Week of June 27th

UAI Staff News

Volume III

Issue 35

Week of June 27th, 2016

UAI Celebrations

We've made it! We have made it to the end of a year of change and transformation.  It hasn't been an easy one, and it was full of challenges and tough times.  However, change is hard, but change is necessary for growth.  We have grown in many, many areas.  The biggest of which is in our middle school proficiency.  This year, we have 25% fewer students who failed to meet promotional standards on the NYS exams.  Regents scores are coming in, so analysis there is incomplete, but credit accumulation for 9th graders is significantly improved over last year (with fewer students repeating AND fewer students transferring out).  Our 11th grade is similarly successful to last year in this area, and our 10th and 12th grades are certainly areas for growth!

Initial reports from our Framework for Great Schools report  indicate positive growth, particularly in the area of Strong Family-Community Ties, an area of focus for us this year!

   

We may not yet be where we need to be, but we are definitely well on the road to making sure tomorrow is even better than today!  Thank you everyone for your hard work and dedication with our girls and their families this year.  You dug deep, you tapped into your creativity and commitment, and you were an integral part of bringing this year to a tidy end.  

I thank all who are moving on to more adventures beyond UAI.  Some are changing careers (Erick & Sarah), some are embarking on birthing a school of their own (Wendy and Meredith), and some are moving to new school families (Marianna).  We wish them luck and thank them for all their years of service to our girls, the contributions they've made to our school community, and the part they will always have in our history and in our UAI family!

I thank our partners who are also moving on and who are growing with us.  Carrera staff (Chris, Demetris, and Sara M.) you will be missed!  I'm happy to formally announce that Lauren and Lori from Carrera will join us next year as UAI Social Workers, Wazina, Haelinn, and Alyssa will return for one last Carrera year, and I'm hoping to create UAI funded Carrera positions next year (like I did with the Social Workers).  Girls Inc. is stepping up their partnership next year.  They will be filling in the financial literacy component (Job Club) for us as well as taking on FLSE for the middle school (and continuing their existing after school and in-day programming).

I thank all you who are signing on to another year at UAI.  I am excited by our team and by the hope that next year brings.  You have weathered this year of change, and change is never easy.  However, through the change, we create progress.  The talent and commitment that we have on staff will definitely build on the efforts of this year and launch our school into a bright and successful future.  I am lucky to have such a dynamic, talented, and committed group of staff, and I am proud that our girls and their families have you to support them.

At our root, UAI is a school family for our girls and staff.  Like all families, we are not perfect and we have our struggles, but like all families, we are tied to one another through common struggles and common goals.  At the end of our day, our goal is to make sure our girls shine and carve out successful lives for themselves and their own future families.  In so-doing we become agents of change.  We are not the kind of activists who stage huge protests, migrate to congress and do sit-ins (those some of us do that, too).  We are the kind of activists who strive every day to string together a series of small, significant successes that will one day change the world.

I am proud to work with each of you everyday.  I am proud to call you colleagues, friends, and family!  You are what makes UAI, and I look forward to making a great UAI with each of you next year!!

Announcements and To Dos

Directions To Kumbel

Graduation Assignments.  For Monday, we're releasing the high school at 10AM... I know, I know...MS still releases after lunch.  However, all staff (unless indicated otherwise below, needs to report to Kumbel by 10:20AM)

• Last Minute Support team (helping Doris in whatever we need to get from UAI to Kumbel).  Doris will connect with you for specific directions:  Jen C, Erick C., Kristin, Michelle please reach out directly to Doris for your detailed assignments that morning.
• Ticket Masters.  Carol, Nancy, and Del will report to LIU by 9:30AM to troubleshoot any ticket problems for Kumbel theater.  Kumbel will take the tickets.  There are no WILL CALL tickets.  All tickets must be given to their guests in advance.  However, Kumble requires that we have staff on hand to help them with any ticket problems.
• Line Masters.  Paula and Lori must report to Kumbel at 8:30AM to support final rehearsal preparation and manage the lines of graduates.
• Black Box Folks.  Wazina, Paula, Lori, and Danielle and Kerry.  This team will help girls get ready in the black box waiting room from 10-10:45
• Keynote Speaker Welcome Team.  Martine, Ilyana, Brodie.  When Chirlane McCray's (our NYC First Lady) arrives at 11AM, please welcome her and escort her to the stage to intro to Kiri and Doris
• Photographers.  At 10:30AM, Tom, Kristin, Jamie, and anyone who has an iPhone and can set up iCloud share so that we have our own candids from the ceremony (both before and after).  Lori - will you help them set up and/or share to the existing iCloud thing?
• Middle School Staff.  Middle school staff should complete normal teaching assignments on Monday.  Val and Colleen will be on hand to assist, but all staff needs to report to Kumbel after MS is released from lunch (except those assigned to lunch room).  They can join us at Kumbel after.  Val & Tracy will you help with cafe for MS and then join us? Colleen help teachers dismiss at 10:15 and then come to Kumbel.
• High School Staff.  If I didn't list your name above, please join us at Kumbel theater after the HS dismisses at 10AM.

If you are not listed above to report to Kumbel before 10:30, you will have your regular program and HS dismisses at 10AM, and MS at lunch.

Last Day of School Check-List

• 8:30-10AM - Distribute Report Cards and Summer School Letters.  Students are to report by 9AM to collect report cards and summer school letters.  If your advisees do not show up by 9AM, please call home to see if they are coming in at all.  It they are not coming in, please put their report card and summer school letter in an envelope and address the envelope.  If they have summer school, please make sure you speak to someone and log your call in Skedula.  Nancy gave summer school letters to the grade team leaders.  Check with your grade team leader for your advisees letters.
• Download Gradebooks.  In preparation for the year's closeout, please download your gradebooks from Skedula and submit them to this folder.  Please name the file "Teacher Name_Course_2015-16".  The DOE is becoming more strict with documenting .... everything. This is the first time I've ever called for gradebooks.  It is a sign of changing times...High School Gradebooks need to be submitted by the end of the day on Monday. Please reach out to a Skedula expert on your team to figure out how to download your gradebook.
• Classroom Cleanup.  As we prepare for Regents exams and getting ready for the summer, please complete the following

• All Technology Carts must be turned in.  Again, Please also return all projectors and document cameras (and any other school tech).  George will be coming to classrooms to collect.
• Please remove everything from your walls and bulletin boards - including the ones in the halls.  We will be revamping classrooms and hallways this summer, so everything must be cleared. 
• Please store ALL classroom materials and books in closets.  Classroom bookshelves will be part of the rehab, so please so everything in your classroom closets.  Any books that don't fit in closets should be stored in boxes and clearly labeled.  NO BOOKS or RESOURCES should be left in the hallways.  Please box them up.
  
• 10-11AM Full Staff Meeting.  We will meet at 10AM in room 409 to have our final staff meeting of the year on Tuesday.  In order to be released for the year, you have to be able to say yes to each of the following
• All Report Cards and Summer School letters were distributed and/or advisees were called.  For those students who did not show, you have put their report card and summer school letter in an addressed envelope.  Phone calls for Summer School were logged into Skedula.
• Classroom Clean Up is Complete and Your Room has been checked off by Admin.  Kiri/Val/Colleen/or Jen have signed off that your room is ok to go, meaning
• There is nothing on the walls or on the univentilators or windowsills
• There is nothing on the bulletin boards
• All materials are stored in boxes or closets
• All tech has been turned into George
• Gradebooks and Final Exams have been uploaded into the appropriate folders.
• Final Exams go HERE
• Gradebooks go HERE
• You have signed all Advance and CAR paperwork
• You have turned in your keys and received your deposits back

Important Dates

• Monday, 27JUN16.  High School Graduation, MS early dismissal at 11AM.
• Tuesday, 28JUN16.  Last day of school.  Students arrive only to pick up report cards and summer letter.  Students are dismissed from building at 10AM.

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

Per Session Posting

No new postings.