Volume 3 | March 2021
A Message From Our CEO

Dear U Prep Community -

It is Open Enrollment season, the time of year when we invite you, your family and friends to become a part of our U Prep family. When a child enters the doors of a U Prep school they enter into a community; one that sets them on a path to become an independent learner. Through the lens of culturally responsive teaching and learning, the U Prep school community collaborates to create educational experiences that are unique to every child, even as early as their first year of school. 

A child’s educational journey begins when they enter Kindergarten. Understanding the importance of providing a solid foundation for our Kinders, we engage our scholars through hands-on learning and offer them the freedom of self-expression and the necessary rigor to challenge them academically. Choosing the school that fits your child’s needs and uniqueness is paramount to their academic and life-long learning success. The benefit of families matriculating through our K-12 school community is the offer of a continuum of educational practices and structure. In elementary and middle school our scholars are introduced to areas of study that later prepare them for the career pathways offered once they enter a U Prep high school.

In this issue, you will hear from some of our Kindergarten teachers, who offer their perspectives on key elements for parents to consider when searching for a new school for their child. You will also learn about the career pathway work our UPSM high school scholars have been engaged in through a demonstration using a webinar platform. We will share our social-emotional approach to combating the stress that the pandemic has caused, on the heels of an NBC Special highlighting its effects nationwide. Finally, we are excited to announce the launch of a new pathway premiering at UPA High School in the Fall. Read below to learn more!

If you have not applied for your child to attend a U Prep school in the fall, I encourage you to do so today at UPrepSchools.com.


In Community,
Danielle Jackson, CEO
Detroit 90/90 - U Prep Schools
Meet Our Kindergarten Teachers
We would like to introduce you to a special group of educators who are committed to ensuring that our youngest scholars start their educational journey off on the right foot- meet our Kindergarten teachers!

These passionate and committed educators will share a little about themselves, how U Prep prepares kindergarteners for their educational journey and advice for parents who are seeking a school for their child's first step in their educational journey.
The U Crew Collective Blog
Coming April 12th!
Something new is coming from the U!
Our monthly blog, The U Crew Collective, will introduce you to crew members within the U Prep Schools network who will share their points of view and lessons learned through book studies, research, best practices, and educational wins as veteran educators, leaders, and subject matter experts in the field of education.

Prepare to be inspired and informed through The U Crew Collective, beginning April 12th.
What I Love About Kindergarten!
Kindergarten is where young minds are introduced to the concepts of teaching and learning.

Find out what our youngest scholars are saying about their first year at U Prep at the link below.
Career Pathways at U Prep
U Prep’s Career Pathways provides an immersive exploration into unique career fields that are either in high demand or currently lack gender and racial diversity.

Our pathways provide scholars with an engaging and unique learning opportunity, taking them outside of the classroom to experience hands-on, project-based learning, that prepares them for college and a future career.
Scholars Share Manufacturing Pathway Experience During LIFT/IGNITE Webinar
Last month, ours partner at LIFT and IGNITE hosted a webinar that featured U Prep students. During the webinar, our high school scholars enrolled in the manufacturing pathway at UPSM shared the knowledge they gained and the value of their experience through this invaluable hands-on learning partnership.
Student Voices at the U 
This year has been challenging, with COVID affecting the way we deliver education to our scholars. Students and staff alike were required to activate extreme flexibility to tackle the uncertainties that the pandemic brought.

Last month, NBC Nightly News hosted a special, “Kids Under Pressure: Covid-19’s Toll On Learning”. The program provided insights into the effects of COVID in the school environment from the students' perspectives.

We checked in with our Director of Social-Emotional Learning to get her take on the special, and to learn more about the strategies U Prep uses to meet the needs of every scholar.
Meet Paris Ritter
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Meet Paris Ritter, a member of the 2009 graduating class at University Prep Academy High School. She returned to our network and became one of our College and Career Counselors at UPA Middle School.

Paris told us that she loves working where it all started for her! Click below to find out about her journey and how she came back to U Prep - a place she calls home.
U Prep Birthdays and Anniversaries
We have several birthdays and U Prep anniversaries in April! Click the links below to wish happy birthday or happy anniversary to our Crew members who are celebrating.
Rep the Prep in 2021!
Start the new year with a new style! Did you know you can customize your U Prep merch in different styles and colors? There are several options for all three of the U Prep networks, in hoodies, jackets, and tees.
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