Uni Family Resources
Announcements
Disorientation Picnic 3:05 on Monday, May 18. Seniors will ring the final bell and then head outside to celebrate.
Senior Graduation: Tuesday, May 19 at 5:00 p.m. in the Tryon Festival Theater of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Rehearsal will begin at 2:30.
Information for caps & gowns, graduation tickets, and graduation day:
- Caps & gowns are at school: see Martha. You are allowed to decorate your caps. Try on your caps & gowns when you get them to make sure they fit! Let Martha know if they do not; there is a limited supply of extras. Hang them up when you get home so they aren’t wrinkled on graduation day! If you still need to submit your name pronunciation and/or personal email, you will not get your cap & gown! Check your emails. Get Martha the information they require.
- Graduation tickets will be handed out along with your caps and gowns. Everyone attending graduation will need to have a ticket. They are free, but Krannert keeps count of attendees, so they collect them when people arrive.
- Parking will be free in the Krannert lot on the day of graduation.
- The schedule for Graduation Day is as follows:
- Arrive to rehearsal in time to be in your seats and ready to begin at 2:30. Martha will tell you where to sit when you arrive.
- Once all are seated, you will do a walk-through of the ceremony where you go up on stage, pretend to get your diploma, and sit back down. Then, everyone will walk out in order, stop, walk back in in order, walk out in order again, and then Martha will show you to the dressing rooms.
- You will have time to change clothes and get professional photos taken with friends at this point.
- At 4:55 you will line up to walk upstairs and enter for the ceremony. We will not wait for you if you are late.
- After the ceremony, you will go and collect your things and CLEAN UP THE DRESSING ROOMS before going to the lobby to see your people.
- Once you meet up with your people in the lobby, you can take a few minutes to visit and take photos, but please leave somewhat quickly so Krannert staff can finish up and go home. They will have just finished many U of I ceremonies and are very kind to let us schedule our ceremony so closely after that. Let’s be respectful and let them get out of there at a decent time.
Spring Final Exams: May 19–21
Notes about Final Exam Week:
- Monday, May 18 will be a regular anchor day.
- This is the last day for seniors!
- Tuesday, May 19–Thursday, May 21 are final exam days.
- Bagged/self-serve lunch options will arrive at 10:15 and be available between exam periods
- Finals are considered attendance days, and all classes require attendance—even study halls.
- No breaks in the hallways during finals to keep things quiet for test-takers; bring something to do in your classroom if you finish early, and if you have a free period consider staying home for that, as study spaces will be limited
- If you have a conflict, please speak to Mrs. Hughes and your teacher as soon as possible.
- Students are dismissed for the summer after the last final exam period on Thursday.
UniWeek Newsletter
New Student Info!
Welcome all new Subbies and transfer students! Here is a collection of information that may be particularly useful to you upon entering Uni. You’ll find some of this information (and maybe more details) in other places, but this is a good place to start.
Subbie Welcome Packets
Orientation Programs
- Subbie Orientation (more info in “Student Services Office” document linked above)
- August 7, 2026
- 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Subbie Orientation is an important time for the incoming class to get to know each other and meet their Subbie Buddies, so we encourage everyone to attend. If you absolutely cannot make it, please contact our Student Services Office at the email address listed in the document above to schedule a make-up orientation session.
- Transfer Student Orientation
- August 6, 2026
- Time: 2:00–3:00 p.m. (tentative)
- Optional Pathbreakers Camp (more info in “Transition to Uni” document linked above)
- August 3–6, 2026
- Times TBA
Attendance
Please see the Uni Student-Parent Handbook for details about Uni attendance policies.
Reporting Attendance
To report an absence, please email uni-attendance@illinois.edu.
Documented Absences
If you have a planned absence that falls under the “Documented Absence” category, please fill out the Documented Absence Form.
Contagious Illness Policy and Reporting (including COVID-19)
Bullying and Harassment
Bully and harassment are not tolerated at Uni. For a more extensive discussion of what constitutes bullying or harassment, please see the Student-Parent Handbook. Reporting forms can be found at the links below:
College Counseling
Director of College Counseling Lisa Micele meets with all students and their families during the spring of their junior year, and she and the SSO support them throughout the college application process.
Resources for Families of Juniors and Seniors
(Lisa Micele will email you about these resources, so if you don’t know anything about them yet, just wait until you hear from her!)
Concurrent Enrollment
“Concurrent Enrollment” is the term for taking college classes while a student is still in high school. Students get college credit for these classes, but not high school credit. This opportunity is available to juniors and seniors at Uni.
We expect students interested in college classes to take the lead on negotiating the process (with lots of support from our Student Services Office), but we know parents like to know what’s going on, too! You can read more about opportunities for Uni students to participating in Concurrent Enrollment at Uni (either through the U. of I. or Parkland) in the resources below.
Course Selection
Students in grades 8–11 will meet with their counselor to select Uni courses for next year. Students will receive an email when it’s time to start thinking about that and scheduling an appointment. In the meantime, here are some resources for course selection:
2026-2027 School Year
- Rising Freshman Course Selection Form (for current subbies)
2025-2026 School Year
Handbooks, Policy and Procedures
Independent Study
Students can choose to set up an independent study course with Uni faculty or with professors at the University of Illinois. Independent study is an opportunity for highly motivated, independent, and self-reliant students to engage in intellectual inquiry beyond the existing curriculum and develop independent study habits. You can read more about it in the Independent Study Guidelines and Expectations. The webform application is available via the Uni Student Resources Site.
Lunch Program
Pick-up and Drop-off
- Juniors and seniors: pick-up/drop-off in the cutout off of Mathews Street (west entrance)
- Subbies–sophomores: pick-up/drop-off on Stoughton Street (north entrance)
- If you have students who fit both descriptions, pick one location
- Do NOT drop off or pick up students on Springfield Avenue; it’s dangerous!
- If you’re dropping a student off late or picking them up early, use the Mathews (west) entrance
- We have students and staff who bike and walk to Uni—which we encourage! Please be aware of cyclists and pedestrians as you negotiate drop-off and pick-up.
- You could also consider arranging an alternate nearby location with your student for pick-up/drop-off to avoid the vehicular congestion before and after school.
PowerSchool
PowerSchool is the student information system used by Uni. Students and parents/guardians are given login credentials so they can access student schedules, grades, attendance records and more. For help with PowerSchool, please contact Martha Mills or Cheryl Lehman.
Click here to log in to PowerSchool. (Note: the password reset link does not work, so if you need a password reset, just email Martha Mills or Cheryl Lehman!)
Prox Cards
Uni Prox Cards are Uni High ID cards that also act as key cards to get students into the main Uni building and Kenney Gym.
Prox Card FAQ
Where can I get a new/replacement Prox Card?
You can get a Prox Card at the University of Illinois ID Center in Illini Union Bookstore.
Can I ride the MTD with a Prox Card?
Unlike U. of I. iCards, Prox Cards do not get students onto MTD city buses for free because Uni students do not pay the same fees that U. of I. students do. (But hot tip: anyone can get an annual MTD pass for $60; there are also student tokens available. Read more about MTD fare options here.)
When will my Prox Card get me into Uni?
- Weekdays only
- Main entrance
- M/Tu/Th: 7:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- W/F: 7:45 a.m. – 3:25 p.m.
- North & south entrances
- M: 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; 11:25 a.m. – 12 pm.; 3:45 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Tu/Th: 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 pm.; 3:15 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- W/F: 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.; 11:25 a.m. – 12 pm.; 3:15 p.m. – 3:25 p.m.
Seal of Biliteracy
The State of Illinois has created an award recognizing students who have developed a high level of biliteracy in English + at least one other language. The seal is officially designated on a student’s transcript and high school diploma. In Illinois, the seal also translates into World Language course credit at public colleges and universities. You can read more about it here.
How your child can qualify for the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy:
- They must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English. Your student’s ACT or SAT score fulfills this requirement. Since Uni currently administers the ACT to all juniors, this is already part of your student’s record.
- They must demonstrate a high level of proficiency in another language. Your student can do this by earning a 4 or 5 on the AP test in their language if it’s available, but there is a whole list of acceptable tests. For more information on testing, have your student talk to Mme. Lopez.
- Scores must be reported to the school registrar, Ms. Lehman, who will take the steps necessary to make sure your student is recognized at the state level and on their transcript and diploma as having earned the State Seal of Biliteracy. This award is conferred upon graduation from high school.
Student Leave of Absence
Student Leave of Absence Policy
Eligibility
- Leaves of Absence are granted only when:
- the student’s family temporarily relocates and the student intends to return to Uni after the leave; or
- the student participates in an academic exchange program approved by the Leadership Team.
- Students may take one leave of absence for one or both semesters of their 9th-12th grade year.
- Subbies cannot take a full year of absence. Admitted students who request to leave during the first year will be required to reapply for admission the following year. Some exceptions may be granted for a second semester leave of absence. This will be decided by the Assistant Director on a case-by-case basis.
- Students who take a full year leave of absence during what would have been their senior year must complete another year at Uni upon their return in order to receive a Uni diploma.
Contract and Requirements
- The contract should be signed by all parties before the student embarks on their leave of absence.
- To assist in the preparation of the contract, the family may be asked to provide course descriptions, syllabi, or textbook lists for the courses the student expects to take.
- The student will be required to attend one touch-base virtual meeting with their Uni counselor during the leave of absence.
- The student is guaranteed readmission only when the specific conditions of the written contract are met. Uni will work with the family to make adjustments if something comes up during the leave of absence, but any adjustment to the contract may alter Uni’s response when the student returns.
Credit for Work Outside of Uni
- Classes completed outside of Uni will not appear on a Uni High transcript, and they will not receive Uni High credit.
- Classes completed outside of Uni will not be included in the GPA.
- Classes completed outside of Uni MAY fulfill graduation requirements. This will be determined by the Leadership Team and included in the Leave of Absence Contract.
- Leave dates will appear on the the student’s Uni High transcript; additional transcripts from classwork completed during a student’s leave will be added to their student file for future use in college applications.
Readmission
- Upon their return, students must submit a Request to Return from Leave of Absence form. The deadline for the submission of this form will be included in the Leave of Absence Contract. This form notifies the Registrar and School Counselors to begin the readmission procedures.
- Students must submit at minimum:
- an unofficial transcript obtained from the school(s) attended during the leave (plus a translation, if the original is not in English)
- a contact for the Uni Registrar to request an official transcript
- Other helpful documentation would include:
- Textbook lists
- A profile describing the school
- Curriculum guides
- Interpretation key for the transcript
- Students may be asked to take proficiency tests in order to ensure appropriate placement in Uni classes upon their return. Performance on a proficiency test will not count for academic credit or earn a grade.
Student Services Office
The Student Services Office, commonly known as the SSO and located in room 104A, offers lots of resources for students. You can read more about them below.
Textbook List
Writing Center
The Writing Center is available for student-writers at all grade levels on Tuesdays and Thursdays during Uni Period in room 106S. Friendly peer-tutors from the junior and senior classes will be on hand to work with students at any stage in the writing process for all kinds of writing projects—class assignments, independent projects, college-application essays, personal statements, creative writing. Contact Mr. Mitchell (mtmitch@illinois.edu) to reserve a spot in advance, or drop in unannounced.