Week of February 29th

UAI Staff News

Volume III

Issue 24

Week of February 29th, 2016

UAI Celebrations

                                              Congratulations to our Lady Eagles!     Coach Elana and our varsity girls basketball players have

made it to the Quarter Finals.  Being the #4 seed, this is a home game for our girls!  Please help create one of those classic high school experiences for our young women.  Give high fives and congratulations to the team as you see them in class and in the hallways (Gabby Bradley, Ayanna Brown, Ashanti Stewart, and Marijah Williams).  Please do announce that spectators are welcome to the game on Tuesday at 5pm.  The doors open at 4:30 and close at 4:55.  If they aren't seated by 5PM, they will not be allowed into the game.  To help celebrate the girls, please wear your UAI gear on Tuesday and come to the game to cheer for our team!

Announcements 

Decision Making.  Friday after lunch, there was a fight in the back stairwell as the high school dismissed from the cafeteria.  The teamwork of the deans, admin, and teachers led to a rapid response and return to calm on Friday after the fact.  This is a true testament to the talent and commitment of our staff. Thank you to all.  We are still combing through the details and follow up.  As we work on the back end of discipline, I need all teachers to work proactively to maintain focus and work for everyone else in the community.  There are two key levers that we need to pull this week.  One, we need to establish urgency for learning. Two, we need to teach our girls how to make good decisions. 

• Urgency Tools:  In 10 classes, Marking Period 4 ends next Friday (11MAR16) and Student Led Conferences follow the next week (17MAR16 and 18MAR16).  Students will need to be able to show and talk about the work they do in your classes.  In 15 classes, students will take Benchmark IV (the last benchmark and predictive testing for the Middle School).  Students need to focus their efforts in class to push their growth and performance on this next litmus test.
• Decision Making:  Spring is here, the clock is ticking, and before you know it the end of the year will be fast upon us.  Students must now, more than ever, find ways to refocus their energies and redirect themselves during work time.  Click on the picture next to this post to see the skills students need to be able to do to make good decisions.  During Monday's PD, Kiri will share resources for SEL lessons that are aimed at strengthening work time.   Make plans this week to save time for Decision Making lessons and practice and for creating a poster that will create a visible reference and tool for students to use during work time.

Spring Professional Development.  We will be taking a break from Pods this month to provide time for folks to explore individual PD choices.  When someone returns from their PD experience, I will ask them to share their learning during the Monday PD time (just like Marianna did last week).  We don't yet have anyone for March, so for the time being, I have plugged in a mini-series PD on teaching SEL through the formats.  Monday's PD will focus first on Work Time and teaching into the skills students need in order to have a productive & disciplined 30 minutes of quality time during your classes.  Starting April 4th, we will relaunch Pods that will culminate in our final share for the year on Brooklyn Queens Day.

Teacher To Dos

PID (Promotion in Doubt).  Grade teams should meet with students who are failing two or more core classes (English, Math, Science, Language, Social Studies) and/or students who are at risk of failing the NYS exams (Regents or Middle School tests).  Grade teams should identify these students together (either using the PID list Val sent and/or current Skedula and benchmark data).  Teams should meet with each student to (1) inform student of promotional status (letters have been sent home, a face-to-face meeting makes it more real), (2) develop a plan to intervene and prevent failure, (3) make a follow up schedule and identify metrics that will check in on growth and progress towards the goals established in the intervention plan.  All intervention plans must be completed by SLCs.  All failing students MUST be scheduled with their GUARDIANS for SLCs.  Teachers should use PD periods (that are not being used for Pods this month) to meet with students.  Teams should establish plans & protocols for each student meeting collectively, but teachers can divide the list and meet with students individually (e.g. advisors meet with their own students).

Important Dates

• Monday, 29FEB16. PD Topic:  Decision Making During Work Time [Grade Team Time follows]
• Thursday, 03MAR16.  Soft Lock Down Drill at 9:30AM
• Monday, 07MAR16. PD Topic:  Staff Share OR Using Unison to Teach Collaborative Talk [Grade Team Time follows]
• Friday, 11MAR16.  4th Marking Period Ends
• Monday, 14MAR16.  5th Marking Period Begins
• Wednesday, 16MAR16. MP4 Grades are Due at 3PM
• Monday, 14MAR16. PD Topic:  Staff Share OR Developing Goal Directed Behavior thru the Conference [Grade Team Time follows]
• Thursday, 17MAR16 and Friday, 18MAR15.  Benchmark 3 (This will be MS Predictive)
• Monday, 21MAR16. PD Topic:  Staff Share OR Using Active Listening Skills during the Lesson [Grade Team Time follows]
• Thursday, 24MAR16.  Women's History Month Full School Assembly (1:45-2:30PM) followed by rapid dismissal
• Friday, 25MAR16.  Good Friday, NO SCHOOL
• Monday, 28MAR16.  PD Topic:  Staff Share OR Disagreeing without being Disagreeable during Shares [Grade Team Time follows]

• Monday, 04APR16. Pod Cycle IV Launch [Grade Team Time moved to Tuesday]
• Tuesday, 05APR16 thru Thursday, 07APR15.  Middle School NYS ELA Exam
• Wednesday, 13APR16 thru Friday, 15APR15.  Middle School NYS Math Exam
• Friday, 15APR16.  5th Marking Period Ends
• Monday, 11APR16. Pod Share 1 of 6 and Grade Team Meetings
• Monday, 18APR16. Pod Share 2 of 6 and Grade Team Meetings
• Monday, 18APR16.  6th Marking Period Begins
• Wednesday, 20APR16.  5th Marking Period Grades Due at 3PM
• Friday, 22APR16.  5th MP Progress Report Distributed 8th Period
• Friday, 22APR16.  Poetry Slam Full School Assembly 1:45-2:30PM
• Monday, 25APR16 thru Friday 29APR15 - Spring Recess, NO SCHOOL

• Monday, 02MAY16. Pod Share 3 of 6 and Grade Team Meetings
• Monday, 09MAY16. Pod Reflection - Grade Team Meetings moved to Tuesday
• Monday, 16MAY16. Pod Share 4 of 6 and Grade Team Meetings
• Monday, 23MAY16. Pod Share 5 of 6 and Grade Team Meetings
• Tuesday, 24MAY16.  Grade Teams meet Tuesday
• Monday, 06JUN16. Pod Share 6 of 6 and Pod Share Prep - Grade Teams meet Tuesday

For All UAI School Important Dates, please add "UAI School" calendar to your google calendars.

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