Academy For International StudiesKaylee ChanCecilia DiCesareJulie ElFishawyAnjali FrancisNicole KuchtaNatalia MakaroJake McQueenDaniel MihailovicZoe PolishAngelina Tohme

Macomb County All Academic Dream Team

Each year, 20 students are selected as a “Dream Team” for Macomb County. This year,

12 members of the Dream Team were from UCS

Riya Aggarwal, Eisenhower High SchoolBrendan Arndt, Henry Ford ll High School

Haidy Aziz, Henry Ford ll High SchoolLeo Barrios, Eisenhower High School

Krystal Cvetkovski, Eisenhower High SchoolCecilia DiCesare, Utica Academy for International StudiesJulie ElFishawy, Utica Academy for International StudiesNicole Kuchta, Utica Academy for International Studies

Natalia Makaro, Utica Academy for International StudiesKaden O’Loughlin, Eisenhower High School

Olivia Stack, Eisenhower High SchoolJoshua Jim Thomas, Henry Ford ll High School

Two Utica Community Schools seniors have been honored as students of the year by the Macomb County Career Technical Education Administrators Association.

(586) 797-1000

BOARD OF EDUCATION Robert A. Ross, Ph.D., PresidentMary K. Thomas, Ph.D., Vice PresidentMichele Templeton, TreasurerDenyeal Nesovski, Secretary Jennifer L. Prybys, TrusteeKimberly Becker, TrusteeKelli Rankin, Trustee

Christine M. Johns, Ed.D. Superintendent

FOCUS for the Community Editors: Tim McAvoy Nancy Kort

www.uticak12.org Find updates from

Utica Community Schools on:

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act and the Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act, it is the policy of Utica Community Schools that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any instructional opportunities, programs, services, job placement assistance, employment or in policies governing student conduct and attendance. Any person suspecting a discriminatory practice should contact the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at Utica Community Schools, 11303 Greendale, Sterling Heights, MI 48312 or call (586) 797-1000.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

Points of PrideHigh schools among nation’s best

All four Utica Community Schools comprehensive high schools once again have been named among the best in the country.

Henry Ford II, Eisenhower, Stevenson and Utica high schools were among the 2020 Best High Schools as ranked by U.S. News and World Report.

Graduation rates and college readiness, both key factors for the path to a higher education, are among the many metrics used to rank high schools.

Student journalists recognized

UCS student journalists have earned state and national honors for their commit-ment to excellence.

Two Utica Community Schools seniors were also recently named among the state’s top student journalists.

Henry Ford II High School senior Theresa De Benedetti and Utica High School senior Haley Grooms were select-ed to the 2020 State Journalism staff by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Associ-ation (MIPA).

The Eisenhower High School staff earned a Silver Crown award in Colum-bia Scholastic Press Association’s Crown awards for their print news and website, ikenews.com. Eisenhower was one of 56 high school hybrid publications in the nation to earn this award. The staff also

earned tenth place in National Scholastic Press Association’s Best in Show compe-tition for their February print issue; the publication was one of ten in the nation recognized.

Distracted driving video earns national honor

A video commercial about the dangers of distracted driving has earned a senior national recognition and a college schol-arship.

JT Simms, who attends Henry Ford II High School and the Utica Center for Science and Industry, received a $2,000 scholarship from the Detroit Auto Deal-ers Association (DADA) for a short video he created about distracted driving.

The video is available at the following link: https://youtu.be/VrCQ7BGsqw8.

Scholastic Arts honors students

Samantha Caballero, of Eisenhower High School, earned a National American Visions Media Award for her painting, “Looking Up and Arbitrarily Losing

Touch.” She also earned a gold and silver medal in the competition.

As an American Visions winner, Caballero has had her work ranked among the top one percent of the more than 300,000 works entered in this year’s competition.

Also earning a top award was Molly Wittwer, of Shelby Junior High School, who earned a national gold medal for her photograph, “Backstage.”

Two students also earned silver medals in the national competition. Jacob Schick, of Utica High School, earned a silver medal for his drawing ,“Starring Off.” Savannah Salisbury also earned a Silver award for her photograph, “Curiosity.”

an integral part of the district’s culture.

The UCS food service staff has been working with volunteers to provide nearly 450,000 meals to students between mid-March and mid-May.

“It has made me realize that what we do is important,” said Henry Ford II High School food service worker Rebecca Mione. “It has eased the pandemic stress these families are feeling by giving them one less thing to think about. It gives the kids something to look forward to and something familiar.”

Oakbrook teacher Holly Haran had unique challenges when it came to meeting the needs of her special education students remotely.

“As a learning center teacher my job is to build relationships with students, parents and fellow teachers to help the students who need additional assistance, either academically or emotionally,” she said. “So when the mandated school closure was issued my first question was, “How am I going to do my job effectively?”

The answer is a blend of on-line resources that provide students and families lessons, routine and a connection. She has even created a Microsoft Teams group for her students.

Duncan teacher Susan Meadows uses every tool in her toolbox to ensure learning - phone calls, messages through Schoology and email, weekly class Zoom meetings, individual conferences on Schoology, and even porch drop off of learning materials.

“We are all doing our best to maintain a routine to ensure each child feels safe and cared for so they are motivated to continuously improve and fulfill their potential,” she said.

The approximately 2,200 UCS students who are receiving their diploma this year give us confidence to look ahead to a bright future. It is clear from their successes that they will be leaders in science, technology, manufacturing, the military, public service and many more

important professions

Looking to their positive future illus-trates how we will get through this time together. There will be a day where learning will take place not through remote keyboards, but through cooper-ative groups; where learning takes place in classrooms between eager minds

and skilled educators, where buses roll again, and halls are alive with the sounds of children.

We will continue to move forward because we believe in each other, our children and the strength of our com-munity. That is the “Human Spirit” of UCS and it will always endure.

Continued from front page

Celebrating the Human Spirit in UCSContinued from front page

Service and

Leadership

Backstage by Molly Wittwer

JT Simms in nationally-recognized video