WHY THESE ASSESSMENTS MATTER
The PSSA and Keystone exams give us a meaningful snapshot of how our students are growing as learners — and they help our teachers, administrators, and community understand where we're doing well and where we can continue to improve. These results inform the instructional decisions we make for your children every single day.
HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT
Encourage a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast on testing days; we serve breakfast daily at UCASD!
Remind them to do their best — that's all we ever ask.
Keep the tone relaxed and positive at home; these assessments are a chance to shine, not something to worry about.
Make sure your student is present on their scheduled testing days if at all possible.
INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES
We also waned to share copies of some information provided annually by PDE that you may find helpful. In your email and on our website, you'll find copies of the following:
PDE Parent Letter Cell Phones and Electronic Devices 2026
PDE PSSA Spring 2026 Parent Letter FAQ
PDE Keystone Spring 2026 Parent Letter FAQ
PDE Calculator Policy 2026 - All students are provided with a handheld calculator during testing
For more information about our district's assessment program, including helpful resources from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, please visit our Student Assessment page at: https://www.ucasd.org/page/student-assessment. You can contact each of our School Assessment Coordinators directly via email as follows:
Mr. McMahan at the Elementary School (emcmahan@ucasd.org)
Mr. Anthony at the Middle School (janthony@ucasd.org)
Mrs. Conti at the High School (aconti@ucasd.org)
Mrs. Dell as the District Assessment Coordinator (sdell@ucasd.org)
We are so proud of our Bear students and the hard work they put in every day. These assessments are just one more chance for them to show what they know — and we know they're ready. Thank you for your support of our students!
#GoBears
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT! Please join us for tonight's FREE community concert, sponsored by the Hayden R. Hitchcock Memorial Foundation, happening in conjunction with UCASD's free "Wellness Fair." The free live music, ATTABOY, will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the MS/HS gymnasium. From 5:00-7:00, we are inviting families to come learn about local wellness resources from community providers and participate in interactive, student-friendly activities centered around mental health and well-being. Both fliers for these events are included below.
More information about the concert can be accessed on the QR code on the ATTABOY flier or via their website (https://attaboyonline.com/home#tour).
Admission to the UCASD Wellness Fair is free for all community members, as is admission to the Foundation's concert.
WE ARE ONE WEEK AWAY from the FREE community concert, sponsored by the Hayden R. Hitchcock Memorial Foundation, happening in conjunction with UCASD's free "Wellness Fair" for all families and community members. The free live music, ATTABOY, sponsored exclusively by the Hayden R. Hitchcock Memorial Foundation, will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the MS/HS gymnasium. From 5:00-7:00, we are inviting families to come learn about local wellness resources from community providers and participate in interactive, student-friendly activities centered around mental health and well-being. Both fliers for these events are included below.
More information about the concert can be accessed on the QR code on the ATTABOY flier or via their website (https://attaboyonline.com/home#tour).
Admission to the UCASD Wellness Fair is free for all community members, as is admission to the Foundation's concert.
Maybe you'll paint rocks with Mrs. Boyd, or explore a rainforest with Mrs. WIlliams. You may want to make a boat out of snacks with the Union Cit ty Family Support Center, or play a decision making game with Mrs. Pituch. You may end up designing a fort with Mrs. Reynolds, or you might make Mrs. Smith say some crazy nonsense words. The choice is yours!
Students in attendance will be entered to win some fun prizes (pictured here), and all students will get a token for our book vending machine!
JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT for our Grades K4-5 Title I Literacy Night!! This is a "Choose Your Own Adventure" themed evening of read-alouds, activities, prizes, and fun for the whole family! Fliers were sent home with students last week, and information is posted below. Thank you for supporting our growing readers! Thank you, United Way, for making these events possible! #GoBears
--High School Biology Teacher
--High School Mathematics Teacher
--High School Special Education ELA Teacher
These postings are open until noon on Friday, March 20, 2026; application details are listed on the fliers below. #GoBears!
Did you know that the Hayden R. Hitchcock Memorial Foundation is sponsoring an upcoming FREE concert for the community right here at UC? That evening, UCASD is hosting a free "Wellness Fair" for all families and community members. The free live music, ATTABOY, sponsored exclusively by the Hayden R. Hitchcock Memorial Foundation, will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the MS/HS gymnasium. From 5:00-7:00, we are inviting families to come learn about local wellness resources from community providers and participate in interactive, student-friendly activities centered around mental health and well-being. Both fliers for these events are included below.
More information about the concert (not a school-sponsored event) can be accessed on the QR code on the ATTABOY flier.
Admission to the UCASD Wellness Fair is free for all community members, as is admission to the Foundation's concert.
It's time for PreK and Kindergarten registration for the 2026-2027 school year! Registration will take place by appointment only the week of March 23-27. Check out the flier below for details, including age requirements, and reach out to Ms. Reynolds at elementary school with any questions. Her contact information and all necessary documents needed for registration are listed below. #GoBears!
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support or have questions about your child’s attendance. Contact: esattendance@ucasd.org
