Dear Uniondale Parents and Guardians,
I hope this email finds you well.
As we continue to focus on creating the most successful learning environment for all students at Uniondale High School, we are addressing a recent increase in concerning trends regarding student punctuality and attendance. Specifically, we have seen a rise in:
Tardiness to School: Students arriving late to the building disrupts the beginning of the school day.
Class-Cutting: Students are missing instructional time by cutting classes during the day.
These actions directly impact academic performance, often leading to a reduction in crucial learning time and, as a result, failing grades.
To mitigate these issues and reinforce the importance of consistent attendance and punctuality, we have instituted a comprehensive, school-wide detention program:
Late Detention (for school tardiness)
Lunch Detention (for class-cutting)
All detentions will be administered under the supervision of Assistant Principal Mrs. Bradley.
We want to be clear that attendance at these assigned detentions is mandatory. Failure to attend assigned detention will result in increasingly severe disciplinary consequences as outlined in the student handbook, including, but not limited to:
Removal from sports and extracurricular activities.
Loss of eligibility for school trips (e.g., graduation trips).
Ineligibility for events (e.g., Prom and Graduation exercises).
We are confident that with your partnership, we can reverse these trends and ensure every student is present, on time, and ready to learn every day.
We ask that you please reinforce the expectation with your student that they must arrive at school every day on time. Thank you for your continued support in helping your student achieve academic success.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to contact our main office.
Sincerely,
Shawn F. Brown, Ph.D. Principal, Uniondale High School
Uniondale High School AP Students and students from the Danza Folklorica club have prepared to host portions of the production. In the traditional fashion of a film festival, several short films by Central American producers and writers will be shown and discussed with the audience. Since these films and the dialogue itself are all in Spanish, we understand that the film festival may not be accessible for non Spanish speakers, but everyone is welcome.
You're Invited! Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá (This Friday!!!!!!)
Fathers and Male Guardians in the Uniondale Community:
I would like to personally invite you to join me for an informal and engaging community gathering, Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá.
The purpose is straightforward: to establish a stronger network among the dads and father figures in Uniondale. Let's connect over coffee, discuss ways to support our students, and celebrate the positive influence you bring to their lives.
Your commitment to our students is valued and respected—please set aside some time to join us!
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 10
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Location: Uniondale High School (Little Theatre)
Friendly Reminder & Date Correction: Coffee with Dad/Coffee Con Papá
Dear Uniondale Families,
We are eagerly anticipating our Coffee with Dad/Coffee Con Papá event!
Please note this important clarification: The event will take place on THIS FRIDAY (not Thursday, as previously misstated) from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
We apologize for any confusion this may have caused. We hope you will join us this Friday morning for coffee, conversation, and community building.
You're Invited! Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá (This Friday!!!!!!)
Fathers and Male Guardians in the Uniondale Community:
I would like to personally invite you to join me for an informal and engaging community gathering, Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá.
The purpose is straightforward: to establish a stronger network among the dads and father figures in Uniondale. Let's connect over coffee, discuss ways to support our students, and celebrate the positive influence you bring to their lives.
Your commitment to our students is valued and respected—please set aside some time to join us!
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 10
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Location: Uniondale High School (Little Theatre)
Come out to cheer on your team- kickoff is at 3:00 pm
Go Knights!!! 💛🖤
You're Invited! Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá
Fathers and Male Guardians in the Uniondale Community:
I would like to personally invite you to join me for an informal and engaging community gathering, Coffee with Dad / Café con Papá.
The purpose is simple: to build a stronger network among the dads and father figures throughout Uniondale. Let's connect over coffee, discuss ways to support our students, and celebrate the positive influence you bring to their lives.
Your commitment to our students is valued and respected—please set aside some time to join us!
Event Details:
Date: Friday, October 10
Time: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Location: Uniondale High School (Little Theatre)
Good morning, Uniondale parents,
This is Dr. Brown, and I'm writing to remind you about two exciting events happening today!
Senior Block Party - 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Join us for a Block Party from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. It's a great opportunity to enjoy good music, socialize with other parents and staff members, and build community before the meeting.
Senior Meeting - 6:30 PM
We're excited to kick off our monthly Senior Meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the high school. The purpose of these meetings is to ensure all parents are fully aware of the senior activities scheduled throughout the year.
A Note on Safety
As a reminder, please continue to check your students' book bags before they leave for school. Random periodic checks help us maintain a safe environment and avoid any potential issues in the building. Our ultimate goal is to keep everyone safe.
We look forward to seeing you tonight!
Have a great day,
Dear Uniondale Community,
Get ready to unwind, connect, and celebrate! You deserve a chance to kick back and have some fun, and we're starting the school year right with our first Block Party at the high school!
Join us tomorrow afternoon, from approximately 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, for an evening filled with music, excitement, and community spirit.
Music, Dancing, and Fashion
Show off your school pride and moves!
Uniondale Fashion Show: We encourage everyone to wear the Uniondale school colors and a fresh pair of sneakers for our spontaneous fashion showcase! We'll have special prizes for the best-dressed overall winners.
Dance Floor Ready: Get ready to hit the dance floor! Be ready for classics like the Soul Train Line, Electric Slide, and other favorites. Let's show off those "boots on the ground" moves!
What to Bring
We are planning for friendly community competitions. If you have them, please bring:
Playing Cards (for a Spades competition!)
Dominoes
Jump Ropes (for a fun competition!)
A bottle of water to stay hydrated!
Let's spread the love—it's the Uniondale Way! We can't wait to see you there for a little bit of well-deserved fun and community connection.
Warmly,
I hope this message finds you wonderfully well! This is Dr. Brown.
I'm thrilled to invite you to join me for a live stream today. I will be providing an update on the smooth operations here at the school, including confirming that we successfully followed all safety protocols during today's incident. We will also discuss our upcoming Meet the Teachers Evening!
Join me live! This is a fantastic opportunity for real-time updates and to hear about all the great things happening at UHS.
Uniondale High School Live
Date: Today, Thursday, September 25
Time: 9:45 – 10:00 AM (America/New York)
Link: [https://meet.google.com/ius-cntt-inj](https://www.google.com/search?q=https://meet.google.com/ius-cntt-inj)
Please join us if you are free. I can't wait to see you there!
Warmly,
Dr. Shawn F. Brown
Principal, Uniondale High School
I hope all is well.
This communication is to inform you that a security incident occurred on campus today involving an item categorized as a potential weapon, specifically a kitchen knife.
The situation was immediately contained, and there is no imminent danger to students or staff.
The following steps have been taken:
The item was immediately secured by the school administration and the School Resource Officer (SRO).
Central Administration was notified and is involved.
All necessary school and district safety protocols were followed to ensure the security of our campus.
We are prioritizing a safe and stable environment for all students.
If you have questions regarding your professional rights or the school's security protocols, we recommend speaking with your union representatives.
Dear Uniondale Parents,
I hope you are all having a good day.
I am writing to inform you of an important change to our dismissal procedure today. Due to an issue with a fallen cable line from National Grid, the Walnut Street gate is currently closed.
For the safety of our students and staff, all cars and buses must exit through Goodrich Street. Additionally, all students who walk home must also exit through Goodrich Street.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to ensure a smooth and safe dismissal for everyone. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Dear Uniondale Parents,
In light of our new cell phone policy, I'm excited to introduce Uniondale High School Live, a new Google Meet link designed to keep us all connected.
This will be a consistent opportunity for me to share updates, announce upcoming events, and provide a look into the day-to-day life of our school. We hope this helps alleviate any concerns and keeps us on the same page.
Google Meets Link: Uniondale High School Live - Virtual Meeting
Friday, September 19 · 8:45 – 8:55 am
Time zone: America/New_York
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/akh-hrki-jvb
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn F. Brown
Principal, Uniondale High School
Dear Uniondale Community,
I hope this message finds you and your family well. I know that news of the recent incident may have caused concern, and I want to assure you that your child's safety is our top priority.
A message with a full overview of the situation is currently posted on the school's website.
I am pleased to report that we had a smooth entry for all students this morning. We were supported by additional safety agents and the Nassau County Police Department at the front of the building. The scanning process went well with extra personnel on hand to ensure efficiency and security.
Thank you so much for your continued cooperation and understanding as we work to maintain a safe environment for everyone. Your partnership is invaluable.
Please know that I, along with our administrative team, am here to answer any questions you may have. Your peace of mind is important to us, so please don't hesitate to reach out directly.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn F. Brown
Principal, Uniondale High School
To the Uniondale Community
Success with Our Cell Phone and Electronics Policy
Dear Parents, Staff, and Students,
I hope you are all doing well.
I am thrilled to report the tremendous success we've had with our new cell phone and electronics policy. We are seeing a remarkable shift in student behavior and engagement. Students are now taking books out of the library, playing card games, and interacting with each other more. There is a new, positive energy throughout the building, and teachers are excited to see our students re-engaging with their education and with each other.
This success would not be possible without the incredible support of our parents. Many of you have been instrumental in this process, and I want to express my deepest gratitude. Out of our 2,000 students, we have had fewer than 20 issues regarding electronic devices, which is a testament to your cooperation.
One of the key things that has been working so well is the self-restraint many of you have shown by not immediately coming to the school to retrieve a confiscated device. Thank you for supporting our efforts. By allowing your child to experience a natural consequence, you are reinforcing the importance of our policy and helping them develop healthier habits. I am confident that this will lead to a significant improvement in our students' academic performance.
For any parents still struggling with this transition, I want to encourage you to maintain a firm boundary. The investment you are making now by supporting this policy will lead to significant academic gains for your student.
Let's keep up the great work, Uniondale!
Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn F. Brown, PhD
Principal, Uniondale High School
Dear Uniondale Community,
This school year is off to a great start. To ensure a smooth transition with the new state-mandated cell phone policy, I'm sending this update.
Returning Confiscated Devices: Parents and guardians must pick up confiscated devices after school. We cannot interrupt class time to return them. If your concern is about tracking your student, please consider purchasing tracking devices such as AirTags and placing them on your student's belongings.
I recommend waiting until the next day to retrieve the device. This allows students to experience the consequences of their actions. Rushing to the school to argue sends a negative message. By waiting, you help your child refocus on their academics. We are already seeing students who are more focused, less distracted, and developing healthier social skills. Arguing over the phone can be more harmful than you know.
Please also be aware of the following addition to our policy: Once a student violates the cell phone policy, they will be prohibited from bringing any electronic devices to school for an extended period. This is a critical step to ensure a focused learning environment for everyone.
Additionally, I will be confiscating ski masks, hats, and durags. I expect that students do not wear these items indoors. If you have an issue with this, please schedule a meeting with me directly.
Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn F. Brown
Principal, Uniondale High School
Dear Uniondale School Community,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to reiterate a few important points regarding our school's cell phone policy to ensure everyone is on the same page. Your support is crucial in helping us create a focused and productive learning environment.
Cell Phone Policy Reminders
Pouch Use: All students must place their electronic devices in the provided pouch and securely lock it upon entering the building.
Unauthorized Devices: Students may not use iPads or any other electronic devices that are not authorized by the school district. If a student needs a device for learning, one will be issued by the school.
No Staff Storage: Please remember that staff members are not responsible for holding or storing any student's electronic devices.
Statewide Mandate: It is essential to recognize that this policy is a statewide mandate, not a personal choice. We are all required to follow these guidelines.
A Note on Pouch Care
Thank you for your cooperation with the Yondr cell phone pouch procedures. To ensure your pouch remains in good working condition, please get in the habit of locking it immediately after removing your phone at the end of the day. Leaving the pouch open can easily damage the locking pin.
If a pouch is broken or lost, a replacement must be purchased for $40. Please keep in mind that without a working pouch, a student is not permitted to bring an electronic device to school.
Your cooperation is essential in helping us uphold this policy. Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Principal Shawn F. Brown, Ph.D.
Uniondale High School
Dear Uniondale High School Parents and Guardians,
I am writing to provide an urgent reminder about our school's cell phone policy.
Students are not permitted to bring any electronic device to school if they have lost or broken their cell phone pouch.
This is a critical rule to ensure a smooth and productive learning environment. If a student arrives at school with a broken or missing pouch and is found with a device, they will not be allowed to enter the building.
A parent or guardian must come to the school to retrieve the device.
Please be aware that the school is not responsible for storing any student's phone. Our staff cannot hold or secure devices for students.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. Your cooperation is essential in helping us manage this policy effectively.
Sincerely,
Uniondale High School Administration