Week of November 28th

Save the Date for the Staff Holiday Party

UAI Staff News

Volume IV

Issue 13

Week of November 28th, 2016

This Week's Memories

Marsha, Phillan, Alison, Michael, and Martine
Belt It Out With the Back Street Boys
at Staff Karaoke

Save the Date: Friday, 16DEC16 

For our Annual Staff Holiday Party!

To Do's for this Week

• [THURSDAY, 01DEC16] World AIDs Day.  In an effort to help inform our school commnity, Alyssa and Wazina, along with the GSA, have worked on putting together different fact-based posters to be displayed throughout the building.  In addition, we will have a table set-up in the cafeteria during lunch to help educate our students around HIV/AIDs prevention.  Please drop by the cafeteria during lunch periods to show support!

• [FRIDAY, 02DEC16] First Lady Eagles Home Game.  Our first home game of our girls' basketball team will be this Friday at 4PM.  Come show Coach Elana and the Lady Eagles your support by coming to the game!

• [WEEK OF, 05DEC16] Positive Post-It Project. A la the positive notes left in the subways, UAI will be launching our own Positive Post-It campaign.  Details and logistics will arrive in emails this week. The goal is to have all of our students and staff share positive messages of peace, kindness and inspiration to our community. We will display the post-its in a mural in our lobby.

• [FRIDAY, 09DEC16] MP2 Ends.  Both MP2 and MP3 are short marking periods.  Marking Period 2 is only 18 days and Marking Period 3 is 24 days.  Marking Period 3 ends on January 24th for both Middle and High School.  It's important to make sure students understand the importance of these next few weeks of school with respect to their grades and performance.  Remember, marking periods are cumulative.  We will finally have 4 weeks of uninterrupted instruction.  Use this time to solidify your routines and create safe, predictable, and productive learning environments!

Announcements

Final SLC Report.  As of today, we fell a little bit short of our goal in completing at least 80% of our SLCs.  However, we did have 69% of our students complete SLCs with family members!  Many shout outs to all our staff who did make the goal.  Your efforts in reaching out to family members means so much to the success of our girls and our school!  Thank you! Next semester, we will be making adjustments to increase our family attendance!  Stay tuned for updates.

Consistency and Continuity.   For the first time since school started, we have four solid weeks of uninterrupted instruction.  This is the perfect time to reinforce social emotional learning strategies like SLANT and Accountable Talk Stems to develop them into internalized, routinized behaviors that fuel positive learning environments.  Additionally, the 2nd and 3rd marking periods are very short, so it is doubly important to keep updating Skedula at least weekly (as per the Staff Handbook) so that students can have means of tracking their performance in your classes.  When students are able to see the results of their efforts, we help them secure the growth mindsets that are essential for suceess. 

SEL Updates

The weeks leading up to the holiday season can be very stressful for students.  To maintain order and safety in the classroom, teachers need to be vigilant in upholding routines and classroom expectations.  When we, as the adults in the room, fairly follow through on classroom expectations and school rules, we create a predictable, rule-governed environment.  At the same time, we need to be sensitive to the stresses our students experience.  We need them to follow rules AND we want them to know we care.  Use empathetic speech when redirecting.  For example, "I know you must be hungry, but the school rules don't allow for food.  Please put that away."  Or, "You look upset right now.  Will you be able to try to focus on the lesson. After, I will check in with you during work time."

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Per Session Posting

No New Postings This Week

Week of November 21

UAI Staff News

Volume IV

Issue 12

Week of November 21st, 2016

This Week's Memories

Last week was packed full of activities.

Matthew works with Cheyenne, Kristal
& Amiinah (Class of 2023)

Alison has a blast working with
Reema & Donna (Class of 2023)

On Tuesday - Artisan Teaching Wow!  Alison and Matthew put together an amazing lesson on unit conversion and measurement. It was a true artisan lesson and all of their 6th graders were thoroughly and intellectually engaged for both their math and science periods.  Over 100 minutes of focus time for 10/11 year-olds is amazing and worth the celebration!

Erica (Class of 2017)
get a little help 

Ashanti, Niya, & Shaniah
(Class of 2017)
are hard at work with their families

Tuesday - Family Fafsa Night.  We had record breaking attendance at our annual FAFSA night. With the new earlier deadlines this year, it was extra important to get our families in early! Mara coordinated a robust crew of volunteers and partners to support our girls and their families, and now the Class of 2017 is well on their way to college!

Thursday & Friday - Our First Round of SLCs and Benchmarks went smoothly.  While we are still trying to reach our goal, I was happy to welcome 279 families into UAI.  Great work everyone!

Starlet (Class of 2017)
Ran Dance Security

Janna, Cijae, Samajae & shy Sahi
(Class of 2019) enjoy the Dance

Friday - First High School Dance.  Many thanks to Doris and Jen for weathering the storm that is dance organization, and many more thanks to the wealth of chaperones who stepped up to provide a fun evening for our girls.

Ruby, Mary, Kalila, & Uneeka (2018)
Give prospective parents & students
an overview of the school

Saturday - Open House for New Students.  Many thanks to Ms. Val for working all hours to put together and amazing event.  Big shout outs to all our open house volunteers (particularly the ones who pulled back-to-back shifts with the dance on Friday and the Open House on Saturday morning).  It was a well-attended event, and the interest in UAI is brewing!

To Do's for this Week

• [MONDAY, 21NOV16] Gradebook Upload.  Only three teachers have uploaded their gradebooks to the shared folder.  Please do this now.   Download your MP grades from Skedula.  CLICK HERE for directions on how to download your gradebook.   CLICK HERE to upload those gradebooks to our UAI google space.  Please make sure that you name your gradebooks as follows:  YOUR NAME_CLASS_GROUP_MP1_2016_17

• [WEDNESDAY, 30NOV16] Schedule all Advisor SLCs.  As a school, 60% of student-led conferences were completed as of today, 20NOV16.  Our goal is to complete at least 80% of our SLCs.  Many teachers held SLCs during allotted grading time and left early for parent teacher night.  This resulted in grading conflicts and low SLC completion.  Please try to complete as many SLCs as you can between now and next Wednesday.  Please do not schedule any SLCs after 5, and on Wednesday 22NOV, do not schedule any SLCs after 1:30.  Here are the results of our SLCs as of today:

• [WEDNESDAY 23NOV16] Benchmark Grades.  We weren't able to complete as much grading as originally planned because the SLC/grading conflict.  We'll fix that for next time.  For this round, please work on completing the grading during your professional periods this week.  You can suspend usual professional activities to do this.  If you need assistance, please reach out to Val or Joanna for help.  Grades should be uploaded to this document (CLICK HERE) by the end of the day on Wednesday.

Announcements

Snack Karaoke -  We will be doing our Karaoke Snacking on Monday, in lieu of Monday PD.  I changed my mind from Tuesday because these short weeks made it difficult to actually complete observations.  So, it seemed that Monday was the better choice for our Karaoke.  Don't go crazy on cooking (unless you want to).  Just bring your favorite snacks!  Stay tuned for the email on location.  We're trying to see if the cafeteria is available. 

SEL Updates

This is another short week, so no new updates from the SEL team.  However, the holidays can be particularly stressful times for our students (and us!).  Please keep your eyes open and reach out to students who are feeling stress.  Make sure that they know you care, and that you understand that holiday celebrations aren't always celebrations for all!

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Per Session Posting

No New Postings This Week

Week of November 14th

UAI Staff News

Volume IV

Issue 11

Week of November 14th, 2016

This Week's Memories

Last week was definitely one for the history books... and yes, I mean that literally!  On Monday, we all stood hopeful and inspired by the almost assured prospect of having our first female president. Being a school aimed at empowering young women, this was a big deal for UAI!  By Thursday, the world flipped on it's head and I was working with our best and brightest students to help them navigate being called the n-word while returning to UAI from the advanced college courses.

Racism is not new.  Sexism is not new.   The future for our young girls is even more complicated, now.  So, last Thursday, I sat down with Ms. Mara and Ms. Vanessa from Girls Inc. and discussed the event.  In the end, their grace, reflection, and spirit came up with the idea of a social media campaign. Tired of having everyone else tell them who they, the ladies of Group X are putting together their own pictures and blurbs to tell the world who they are.  Here's a sneak peak at Fatima's blurb:

I Define Me

Fatima Ejaz, Class of 2018

Who am I? Who are you? You are somebody to me, but I am nobody to you. I ask these questions everytime my soul touches the burning fire of hatred. Then I throw myself into an even more dangerous chasm of questions: Do the answers to these questions change me more or less? I am Fatima, which means a lot to me but is my name just more than just a name tag? 

"I am me" is way beyond banal to describe me! Yes, I am a  beautiful person, but beauty is obviously not comprehensive enough! As a human being, I inherit the very normal and common qualities of other normal human beings. However to myself, I am much more than just a normal human being: I am the like the waves of the ocean, serene, the Sun everyone must revolve around, the flaming curiosity of the universe.

Well as a 16 year old, I believe I can not define me, but I know the raw inside me. Honestly, I don't want to be defined. But if I go about defining me, I can definitely say that I am a girl, a tall and insecure girl, a tall and insecure, Muslim Pakistani girl, and the list goes on girl! 

To Do's for this Week

• [WEDNESDAY, 16NOV16] Schedule all Advisor SLCs.  All SLCs must be scheduled by Wednesday at 3PM.  If you do not have a working number, please see Nancy in the main office for the blue card. If no working number exists on the blue card, please note that in the comments section on the SLC Appointment sheet.  CLICK HERE to access the appointment sheet.

• [WEDNESDAY, 16NOV16] Grades are Due.  All grades must be submitted no later than 3PM on Wednesday, 16NOV16.  Do not be late.  Turn around for report cards is tight.  Ms. Jennifer already emailed you all directions for PADs and grades.  Ms. Jennifer will email you all the final report cards when she is complete.  Advisors should print report cards for their advises and distribute during SLCs.  

• [THIS WEEK and all weeks] Attendance Phone Calls.   Many of you are doing a wonderful job in making sure you get your calls complete.  Some are still not consistently making calls. It's been nearly 10 weeks since school started.  All teachers should have routines in place that enable them to complete calls, and enter them in Skedula before the days' end.  If your advisees do not make it to 2nd period on time, you must call home and enter the call into Skedula. Please make your calls to avoid getting a letter to file.  More importantly, please make your calls so that our families can see that we care.

• [THIS WEEK] Benchmark I.   CLICK HERE for resources (including schedule and groups) for Benchmarks.  Please review schedule with classes prior to Thursday.

Announcements

Gradebook Reminder -  To comply with DOE academic policies, we must archive our gradebooks. Please download your MP grades from Skedula.  CLICK HERE for directions on how to download your gradebook.   CLICK HERE to upload those gradebooks to our UAI google space.  Please make sure that you name your gradebooks as follows:  YOUR NAME_CLASS_GROUP_MP1_2016_17

Attendance -  Soon, you will be receiving an email regarding attendance.   Our attendance is slipping, and we need to stay on top of those calls to kids.  The attendance committee met if you have students who are severely absent (e.g. <85% attendance), you will no longer have to make calls home.  These cases will be handled at the school level. You'll be receiving an email shortly as to who those kids are.

In place, we're asking you to double down on your students who are at risk of becoming chronic (90-94% attendance) or who are chronic absentees (80-89%).  Please make sure that you not only call home when an advisee doesn't make it to 2nd period on time.  Also, make it a point to check in with her when she does return to school.  If kids know we care, they find ways of coming!

SEL Updates

No new SEL updates this week.  So, I'm going to use this space to pay homage to one of the greats. As if last week could get any worse, Leonard Cohen died.  Here's one of my favorite from him.

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Per Session Posting

No New Postings This Wek

Benchmark Resources

Benchmark Resources

Fall Benchmark Schedule

• Schedule CLICK HERE (link not live yet...check back Sunday night) to view the schedule and groups.  Please review.

• Student groups
• Once the testing modification kids are removed, the gen ed groups are quite small.  To make sure we have enough rooms, I've combined some groups.  
• B and C remain and the remaining kids in A are split between B and C
• O and P remain and M & N are combined
• Q, R, and S remain and Y is spread throughout the three 10th gr. groups
• U, V, and X remain and Z is spread throughout the three 11th gr. groups.
• Seniors only take the exams that they will be taking in January.
• The groups are listed in tabs on the schedule.

• Exam Copies. Middle School ELA and Math exams are being copied.  You will have copies by Thursday.  Nancy put High School Regent Exams in your mailboxes.  If you need more copies, please let Nancy know and we can ask the office interns to make more.

• Grading. This year we will be centralizing grading.  If you have scheduled an SLC during your scheduled grading time, that's fine.  You just need to return to the grading center after your SLC is complete.  The goal is that all teachers work collaboratively to complete grading of all the exams assigned to the grading room.  Here are the subject exam room assignments.  Teachers should see their schedule to see their grading assignment.

• Room 402 - All Math (middle and high).   
• Room 404 - Middle School ELA
• Room B35 - Social Studies (GLO/USH) and High School ELA 
• Room B31 - Science

Effective CR Groups

Effectively using Accountable Talk Stems to Support Collaborative Reasoning

Goals:  

• Teachers will understand how the rules of collaborative reasoning groups promote student collaboration, thinking, and social emotional growth.
• Teachers will be able to plan for and effectively execute CR groups, regularly.
• Teachers will understand how to effective CR groups to improve student capacity to pose questions and hold discussions.

Collaborative Reasoning Groups

Collaborative Reasoning Group Rules

1. Read aloud in sync. 
2. Breach.
3. Use Accountable Talk

Week of November 7th

UAI Staff News

Volume IV

Issue 10

Week of November 7th, 2016

This Week's Memories

6th Grade Ninja Turtles!            Class'13  Ashley & Tanya

 

                                                                                                   Mother/Daughter Spa Day

Halloween Spirit and a fabulous Mother-Daughter bonding were two amazing events that bookended our week.  Many thanks to the 6th grade team for showing us all what it's like to have school spirit! Many thanks a to Ms. Jen and Ms. Kree for organizing such a beautiful event.  They even brought out two alumni from our first graduating class to help out!

To Do's for this Week

• [TUESDAY, 08NOV16] Vote Early, PD Later.  Here's the agenda for Tuesday's PD.  We're starting later to accommodate voting early!  Polls open at 6AM.  Our PD begins at 9AM.  As a reminder, all citywide professional development days are 6 hours and 50 minutes.

• [THURSDAY, 10NOV16] Marking Period 1 Ends.  Thursday is the final day for grades to be counted towards the first marking period.  Marking Period 2 begins on Monday, 14NOV16.  MP1 grades are due at 3pm on Wednesday, 16NOV16. 

• [THIS WEEK] Schedule Parents for SLCs.   Student Led Conferences (SLCs) are on Thursday, 17NOV16 and Friday, 18NOV16.  Please reach out to your coach for protocols around SLCs.  All Advisors should begin scheduling SLCs this week and next.  Please use THIS DOCUMENT to record your scheduled SLCs

• [NEXT WEEK] Prepare for Benchmark I.   

Announcements

Marking Period Grades.  To comply with DOE academic policies, we must archive our gradebooks. Please download your MP grades from Skedula.  CLICK HERE for directions on how to download your gradebook.   CLICK HERE to upload those gradebooks to our UAI google space.  Please make sure that you name your gradebooks as follows:  YOUR NAME_CLASS_GROUP_MP1_2016_17

Superintendent Visit on Wednesday.  Superintendent Fred Walsh will be visiting our school on Wednesday.  This is not an official evaluative visit.  Rather, he wants to learn more about the work we are doing with coaching pairs (and our work with Ken around Artisan Teaching).  Though not officially on the agenda for Wednesday, classroom visits may occur at his request.   Please be prepared to share lesson plans if we come to visit.  If you are planning an assessment, please be prepared to share a copy of the assessment.  Thank you!

SEL Updates

Choosing to Learn.  Over the past week, SEL students focused on the value of an education, and how to enlist their academic support systems if they find they are struggling in classes. The girls discussed how education can help improve employment opportunities, how it can give you more freedom to do things you find interesting, and how it is an asset that cannot be lost or taken away from you. 6th graders drew posters to advertise the value of getting an education for their classrooms, and planned to use their posters to remember to apply themselves while in class. The 9th & 10th  grade dove deeper into discussing post secondary options, what schooling they will need for specific careers and the cost of attending. They also debunked myths about fame and other lifestyles that are being glamorized unrealistically.  Next week, students will begin discussing growth mindset, grit, and curiosity, and how changing their thinking will lead to positive academic gains.

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Per Session Posting

November 18th Dance Chaperones.  All chaperone positions for the 18th have been filled.  If you are still interested, please let me know and I will put you on the wait list.   Here are the chaperones:  Jamie, Damon, Cherry, Kristin, Cassandra, Michael Stu., Kristina C., Tiffany, Tom, Elena, and Sursattie.  Doris & Jen will be admin for the party.

November 19th Open House Staff.  All Open House staff have been selected for the 19th.  If you are still interested, please let me know!  We can always use more staff to support and recruit new students.  Here are the staff:  Kristin, Jamie, Cherry, Erick, Elena, and Phillan.  Kiri and Val will be admin for the open house.

Tuesday, 08NOV16 Professional Development

PD Agenda for Tuesday, 08NOV16
9:00-3:50PM

NOTE:  We are still finalizing the agenda.  Expect workshop descriptions and some movement in the agenda to occur.  The agenda will be finalized by Monday PM.

In this very important election year, I wanted to give you all time to go early to polls to vote. We're starting our day a little later to accommodate this.  Please be ready and in your seats by 9AM.

• 9:00-9:15 Overview for the Day (Breakfast Provided) 
• Goals for the Day:  
• Across all classrooms, increase consistency and efficacy of student use of key SEL skills like SLANT and Accountable Talk.
• Gather staff input on school progress to date (survey) and review important bring staff up to date with upcoming SLCs and Benchmarks.
• Provide clear expectations around lesson planning quality and across all classrooms, improve overall lesson quality and execution.

• 9:15-11:45 Workshop I
• Effectively using SLANT to Create Safe Learning Environments in Rm 409
• Annie, Anna, Cassandra, Christina, Elana, Elena, Erick, Jen, Jennifer, Jamie, Kristin, Kristina C., Lauren M., Meaghan, Michael Stu., Paula, Rebecca, Sursattie, Suzannah, Tom, and Tracy
• Effectively using Accountable Talk Stems to Support Collaborative Reasoning in Rm 405
• Alison, Brandon, Brodie, Cherry, Damon, Danielle, Ilyana, Joanna, Kerry, Lauren H., Lori,  Marsha,  Martine, Matthew, Mike Som., Natalie, Phillan, Tiffany

• 11:45-12:15 School Announcements & SLCs and Survey in Rm 409
• Click here for the Survey
• Click here for SLC appointment list

• 12:15-1:15 Lunch (on your own)

• 1:15-1:45 School Announcements & Benchmarks in Rm 409
• Click here for Benchmark Schedule

• 1:50-3:50 Lesson Planning Work Time (in rooms of choice)
• Sample Lesson Plan
• Literacy Design Collaborative
• Literacy Matters Video
• Student Work Rubrics and Disciplinary Expertise
  Templates for Creating Tasks
• Danielson Rubric