MS Principal's Message
On behalf of everyone involved in the Universal American School’s Middle School experience, I would like to welcome you and your child(ren) as teammates in striving to maximize his or her academic and behavioral potential. The middle school years are extremely demanding, challenging, and frustrating, and it will take each team member doing her or his part to accomplish this goal. It has been my experience in over 37 years of educational practice, that these are the toughest years to navigate through. It is the time when students need parents and other adult role models the most. Please keep this in mind as your child(ren) transition from elementary to high school.
Our primary goal is to fully prepare the whole student to excel in any high school anywhere. Our college-preparatory program includes hands-on learning, discovery learning, inquiry-based learning and various types of assessments—including performance-based and traditional. The program is fundamentally one of mastery learning, in which each student must demonstrate 80% or more achievement to be classified as one having mastered a skill. By the end of Grade 8, our students are well-versed in everything they need to be successful.
I am extremely excited about this school year and the next. I have a high quality faculty and staff ready to work with a group of highly intelligent students. At times, it may seem as if we are demanding too much of our students. Rest assured, that we are just doing everything we can to help them succeed in life. Success in life depends on hard work, persistence, planning, organizing, self-monitoring, and self-assessing. It requires the ability and confidence to apply knowledge and skills quickly and accurately to address any and all situations. As students matriculate from Grade 6 through Grade 8, you will see the difference. Their ability and confidence to achieve will continue to grow. It will be exciting journey for all of us.
If, at any time, you have questions or concerns about your child’s education, you should first contact her or his teacher. The teacher works directly with the student each and every day and knows him or her the best. If you need further assistance, please contact my Assistant Principal, Mr. Mike Church, or me. There is also a great array of support personnel to aid and assist if necessary. If we continue to work together, each student will be just what he or she wants to be.