Week of October 23rd

UAI Staff News

Volume V

Issue 9

October 23rd, 2017

[School Days 32-36]

Announcements

Principal Instructional Rounds and our School Quality Review.  Our Quality Review has been moved to November 1st and 2nd. My push-back worked!  This review will an evaluation of our work as a school.  Your work every day is at the very heart of what we do and how we do it.  It is the caliber of your lesson plans that push student thinking and learning.  This review is our opportunity to showcase the work that you do to get our girls to grow.   The push on lesson planning and preparation has been intense this year.  It is the next step in our evolution from Learning Cultures.  As we move away from a format-driven learning system, we move into deepening our understanding of how to create lessons and activities that drive students into a productive struggle - one that is challenging (rigorous) and results in student thinking (engagement).  Work Time, Collaborative Learning Groups (like Turn and Talks or Small Groups) and Student Conferences are still key formats that support student thinking.  Our goal this year is to really improve and perfect the tasks that we ask students to do during these formats. In so doing, we are creating truly productive struggles and improving the quality of student learning in our classrooms.  On Monday, a group of principals from CUNY and Urban Assembly will be visiting classrooms to help prepare us for our review.

Impact.  Already we are seeing great impact with our focus on lesson planning.  Our attendance rate is up 3% from last year (to 90% from 87%).  Our classroom removal rates are down across the board, with particular strong decreases in 6th grade (91% decrease) and 9th Grade (88% decrease).  Lesson planning combined with our Deans' coaching work and the stronger implementation of SEL instruction has already had major impact.  Our continued work and effort around planning and lesson execution will only lead to further positive growth!


College Awareness Week.  This week kicks off our College Awareness week.  This week seniors are applying to college and we want to take the opportunity to celebrate this milestone by taking college awareness school-wide!

• Monday 23OCT17:  RA Advice.  Seniors will visit classes to discuss the college application process and the importance of the high school years. Please excuse Jade Nijia McLean, Stephanie Crespo, Tiara Coleman, Q-Tiye Clarke, Fatou Gaye, Dionne Johnson, Uneeka Washington, Ruby Williams, and Annia Samuel.  Also, please save the last 20 minutes of 2nd period (Middle School) or 3rd period (High School) to allow seniors to speak to your class. Students will also get bingo cards to complete throughout the week.
• Tuesday 24OCT17:  Door Decoration.  Please decorate your doors based on the college that you went to.Please use your family outreach time on Tuesday after school to do this.  Seniors are available to assist in the Door Decoration.  Val is out sick this week, so please contact Jen or Brodie for assistance.
• Wednesday 25OCT17: Career Day.  Students are encouraged to dress up in the major or career that they see themselves pursuing.
  
  
• Thursday 26OCT17:  College Rep Day.  Staff and seniors wear college colors, pins, or gear.  Encourage students throughout the day to ask why they chose their college.
• Friday 27OCT17:  Graduation Day.  Students submit Bingo cards during lunch.  Student winners are announced at the end of the day!

To Do This Week

October PD.   Monday's PD work will be slightly shifted to give you time to better prepare for the Quality Review.  Please use Monday's PD time as independent work time to complete and submit your lessons for November 1st and 2nd.   For these two days in particular, I'm want your absolute best! Here are two lesson examples that illustrate the level of quality your lessons should have:

• Formative Assessment Lesson in Math (Launching Unit 2:  Linear & Exponential Functions)
• Connecticut Compromise (Unit 3:  The Constitution)

NOTE: For LDC planners.  If you are still finding it hard to work in the LDC format, please feel free to use the UAI lesson template to plan our your lessons for the review days.

By the end of PD on Monday, please make sure this weeks' aims are listed on your Pacing Guide and that you have also linked at least one lesson for November 1st or November 2nd.

SEL Update

SEL this week is shifting to the theme of conflict resolution. Students will first practice how to find "win-win" solutions, or solutions that work for both parties, when conflict arises. Once students can identify win-win solutions, students will put this basic skill into a 4-step conflict resolution framework:

1. Wait until you are calm.
2. Say how you feel, starting with "I." (Example: "I felt hurt when you chose her to be your partner instead of me.")
3. Suggest some possible win-win solutions.
4. Decide which solution you're going to go with together.

Students will practice these skills in skits using scenarios, and will use circle time to discuss how they can be applying these skills in real life.

Add this calendar to your own!  See that little "+" sign in the bottom right-hand corner?  Click on it to have it show up in your personal google calendar!

Per Session Posting

High School Dance on Friday, 27OCT17.  Chaperones are needed for the dance this Friday.  Please email Jen to volunteer.  Per Session is offered from 5:45PM-10PM.  Chaperones need to meet Jen in the main office at 5:45PM for an orientation.