8/11-8/13, Mon.- Wed. – 9 AM-1 PM Faculty Inservice (babysitting provided by USL students and graduates).

8/13, Wednesday – Annual Alumni-Faculty Lunch – 11:45 AM in the gym

8/14-8/15, Th.- Fri. – 2014-2015 school year begins with Orientation activities led by USL Upper School students and graduates

8/18, Monday – Regular classes begin

8/20, Wednesday – orientation for Learning Outside the Classroom. As preparation for our field experiences, Middle and Upper School students will begin Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED training. Students will also bake cookies, deliver them, and clean up the kitchen. This will allow students to gain practice with the responsibility inherent to LOTCs and meet our neighbors around Coleman Blvd.

8/25, Monday – Back to School Open House in the gym (6:00 PM)

8/27, Wednesday – LOTC – As part of preparation for our off-campus experiences, Mount Pleasant Police Department personnel will offer a personal safety course to the entire student body. All students will also learn practical skills for personal safety from instructors from Charleston Krav Maga. MS/US students will continue Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED training.

8/29, Friday – Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

9/1, Monday – University School will be closed in honor of the Labor Day holiday. Classes resume on Tuesday, 9/2.

9/3, Wednesday – LOTC – As part of preparation for our off-campus experiences, All students will continue learning practical skills for personal safety from instructors from Charleston Krav Maga. MS/US students will continue Red Cross CPR/First Aid/AED training.

9/6, Saturday – Optional Family LOTC – From 12-5, the Greater Charleston Chinese Association will host their Harvest Moon Festival under the “Big Oak” at Palmetto Islands County Park.

9/10, Wednesday – LOTC – We will travel to the Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw for a tour and flight demonstrations.

9/13, Saturday – All USL Community Event – the Horan family, including Matthew (5th) and Allison (10th), invite all past and present members of the University School community to a bonfire at the beach at 6 PM. Location – Station 25, Sullivans Island, SC 29482

9/17, Wednesday – LOTC – activities in and around campus. The main focus will be learning strategies (how to deal with anxiety, how to best take notes, the importance of sleep, how failing helps one learn, etc.) and advisory group activities. Some students will attend the annual Constitution Week Naturalization Ceremony at the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. Students will witness as 95 people from over 45 countries will become United States citizens.

9/18, Thursday – From 5:45-7:00 PM. University School students, faculty, parents and mentors will enjoy a pizza meal together and each other’s company.  Mr. Kreutner will also give a picture presentation about the opening weeks of school and the learning and activities the students and the community have been involved in.

9/24, Wednesday – LOTC – MS – tour of the Clemson University SCE&G Energy Innovation Center; IS – painting activity at ArtBuzz Kids and then lunch at Shem Creek Park. Mini Humanities class in the PM.

9/26, Friday – Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

10/1, Wednesday – (A) LOTC – MS/US tour of the Boeing plant, IS – Clemson University SCE&G Energy Innovation Center; (B) At 4 PM, we will help the Hibben UMC community unload and arrange the pumpkins on the lawn facing Coleman Blvd. Afterwards enjoy a free pizza dinner!

10/2, Thursday…University School will be represented at the High School Fair at Mason Prep School from 6:30-8:00 PM.

10/3, Friday – GUEST SPEAKER – In preparation for our annual exit polling exercise, the students have already looked at the 7-page ballot for next month and talked about some of the races, offices, and referendums.  They will be learning a lot through classroom and Moodle preparation, but they will also be hearing from candidates.  We expect to have Democrat, Republican, Green, and Libertarian (working on a representative from the new American Party also) candidates to meet and talk with the students.  Our first speaker, Democrat Secretary of State candidate Ginny Deerin, will be speaking at USL today. Please see her post after her visit with us. For more on our 2014 election and exit polling efforts, please click here.

10/6, Monday – University School will have representatives at the First Grade Fair from 5:30-7:30 PM at Second Presbyterian Kindergarten (342 Meeting Street, Charleston 29403).

October – High School exploration process meeting

10/8, Wednesday – (A) LOTC – PSAT preparation in the AM along with exercises to learn more about upcoming visiting political candidates and the Prof. Bracey lecture on October 28. Guest speaker – Green Party candidate, Sue Edward, running for the South Carolina House District #114 seat. Skill exercises and independent explorations of upcoming experiences and speakers in the afternoon. PM – Guest speaker – Libertarian Party candidate, Steve French, running for Governor. For more on our 2014 election and exit polling efforts, please click here. (B) This day is set aside as an opportunity for parent & teacher conferences.

10/10, Friday – On Friday, October 10, 2014, USL hosted an accreditation visit and received our annual financial audit.  These forms of external review of University School are vital in validating and providing useful into our operations and the learning experience for our students.

Accreditation
A three-person team, comprised of college professors and independent school educators, from the South Carolina Independent School Association spent today at University School as part of our every-three-year accreditation cycle.  They explored all aspects of USL, observed classes, and talked with a variety of members of our community.  USL meets or exceeds all of the accreditation criteria, and their feedback was effusive and helpful.  Here is the summary from their report:

“The team would like to commend the school on the following:
1. The positive school/church interaction
2. The healthy, positive school environment
3. Small class sizes
4. Flexibility that teachers have to instruct students that best matches the students learning styles
5. Student interaction with adults
6. The active engagement of students in the classroom
The team was extremely impressed with the school and had difficulty coming up with suggestions to improve the school.”

Audit
Here are the summary results of our 2013-2014 school year audit from the accounting firm of GlaserDuncan.  USL has its business-side in good order and carries no debt.  Although financial measurements will never be a true indicator of the School’s success, some are very important for the long-term health and viability of the school.  One of these is how much of every dollar the School spends that goes to supporting its mission. In the case of University School for 2013-2014, $0.82 of every dollar spent went back to supporting the mission of the School. For our peer schools, the average is $.70.

10/14, Tuesday – HOSTED PERFORMANCE – University School will host Science of Sound for a performance of at 10 AM in the gym. Experience sound as you’ve never seen, felt, or heard it before. Use your voice to create a giant laser show. Run a resonance relay race. Rock out to odd instruments and sounds from students. Explore what makes music…musical! It is appropriate for all ages and lasts about 45 minutes. Guests will include our friends from Sweetgrass Assisted Living Village, Christ Our King-Stella Maris School, Hibben UMC Preschool, Moultrie Middle School, Montessori of Mount Pleasant, Trident Academy, Charleston-area homeschool families, and other groups from the community.

10/15, Wednesday – (AM) Younger grades – community building exercises and then community service by helping with Hibben Church’s Pumpkin Patch and cleaning up in and around campus; older grades – take the PSAT in the morning and then community service at Hibben. (PM) Skill exercises and independent explorations of upcoming experiences and speakers in the afternoon.

10/18, Saturday – The USL community will assist Hibben UMC with their annual Fall Festival from 8 AM – 3 PM. To help support Hibben’s meal outreach program, each USL family is asked to bring at least one canned good in advance of the Fall Festival.

10/19, Sunday – The USL community will have a game booth, assist with the CARTA info booth, and help with clean-up at the Mount Pleasant Children’s Festival at Park West Recreational Complex (12 PM-5 PM). University School won Best School Booth in 2010 and 2013!

10/21, Tuesday – (A) Members of the Upper School will travel to Mason Prep to share USL with the 8th graders during a lunchtime presentation. (B) USL’s High School Night.  8th graders and their parents are welcome to learn more about USL’s Upper School and gain information about other options.  This meeting is from 6:30-7:30 PM.

10/22, Wednesday – LOTC – After beginning the day with a Morning Meeting class, we’ll walk to Alhambra Hall in the Old Village.  We will then take our individual photos with Pat Ring from Ring Photography, and then students will enjoy lunch and recess there.  We will then return to work on our Art by Me and the MS Holiday Lights Greeting Card.  Students will also learn more background information for the Prof. Bracey presentation (next Tues., 10/28).  At 1:30, Stephen Schabel from the Center for Birds of Prey will screen the video that they filmed when we visited back in September.

10/24, Friday – There will be no school for a faculty in-service day from 9:00-noon. Babysitting for faculty members’ children and lunch will be provided.

10/28, Tuesday – HOSTED LECTURE – University School will host Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturer John H. Bracey Jr. Professor Bracey has taught in the W. E. B. Du Bois Afro-American Studies Department of the University of Massachusetts Amherst since 1972. He is coeditor of Afro-American Women and the Vote 1837-1965 (1997); Strangers and Neighbors: Relations Between Blacks and Jews in the United States (1999); and African American Mosaic (2004). He also was coeditor of the microfilm edition of the Papers of the NAACP. The lecture is entitled “Strangers and Neighbors: Blacks and Jews in American History,” and it will last about an hour. It begins at 10 AM and is free and open to the public. This is part one of our speaker series this year. The second will be on April 28 and feature University of Wisconsin-Madison and Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturer Charles L. Cohen discussing “Jews and Muslims in Christian America.”

10/29, Wednesday – LOTC – (A) We will visit Magnolia Gardens in West Ashley. It is one of the three major plantations that are adjacent to each other on Highway 61 (Drayton Hall and Middleton Place are the others). This is in line with our tradition of visiting a different plantation each year to compare and contrast them (Hampton Plantation in McClellanville is also part of our regular rotation). Along with the tour of the gardens and swamp, we’ll explore the full property and take part in the Slavery to Freedom experience at the restored slave cabins.

(B) We won Second Place Team at the South Carolina Independent School Association Middle School Math Meet, and this included having three of the top six high scorers for the whole competition (over 25 schools and 200+ students! We fielded two teams, and they got 2nd and 9th overall. Congratulations to all of the participating students (Thomas Boyle, William Eustis – 4th overall, Kat Favre, Jack Frain – 2nd overall, Julian Griffin, Ron Kalus, Sabrina Lawrence, Mary Lee, Allison Li – 6th overall, Alex Pawlik, and Isabel Prioleau) and our Middle School Math teachers: Mrs. Brockman, Mrs. Lawrie, and Mr. Zenauskas!

10/30, Thursday – (A) Guest speaker – United States Senator Tim Scott, Republican Party, who is running to serve the unexpired term to which he was appointed. He will speak and answer questions at 12:15. Our other scheduled speaker, American Party candidate, Jill Bossi, running for the unexpired term of the US Senate seat currently held by Tim Scott, has had to postpone her visit. For more on our 2014 election and exit polling efforts, please click here. (B) University School will have representatives at the Eighth Grade Fair from 6:00-8:00 PM at Moultrie Middle School. You are welcome to come and learn more about our High School.

10/31, Friday – It is an annual tradition for students and faculty to “dress up” for Halloween.  This is optional.  Please just make sure your costume is Hibben Preschool-appropriate.

11/4, Tuesday – ELECTION DAY LOTC – Our main effort will be exit polling at various precincts around the county. Each student will visit at least two precincts in different areas of the the Lowcountry to get a sense of what is motivating voters at the polls. We will also make an effort to predict the outcomes using our exit poll results, and these predictions will be posted here after the polls close. The Post and Courier featured a story on our exit polling on Election Night: “Exit poll good news for Gov. Nikki Haley, school and library referendums.” Channel 2 interviewed one of our exit polling groups at M. Pleasant Municipal Complex, and the result is a neat video and insightful article: “Kids exit poll Lowcountry voters.”Channel 5 News also spotlighted this experience for our students on their website: “Students, not old enough to vote, find success predicting election outcomes.” Click here for the full results of our 2014 Election Day Exit Polling and here for a video explanation of our exploration of civics and exit polling.

11/5, Wednesday – LOTC – We will review the results of Tuesday’s election. In the afternoon, students will have a presentation about creativity and music from classical pianist Vladimir Pleshakov: he will have a performance at USL in the Spring.  In small group 1-hour sessions all day long, students will have a chance to explore playing an instrument with instructors from Charleston International Music School.  This experience will be led by the founder and director of CIMS, Ruben Camacho.

11/6, Thursday – LOTC – HOSTED PERFORMANCE – University School will host the Fabulous Chinese Acrobats for a performance at 10 AM in the gym. Presenting feats of extreme balance, contortion, and athletic skill, these teenage acrobats travel the world thrilling audiences and representing Chinese culture. It is appropriate for all ages and lasts about 45 minutes. Guests will include our friends from Windwood Farm Home for Boys, Christ Our King-Stella Mari School, Sweetgrass Assisted Living Village, Hibben UMC Preschool, Moultrie Middle School, Charleston-area homeschool families, and other groups from the community.

11/7, Friday – University School MS&US students will host three YALLFest authors for two separate on-campus symposiums. The 9 AM session features  D.J. MacHale, author of the Pendragon series and co-creator of the Nickelodeon channel’s show “Are You Afraid of the Dark.” The 1 PM session features John Parke Davis and Carrie Ryan who co-wrote a fantasy/adventure novel about pirates, The Map to Everywhere, which comes out on November 4. Ryan also wrote the Forest of Hands and Teeth post-apocalyptic trilogy.

11/7-8, Friday-Saturday – Optional Family LOTC – YALLFest – Charleston’s Young Adult Book Festival (420 King Street from 10 AM – 6 PM). YALLFest is a Young Adult Literature Festival founded and based in Charleston. USL is friends with Jonathan Sanchez, the owner of Blue Bicycle Books and the driving force behind YALLFest.  USL’s own MS & US English teacher, Sara Peck, is also one of the organizers! For a full review of our participation in the event from an earlier year, please read USL’s then 8th grader Olive Gardner’s article in the City Paper about the experience.  Traditional a large contingent of University School’s students attend YALLFest on their own on Saturday. Pleasure reading is to be cherished, and it is terrific that our culture celebrates outside reading.  Thanks to our teachers, students, and parents for valuing reading!

11/12, Wednesday – LOTC – on-campus activities and classes, including preparation for Friday’s Day of Caring.

11/14, Friday – (A) LOTC – University School students, faculty, and parents took part in National Day of Caring service projects at eleven sites across Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties through the Trident United Way in the Lowcountry. This is one of the biggest Days of Caring in America, and we contributed over 500 hours of service at Midland Park Primary, Jane Edwards Elementary, Windsor Hill Elementary, Chicora Elementary, FamilyCorps, Carter-May Assisted Living Home, Berkeley Citizens, International Primate Protection League, South Santee Senior and Community Center, Fresh Future Farm, and Windwood Farm Home for Boys. *** Click here for the USL Day of Caring slideshow. (B)Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

11/18, Tuesday – Annual Family Potluck Dinner and Gathering at James Island County Park Wando Shelter (including the Holiday Festival of Lights and the opportunity to see the Greeting Card our Middle School students made). Students will depart by bus at the end of school, and dinner is at 5:45.

11/19, Wednesday – LOTC – on-campus classes, thank you card writing, and preparations for the upcoming MUSC and Faith exploration field trips.

11/26-28, Wednesday-Friday – University School will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. Classes will resume on Monday, December 1.

12/2-3, Tuesday-Wednesday – After-school art class with Ms. Mila Garro.  These two sessions, each lasting an hour from 3:30-4:30, will allow a student to create a work using the Japanese style of Oshibana.  A native of the Ukraine, Garro now lives in Mt. Pleasant and creates and teaches art (click here to read a profile of Garro from the Moultrie News).  It should be a fun experience, and the class is limited to 10 students.  For more details or to sign up, please contact Mrs. Hubbard.

12/3, Wednesday – LOTC – on-campus classes, thank you card writing, and preparations for the upcoming MUSC and Faith exploration field trips.

12/10, Wednesday – LOTC- Medical University of South Carolina – It is a December tradition to visit and learn more about MUSC. Students will tour the campus for an overview of MUSC, explore the Simulation Center, investigate the Meducare helicopter and the role it plays, and discover more about the Audiology department. The day will conclude with visiting and delivering holiday cards to patients at the Hollings Cancer Institute.

12/11, Thursday – University School of the Lowcountry will have an Open House. The event will begin at 6 p.m. at USL’s campus (690 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant), and interested families are welcome to drop by and learn more about the school. There will be a formal presentation from 6:15-7 p.m., and there will be time beforehand and afterward to meet and ask questions of students, teachers and parents.

12/16, Tuesday – Middle School students, their families, and the faculty will enjoy the annual Middle School luncheon featuring French cuisine. Themes from earlier years include items from Charleston Receipts. Mediterranean dishes, and a traditional Southern picnic. Mrs. Logan’s brainchild is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season!

12/19, Friday – (A) LOTC – As is customary, we will have our annual Winter Faiths/Holidays Interdisciplinary Day on the last day of the semester.  We will learn about holidays and how they are celebrated by various faith and ethnic groups. This year we will learn more about the Catholic Church, and this will entail visiting Blessed Sacrament Church in West Ashley. Students will also learn about outreach to the Spanish-speaking community and hear part of a Mass in Spanish. Students will also travel to a local Lutheran church, All Saints in Mt. Pleasant, to learn more about this Christian denomination, its history, and beliefs. (B) Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM. The evening includes the annual showing of Home Alone. We also ask that each student bring a few durable food items that we will donate to the Lowcountry Food Bank and Holy Trinity AME Church. This is an annual tradition to support the Food Bank and the food outreach efforts of HT AME. (C) End of Second Quarter and First Semester

12/22, Monday – 1/4 Sunday – Winter Break Holiday. Classes resume on Monday, 1/5.

1/7-1/12, Wednesday-Monday – MS trip – we will travel to Georgia to explore downtown Savannah and the Pin Point Gullah/Geechee Heritage Museum, learn more about WWII aircraft at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, discover more about the Monastery of the Holy Spirit (Trappist monks who cultivate Bonsai trees), tour Georgia Tech, learn more about CNN (we watch CNN Student News everyday), tour nuclear power plant Vogtle, explore the Georgia Aquarium, experience the Oval Office at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, find out more about civil rights history at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, hear more about the CDC, learn more about Fort Gordon and cyberwarfare, visit the High Museum of Art, eat at The Varsity, experience the international cuisine on Buford Highway, and more.

1/14, Wednesday – LOTC – MS/US students will craft reflections, make slideshows based on the Georgia trip, and write thank you cards. IS students will have an on-campus activity and learn about the Georgia experience.

1/15-19, Thursday-Monday – Students will not have classes because of faculty in-service on Thursday, 11/15. University School will be closed on Friday, 1/15 and Monday, 1/19 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 20.

1/20, Tuesday – LOTC – SCISA High School Math Meet. We placed 4th out of 24schools and 36 teams at the South Carolina Independent School Association High School Math Meet. As our current highest grade is 10th, we competed against juniors and seniors and did amazing — including a top 3 individual high scorer! Congratulations to all of the participating students and our USL Math teachers: Mrs. Brockman, Mrs. Lawrie, Ms. Donoghue, Mrs. Koches, and Mr. Zenauskas!

1/27, Tuesday – LOTC HOSTED PERFORMANCE – University School will host classical pianists Vladimir Pleshakov and Elena Winther for a performance of at 10 AM in the gym. It is appropriate for all ages and lasts about 50-60 minutes. Guests will include our friends from Sweetgrass Assisted Living Village, Hibben UMC Preschool, Moultrie Middle School, Christ Our King-Stella Maris School, Charleston-area homeschool families, and other groups from the community.

1/28, Wednesday – (A) LOTC – Teacher & Parent Conference Opportunity; (B) No Uniform Day; on-campus art activities, advisory group meetings, Lowcountry exploration, Quiz Bowl practice, and team building exercises.

1/30, Friday – USL Auction Family-style Tossed Salad and Spaghetti Dinner (serves 4-6). Order from Mrs. Hubbard by Thursday, 1/29 for $25. Take home at car-pool pick-up today.

2/4, Wednesday – LOTC – (A) SCISA State Literary Meet – fourteen USL students competed. We are very proud of our students and are grateful for the teachers who chaperoned them.  As with our LOTCs that place students in all sorts of situations to learn, competitions like this allow students to test and push themselves — and then learn from the experience.  It was a busy day with a large contingent of schools present (over 90 schools and 850+ students), and our students learned a lot and enjoyed the day with their teachers. Here are our participants: 3rd Grade Storytelling: Charlotte Halford; 4th Grade Poetry Recitation: Brian DeMichael & Vann Hagood; 5th Grade Poetry Recitation: Zoe Gregg & Benjamin Halford (Merritt Baldwin alternate); Middle School Oral Interpretation: Will Courtney (Dramatic) & Cayleigh Nicholson (Humorous); Middle School Extemporaneous Speaking: William Eustis & Kat Favre; Middle School Essay: Rivers Ulmer & Gabby Villacres; Upper School Extemporaneous Speaking: Anne Adragna; Upper School Essay: Sandy Otap; Upper School Oral Interpretation (Humorous): Allison Horan. Congratulations to Cayleigh Nicholson, 7th, for winning 2nd Place in Middle School Oral Interpretation! (B) exploration of the College of Charleston’s Halsey Institute for Contemporary Art and the Karpeles Manuscript Museums Charleston site.

2/7, Saturday – University School will hold its Annual Auction at 6:30 PM at Hobcaw Yacht Club. All members and supporters of the USL community are invited to join us for this event. Here is a flyer explaining sponsorship opportunities and guidance on soliciting items to support the Auction. For more information, please click on the Auction page on our website.

2/10-2/12, Tuesday-Thursday – special LOTC – Middle and Upper School students will be taking in an array of activities at the College of Charleston for the 2nd Annual Piccolo Darwin Week 

2/11, Wednesday – LOTC – Annual Personal Health Symposium. Physicians from MUSC’s Department of Adolescent Medicine will guide this day.

2/13, Friday – our LOTC activities for this week will include a trip to Marion Square in downtown Charleston for the first day of the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition. Flight demonstrations by the Center for Birds of Prey, specialty breeds of dogs, various forms of wildlife art, and the presence of government and non-profit experts on the environment and wildlife are the highlights of this experience.

2/16, Monday – University School will be closed in observation of the Presidents’ Day Holiday. Classes resume on Tuesday, 2/17.

2/18, Wednesday – classes today instead of an LOTC because of the short week.

2/19, Thursday – On February 19, 2015, our Middle School Quiz Bowl team won their region.  This means we will take part in the State Quiz Bowl on Thursday, March 5.  We competed against Orangeburg Prep School, W. Wyman King Academy, and Patrick Henry Academy.  We are especially pleased because this was only our second year participating in the Quiz Bowl competition, and it was our second region championship. Congratulations to team members Miko Crowley, Jack Frain, Ron Kalus, Sanders Linker, Isabel Prioleau, Garrison Wettengel, and Daniel Kalus!

2/20, Friday – Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

2/23, Monday – University School of the Lowcountry will have an Open House. The event will begin at 6 p.m. at USL’s campus (690 Coleman Blvd. in Mount Pleasant), and interested families are welcome to drop by and learn more about the school. There will be a formal presentation from 6:15-7 p.m., and there will be time beforehand and afterward to meet and ask questions of students, teachers and parents. University School of the Lowcountry is geared to high-achieving students in grades three-12, and features experiential learning through 30 field trips per year and instruction in Mandarin, Spanish and Latin (students take all three each year).

2/25, Wednesday – LOTC – Students who have recently completed their job shadows will present their experience and field questions from the students and staff, and we will also take practice sections of the Stanford Achievement Test.

2/26, Thursday – HOSTED PERFORMANCE – University School will host One World Taiko for a performance of at 10 AM in the gym. Taiko means “drum” in Japanese and One World Taiko is a professional Japanese drum ensemble that captivates audiences of all ages with their heart pounding beats, dynamic movement and rhythmic grooves. One World Taiko’s music is drawn from Japan’s tradition of lively festival drumming along with their own creative rhythms, arrangements and choreography, adding their energetic spirit to the ancient art of taiko. It is appropriate for all ages and lasts about 45 minutes. Guests will include our friends from Sweetgrass Assisted Living Village, Hibben UMC Preschool, Moultrie Middle School, Christ Out King-Stella Maris School, Montessori of Mount Pleasant, Windwood Farms Home for Children, Charleston-area homeschool families, and other groups from the community.

3/4, Wednesday – LOTC – Students who have recently completed their job shadows will present their experience and field questions from the students and staff, and we will also take a few sections of the Stanford Achievement Test.

3/5, Thursday – On March 5, Our Middle School Quiz Bowl team won 2nd place in the State Quiz Bowl today in Columbia!  The competition began last month with 30+ teams in nine regions, and the nine region winners met today in three groupings.  In the morning session we defeated Pinewood Prep and St. Anne Catholic (Sumter), and then we faced off against St. Joseph’s Catholic (Columbia) and St. Andrew’s School (Savannah).  We beat St. Andrew’s, and then St. Joseph’s did as well.  This set up the Championship match, and St. Joseph’s prevailed.  We are especially pleased because this was only our second year participating in the Quiz Bowl competition! All of the teams were spirited and talented, and we enjoyed the the entire day. Cardinal Newman did an exceptional job hosting all of the teams and making us feel welcome. We are proud of our team members: Miko Crowley, Jack Frain, Ron Kalus, Sanders Linker, Isabel Prioleau, Garrison Wettengel, and Daniel Kalus!  * Thanks also to the students and faculty at University School of the Lowcountry for the kind banner that they made for the team!

3/7, Saturday – Upper School party at USL from 7-9 PM.

3/11, Wednesday – First thing in the morning, we will take our All-School photo and individual re-takes with Ring Photography. Students who have recently completed their job shadows will present their experience and field questions from the students and staff, and we will also take a few sections of the Stanford Achievement Test.

3/18, Wednesday – (A) Students will take sections of the Stanford Achievement test and take part in other on-campus learning activities. (B) USL Auction Family-style Caesar Salad, Grilled Chicken, and Mashed Potatoes (serves 4-6). Order from Mrs. Hubbard by Tuesday, 3/17 for $25. Take home at car-pool pick-up today.

3/20, Friday – (A) World Languages Day – USL will host guest speakers, performers,  and musicians representing the countries and cultures of the three languages each student learns (Latin, Spanish, and Mandarin). Special activities run from 10 AM-2 PM, and the public is welcome. (B) Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

3/22-24, Sunday-Tuesday – Upper School trip – we will travel to the Beaufort-area and Georgia to explore downtown Savannah, tour Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), eat at the Pink House, visit the Old Sheldon Church ruins, attend a festival at the Oyotunji African Village, learn more about the Civil Rights efforts at the Penn Center, and more. **Please enjoy the slideshow! **

3/25, Wednesday – Students will finish the Stanford tests and complete any make-ups if needed. SPEAKER – National Park Service volunteer Russell Horres will speak at USL. His presentation will encompass the Civil War in Charleston with special attention to Morris Island, Fort Wagner, and the end of the War in Charleston(in preparation for our LOTC to Fort Sumter on 4/14 to mark the 150th anniversary of the End of the Civil War).

3/27, Friday – (A) There will be no school for a faculty in-service day from 9:00-noon. Babysitting for faculty members’ children and lunch will be provided by MS/US students and mentors. (B) SPECIAL OPTIONAL LOTC – We are friends with Sweetgrass Village Assisted Living Center on Mathis Ferry Road in Mount Pleasant. They attend all of our cultural events throughout the year, and we help them with their annual Easter Egg Hunt for their residents.  Sweetgrass is holding this activity in the afternoon (1:15-2:45) in conjunction with Physical Therapy students from MUSC, and it is always a fun and nice event. * *** Click here for the 2014 slideshow.

3/30, Monday – 4/3, Friday – Spring Break – school resumes on Monday, April 6.

4/6, Monday – SPEAKER – Dr. Paul Cantey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Medical Epidemiologist, will talk at 1 PM about his profession, America’s role in battling Ebola, and his personal experience earlier this year in Guinea.

Seven of our 7th grade students qualified for State Recognition based on SAT scores received during 2014-2015 academic year (Thomas Boyle, Daniel Kalus, Ron Kalus, Sabrina Lawrence, Allison Li, Cayleigh Nicholson, Gabby Villacres). They earned the award by scoring at or above the national average (better than 50% of the nation’s high school juniors and seniors) on at least one part of the SAT. A USL 7th grade student has garnered State Recognition every year that the School has been in operation, and over 40% of our students have achieved State Recognition in our history. Congratulations!

4/8, Wednesday – LOTC – In the morning, students had a guided tour of the College of Charleston’s Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture and then ate lunch at the campus Liberty Dining Hall or a nearby restaurant. In the afternoon, we explored the visiting replica wooden caravels from Christopher Columbus’ voyage, the Nina and the Pinta, in order to get a sense of the sailing technology of 500 years ago.  The links among the two experiences and next week’s Fort Sumter LOTC are strong and varied! **Please enjoy the slideshow! **

4/11, Saturday – Optional Family LOTC – the US Navy’s Blue Angels will be performing at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort for the “Blues over Beaufort – Airshow 2015.”

Sara Peck, our MS/US Writing teacher, created a Novel Club last year (2013-2014). It meets on Fridays after school, and last year’s efforts culminated in three students submitting novels to the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. Congratulations to Allison Li, 7th grade, for being honored with a regional Gold Key for her medieval fantasy novel entitled Unity! Her work is now being considered for national recognition. As for the Novel Club, there are now nine students who are writing novels for next year’s competition!

4/12, Sunday – Optional MS/US LOTC – USL has purchased a limited number of tickets to the 3 PM Sunday show of the College of Charleston’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Contact Mrs. Hubbard if you wish to attend.

4/14, Tuesday – LOTC – Today marks the 150th anniversary commemoration of the raising of the US flag at the end of the Civil War at Fort Sumter. Students will explore a temporary exhibition at Liberty Square before heading to Fort Sumter by boat to observe some of the ceremonies marking this occasion. We will be led through the day’s activities by National Park Service volunteer Russell Horres. **Please enjoy this video of the day! **

4/15, Wednesday – Tuesday classes because of LOTC on Wednesday. Special LOTC for 8th grade and Upper School students. They will attend TEDxCharleston.

4/16, Thursday – Special PM LOTC – a group of MS students are participating in the SC Department of Natural Resources Spartina Grass Restoration project at Fort Johnson.

4/18, Saturday – On Saturday, April 18, 2015, University School was one of the top performers, collectively and individually, at Christ Our King-Stella Maris School’s Mathletics Competition. Over 250 students competed, and schools participating included local independent & public schools and Catholic schools from across the entire state. Congratulations to our students and teachers!
* Level 2 Individual Event (Grades 3-4) – 2nd Place – Charlotte Adragna
* Level 3 Individual Event (Grades 5-6) – 1st Place – Garrison Wettengel
* Level 3 Team Event (Grades 5-6) – 2nd Place – Dylan Brockman, Mary Lee, Anna Misciagna, Isabel Prioleau, Zayaan Tirmizi
* Level 4 Individual Event (Grades 7-8) – 2nd Place – Jack Frain,
4th Place – Thomas Boyle
* Level 4 Team Event (Grades 7-8) – 1st Place – Thomas Boyle, William Eustis, Jack Frain, Julian Griffin, Allison Li

4/22, Wednesday –  (A) LOTC – As part of the Spring exploration of faiths, Pastor Don Flowers of Providence Baptist Church on Daniel Island will speak in the morning. Providence is a member of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and students will learn more about this and the variations of Baptists and their place within Protestantism. In the afternoon, USL Art teacher Jaime Zollars will trace the process for publishing an illustrated book. Other components of the day will include practice for Talent Show, open time for the Midsummer Night’s Dream play, and an L&L class that will examine music of the Civil War. (B) Support USL – Family-style Dinner and Salad (serves 4-6). Order from Mrs. Hubbard by Tuesday, 4/21 for $25. Take home at car-pool pick-up today.

4/24, Friday – Community Potluck Dinner and All-School Talent Show (5:45 in the gym). ** Click here for the 2014 slideshow.

4/28, Tuesday – HOSTED LECTURE – University School will host Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturer Charles L. Cohen. Dr. Cohen is the E. Gordon Fox Professor of American Institutions and the director of the Lubar Institute for the Study of the Abrahamic Religions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Winner of the Society of American Historians’ Allan Nevins Prize as well as several distinguished teaching awards, he works on early American history, American religious history, and the braided history of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He is a coeditor, with Paul S. Boyer, of Religion and the Culture of Print in Modern America (2008); with Leonard V. Caplan, of Theology and the Soul of the Liberal State (2010); and, with Ronald Numbers, of Gods in America: Religious Pluralism in the United States (2013). The lecture is entitled “Jews and Muslims in Christian America ” and it will last about an hour. It begins at 10 AM and is free and open to the public. This is part two of our speaker series this year. The first was on October 28 and featured UMass Amherst Professor John Bracey, Jr. discuss “Strangers and Neighbors: Jews and Blacks in American History.”

4/29, Wednesday – LOTC – exploration of flight lessons, private planes, and more with Joe Bustos and Mt. Pleasant Flight Training at Mt. Pleasant Regional Airport.

downloadable flyer (PDF) – “Highlights of April 2015 “

5/6, Wednesday – LOTC – As is customary, we explore 4-5 faiths per year.  In December, we visited Catholic (Blessed Sacrament) and Lutheran (All Saints) churches. Two weeks ago, we learned more about the Baptist faith through a presentation from Pastor Don Flowers of Providence Baptist Church. This week students will discover more about the Baha’i faith, and this will entail visiting the Louis Gregory Baha’i Museum in downtown Charleston. In the afternoon we will explore the newly opened McLeod Plantation Historic Site on James Island.

5/13, Wednesday – LOTC – We will travel to the South Carolina Air National Guard’s McEntire Air Base in Eastover. Active units that students will learn about will include the 169th Fighter Wing (F-16 Fighting Falcons) and the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron. Students may also get to see the AH-64 Apache helicopters also based there.

5/14, Thursday – Eighth Grade Graduation and Lunch – eighth graders will cook and serve lunch for their families, USL faculty, and the Middle School in appreciation for their support and their experience at University School. Seventh graders will serve as apprentices, and the event will include speeches delivered by the eighth graders in which they thank their families, teachers, and friends and a slideshow.  Additional notes about graduation can be found on Moodle (L&L page).  This is a great event for parents, current and prospective, to attend and experience.  One can attend just the speeches (about an hour) or the full slate of activities (lunch and the slideshow).  Please just RSVP with Judy Hubbard in the USL office.

5/18, Monday – Intermediate School Family and Special Friends Day from 9-10:30 AM in the gym. IS students will share what they have learned this year with special friends and members of their family in this morning event.

5/20, Wednesday – (A) LOTC – This day is set aside for the “Special Memory” trip chosen by consensus by the 8th graders. We will make a trip to Bishopville, and Pearl Fryar will lead us through his famous topiary garden.  Since beginning his garden in 1984, Fryar has become a regional sensation.  He has participated in site-specific demonstrations at SPOLETO and is the subject of the documentary “A Man Named Pearl.”  * Click here for a slideshow of our last visit in 2012.(B)Support USL – Family-style Dinner and Salad (serves 4-6). Order from Mrs. Hubbard by Tuesday, 5/19 for $25. Take home at car-pool pick-up today.

5/21, Thursday – (A) we will thoroughly clean and organize the campus and rooms so that everything is in order for Hibben UMC for the summer.  (B) A group of students will lead first graders from Midland Park Primary (one of our Day of Caring partners) on a buddy-buddy trip to Bee City in Cottageville.

5/22, Friday – (A) Last day for students. This includes traditional activities such as distribution and signing of yearbooks, passing out of end-of-year t-shirts, walking the Vincent Drive loop, and watching slideshows of the year.  Members of the MS will also put on their 1-hour production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream from 10:30-11:30 on the gym stage. (B) At 8:45 AM, Mrs. Logan and the MS will enjoy a presentation from author/mountaineer/adventurer Harry Farthingthat coincides with their reading of Into Thin Air about an expedition on Mt. Everest. (C) Students & Mentors Activity – USL students and mentors will enjoy a movie, games, and food in the gym from 6:30-8:30 PM.

5/23, Saturday – All USL Community Event – the Horan family, including Matthew (6th) and Allison (10th), invite all past and present members of the University School community to a bonfire at the beach at 6 PM. Location – Station 25, Sullivans Island, SC 29482

5/26-28, Tuesday-Thursday – Faculty end-of-year inservice. Students and Alums will provide babysitting for faculty/staff children.