Week of January 26th

UAI High School Staff News

Volume II

Issue 23

Week of January 26th, 2015

Announcements

Benchmarks and Grades.  Now that the 3rd marking period is officially over, we are officially halfway through the year.  3rd Marking period grades and Benchmark Scores are both due by 3PM on Wednesday 28JAN15.  Because we use this data to determine promotional status (and thus generate promotion in doubt letters), we really need you to be on time with your grading.   Grades are due via Skedula (contact Colleen for questions and support) and Benchmarks are to be entered HERE.

Black History Month Competition - Jen has been working hard to organize our Black History month celebration.  Last year, Wendy led the charge with Advisories decorating doors to honor black history month.  This year, Jen is hosting a competition that will culminate in an assembly at the end of February.  Help us keep the competition alive for the kids.  Sheppard a student(s) into the limelight!   Promote the competition in your classes and advisory.  Provide students with the guidance and support they need to bring their idea to completion.   Please review the competition guidelines in the competition flier HERE, and encourage at least one student you know to do something!  Assemblies like this, particularly celebrating Black History, really bring our school together and make the kids proud to be part of our school.  We need your help in getting them to take risks and put their work out there! When they do, it's pretty amazing, and I can't wait to see what they will do.

UAIHS at the Nets.  Jen is also putting together another activity to build school unity.  We have reserved 50 tickets for the Nets vs. New Orlean Pelicans game on Tuesday, March 10th.  Tickets are $25 per person (down from a $40 face value), and they are first-come, first served.  So, please see Jen as soon as possible to reserve your ticket.  The girls will even be able to get on court for the National Anthem!  Last year UAI did this and the middle school went last week.  It's a great community-building event and I do hope you make an effort to join us!

Sign Up for PD.  Please CLICK HERE to sign up for your PD workshops for Monday, 02FEB. Here's the agenda:

8:00-8:30 - Breakfast Snacks (Coffee & LIGHT snacks) [Optional]
8:30-10:00 - Wkshp I - Unison, Conferences, or Genre Practice
10:00-11:30 - Wkshp II- Unison, Social Norms, or Assessment
11:30-12:30 - Lunch
12:30-2:00 - Wkshp III- Resp.Teams, Conferences, or Assessment
2:00-3:20 - School/Department Meeting Time

Subject Teams Orders.  Subject Team Orders are due next Friday (06FEB15).  CLICK HERE to see original post on this.  Remember Check it's NYSTL approved otherwise it will get rejected.  On the ShopDOE website, look for this symbol next to the item you want to order:  "NYSTL Approved"

Important Dates

• Monday, 26JAN15 -  Thursday, 29JAN15.  Regents Week
• Wednesday 28JAN15 - 3rd MP Grades are DUE by 3PM
• Friday, 30JAN15 - End of Fall Term, Regents Rating Day - NO CLASSES 
• For teachers not grading or presenting on 02FEB, there will be an agenda for the day - Check your email Monday Afternoon for details.
• Monday, 02FEB15 - Chancellor's PD Day at Green Careers
• Wednesday 04FEB15 - Last Regular Season Home Game for the Lady Eagles 4:30-6PM

Per Session Postings

Summer School.  Plans for summer school are still in development.  This is an initial posting that will be defined as we near summer, and we have a better idea of how many students need summer school.  However, the structure will be a blended learning model:

• Wed 01JUL and Thu 02JUL15 - The first 2 days of summer school will be onsite at UAI.  Teachers will make sure students are registered onto Plato and review course expectations, due dates, and email contact information.
• Weekly Check-In.  Teachers will be responsible for conducting a weekly learning conference (either in person, on the phone or online) for each student.  Students will not be in daily attendance for 03JUL through.
• Mon 27JUL through Tue 11AUG. Students attend regular Learning Cultures classes, targeting Regents exam prep in Responsibility Teams.  Classes are 90min and run Mon-Fri.  The periods will be 8:30-10; 10-11:30, and 12:00-1:30 with 2 hours of planning per week.  
• Wed 12AUG thru 14AUG. August Regents Week

Hours and subjects are still TBD.  Check-ins can be done remotely with students, so in-person teacher commitments are only for the days listed above.  Priority goes to teachers who taught summer school last summer and then to teachers who have taught summer school before, then to new summer teachers.  If you are interested, please email me ASAP.