Week of June 5th

UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 33

June 5th, 2023

Happy Pride Month!!   June is a month of celebration for so many reasons.  Not only does June herald the end of the year and the start of summer, but June is also a month filled with love, acceptance, and celebration as we honor Pride Month!

UAI is a nurturing, inclusive space for our young people, as we each play a crucial role in fostering an environment where every person in our community feels supported, included, celebrated, loved, and seen.  As we give special attention to the LGBTQ+ community this month in celebration of June Pride, here are some things to do to celebrate and embrace those both within and outside of our school who are members of the LGBTQ+ community!

• Highlight Success in Your Curricula:  We are in the midst of finals week, but not all classes are having finals on the same time.  Take a few moments to highlight the achievements of LGBTQ+ folks within your discipline.  The first step to creating a welcoming home for all students is letting them know that there are folks just like them doing amazing and great things.  They have role models and footsteps in which to follow.  Show them who they can learn from and give them opportunities to be PROUD!

• UAI GSA Advertisement:  We have an active GSA, facilitated by Ms. Freida.  This year the kids have done so many different and exciting activities.  There is a contingent of committed students, but kids may not know about the club or who to talk to.  Make sure they know where to find Freida (or how to contact her) to learn more!
  
  
• Safe Spaces & Advisement:  Students have many options at UAI if they need a safe space.  Our deans office, counselor offices, admin offices, or a trusted teacher's. classroom are each filled with someone who is there to listen, help, and support.  We are a committed community to supporting and loving all of our young ones.
  
  
• Activities.  While we may not have time to get final trips off the ground (for the upper grades at least), there are a boatload of things happening to celebrate Pride this month.  Please google or visit sites like Brooklyn Pride to see calendars of events and activities for yourself and/or to share with students and families!

June Pride is a time to celebrate diversity, promote acceptance, and create an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.  It is a wonderful month of celebration and a beautiful way to bring our year to a close.  Happy PRIDE all!!

Important dates. 

• Monday 05JUN - Tuesday 06JUN - Senior Overnight Trip to Dorney & Hershey Park 

• June 5th - 12th - These are the final performance tasks of the year.
  Final Exam Week - all finals happen during regular class time
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Math & Science Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Math & Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams

• Tuesday, 13JUN23 - Last day of High School Classes

• June 14th-June 23rd Regents Week
  Please see June Regents Exam Schedule and Student Lists
• Wednesday, 14JUN - AM English; PM Living Environment
• Thursday, 15JUN - AM Global; PM Algebra 1
• Friday, 16JUN - AM Earth Science; PM Chemistry
• Tuesday, 20JUN - AM Geometry; PM Spanish
• Wednesday 21JUN - AM Algebra 2; PM None
• Thursday 22JUN - AM Physics; PM None
• Friday, 23JUN - Rating day

• Monday, 19JUN23 - Juneteenth - NO SCHOOL

• Friday, 23JUN23 - High School Graduation at City Tech Theater

• Monday, 26JUN23 - 8th Grade Stepping Up

• Tuesday, 27JUN23 - Last Day of School
• Students meet advisors in Advisory from 8:30-10AM
• Pick up final report cards
• Clean out lockers
• Return Tech

• Monday, 10JUL23 - First Day of Summer School (Mon-Thu only)
• 10JUL - 27JUL - Summer Splash (Enrichment & Credit Recovery Classes) 
• 31JUL - 15AUG - Regents Prep
• 16AUG - 17AUG - August Regents Testing

Announcements & To Dos

Final Progress Reports.  Please distribute FINAL PROGRESS REPORTS during Advisory this week. Also, added to the Progress Report sheet are tabs for "Graduation in Doubt", "Grades 9-11 Summer School/Grade Repeat", and "6/7 Summer School". Here is some info about what happens when students fail a course.

• 12th Graders:  Students who fail a class required for graduation, will not graduate.  They will be mandated to summer school.  They will not be able to graduate with their peers.  If they wish, they will be able to attend citywide graduation ceremonies in August, provided that they attend and pass summer school.
  
  
• 8th Graders.  8th graders must pass all core classes (Math, Science, Social Studies, and English) in order to graduate and participate in Stepping Up ceremonies.  If they do not, they will not be able to participate in ceremonies and will be mandated to summer school.

• 9th-11th Graders.  Students who fail 3 or more classes may have to repeat the grade.  At most, students can make up credits for two courses due to seat time restrictions.  Therefore, students failing more than two classes may have to repeat the entire grade.
  
  
• 6th & 7th Graders.  6th & 7th graders are only required to pass Math & ELA in order to promote to the next grade.  It is recommended that they pass all four core classes (as that is the requirements for 8th graders).   
  
  
• NOTE:  The June Regents Credit Recovery days are the days that students will be able to work with their teachers to get support and guidance to complete work.  In summer school, students will work with our UAI Subs to complete assignments (see assignment tab on the Progress Report sheet) and earn credit.   

UAI Grading Policy Reminder.    As a reminder, here the UAI grading policy:

• The UAI Grading Scale is 50-100.  The UAI grading scale is 50-100.  
  
  
• The ONLY failing grade is 55 or F (if Advisory Pass/Fail). There is only 1 failing grade (55).  Any grades lower than 55 will automatically be changed to 55.  Any grade higher than 55 will be changed to 65.
  
  
• Use 100 as an exceptional grade only.  Use judiciously.

Finals Week Begins.  This is the final week of new instruction.   You are not required to give a final exam or test.  However, all classes are required to give a course summative assessment (could be final presentation for example).  This summative assessment should ask students to demonstrate skill & content mastery of the entire course (not just the last unit).  Students who pass this summative assessment have demonstrated a level of course mastery from minimal (65) to mastery (>85).  For any student who is failing your course, they MUST pass your final course assessment in order to demonstrate at least minimal course mastery.  If you have students who are failing your course(s) (including Advisory), please add tasks to the Progress Report sheet if they are not already there.

Summer School.  UAI Summer School is Ready to Kick Off.  Many thanks to folks for signing up to join our summer school.  Our summer school is broken up into three components

1. Summer Splash! - Fun Learning Experiences to stoke the creative and ambitious fires of our young, brilliant minds.  Summer isn't supposed to be punishment!  Summer is another way to get kids to plug into a lifetime of learning.   That is our goal for UAI Summer Splash.  Getting kids STOKED to learn!  This program runs 10JUL-27JUL Mondays-Thursdays
   
   
2. Summer Credit Recovery.  We use June Regents Exam week to leverage the instructional component of traditional summer school.  Students learn best with their teachers, and most teachers need summer breaks!  So, June Regents time is the best happy medium of these two truths.  For those students who are not able to complete the required assignments during the June Regents intervention time, we will have our sub teachers working with them to complete those assignments in July.  This program runs concurrently with Summer Splash 10JUL-27JUL, Mondays thru Thursdays (Students can enroll in both).  Students are automatically enrolled in Summer Credit Recovery, based on final June Grades.
   
   
3. Regents Prep.  For those students who didn't quite reach their exam goals in June, we offer another at bat during the summer.  From 31JUL-17AUG, students can attend regents prep classes run by their teachers (Mon-Thu only) with testing on 16AUG & 17AUG.  Enrollment is automatic (based on June Regent scores), and mandatory for graduation requirement regent exams (E.g. Earth/Living, Algebra 1, ELA, and USH/GLO).  We do not have staff to offer GEO, ALG2, or other exams during the summer.  Students can take those again in January 2024.

Summer Splash Sign Up.  Please Share THIS FORM with your advisory students.  All middle school students who sign up will also be enrolled in our Girls Inc Summer Camp and will have the opportunity to stay until 3PM each day.   

• Digital Design & 3D Printing with Ms. Judy.  Learn how to turn your creations into reality with Ms. Judy's Digital Design and 3D Printing Class this Summer!  Open to all students!
  
  
• US History Through Comics with Mr. Sean.  Love US History?? How about Comic Books or Graphic Novels?  Come join Mr. Sean this summer to have a fun exploration of our nations history!
  
  
• Fashion Design with Ms. Freida. Are you interested in exploring or deepening an interest in Fashion?  Join Ms. Freida this summer to do just that!
  
  
• Visual Art with Ms. Frances.  Visual Art is both a beautiful and therapeutic process.  Come join Ms. Frances to explore various art forms and to add some beauty to your summer.
  
  
• Cosmetology with Ms. Syan.  Do you have an interest in hair and makeup?  Are you interested in learning how to develop your own products that are both natural AND work?  Then join Ms. Syan this summer to learn from one of the best!

Technology Collection.  We will be collecting student technology this year to make sure all equipment is fully updated and inventoried this summer.  Please be on the look out in morning announcements for specific plans to collect (i.e. the specific where and how of collection).  For now, please message to students and families that we will be collecting beginning the week of 12JUN. 

June Regents Schedules & Intervention.  Please review the June Regents Exam schedule.  It is still getting updates and things change.  So, please check the document frequently. Please do look for mistakes and conflicts.  So, please if you see anything, do email Kiri! 

Now that we've had a dry run on Regents Tutoring Support during the US History Regent, I'm going to make some adjustments to optimize our tutoring and communication with students.

During Regents Week - ALL tutoring will happen on the 5th Floor

1. 8:30-9:25:  Advisory Tutoring & Outreach.  All advisors report to the rooms below (if not proctoring).  If you students are not in school by 8:30, please call and email student & families (cc kiri) to get them to come to school.  Work with students to create Tutoring Schedule for the day.
• Room 507: 8th and 9th Grade Advisories
• Room 509:  10th Grade Advisories
• Room 511:  12th Grade Advisories
• Room 515:  11th Grade Advisories
  
  
2. 9:25-2:00 Tutoring Sessions.  When you have tutoring on your program, please report to these rooms.  Teachers in these rooms are expected to support and tutor whatever student shows up - regardless if they are your student.  The goal is to help the student complete what they need to complete successfully!   Please refer to your own schedule for Prep/Lunch assignments
   
   During down time, teachers need to also call the student and families to find out where the student is if she is not with you for tutoring.  The goal is to make sure the kids show up and get the help they need to successfully complete the requisite tasks.
   
   
• Room 507: English, Theater & Spanish Tutoring (All ELA Teachers)
• Room 509:  Math Tutoring (All MATH Teachers)
• Room 511:  Social Studies Tutoring (All SOC Teachers)
• Room 515 : Science Tutoring (All SCI Teachers)
  
  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of May 30th

UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 32

May 30th, 2023

Tech Tools and Learning.  I'm old.  ;-)

Let me illustrate that fact in my history of tech tools

• When I was 6, my parents brought home one of the first computers made for home use, the Apple 2e.  I loved that thing.  I learned how to program in Turtle, and played adventure games by reading text and typing in commands like "Take the Scroll" or "Eat the berry" at the blinking green prompt.  I had no idea what my parents did with it, but I played... and learned.

• By college, Apple had created the first shoebox Mac, and my college roommate, who was a math major, introduced me to this instant electronic messaging - via Berknet, which used a Unix messaging code.  Yes that's right.. I am older than email....I used these messages to communicate with professors and even submit paper via FTP protocols (file transfer).  That little shoebox Mac helped me so much... it streamlined so much of my work flow and communication.  It made me ... so much more efficient!
  
  
• After grad school, I moved to NYC and landed my first teaching gig.  At some point during those early years, cellphones became so much more cheap and more globally accessible.  My first one was a StarTAC flip phone that I used to think looked exactly like a Star Trek communicator.  Suddenly, I had the ability to call anyone, anywhere, at anytime.  I could text (well it took forever since I had to spell out words using the letters on the number pads of the phone), but suddenly instant communication was possible.  And I used it to connect with friends and loved ones more frequently and economically!  Long distance used to be a real racket!  Cell phones helped me build my community.

I didn't even talk about the rise of the internet, social media, or even Alexa of Google Home Assistants...

Yes, I'm old, but that also has given me the advantage of experiencing the tectonic shifts in culture that each of these tools brought about.  AND I have simultaneously been awed by the intransigence of education during these exact shifts. 

For reasons I still question, learning standards are filled with facts and figures that we supposed need to know, as if there weren't machines built to help hold this exact same information.  The content requirements of the common core makes it impossible to cover both the sea of content listed and develop the critical thinking and reasoning skills.  

Today, I can just ask Siri or Google what I need to know, and it tells me.  But who teaches me how to ask the right question or sift through the results?  How do I verify my sources?  What information can I trust?  How can I use the information I find to create new understandings?  What patterns do I look for? How do I recognize patterns to form predictions and/or construct arguments?

It is true that we need the information in order to apply and develop our critical thinking skills.  However, too often, because current standards and exams emphasize the content over skills, our instruction mirrors that imbalance in our classroom instruction.

This is the real root of our fears around ChatGPT.  ChatGPT may be the Apple 2E of our students' generation.  We have been in the pattern of having to provide and test for content acquisition for so long that a tool like ChatGPT, which could completely replace that role, is threatening.

But ChatGPT can also be the tool to help us accelerate and improve teaching and learning - just as computers have done since the 1970s.  

Yes, Resident Evil, Terminator, and a whole host of movies have warned us about the challenges of AI.  But movies about how AI makes our lives easier and happier probably wouldn't have made as much money.  AND movies are fiction....

I am old, but I am far from dead.  Learning is the true fountain of youth, and I am just as excited to learn what this new ChatGPT can do as I was to when I first played with my Apple 2E, toyed with Email, and wielded my StarTAC like a Star Trek communicator.

Summer is almost upon us.  I encourage you to explore and learn about the tools that can make your own pedagogical practices deeper, stronger, and more effective.  There are many books to read (I'm sure you already have some of those on your lists).  There are also many articles to peruse and tools to explore.

I encourage your curiosity, and I urge you to learn more by playing, experimenting, and sharing with friends!

SO.. I hope you all grow old happily - but stay young & curious and that you push to continuously learn, question, and acquire new tools to ever expand your capacity to do whatever it is you want to do!

Important dates. 

• Tuesday, May 30th Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Please Update Progress Report Grades by EOD 30MAY23
  
• Final MP4 Progress Report Distributed in Advisory on Mon 05JUN or Tue 06JUN

• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - 
• NO School for grades 8-12, regular 6th & 7th grade classes
• 8-12 Students who are failing ANY course, must attend school for intervention classes
  
  
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
  
  
• Monday 05JUN - Tuesday 06JUN - Senior Overnight Trip to Dorney & Hershey Park 

• June 5th - 12th - These are the final performance tasks of the year.
  Final Exam Week - all finals happen during regular class time
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Math & Science Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Math & Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams

• Tuesday, 13JUN23 - Last day of High School Classes

• June 14th-June 23rd Regents Week
  Please see June Regents Exam Schedule and Student Lists
• Wednesday, 14JUN - AM English; PM Living Environment
• Thursday, 15JUN - AM Global; PM Algebra 1
• Friday, 16JUN - AM Earth Science; PM Chemistry
• Tuesday, 20JUN - AM Geometry; PM Spanish
• Wednesday 21JUN - AM Algebra 2; PM None
• Thursday 22JUN - AM Physics; PM None
• Friday, 23JUN - Rating day

• Monday, 19JUN23 - Juneteenth - NO SCHOOL

• Friday, 23JUN23 - High School Graduation at City Tech Theater

• Monday, 26JUN23 - 8th Grade Stepping Up

• Tuesday, 27JUN23 - Last Day of School
• Students meet advisors in Advisory from 8:30-10AM
• Pick up final report cards
• Clean out lockers
• Return Tech

• Monday, 10JUL23 - First Day of Summer School (Mon-Thu only)
• 10JUL - 27JUL - Summer Splash (Enrichment & Credit Recovery Classes) 
• 31JUL - 15AUG - Regents Prep
• 16AUG - 17AUG - August Regents Testing

Announcements & To Dos

Final Progress Reports.  Tuesday outreach time will be used for our Final Progress Report entry for the year.  Please enter current grades for students in the Progress Report sheet by the end of outreach time on Tuesday 30MAY23.  Comments are required for any failing student.

UAI Grading Policy Reminder.  For this final progress report, please make double sure you are correctly following the UAI grading policy.  The grades you enter on the final MP4 STARS report card will be the final, permanent, transcript grades.  So, please double check your grade books with this progress report to make sure you are ready for the end of year grade entry. 

As a reminder, here the UAI grading policy:

• The UAI Grading Scale is 50-100.  The UAI grading scale is 50-100.  There is no lower grade than 50, on any assignments or assessment.  Please do not use grades lower than 50 for anything.   This is exactly the same as if we used letter grades A-F.  You can't enter grades of G-Z because those grades just don't exist.  Similarly, grades 0-49 just do not exist in the UAI grading scale.
  
  
• The ONLY failing grade is 55 or F (if Advisory Pass/Fail).  If a student is failing your class, please only use the grade of 55.  If a student has a grades higher than 55, you must decide to pass (i.e. give the 65) or fail (give the 55).   We do use the grade of 60 as a messenger grade (e.g. the current is currently failing but will likely pass).  But for the FINAL grades, the only failing grade is 55.
  
  
• Use 100 as an exceptional grade only.  When we give a student a grade of 100, we are signaling to colleges that this students is perfect.  You should not give a 100 if that grade was earned using any sort of extra credit (use a 99 instead).  When we give grades of 100s (particularly in core content classes), colleges and universities inspect those grades and call into question the rigor of our expectations.  So, you can give the grade of 100, just make sure that it is earned perfection and not gifted to honor other than academic excellence. 

Finals Week & Course Summative Assessments  This is the final week of new instruction.   You are not required to give a final exam or test.  However, all classes are required to give a course summative assessment (could be final presentation for example).  This summative assessment should ask students to demonstrate skill & content mastery of the entire course (not just the last unit).  Students who pass this summative assessment have demonstrated a level of course mastery from minimal (65) to mastery (>85).  For any student who is failing your course, they MUST pass your final course assessment in order to demonstrate at least minimal course mastery.  If you have students who are failing your course(s) (including Advisory), please complete this form and link your summative assessment plus any other assessment you wish students to complete for course credit.

Summer School.  UAI Summer School is Ready to Kick Off.  Many thanks to folks for signing up to join our summer school.  Our summer school is broken up into three components

1. Summer Splash! - Fun Learning Experiences to stoke the creative and ambitious fires of our young, brilliant minds.  Summer isn't supposed to be punishment!  Summer is another way to get kids to plug into a lifetime of learning.   That is our goal for UAI Summer Splash.  Getting kids STOKED to learn!  This program runs 10JUL-27JUL Mondays-Thursdays
   
   
2. Summer Credit Recovery.  We use June Regents Exam week to leverage the instructional component of traditional summer school.  Students learn best with their teachers, and most teachers need summer breaks!  So, June Regents time is the best happy medium of these two truths.  For those students who are not able to complete the required assignments during the June Regents intervention time, we will have our sub teachers working with them to complete those assignments in July.  This program runs concurrently with Summer Splash 10JUL-27JUL, Mondays thru Thursdays (Students can enroll in both).  Students are automatically enrolled in Summer Credit Recovery, based on final June Grades.
   
   
3. Regents Prep.  For those students who didn't quite reach their exam goals in June, we offer another at bat during the summer.  From 31JUL-17AUG, students can attend regents prep classes run by their teachers (Mon-Thu only) with testing on 16AUG & 17AUG.  Enrollment is automatic (based on June Regent scores), and mandatory for graduation requirement regent exams (E.g. Earth/Living, Algebra 1, ELA, and USH/GLO).  We do not have staff to offer GEO, ALG2, or other exams during the summer.  Students can take those again in January 2024.

Summer Splash Sign Up.  Please Share THIS FORM with your advisory students.  All middle school students who sign up will also be enrolled in our Girls Inc Summer Camp and will have the opportunity to stay until 3PM each day.   

• Digital Design & 3D Printing with Ms. Judy.  Learn how to turn your creations into reality with Ms. Judy's Digital Design and 3D Printing Class this Summer!  Open to all students!
  
  
• US History Through Comics with Mr. Sean.  Love US History?? How about Comic Books or Graphic Novels?  Come join Mr. Sean this summer to have a fun exploration of our nations history!
  
  
• Fashion Design with Ms. Freida. Are you interested in exploring or deepening an interest in Fashion?  Join Ms. Freida this summer to do just that!
  
  
• Visual Art with Ms. Frances.  Visual Art is both a beautiful and therapeutic process.  Come join Ms. Frances to explore various art forms and to add some beauty to your summer.
  
  
• Cosmetology with Ms. Syan.  Do you have an interest in hair and makeup?  Are you interested in learning how to develop your own products that are both natural AND work?  Then join Ms. Syan this summer to learn from one of the best!

Technology Collection.  We will be collecting student technology this year to make sure all equipment is fully updated and inventoried this summer.  Please be on the look out in morning announcements for specific plans to collect (i.e. the specific where and how of collection).  For now, please message to students and families that we will be collecting beginning the week of 12JUN. 

June Regents Schedules & Intervention.  Please review the June Regents Exam schedule.  It is still in draft form, and still needs to be reviewed for mistakes and conflicts.  We're also still finalizing lists.  
So, please if you see anything, do email Kiri! 

• Regents Week Advisory/Tutor Outreach Period.  All advisors will have a period to tutor advisees to help them finish Everfi work.  All advisors should also be calling students who are required to attend school for intervention time with teachers.  Please make sure you have the cell phone number of your students AND their parents so that you can call them each morning they are required to be in school.
  
  
• Core Class Tutoring Periods.  All teachers have been given time to work with students who are failing classes.  If students are no longer failing, then they do not have attend intervention sessions.  Each intervention session will be limited to no more than 5 students at a time so that you can work with them.  If you have more than 15 students failing, those sections will have be bigger.  If you have fewer than 5, we'll put all your students into one section, and you will have the rest of the time as your own independent work time.

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of May 22nd

UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 31

May 22nd, 2023

Wrapping It All Up.  We are in the final weeks of the year, and many of you are pushing hard to wrap up the course learning, push kids to realize their potential, and prepare students for end-of-year exams.  Your efforts are clearly seen and recognized AND appreciated!

The upcoming weeks will go by quickly.  

• This week is the last full 5-day week of the school year for grades 8-12. Grades 6&7 have 1 more after this week. 
• Next week is a short week.  Monday is Memorial Day and Thursday is a non-attendance day for grades 8-12 (US History Regent testing).  Grades 6 & 7 will have a normal day on Thursday.
• The week after next is also short on instruction.  Thursday is Brooklyn Queens Day, and students will not be in attendance.
• The following week, Regents Exams begin.  Last day of regular classes for grades 8-12 is June 13th.

Use this time well.  Make sure to make the time to

• Celebrate those students who soared through the year to end the year as stars!
• Acknowledge & appreciate those students who turned corners to grow & improve all year long!
• Make time for those students who need your 1:1 attention the most.  The time is short, but there is yet still time.

No matter how we may have begun the year, it is never too late to make sure it ends beautifully!

We got this UAI - let's all work together to wrap up the year beautifully & seamlessly!

Important dates. 

• Monday, May 22nd - CEP Presentation Preparation
• Tuesday, May 23rd - CEP Presentations in the Farm
• Thursday, May 25th - Class of 2023 Prom
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry [UPDATED 22MAY]
• Monday 05JUN & Tuesday 06JUN- Final MP4 Progress Report Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School for grades 8-12, regular 6th & 7th grade classes [UPDATED 22MAY]
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• Monday 05JUN - Tuesday 06JUN - Senior Overnight Trip to Dorney & Hershey Park [UPDATED 22MAY]
• June 5th - 12th [UPDATED 22MAY] -
  Final Exam Week - all finals happen during regular class time
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Math & Science Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Math & Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN23 - Last day of High School Classes
• June 14th-June 23rd Regents Week  [UPDATED 22MAY]
• Wednesday, 14JUN - AM English; PM Living Environment
• Thursday, 15JUN - AM Global; PM Algebra 1
• Friday, 16JUN - AM Earth Science; PM Chemistry
• Tuesday, 20JUN - AM Geometry; PM Spanish
• Wednesday 21JUN - AM Algebra 2; PM None
• Thursday 22JUN - AM Physics; PM None
• Friday, 23JUN - Rating day
• Monday, 19JUN23 - Juneteenth - NO SCHOOL
• Friday, 23JUN23 - High School Graduation at City Tech Theater
• Monday, 26JUN23 - 8th Grade Stepping Up
• Tuesday, 27JUN23 - Last Day of School
• Monday, 10JUL23 - First Day of Summer School (Mon-Thu only)
• 10JUL - 27JUL - Summer Splash (Enrichment & Credit Recovery Classes) 
• 31JUL - 15AUG - Regents Prep
• 16AUG - 17AUG - August Regents Testing

Announcements & To Dos

CEP Presentations.  On Monday for PD, we will be working in our CEP teams to prepare to present our process, goals, and action plans to the full staff.  Please use this template to add your team's slides to a master document.  We'll be meeting on Monday to prepare, and Tuesday to present.  Folks should plan to meet in the farm on Tuesday.  As a reminder, please submit per session to complete your outreach time at a later time this week.

[Repost] MP4 Log of Support.  Please continue to record your intervention and support by updating the  MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week. Supports can be:

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly. 

Attendance Meetings.  I just audited our staff attendance for the year.  There have been some mistakes which I am asking Damaris and Dai to fix.  Additionally, some folks have missed a significant amount of days this year.  I've asked Dai to meet with folks who have a negative CAR balance to let you know that you have a negative balance and what that means.  Also, for folks who have less than 90% attendance for the year, Dai will be reviewing those days with you as well.  Remember, we are struggling to get our students to have attendance of %90 or better.  If they see the adults around them modeling behaviors that are contrary to that goal, we have a problem.  So, if your attendance is less that 90%, please expect outreach from Dai who will be reviewing your attendance for the year to find ways to support you to have stronger attendance for the remaining time this school year.

Summer School.  We are finalizing summer school logistics in Building Council tomorrow, so I will be sending out a final email about summer school on Tuesday.  Keep an eye out!  I already sent an email out to all staff who expressed interest in summer school to confirm whether or not they can still work the summer.  If you didn't receive that email, please reach out to me as soon as possible!  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

week of May 15th

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 30

May 15th 2023

Happy Mother's Day!  Today we celebrate the amazing folks in our lives who have mothered us through.  Whether this is our actual mother or mother figure, or it is a mentor or guide - today it the moment to appreciate those people!

As you do... take a moment to also reflect on who you may be mothering in your life. Students, children, fur babies, friends - mothering isn't something that is specifically gendered or biological. Rather, it describes a relationship of care, love, nurturing and firmth (that's firm warmth).  

Celebrate today, and taken in and appreciate both what you have received and what you give.   You're amazing! 

Today - I'm taking more own advice.  I am appreciating and celebrating today and this beautiful weather with my fam!  So short blogpost ;-). Go have a happy Sunday.

Important dates. 

• May 15th-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

High Stress Times.  As we wrap up the end of the year, kids are coming face-to-face with the consequences of their decisions.  This coupled with their underdeveloped capacity to effectively manage stress or their emotions leads to even more bad decisions.

These next few weeks will be challenging.  Please make it a point to heighten your awareness of your students' needs.  Make it a point to check in with the students who are struggling in your class, and make sure that they know that you care enough to help them find a successful path to the end of the year.  Help them see where their strengths are, and help them understand how to leverage those strengths to course-correct and end the year in your class on a successful note.

In addition to checking in, please keep your classes highly structured, predictable, and with minimal down time.  Kids need the structures and routines to help shape their choices now more than ever.  Predictability and structures are ways to help them focus on productive choices. 

MP4 Log of Support.  Please continue to record your intervention and support by updating the  MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week. Supports can be:

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly. 

Please make this Log is updated.  We are meeting with families and students of matriculating students (8th & 12th) to discuss progress and potential ineligibility for graduation (and thus mandated summer school).  If there's not sufficient information in the Log, we won't have sufficient info to hold those meetings effectively.

Monday PD.  We will be continuing our work in our CEP groups.  This week we are working on Action Planning.  This process is rather long, so please be prepared to save time to work after school on Tuesday.  As you may recall, if we do use Tuesday time, you'll be able to put in 75min of per session for outreach time in exchange!

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of May 8th

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 29

May 8th 2023

Celebrating Our AMAZING Staff.  This week is Teacher Appreciation week.  We are taking this opportunity to celebrate all of our amazing teachers AND our entire staff.  

The staff at UAI is particularly special.  Each of you have an amazing commitment to your work and your dedication to our students and families is felt clearly in the work you do each day.  Through the smallest of interactions that celebrate or uplift an individual student to the herculean efforts so many of you put into your planning, counseling, and support work (either behavioral or administrative), you all dig deep to make sure our kids and families receive the level of learning & community they deserve at UAI.

Annie, Jen, Dai, and I certainly recognize your hard work every day.  We may not always actively express it, but it is a constant appreciation.  This week, we are making the time to actively recognize you, your work, and your efforts.

We have a week of celebratory activities lined up for you.  Annie, Jen, Dai, and I have been working to put together a variety of ways to celebrate YOU and all of your hard work!

• Monday Breakfast Celebrations!! 
• Panera Breakfast For You!  Kick your week off with a catered breakfast full of LOVE
• Tuesday Lunch Love!!
• Shania Reid's mom catered last week's Lighthouse Visit lunch, and she was so amazing and lunch as SOOOO delicious, our UAI staff deserved the special treat!  Lunch on us (catered by Ms. Brown, Shania's Mom!)
• Wednesday Appreciation Gifts
• Special appreciation gifts will be waiting for you to brighten your Wednesday
• Thursday Massage Sign Ups
• You read that right - we're gifting mini-massages.  Folks will be able to sign up for massages that will take place on 16MAY (she wasn't available this Thursday!)
• Friday Drinks!
• Join us NEXT FRIDAY 19MAY for a drink to celebrate you! Noelle & Our Theater students are debuting their spring play this Friday.  I want folks to be free to attend!!
  NEXT Friday, First drink is on Kiri!

The work you do everyday matters.  Our kids and families deserve (and need) the best, and you all dig deep daily to truly bring it!  Thank you so much for all you do!  You are amazing!

Important dates. 

• May 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• Friday, May 12th.  Spring Play Assembly for All Grades at 2PM
• May 15th-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Progress Reports.  Progress reports are ready and will be printed and ready for pickup by 8:30 in the Main Office on Monday AM.  Here is the complete data for all students. There are some missing grades.  Please make sure you tell your students their current grade, and please manually update their progress report so that families know what their grade is in your classes.

For these progress reports, to be very clear in communicating progress, teachers must use grading policy grades only.  Any grade entered for this MP4 progress report have been automatically adjusted as follows:  

• Grades <55 were changed to 55.  55 is the ONLY failing grade. 
• Grades >55 but <63 were changed to 60. 60 indicates currently failing, but likely to pass by June.
• Grades >63 but <65 were rounded up to 65.

Moving forward, please DO NOT use any NS/NX, etc. grades.  You MUST give a grade (55 if necessary).  

For all Everfi Advisory classes.  If one of your advisees failed to submit their work, you MUST make contact home and update the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support.  Those students will be mandated to summer school and may not graduate if they do not complete the work.  We must document outreach and support for those students who are not completing their work.

MP4 Log of Support.  Please continue to record your intervention and support by updating the  MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week. Supports can be:

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly. 

Monday PD.  We will be continuing our work in our CEP groups.  We did have some conflict with Girls Inc Rooms.  So please reach out to your CEP team lead to get updated room assignments.

HS AP Testing Ends This Week.  The final AP exam will be on May 9th.  147 will be used for the room.   Please review the   AP Exams and AP Exam Roster.  Rebecca and Danielle I will be point people for these exams.

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of May 1st

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 28

May 1st, 2023

Celebrating AAPI Month.  May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Month!  This month we celebrate the rich cultural histories and contributions of AAPI peoples from all over the world.

Today, I think about my Dad.  My dad was born in Molokai, Hawaii.  Like so many island children, he was a hodgepodge of cultures.  Mostly Filipino & Chinese with a sprinkling of Native Hawaiian tossed in there generations back (or so the story goes...most likely - that part was just a story).  

My father was a chemist, and he firmly believed in the power of education and learning.  He used to buy me all sorts of little puzzles and get me to solve riddles since my earliest memories as a child.  They started off as little metal puzzle (you know - those ones where you have to separate pieces mysteriously locked together), and the puzzles graduated to more complex games (like chess), and riddles.

I definitely didn't realize it at the time, but those games and challenges laid the ground work for the confidence I've always had in math and my facility with problem solving.  Just like reading to babies builds the foundation for literacy in children, my father's puzzles, riddles, and challenges built my foundational reasoning & problem solving skills.  

Don't get me wrong...he carried strong beliefs around the superiority of boys and the prioritization of having sons (he had 3 daughters before he had his boy... I was the "oops" baby after my brother!).  But he also valued more the importance of learning and the belief that all of his children should and could learn and thrive in all disciplines.

There are lots of stereotypes for AAPI folks around excellence in school, and in particular in STEM.  As a product of my father's parenting, I can say, from personal experience, that it stemmed not from a belief and value in learning, and all learning - including math & science.

Our American culture allows folks to shy away and fear math, especially.  However, when you're raised with a dad who believes otherwise, you find ways to be shielded from that messed up cultural value.

Not everyone had my dad (and trust - that's probably a good thing LOL), but all of our students do deserve the right to grow up fearless in math, and thinking about themselves as adept and capable problem solvers.  

As I look to observe and celebrate AAPI month - I will raise up this piece of my own history to share with our whole community.  If even a little bit of it results in an increased confidence and bravery of our students in math and science, then I will count that as a real reason to celebrate!

Important dates. 

• Tuesday, May 2nd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #1 Grade Entry
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May 2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• May 15th-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Washington DC Trip Success.  Many thanks to Kelly who worked hard to organize and coordinate our FIRST trip out of state since the pandemic.  For many of our kids, this was the FIRST time they spent the night away from home!!!  Experiences like these are sooooo important for our young people as they grow their dreams.  Thank you Kelly for making that magic happen.

Thank you also to Tiffany, Freida, Danielle, and Lia for chaperoning.  It is a big ask to keep the kids safe, and your willingness to step up to go on the trip is very much appreciated.  THANK YOU, TOO!!

Support our UAI Math Team Lighthouse.  Judy, Tiffany, Amanda, and Danielle H have been working with the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl to improve their instruction and student outcomes.  Not many folks have signed up yet.  Please help them get the word out by sharing this brief May the 4th Be With You in Math promo, and please help them get the word out by directing folks to register using THIS LINK.

Mock Regents Exams.  Update - Math will have a special schedule mock regent on May 5th.  Students will report to 2nd period, and then remain there for 2nd & 3rd, taking a mock regent.  All other classes will conduct mock regent exams in their regular class periods (so no class time loss!)

MP4 Log of Support.  Thank you ALL for updating the log of support.  Our counselors are also providing 1:1 support for our students who are on the list to make sure that they are getting additional help. Please continue to record your intervention and support by updating the  MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week. Supports can be:

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly. 

Monday PD.  We will be continuing our work in our CEP groups.  We did have some conflict with Girls Inc Rooms.  So please reach out to your CEP team lead to get updated room assignments.

Tuesday Outreach  Please print and distribute your Advisory's MP3 report cards from
THIS FOLDER.  Please distribute during Advisory on Monday or Tuesday.  To print

• Open the grade file
• Find your advisee's report cards (you can search for their names and print 1 by 1 or you can find your first and last advisee's names (sorted by last name) and print the range.  If you don't know how to print a range, just print 1 name at a time.  It will be easier and most likely, it will take about the same amount of time it would take you to find someone to help you to print the range (LOL)!
  
• Alternately, you can take screen shots of the report cards or pics on your phone and text or email the report cards to kids and families.

HS AP Testing Begins This Week.  Beginning Tuesday, 02MAY, we will be holding AP exams in room 147.  All classes in 147 will have to be relocated for the week.   Please review the   AP Exams and AP Exam Roster.  Rebecca and Danielle I will be point people for these exams.

MS Math Testing This Week.  The Middle School will be taking the MS Math exam on 02&03MAY.   All Math teachers MUST review the lists, room assignments and schedule with kids on Monday.  For all students in grades 6, 7, or 8, this the annual Math test they take in grades 3-8.  8th graders wanting to take the Regent exam, may also take the Algebra Regent exam in June.   

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of April 24

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 27

April 24th, 2023

Wrapping Up & Looking Ahead.  As we wrap up April and enter into May, this is the time to reflect on the lessons we learned this year and look ahead to next.

Each year our school generates a Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP).  Typically, this is something that I do during the summer, simply because time always gets away, and the document, historically, has played more of a compliance role than a driving force.

This year is different.  This year, we have been classified as a school in need of Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI).  This designation only applies to Title I schools, so schools that have large percentages of poor students, and CSI applies to the schools in the bottom 5% of these poor schools, according to various metrics.

In the middle school, those metrics are the NYS Middle School exams in ELA and Math.  Last year, many parents were still wary of sending students to school right after the Omicron and Delta waves of COVID, and many felt that because their child had missed so much school, they preferred opting students out of the exams.  As a result, many of our students opted out.

• Opting out meant Low Participation  
• NYS MS ELA:  (6th: 12/36.   7th: 12/58.    8th:  8/45).  
• MYS MS Math: (6th: 9/36.   7th: 11/58.    8th:  0/45). 
  
  
• Our CSI designation is based on the number of kids who are enrolled not tested.  So, because we had such high levels of opt out, those students are counted as being a Level 1, and thus it appears that our school has extremely low proficiency when in fact, we really had high refusal rates.
  
  
• Additionally, the state measures proficiency on the Regents exams as scores that are >80 if they take the exam in middle school.  If they pass the exam in high school, they are considered proficient, but if they take it in 8th grade, then they are not considered proficient unless they get an 80 or higher.   So even though, 86% of our 8th graders who took the Algebra I Regents satisfied their graduation requirement, and 19% scored College Ready scores, NONE of them were considered proficient by the state. 

The math of all of this makes zero sense and there seems to be an underlying political agenda at work that seems intent on shaming schools with high numbers of poor kids.  But that's a whole other blog post one day.

For now, as I do with any low blow, I choose to look for the opportunities that arise.  Even a gut punch gives you the chance to bend over and stretch your legs, right?

So, taking hold of the silver lined reigns, we going to make the most of what we have to do as a CSI school to better understand our school, galvanize our community, and make UAI that much stronger.

As a CSI, we need to engage our full community in a schoolwide needs assessment and in the writing of plans (the CEP) to address those needs in the upcoming school year.  While our designation is based on data points in the middle school, we have areas throughout the school that can always be better. 

The CEP has required priorities, dictated by the DOE, for which we need to submit a needs analysis, priority goals & relevant action plans.  We will be split into teams to address each priority:

• Priority #1:  All Students Learn to Read Well
• Team Leaders: Marsha & Kelly (Annie)
• Team Members: Rebecca, Laura, Sarah M, Mike, Jake, JRob, Fatima
  NOTE:  Must in
  
  
• Priority #2:  All Students are Physically and Emotionally Safe
• Team Leaders: Jen & Jean
• Team Members:  JJR, Nicole, Alaisha, Leonela, Roger, Denyea, Marni. Noelle
  
  
• Priority #3:  All Students have a High-Quality Academic Experience
• Team Leaders:  Phillan & Judy
• Team Members:  Kaitlyn, Joanna, Amanda, Danielle, Tiffany, Alison, Lillie, Matthew
  
  
• Priority #4:  All Students Graduate College & Career Ready and Have a Strong Plan and Pathway to Economic Security
• Team Leaders:  Liza, Danielle I (Kiri)
• Team Members:  Jelissa, Camryn, Thomas, Tom, Sarah R, Junior
  
  
• Chronic Absenteeism
• Team Leader:  Freida (Annie)
• Team Members:  Elena, Shan, Patti, Pauline, Adelle
  
  
• Quality Individualized Education Program
• Team Leader:  Mary (Kiri)
• Team Members:  Christina, Martine, Lia, Juelle, Brenda

Each team, with the support of their team leaders (and admin), will be charged with completing the same tasks within their assigned Priority/Topic:

• Identify Priority Needs and Root Causes
• Indicate the high leverage priority needs determined by your school that, if resolved, will advance equity and result in measurable, positive impact on student outcomes. 
• Summarize the data trends (gaps in student and school performance) for each priority need. Use the most current data available and cite the data source and year.
• Identify the root causes (and/or contributing factors, theories, hypotheses) that explain the current student and school outcomes.

• Establish Progress Measures and Targets
• There must be a priority target for General Ed, Special Ed, and ENL Students
• There also must be interim targets for each end of year target.
  
  
• Develop a Fall and Spring Action Plan
• Once goals and interim benchmarks are set, the team must come up with an action plan of how to get there AND
• The Action Plan MUST include Multi-tiered Supports & Intervention plans AND
• The Action Plan MUST include a plan for Family and Community Engagement

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be using our Monday PD time to reflect on our school's performance.  We will look squarely at the data that illustrates needs and the root causes of those areas where we fall short.  We will also closely examine our strengths.  We certainly are not perfect, and like every other school in the city, we have a lot to improve upon.  That said, we also have a a fair amount to celebrate.  Our task is to figure out how to leverage our strengths to optimally improve our school as a whole.

During tomorrow's PD, we will begin our work promptly at 3PM in the farm.  We will be breaking up into teams to do this work, but we will start together to make sure we establish a shared understanding and vision of our work.  Here is the schedule for the next five Mondays.

• Monday, 24APR23 - Launching the Work, Norming & Initial Data Analysis
• Monday, 01MAY23 - Root Cause Analysis
• Monday, 08MAY23 - Prioritization of Goals
• Monday, 15MAY23 - Action Plan & Progress Monitoring
• Monday, 22MAY23 - Team Presentations to full staff

While we may not have ended up with this task from the best source, the task is extremely worthwhile.  We have the opportunity to come together to take a strong hard look at our work and at UAI.  Through this, we also have the chance to work with a group of super talented, smart, and committed professionals who will collectively set the goals and actions for our year to come.  I have always wanted to do this work with our entire community, and I always let other priorities take the front seat.

But now, we are here and about to finally engage in our school improvement work together, and I for one am super excited about doing this work with you all!

The goal is definitely to complete this work within our PD time.  However, your team may need more time to meet.  That is OK!  

You can use Tuesday time to reconvene your committee.  Then, you will each have an hour of per session to complete your outreach at a later time that works for you (yes outreach can be done at home).  (Team Leaders will be charged to report Tuesday attendance to Dai for per session purposes, FYI)

Important dates. 

• Wednesday, 26APR23 - Affinity Lever Visit to Math Team
• Wednesday, 26-28APR23 - Trip to Washington DC
• Tuesday, May 2nd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #1 Grade Entry
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May 2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• May 15st-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Support our UAI Math Team Lighthouse.  Judy, Tiffany, Amanda, and Danielle H have been working with the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl to improve their instruction and student outcomes.  Not many folks have signed up yet.  Please help them get the word out by sharing this brief May the 4th Be With You in Math promo, and please help them get the word out by directing folks to register using THIS LINK.

Mock Regents Exams.  There was an April 26th & April 28th Mock Math & Science regent on the calendar for Tuesday but I took it off, because we just don't have enough time to thoughtfully plan that out!  I will double check that with Judy & Liza, but if that sticks - no worries we'll put those mocks back on the calendar soon.  This week, I'll be meeting with the teams to figure out Mock Regents plans and get that info out to everyone by the end of the day tomorrow (Monday)!

MP4 Log of Support.  We're going to pivot from the MP4 Outreach Log to an MP4 Log of Intervention & Support.  Outreach is only 1 form of support.  What we really need to track is the wholistic record of intervention & support that our students are receiving to prevent failure.  These interventions can be things such as (but not limited to): 

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

All classroom teachers must update this MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week.  Teachers should use regular planning & prep time to update this log.  Entries can be brief (e.g. "Held 1:1 Conference about xyz", or "spoke to mom saying student did abc").  I am asking that folks complete this form weekly so that I can track the support any student who failed a course in MP3 is receiving and so we can better support teachers who need extra help in intervening on failure with students & families.

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly to 

• Have them show you their grades and outstanding assignments
• Review their attendance
• Make a plan for completing assignments and improving course grades
• Call home 1x per week to update family on progress. 
  You can even call with the student during advisory - or text together during your conference.

Classroom Teachers:  For any student that is failing your class and listed on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support, please update this document weekly.  For any 8th grader or 12th grader that is failing your class, you MUST make weekly contact home to inform students of progress in class.  You must share a weekly progress report towards graduation.  Because they are in matriculating grades, failing your course may mean that they will not graduate.  So, please emphasize the importance of passing your course with the student and their families each week.

Monday PD.  Monday PD will be our next meeting in circles, planned by our Equity Team.  This week's circles will develop our understanding what "culturally relevant pedagogy" is and what it means within our own professional practice. In circles, staff will explore and discuss Culturally Responsive Teaching: 4 Misconceptions, interview with Zaretta Hammond.

MP3 Report Cards.  Please print and distribute your Advisory's MP3 report cards from
THIS FOLDER.  Please distribute during Advisory on Monday or Tuesday.  To print

• Open the grade file
• Find your advisee's report cards (you can search for their names and print 1 by 1 or you can find your first and last advisee's names (sorted by last name) and print the range.  If you don't know how to print a range, just print 1 name at a time.  It will be easier and most likely, it will take about the same amount of time it would take you to find someone to help you to print the range (LOL)!
  
• Alternately, you can take screen shots of the report cards or pics on your phone and text or email the report cards to kids and families.

MS ELA Testing.  Beginning Wednesday 19APR, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be taking the NYS Middle School ELA exam.  All ELA teachers MUST review the lists, room assignments and schedule with kids on Monday &/or Tuesday.  For all students in grades 6, 7, or 8, this the annual English test they take in grades 3-8.  8th graders wanting to take the Regent exam, may also take the English Regent exam in June.   Liza & Judy will be managing this exam with Annie's support.  Any questions or concerns should be directed to them.


Mock Regents & MS Math Testing Next Week.  In 2 weeks, the Middle School will be taking the MS Math exam on 02&03MAY.  We'll also be holding mock regents on those two days.  For Grades 8-12 there will be a special schedule on those two days.  Please stay tuned!  We will be offering Per Session for grading of these mock regent exams.  MS exams are sent out for central grading.

Attendance & Lateness to Your Classes.  Please make sure to keep showing students how important it is to get to class ON TIME.

• Start classes on time - no matter how many kids you have.  The ones who are there came on time. Honor that.  Don't make them wait.  Make a plan for catching kids up that doesn't require making those kids wait.  
  
  
• Show Them Why it Matters.  Remember our kids need to know that you care (first and foremost) and that you don't want them to fail.  Being in class is the best way for them to thrive academically, and they miss a lot when they're not in class on time (which is why you need to start your class on time).   So, when kids come late, go directly to them, find out what happened and why they were late, and then catch them up and make sure to get a commitment to being on time to class tomorrow.  Keep at it - even if they are late again.  Your persistence will pay out!
  
  
• Celebrate the Win.   When a students starts coming to class on time, connect that effort to their understanding in your class.  Help them see how good feels, and how they can keep it going.
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• Be their Model.  For this last marking period, make it a point to model excellent attendance.  Please schedule all appointments OUTSIDE of the school day (or at least during non-instructional days - like Regents Days, or Brooklyn Queens Day). If you're going to be out, avoid calling out on Fridays or Mondays.   
  
  NOTE:  Please try really hard NOT to be absent during MS Testing Days (19APR, 20APR and 02MAY, 03MAY, 04MAY).  We are using our in-house subs to support proctoring, and if folks call out, we will have to ask teachers to cover classes.
  
  Also, be clear to your students as to what is happening and why - post it up on Google Classrooms or send out class emails so students are clear why you are out.  
  
  
• If you are out for a Professional Development activity - please make sure your students understand that you are not absent, but that you are fulfilling your professional responsibilities elsewhere.
  
  
• If you are out sick or on personal business, please let them know that and remind them that you have only been out x number of days for the year - which gives you an overall attendance rate of y (put it in their terms of understanding)
  
  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application For

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed