Week of 04NOV24

UAI Staff News

Volume XII

Issue 10

November 3rd,  2024

Digging Deep.  It's November at UAI, and MP1 is almost complete.  The last of the first round of benchmarks are tomorrow and MP1 ends tomorrow.    Our start-of-the-year honeymoon is pretty much over, and we are all settling in, and the kids are settling into their teenage selves!   Frustrations flair as kids' learning gaps meet high expectations, and classroom staff are working harder than ever to meet kids where they are, push them to the next level, and do all the work necessary to bring our school and our community forward.  

We're all a little bit tired.   

Today, is the NYC marathon (go SHAN!!...and if others are also running today, you go too - I just didn't know!!).  I've never run a marathon, but I do know what it is to push yourself to new limits and to dig deep just when you think you're done to finish and achieve the goal.

Thousands of folks who sign up to line up in the wee hours of the morning on what must be a very cold Verrazono Bridge.  They have been training and some have so many years of experience in these endeavors.  All those years don't make the task any easier - just more predictable.  They know when they get tired, they know how to pace themselves to conserve energy, and they know when to dig deep to get up that hill or push to the finish.

We may not all be running a marathon today (GO SHAN!!), but we do all know how to plan for the long haul.  Many of us have the years and experience to know what the year can hold for us, and we just have to remind ourselves that while we may know what is to come, it doesn't make what is here any easier.  Kids are still going to push, challenge, and stretch our limits, and we will lean into our wealth of strategies, training, and experience to dig deep and meet them at that hill and at the finish.

One of the strategies I've seen runners use is running in groups.  This tactic allows the runners to share the burden of pacing, and motivates everyone in the group to push and support each other.  When runners run in group, they run faster, and can better conserve energy.  They take their individual goals and work collaboratively so that all can achieve.  Ultimately, it is a race, so the pack will dissipate at the end, but as they move towards the ultimate goal, runners who run together perform better.

For us, we have a shared goal - to make sure our kids have the power to achieve their dreams and goals, that we have rigorously challenged them to be prepared for whatever they encounter or choose to do after graduation, and that we have instilled within them a strong value of equity and joy so that they are equipped to bring our world into a better place.  There is no single winner at the end of our journey.  There are many if we do it right.  So, for us at UAI, we dig deep to run in our pack so that we all find a way to win together.

In the weeks to come, turn to one another at UAI to find ways to uplift each other.  Hold each other up and be accountable to one another in the shared work we do.  Someone may trip up and drop the ball. Reach out and find a way to help.   Some folks are stronger, more experienced and seasoned than others.  Step up and take point from time to time, but also make it a point to show the way so that our newer folks learn the ropes and take on more chances to take the lead on their own.

I am proud to say that there isn't a single person at UAI who isn't working hard to make our extraordinary school the best place for our extraordinary kids.  Of course we don't always agree on the how, but we all definitely agree on what we're trying to do, and that is making all the difference.

Welcome to MP2 everyone!  Dig Deep and before you know it, the Fall will be over!

Important Upcoming Dates

• MON 04NOV - End of Marking Period MAT/SCI Benchmarks in MAT/SCI Classes
• TUE 05NOV - Remote PD Day (Election Day) - No Classes
• WED 06NOV - Marking Period 2 Begins
• THU 07NOV - Grades due at 3PM
• FRI 08NOV - MP1 Report Cards Distributed in 7th Period
• MON 11NOV - Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
• THU 21NOV - Evening Parent Conferences 5-8PM (remote)
• FRI 22NOV - Remote PD Morning (8:30-11:00AM) - NEWLY APPROVED!!
• FRI 22NOV - Afternoon Parent Conferences 12:00-2:50PM (remote)
• THU 28NOV and FRI 29NOV - Thanksgiving Recess

Announcements & To Dos

Staff Shout Outs.  Thank you to ALL the staff who showed up on this 3-day weekend to help run our first STEM Recruitment Fair on Saturday!  Many thanks to Annie & Jen for spearheading the efforts to organize everything, and many, many thanks to all the teachers (I hope I get everyone - Judy, Liza, Sue, Kelly, and Noelle). THANK YOU!!!! (and I pre-apologize if I missed anyone!)

Monday PD, Benchmarks and End of MP1.  Math & Science benchmarks will happen in Math & Science classes on Monday.  MP1 ends on November 4th, and grades are due at 3PM on Thursday November 7th.  MP2 begins on Wednesday, 06NOV.    For PD on Monday, teachers should work together to grade (regents style) the following benchmarks:  Algebra 1, Biology, Earth Science and USH, GLO, and ELA (if not already done).  Once these exam are completely graded, please use any remaining PD & OPW time to work on MP1 grades.  We'll be going over how to transfer them into GAMA and into STARS during Tuesday's PD

Tuesday Election Day PD.  Here is the agenda and zoom link for tomorrow's PD.  As per contract, PD days are 6 hours and 50 minutes.  Tuesday's PD will be from 8:30AM-3:20PM.  The goals for tomorrow's PD is to 

• Build classroom staff capacity in the Emotional Support Domain, particularly around Teacher Sensitivity & Regard for Adolescent Perspectives
  
  
• Provide time for staff to bring Pacing Guides current (i.e. at least 1 week planned in advance) so that all classroom staff, co-teachers, and planning partners have sufficient advanced notice to effectively support/deliver instruction for our students with IEPs, and English Language Learners.
  
  
• Zoom Link
• https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81765931467
• Meeting ID: 817 6593 1467
• Passcode: UAIZOOM
  
  
• Agenda
• 8:30-9:30      Welcome, Icebreaker, and Overview of the Day
• 9:30-11:00     Do you see what I need?  Cultivating Social Awareness through Perspective
                        Taking, an PD by Urban Assembly's Danielle Reece & Lynn Jeudy
• 11:00-12:00   Lunch
• 12:00-12:30   New State College & Career Metric
• 12:30-3:20     Team Meetings & Work Time

[REPOST] Outreach.  Lots of folks have not yet remembered to log their outreach so far this week.   Please remember that you have until 3PM tomorrow.  Folks who failed to log this week's outreach and last week's outreach will receive emails reminding them.  You will receive a total of 5 warnings this year.  On the 6th time you forget to log outreach, you will lose your privilege to conduct the outreach remotely.   I really don't want to rescind that privilege and that's why I'm providing FIVE chances to get it right.  Please make sure you are setting a reminder in your phone or calendar to log your outreach each week.  You need to make sure this gets done.

1	Reminder Email #1
2	Reminder Email #2
3	Meeting with Kiri & Counseling Memo
4	Counseling Memo
5	Letter To File
6	Mandated to remain at school for 55min on Tuesdays to complete outreach

For these next few weeks, please make sure you are prioritizing contact to families of students who are not yet reaching our school goal of receiving >80 in your class.  Please invite students to Office Hours on Monday to get extra help from you if needed.  

[REPOST]  Club Attendance & Per Session.  Please remember to clock out for clubs that end after school, and to clock in for clubs that begin before school.   Lunch clubs are prep-period coverage (not per session).  Please remember to take attendance on the Club Attendance Form.  You need this completed prior to having your per session approved.  We are aiming for all clubs to have at least 10 kids, so please try actively to recruit.  If there is fewer than 10, don't stress for now, but clubs that end up having fewer than 3 students will likely not be continued for the spring.

[REPOST]  Save the Dates to Celebrate.  Celebrating our students and our staff is core to the health of our school!  Our central mission at UAI is the success and achievement of our students.  One pathway to that goal is through building the efficacy, sense of belonging, and pride that our staff has in your work at UAI.  That sense of worth and value is built both through achieving targeted student outcomes and in recognition of those achievements and efforts! 

Everyone at our school has a hand in the organization that is built to launch our students into bright futures.  Highlighting their work and achievements is central to celebrating our folks and their efforts in pushing our entire school and our students to achieving our goals. 

I was chitchatting with Paula the other day, and she was sharing some ideas she & Judy had had about raising up our colleagues.  At the same time, I had already been thinking about creating our UAI calendar of the days to celebrate our people!!   And since there really are no original ideas anymore - I googled and found this handy calendar!  I've plucked the days celebrating people out of this calendar to create our own for the 24-25 school year.

Here are the special days in which we plan to pause to celebrate those special folks who do their best in their role to push forward our collective goals!  

• September 2024
• 17SEP24 - National IT Professional's Day (we missed this - so moved to October 17th!).  This is the day to celebrate JASON's Amazing work with our school!!
  
  
• October 2024
• 02OCT24 - National Custodian Day (we missed this too - so moved to October 22nd for this year).  Let's celebrate Carlos, Harry, Junior, & Mr. O!
  
  
• November 2024
• 21NOV24 - National Substitute Teacher Day.  Let's celebrate Jermaine, Mahjabeen, and Sean!
  
  
• February 2025
• 03FEB-07FEB - National School Counselor's Week.  WOOHOO to JJR, Tiffany, Jen, AND our Deans (who do a lot of our counseling) Jean, Alaisha and Nicole... AND to our interns, Lara, Carlene, and Emily
• 14FEB - National School Safety Office Day
  
  
• April 2025
• 03APR - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day - Time to appreciate Juelle, Bryanna, Aurora, Adelle, Nora, Ebony, Janiya, and Brenda!
• 07APR-11APR - National Assistant Principal's Week - Give it up to ANNIE!!!
• 20APR-26APR - Administrative Professionals Week - Many Thanks to Paula, Damaris, and Tracey!
• 21APR-25APR - Aterschool Professionals Week - Whooping it up for GIRLS INC!!
  
  
• May 2025
• 02MAY - School Lunch Hero Day - Give thanks for our amazing cafeteria staff
• 05MAY-09MAY - Teacher Appreciation Week - Big Ups to ALL of our amazing teachers!
• 07MAR - School Nurse Day - YAY for Nurse Cole
  
  

We're still working on the logistics of how we will celebrate folks.  To start, a face-to-face thank you or note of appreciation or a short written note via email or dropped in a mailbox will be enough!  For those who want to give more (for gifts like lunch or a special gift), standby for suggestion donation and collection plan!!  I'm going to circle back to Judy & Paula for ideas on that one!

Fundamentally, when we all make it a point to lift each other up, our spirits are enriched, and our students benefit!  When our cups are filled, we have much more to give, and our kids need our best selves in order to rise up to smash down barriers and obstacles that stand in the way of them becoming their best versions of themselves!  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form

Restorative Justice Coordinator

POSITION: 

TITLE SOUGHT: TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS

JOB POSITION: SCHOOL BASED Restorative Justice Action Team Member

NYCDOE OFFICE REQUESTING THIS POSITION: OFFICE OF SAFETY AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (OSYD)

LOCATION: In Person at UAI

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Licensed and appointed NYCDOE TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS. Actively working as a Restorative Practitioner in  NYC DOE 

SELECTION CRITERIA:  

• Demonstrated knowledge of  or willingness to learn pedagogical best practices in Restorative Practices (RP)  and RP Implementation

• Demonstrated prior training/professional development in Restorative Practices, or willingness to attend this school year.

• Demonstrated ability or willingness to successfully support authentic youth-adult partnership

• Excellent communication skills

• Preferred Successful completion of Restorative Practices Tier 1 Training

• Recommended by your school’s administration to be a member of the team

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: (All of the below duties are to be performed with the support of your OSYD hired SB-RJC)

Approximately 4 staff member(s) per identified school will be hired under this posting to:

• Participate as a member of the school’s  Restorative Justice Action Team (RJAT) OR Restorative Practices and Equity Team (RPET)

• Developing short term and long term SMART goals for the team to support the growth of the school’s restorative culture

• Attend all RJAT meetings and work collaboratively with the Team to develop extensive tools, systems, structures and practices to support school wide implementation of restorative practices

• Work with the team to completes the OSYD-provided RJAT/RPET Action Plan

WORK SCHEDULE:

November 2024- June 2025  | Monday- Friday and weekends as needed, 7:00-21:00.  Schedules will vary, up to approximately 80 hours. Schedules and total hours are dependent on assignment, but may not exceed 25 hours per month.  WORK CANNOT START BEFORE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE. THE DEADLINE MUST BE A MINIMUM OF TWENTY (20) SCHOOL DAYS AFTER THE POST DATE.  Hours up to, but not limited to the approximate number of hours listed. Additional hours may be granted upon the approval of the hiring manager.

Classroom SetUp and Planning.  12 hours total.  All Classroom Staff (Teachers & Paras) are eligible.  Tue 27-29Aug . 

Week of 28OCT

UAI Staff News

Volume XII

Issue 9

October 28th,  2024

Building Leaders.  We had our first round of IR led beautifully by Judy & Phillan.  Many thanks for all the teachers who hosted visits (Denyda, Sarah R, Mike, Marsha, Crystal, and Tom M).  Many thanks to all the folks who took time away from their usual work to prioritize their own learning and growth - Roger, Noelle, Bryanna, Aurora, Brett, Camryn, Fatima, Yasmeen, Thomas C.  

Our visit focused on how we are all working hard to support our students with special needs.  One of the trends we pulled out of the visits and subsequent discussions was the question of how students are able to develop independence and agency if they don't know they why or where of the lesson.

Think back to the times you have sat in PD when you were unsure of the point or value of what was being discussed and what you were being asked to do.  How plugged in were you to the content?  How much of that PD stuck with you to today?

Think back to another time when you were in a PD when you were super inspired by the leaders.  Maybe you didn't know what the purpose of the PD was, but you trusted the facilitators and followed them.  Did you learn more?  Probably.  Can you say you own that information - like are you able to run with that new learning as if it is your own?  If so, congrats!  If no, that tracks....

Now think to a time where you were super clear about how each activity, lecture, presentation, and discussion clearly connected to a larger aim in a professional learning experience.  Have you had that while in PD?  If no, when has that happened for you?  How did it feel, and most importantly, what did you learn?

Taking you back into your own experiences is aimed at promoting your ability to empathize with your students and take on their perspectives much more capably within your classroom.  With all of the details and moving pieces of an individual lesson, it is unsurprising that folks get focused on the the trees.  Making sure things move smoothly and that all the pieces you juggle - content, pedagogy, SEL, assessment, student behavior, lesson expectations - don't fall is A LOT!  So it makes sense that the hows and whys of the lesson sometimes gets lost in the sauce.

BUT - if we are to support student agency and build the inquiry, autonomy, and independence students need, we need to share with them the hows and whys.  Students who do not know the goals of the activities or how the lessons fit into the units are trapped in roll of perpetual follower.  Their learning is passive, and they develop an over-dependence on the classroom staff to always be the ones to tell them where to go, what to do, and how to think.

When kids are able to ask and answer their own questions or pursue avenues of learning that pique their own interest, that's when the level of rigor is exactly where we want it.  When kids are able to pop in and out of classwork despite any disruption (bathroom break, absence, etc), that is evidence that they understand where the learning is going and can pick up the threads to keep up with their peers.  When we are able to successfully see actions like these in our classes, then we know rigor is at work.

SO HOW does this happen.  Small moves often have the biggest impact.  Elevating your practice results more often from a series of consistent and small moves in the right direction rather than a complete overhaul in what you do.  As we wrap up MP1, try out these moves to bring your students into the hows and whys of your lessons and elevate the rigor in your rooms!

• Open and End Each Lesson with your learning target AND examples.  Learning Targets tell students what they will be able to do and what skills/content knowledge they will need to learn in order to be able to do that learning target.  During IR, Roger & Noelle talked about how their lessons run.  Students are clear as to what skill (e.g. doing a lay up in Basketball or an improv move in Theater) and what content (specific vocab like layup or using "Yes, and" in improv).  These are introduced and shown to kids so they have a clear idea of what is happening for the day.  Similarly, other classes can strive for the same clarity.  Share the learning target and provide an example to help students know what they are expected to learn for the day.  For example, give an example of the types of problems they have to know how to solve in math, or the type of evidence that qualifies as high quality evidence in English class.  Showing AND telling the learning can really help students "lock in!" - to quote Ms. D!
  
  
• Narrate Moves.   Share with your kids why you're doing what you're doing.  For example, if you're having them work in groups - tell them why.  If you're circulating to look at their work, tell them what you're looking for and why.  The more kids know what you're looking for and why, the more effective they will be in their work in class.
  
  
• Highlight Future Learning.  Throughout the lesson (not just at the beginning and the end) highlight why today's learning - mistakes and triumphs all- connect to tomorrow's objectives.
  For example, in Earth Science, kids could understand that learning about the phases of the moon today will help them better understand how the Earth & Moon & Sun move in relationship to one another, and once they understand that, they'll better understand tides.  Or in social studies, students need to understand how to critically analyze primary sources to be more informed consumers of information.
  
  
• Involve the Kids.  Your students are the best resources to see how well this work is going.  Make time to ask them who remembers why you're working on the activities?  See how many folks remember and can explain that.  As you do this with more frequency, you can even try to get the kids to generate and predict the why at the start of lessons.   At the very least, at the end of the lesson, ask how many kids are able to say they successfully mastered the learning target and/or how many can articulate the areas where they still have questions/confusions.

It's the small things!  Not a big lesson overhaul or frame of mind shift - it's just small teacher or para moes in the class that can have the greatest impact!  

 

Important Upcoming Dates

• MON 28OCT-MON 04OCT - 1st Benchmark (in Subject Classes - no special schedule)
• MON - 28OCT - ELA Benchmarks in ELA Classes
• TUE - 29OCT - SOC Benchmarks in SOC Classes
• THU - 31OCT - Halloween (regular classes, no tests)
• FRI - 01NOV - Diwali - NO SCHOOL
• MON - 04NOV - MAT Benchmarks in MAT Classes & SCI Benchmarks in SCI Classes
  
  
  
• FRI 01NOV - Diwali - NO SCHOOL
• MON 04NOV - End of Marking Period 1
• TUE 05NOV - Remote PD Day (Election Day) - No Classes
• WED 06NOV - Marking Period 2 Begins
• THU 07NOV - Grades due at 3PM
• FRI 08NOV - MP1 Report Cards Distributed in 7th Period
• MON 11NOV - Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
• THU 21NOV - Evening Parent Conferences 5-8PM (remote)
• FRI 22NOV - Remote PD Morning (8:30-11:00AM) - NEWLY APPROVED!!
• FRI 22NOV - Afternoon Parent Conferences 12:00-2:50PM (remote)

Announcements & To Dos

Staff Shout Outs.  On Friday we had our first assembly of the year.  Many, many thanks to Shan and the student activities committee for making it special!  Particular shout out goes to Patricia who manages the seniors & all of their stress and drama as they led their first assembly!

More shout outs go to Tiffany, Emily, and Elena for shepherding our seniors through the CUNY apps this week.  It was a swirls of stress, confusion, and anxiety about the unknown, but Tiffany, Emily, and Elena worked closely with each of our students to charter their own path through it all.   Most kids have submitted as of today (we do have a few stragglers remaining), but for the most part, the first hurdle is passed for the Class of 2025!  Thank you Tiffany, Emily, and Elena!

Benchmarks and End of MP1.  Our first round of benchmarks begin on Monday, October 28th.  For PD on Monday the 28th and on November 4th, time will be given to grade benchmarks (OR if you don't have benchmarks yet, then you need to grade everything else).  MP1 ends on November 4th, and grades are due at 3PM on Thursday November 7th.  MP2 begins on Wednesday, 06NOV.  Benchmarks will be the same exam for each course and will be 1 period in length.  Students with extra time will have shortened tests (to accommodate) and students requiring separate locations or read aloud should be pulled into an empty room by the ICT or ENL co-teacher.  Paras should assist the ICT/ENL teachers as needed.  If you scroll to the bottom of the UAI schedule, you can see the rooms that are open.

Benchmarks should count as a performance grade for MP1.  Benchmarks for Graduation Regents classes (Algebra 1, Biology, Earth Science, ELA, Global, and US History) will be graded using Regents rules - you cannot grade your own students.  All other benchmarks can be graded by the teacher.  We do this to mimic regents grading and elevate inter-grader reliability (and thus the reliability of our benchmark data).  

SUNY Application Week KickOff!  This week in learning labs, seniors will begin their applications to college - continuing with SUNY schools.  ALL UAI Seniors who are applying to SUNY schools as an option in the post-secondary plans will be pulled from Learning Labs and Small Groups.  Applications may take longer than a period depending on the student, so if someone is missing from your class, please reach out to Tiffany to check (trichards5@schools.nyc.gov).  HOWEVER -  kids will not be held during a benchmark.  So please call 14711 if you're missing a student for a benchmark!

[REPOST] Outreach.  Lots of folks have not yet remembered to log their outreach so far this week.   Please remember that you have until 3PM tomorrow.  Folks who failed to log this week's outreach and last week's outreach will receive emails reminding them.  You will receive a total of 5 warnings this year.  On the 6th time you forget to log outreach, you will lose your privilege to conduct the outreach remotely.   I really don't want to rescind that privilege and that's why I'm providing FIVE chances to get it right.  Please make sure you are setting a reminder in your phone or calendar to log your outreach each week.  You need to make sure this gets done.

1	Reminder Email #1
2	Reminder Email #2
3	Meeting with Kiri & Counseling Memo
4	Counseling Memo
5	Letter To File
6	Mandated to remain at school for 55min on Tuesdays to complete outreach

For these next few weeks, please make sure you are prioritizing contact to families of students who are not yet reaching our school goal of receiving >80 in your class.  Please invite students to Office Hours on Monday to get extra help from you if needed.  

[REPOST]  Club Attendance & Per Session.  Please remember to clock out for clubs that end after school, and to clock in for clubs that begin before school.   Lunch clubs are prep-period coverage (not per session).  Please remember to take attendance on the Club Attendance Form.  You need this completed prior to having your per session approved.  We are aiming for all clubs to have at least 10 kids, so please try actively to recruit.  If there is fewer than 10, don't stress for now, but clubs that end up having fewer than 3 students will likely not be continued for the spring.

[REPOST]  Save the Dates to Celebrate.  Celebrating our students and our staff is core to the health of our school!  Our central mission at UAI is the success and achievement of our students.  One pathway to that goal is through building the efficacy, sense of belonging, and pride that our staff has in your work at UAI.  That sense of worth and value is built both through achieving targeted student outcomes and in recognition of those achievements and efforts! 

Everyone at our school has a hand in the organization that is built to launch our students into bright futures.  Highlighting their work and achievements is central to celebrating our folks and their efforts in pushing our entire school and our students to achieving our goals. 

I was chitchatting with Paula the other day, and she was sharing some ideas she & Judy had had about raising up our colleagues.  At the same time, I had already been thinking about creating our UAI calendar of the days to celebrate our people!!   And since there really are no original ideas anymore - I googled and found this handy calendar!  I've plucked the days celebrating people out of this calendar to create our own for the 24-25 school year.

Here are the special days in which we plan to pause to celebrate those special folks who do their best in their role to push forward our collective goals!  

• September 2024
• 17SEP24 - National IT Professional's Day (we missed this - so moved to October 17th!).  This is the day to celebrate JASON's Amazing work with our school!!
  
  
• October 2024
• 02OCT24 - National Custodian Day (we missed this too - so moved to October 22nd for this year).  Let's celebrate Carlos, Harry, Junior, & Mr. O!
  
  
• November 2024
• 21NOV24 - National Substitute Teacher Day.  Let's celebrate Jermaine, Mahjabeen, and Sean!
  
  
• February 2025
• 03FEB-07FEB - National School Counselor's Week.  WOOHOO to JJR, Tiffany, Jen, AND our Deans (who do a lot of our counseling) Jean, Alaisha and Nicole... AND to our interns, Lara, Carlene, and Emily
• 14FEB - National School Safety Office Day
  
  
• April 2025
• 03APR - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day - Time to appreciate Juelle, Bryanna, Aurora, Adelle, Nora, Ebony, Janiya, and Brenda!
• 07APR-11APR - National Assistant Principal's Week - Give it up to ANNIE!!!
• 20APR-26APR - Administrative Professionals Week - Many Thanks to Paula, Damaris, and Tracey!
• 21APR-25APR - Aterschool Professionals Week - Whooping it up for GIRLS INC!!
  
  
• May 2025
• 02MAY - School Lunch Hero Day - Give thanks for our amazing cafeteria staff
• 05MAY-09MAY - Teacher Appreciation Week - Big Ups to ALL of our amazing teachers!
• 07MAR - School Nurse Day - YAY for Nurse Cole
  
  

We're still working on the logistics of how we will celebrate folks.  To start, a face-to-face thank you or note of appreciation or a short written note via email or dropped in a mailbox will be enough!  For those who want to give more (for gifts like lunch or a special gift), standby for suggestion donation and collection plan!!  I'm going to circle back to Judy & Paula for ideas on that one!

Fundamentally, when we all make it a point to lift each other up, our spirits are enriched, and our students benefit!  When our cups are filled, we have much more to give, and our kids need our best selves in order to rise up to smash down barriers and obstacles that stand in the way of them becoming their best versions of themselves!  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form

Restorative Justice Coordinator

POSITION: 

TITLE SOUGHT: TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS

JOB POSITION: SCHOOL BASED Restorative Justice Action Team Member

NYCDOE OFFICE REQUESTING THIS POSITION: OFFICE OF SAFETY AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (OSYD)

LOCATION: In Person at UAI

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Licensed and appointed NYCDOE TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS. Actively working as a Restorative Practitioner in  NYC DOE 

SELECTION CRITERIA:  

• Demonstrated knowledge of  or willingness to learn pedagogical best practices in Restorative Practices (RP)  and RP Implementation

• Demonstrated prior training/professional development in Restorative Practices, or willingness to attend this school year.

• Demonstrated ability or willingness to successfully support authentic youth-adult partnership

• Excellent communication skills

• Preferred Successful completion of Restorative Practices Tier 1 Training

• Recommended by your school’s administration to be a member of the team

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: (All of the below duties are to be performed with the support of your OSYD hired SB-RJC)

Approximately 4 staff member(s) per identified school will be hired under this posting to:

• Participate as a member of the school’s  Restorative Justice Action Team (RJAT) OR Restorative Practices and Equity Team (RPET)

• Developing short term and long term SMART goals for the team to support the growth of the school’s restorative culture

• Attend all RJAT meetings and work collaboratively with the Team to develop extensive tools, systems, structures and practices to support school wide implementation of restorative practices

• Work with the team to completes the OSYD-provided RJAT/RPET Action Plan

WORK SCHEDULE:

November 2024- June 2025  | Monday- Friday and weekends as needed, 7:00-21:00.  Schedules will vary, up to approximately 80 hours. Schedules and total hours are dependent on assignment, but may not exceed 25 hours per month.  WORK CANNOT START BEFORE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE. THE DEADLINE MUST BE A MINIMUM OF TWENTY (20) SCHOOL DAYS AFTER THE POST DATE.  Hours up to, but not limited to the approximate number of hours listed. Additional hours may be granted upon the approval of the hiring manager.

Classroom SetUp and Planning.  12 hours total.  All Classroom Staff (Teachers & Paras) are eligible.  Tue 27-29Aug . 

Week of October 21st

UAI Staff News

Volume XII

Issue 8

October 21st,  2024

October Reflection & Sustaining Momentum.  We’re deep into October, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge the incredible work you’ve all been doing. These early weeks are where we set the tone for the year, and your effort is paying off. Classrooms are running smoothly, students are engaged, and we’re starting to see those seeds of growth take root. But as we all know, the work doesn’t stop here—it’s time to reflect and make the necessary adjustments to keep that momentum going.

Classroom Reflection: Fine-Tuning the Engine
You've all mostly got the attendance & phone habits down [THANK YOU!].  Your class routines are in place and the dust is settled (for the most part!).  It’s a good time to pause and check in: How are things really going?

• Emotional Support Domain (Joy & Power): Take a look around your room this week or take the brave step to film a class this week!  Self-assess and be fair & honest!  A Positive Climate is a precursor to healthy learning.  Joy is an essential part of the learning process. Are your students still smiling, laughing, and excited to come to class? As we dig into heavier content, remember that joy fuels learning. What’s one way you can keep that positivity alive as the workload increases?  Celebrate the real big wins and recognize the hurdles kids overcome to get there!
  
  Teacher Sensitivity & Regard for Adolescent Perspectives feed student belonging and classroom power.  Are students, asking questions, taking risks, and staying curious? If things are feeling a little flat, consider what small changes might reignite that spark. How are you making space for student voices - their questions, their inquiry and their creativity? Sometimes it’s a simple shift in how we frame a question or how we encourage a different perspective.  Sometimes something as small as you using a question or following a curiosity that came from the students can be the shift needed to level up the quality of your learning environment.

• Rigor & Equity: Where are students feeling challenged? How do you know they're feeling challenged?  Are they meeting the expectations you’ve set, and/or is there an opportunity to push their learning more? Reflect on whether the rigor in your classroom is balanced with the right support—especially for those who may need an extra push or a different approach. Equity is about seeing accurately what our students are capable and ready to do, understand where they need to be, and successfully plan and execute experiences and lessons that get them there.
  
  

Sustaining Our Momentum
We’re at a point where the initial excitement of the school year can start to wear off. This is when consistency and reflection really matter. The routines and relationships you’ve built are strong, and with a few thoughtful adjustments, we can keep that momentum going. Challenge your assumptions on what kids can or cannot do, and remember to BE the scientist.  If you are unsure, get curious!  Try something different approaches or strategies to see what happens.  

Keep leaning on each other, sharing what’s working, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support. We’re all in this together, and I’m excited to see how we pull together to end this first marking period strong!

 

Important Upcoming Dates

• MON 21OCT - Kick off to CUNY Application Week
  
  
• MON 28OCT-MON 04OCT - 1st Benchmark (in Subject Classes - no special schedule)
• MON - 28OCT - ELA Benchmarks in ELA Classes
• TUE - 29OCT - SOC Benchmarks in SOC Classes
• WED - 30OCT - SCI Benchmarks in SCI Classes
• THU - 31OCT - Halloween (regular classes, no tests)
• FRI - 01NOV - Diwali - NO SCHOOL
• MON - 04NOV - MAT Benchmarks in MAT Classes
  
  
• THU 24OCT - First UAI Instructional Rounds (Details to come)
  
  
• FRI 01NOV - Diwali - NO SCHOOL
• MON 04NOV - End of Marking Period 1
• TUE 05NOV - Remote PD Day (Election Day) - No Classes
• WED 06NOV - Marking Period 2 Begins
• THU 07NOV - Grades due at 3PM
• FRI 08NOV - MP1 Report Cards Distributed in 7th Period
• MON 11NOV - Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL

Announcements & To Dos

Staff Shout Outs.  Recruitment season is in full swing.  Did you know that there are tours almost every Thursday & Friday from here on until until mid-December?  Additionally, there are multitudes of school fairs and school groups visiting UAI that are scheduled throughout the next 6 weeks.  On top of that there are big events (like our Recruitment STEM Day on 02NOV) and small events - like PTA zooms that are happening nearly everyday for the next few weeks!  And one amazing dynamo is managing it with her endless energy and stalwart team of dedicated recruitment folks!  Thank you Jen for your amazing work to get the word out about our beautiful gem of a school!  Thank you for your endless commitment to working to get more students to join us in the fall!  Thank you also to all of the the recruitment team who are stepping up to help carry the load with Jen and make sure our school turns around our enrollment issues!

CUNY Application Week KickOff!  This week in learning labs, seniors will begin their applications to college - starting with CUNY schools.  ALL UAI Seniors apply to CUNY schools as an option in the post-secondary plans.  They may not end up there, but they will each have a CUNY school in their back pocket as a secure an viable option for their post-secondary pathways!  Please encourage and celebrate each of our seniors.  They are not only navigating the newness of applying to college, but they are also surfing the trepidation of their biggest unknown, yet - life after high school!

Outreach.  Lots of folks have not yet remembered to log their outreach so far this week.   Please remember that you have until 3PM tomorrow.  Folks who failed to log this week's outreach and last week's outreach will receive emails reminding them.  You will receive a total of 5 warnings this year.  On the 6th time you forget to log outreach, you will lose your privilege to conduct the outreach remotely.   I really don't want to rescind that privilege and that's why I'm providing FIVE chances to get it right.  Please make sure you are setting a reminder in your phone or calendar to log your outreach each week.  You need to make sure this gets done.

1	Reminder Email #1
2	Reminder Email #2
3	Meeting with Kiri & Counseling Memo
4	Counseling Memo
5	Letter To File
6	Mandated to remain at school for 55min on Tuesdays to complete outreach

For these next few weeks, please make sure you are prioritizing contact to families of students who are not yet reaching our school goal of receiving >80 in your class.  Please invite students to Office Hours on Monday to get extra help from you if needed.  

[REPOST] Support Brooklyn PTAs.  This is a special post from Mike (6/7th Grade ELA) - Want to support Brooklyn public school PTAs? Want to enjoy the beautiful fall weather with a fun run / walk around Prospect Park? Sign up for this year's Brooklyn PTA Fun Run for Schools, and join team UAI when you do! The race will take place on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 10 AM. Bib pickup and pre-race activities will begin at 9:00 AM. The race is a ~5k (3.3 mile) lap of Prospect Park, and is very family friendly, with lots of kids participating. Use this link to join UAI's team, and check out the race page for more info. I'll be running, and hope I can see lots of you there! - Mike

[REPOST]  Keep Promoting UAI Clubs.  UAI Clubs launched officially on Monday, 07OCT24.   Announce them in class, push kids to get involved - emphasize the importance of extracurriculars and activities OUTSIDE of the classroom.  Colleges & jobs look to see what activities kids are in to evaluate them as potential candidates for their university or business.  Yes, they get this info from the counselors AND yes, we all need to put this on repeat so that it sinks in to their brains!  Here's what you can do

• Print this out and hang it on your classroom door:   UAI Clubs 
• Please let Jen know if your club is missing
• Make an announcement at the start of each class this week to promote the launch of clubs.
• Clubs are great resume builders for jobs and college - remind kids of that!
• Highlight how awesome the club teachers are and that this is a great chance to learn more about them in a new way!
  
  

[REPOST]  Club Attendance & Per Session.  Please remember to clock out for clubs that end after school, and to clock in for clubs that begin before school.   Lunch clubs are prep-period coverage (not per session).  Please remember to take attendance on the Club Attendance Form.  You need this completed prior to having your per session approved.  We are aiming for all clubs to have at least 10 kids, so please try actively to recruit.  If there is fewer than 10, don't stress for now, but clubs that end up having fewer than 3 students will likely not be continued for the spring.

[REPOST]  Save the Dates to Celebrate.  Celebrating our students and our staff is core to the health of our school!  Our central mission at UAI is the success and achievement of our students.  One pathway to that goal is through building the efficacy, sense of belonging, and pride that our staff has in your work at UAI.  That sense of worth and value is built both through achieving targeted student outcomes and in recognition of those achievements and efforts! 

Everyone at our school has a hand in the organization that is built to launch our students into bright futures.  Highlighting their work and achievements is central to celebrating our folks and their efforts in pushing our entire school and our students to achieving our goals. 

I was chitchatting with Paula the other day, and she was sharing some ideas she & Judy had had about raising up our colleagues.  At the same time, I had already been thinking about creating our UAI calendar of the days to celebrate our people!!   And since there really are no original ideas anymore - I googled and found this handy calendar!  I've plucked the days celebrating people out of this calendar to create our own for the 24-25 school year.

Here are the special days in which we plan to pause to celebrate those special folks who do their best in their role to push forward our collective goals!  

• September 2024
• 17SEP24 - National IT Professional's Day (we missed this - so moved to October 17th!).  This is the day to celebrate JASON's Amazing work with our school!!
  
  
• October 2024
• 02OCT24 - National Custodian Day (we missed this too - so moved to October 22nd for this year).  Let's celebrate Carlos, Harry, Junior, & Mr. O!
  
  
• November 2024
• 21NOV24 - National Substitute Teacher Day.  Let's celebrate Jermaine, Mahjabeen, and Sean!
  
  
• February 2025
• 03FEB-07FEB - National School Counselor's Week.  WOOHOO to JJR, Tiffany, Jen, AND our Deans (who do a lot of our counseling) Jean, Alaisha and Nicole... AND to our interns, Lara, Carlene, and Emily
  
  
• April 2025
• 03APR - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day - Time to appreciate Juelle, Bryanna, Aurora, Adelle, Nora, Ebony, Janiya, and Brenda!
• 07APR-11APR - National Assistant Principal's Week - Give it up to ANNIE!!!
• 20APR-26APR - Administrative Professionals Week - Many Thanks to Paula, Damaris, and Tracey!
• 21APR-25APR - Aterschool Professionals Week - Whooping it up for GIRLS INC!!
  
  
• May 2025
• 02MAY - School Lunch Hero Day - Give thanks for our amazing cafeteria staff
• 05MAY-09MAY - Teacher Appreciation Week - Big Ups to ALL of our amazing teachers!
• 07MAR - School Nurse Day - YAY for Nurse Cole
  
  

We're still working on the logistics of how we will celebrate folks.  To start, a face-to-face thank you or note of appreciation or a short written note via email or dropped in a mailbox will be enough!  For those who want to give more (for gifts like lunch or a special gift), standby for suggestion donation and collection plan!!  I'm going to circle back to Judy & Paula for ideas on that one!

Fundamentally, when we all make it a point to lift each other up, our spirits are enriched, and our students benefit!  When our cups are filled, we have much more to give, and our kids need our best selves in order to rise up to smash down barriers and obstacles that stand in the way of them becoming their best versions of themselves!  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form

Classroom SetUp and Planning.  12 hours total.  All Classroom Staff (Teachers & Paras) are eligible.  Tue 27-29Aug .