Week of February 5th

UAI Staff News

Volume V

Issue 22

February 5th, 2018

[School Days 97-101]

Highlights and Spotlights

Elana Green coaches a room of badminton.  Annie and I had the pleasure of observing Ms. Elana with her class of 10th graders this week.  The 10th grade presents some of the most challenging behaviors for this week's social norms reset, but in Ms. Elana's class they (~40 of them) worked together productively, respectfully, and actively trying to figure out the best moves to improve their game.  Ms. Elana artfully provided clear directions and was very explicit about her expectations for performance and behavior.  Elana's direction, clarity of performance expectations, and follow through with feedback created a wonderful learning environment.  Visit her in the gym this week to get some ideas for your own classroom!

Judy Cappuccio preps juniors for the SAT.  Ms. Judy and the juniors launched their SAT prep unit this week.  Ms. Judy took the idea of the Zone of Proximal Development and adapted it in kid-friendly language to help students understand their own capacity and master the source of their anxiety when it comes to testing.  Visit Judy in room B45 this week to learn more & grow ideas for your own practice! 

Lady Eagles Home Game. The final game of the Lady Eagles regular basketball season in on Wednesday 07FEB18 at 4:30PM.  This is a very important game for our Lady Eagles as they face off against the John Jay Campus. John Jay is the only team that our Lady Eagles have lost to this season and this their chance to turn that loss into victory!  Adams Campus policy is such that we do not allow external spectators, so often our home games lack strong fan support.  This is the game to see and this is the game for which our team needs the most support.  Please encourage our students to come by announcing it in your classes this week.  Make a point to show your school spirit by coming to the game yourself!

To Do This Week

Superintendent Visit.  This Thursday is our next PPO visit.  This time around our superintendent, Fred Walsh will be visiting.  For the visit, I want to highlight our work in planning, particularly around student discourse.  For Thursday, please complete a narrative lesson plan that clearly articulates your "Look Fors" in red.  The "Look Fors" should represent your best thinking in response to the questions/tasks you put to the students and represent a clear picture of your assessment criteria.  For Thursday, please make sure to plan multiple opportunities for student-student discourse (e.g. Turn and Talk) and use the Rigorometer to review your lesson for rigor.  Use planning time this week to rehearse Thursdays' lessons to further improve quality and performance.


PPO Visit Schedule.  Below is the proposed schedule I am submitting to Fred.  However, depending on what Fred decides, we may end up in other classrooms. So even if your name is not on the list, please be prepared.

• 8:00-8:50AM:  Initial Meeting with Kiri, Annie, and Fred

• 8:30-9:25AM:  1st Period Classroom Visits
• 8:50-9:05AM: 8th Grade Math (H), Ms. Cherry 
• 9:05-9:20AM: 7th Grade History (E), Ms. Natalie
• 9:20-9:30AM:  Debrief 1st Period Visits

• 9:35-10:00AM:  2nd Period Classroom Visits
• 9:30-9:45AM:  12th Grade AP English Language, Ms. Rebecca
• 9:45-10:00AM:  11th Grade Environmental Science (U), Mr. Tom

• 10:00-10:30:  Debrief Classroom Visits and Discuss Progress Towards CEP Goals
• 10:30-11:15AM: 3rd Period Classroom Visits
• 10:30-10:45AM:  9th Grade CC Algebra I, Ms. Jamie
• 10:45-11:00AM:  9th Grade US History, Ms. Kelly

• 11:00-11:30AM:  US History Lesson Rehearsal
• 11:00-11:15AM:  Meet with Annie & Kiri 
• 11:15-11:30AM:  Observe first part of the meeting

Monday PD - Final PLOP Monday.  This Monday's PD we will finish our final PLOPs for the year.  Please come to room 409 with your computer to finish these.  CLICK HERE and select the tab called "05FEB18 Final PLOPs" to see who is on your docket for Monday.

Parent Outreach Tuesday.  By now, you should have called all your advisees who failed two or more classes and/or who have less than 90% attendance for the year.  Those calls should be logged into Skedula, and you should have made contact with a family member (in person conversation).  We'll be going into Skedula this week to check that you were able to make contact.  If you were unable to do so, please see Brodie and he will help you!  This Tuesday, please make time to call home to celebrate advisees!  Call the ones who passed all their classes or have >90% attendance.  OR call the ones who had the biggest improvement - either socially or academically!  Whichever it is, it will make them feel great, make their families feel awesome, and it will warm your heart!  Don't forget to log these calls in Skedula too! Click Here to read a short article on the power of positive phone calls

Per Session Postings

After School Teachers.  Girls Inc After School will be starting up again soon. This is the call out to teachers to work in our after school program.  Teachers should teach a passion project for after school.  Priority given to course ideas linked to STEM.  Please see Ms. Vanessa if interested in the Girls Inc Offices in Room 205 (offices inside the library).  There are limited spots so go quickly.

After School Test Prep.  We will be offering after school Test Prep for the MS ELA test beginning the week after the break.  Students who scored a level 1 or 2 on last year's exams will be slated for after school.  To maximize attendance and retention throughout the exam prep process, priority will go to teachers who already have strong positive relationships with these students.

Middle School Interviews.  Middle School interviews are this Saturday. Jen emailed about this event a few weeks ago.  If you are still interested, please see Jen.