Week of November 2nd

UAI Staff News

Volume VIII

Issue 15

November 2nd, 2020

Principal's Message

Reset & Recharge.    This week is the last week of live instruction for the first marking period.  Next week you will have time to work with students, meet with families, and get caught up so that we can have a strong start to the second marking period and the rest of the year.

With so many fits and bumps to the beginning of this year, it was inevitable that some staff and students alike found challenge in keeping up with the pace of the year and creating a reliable routine.

As we draw to the end of the first marking period, now a prime time to pause and reset in preparation for the second marking period and the rest of the school year.

This week and next, help your students (and yourself) identify clear, concrete goals to achieve by the end of next Friday.  These goals should be in service of preparing students (and yourself!) to launch marking period two with a strong, fresh start!

Don't Forget To Scroll To the Bottom to See This Week's Per Session Postings

Birthdays This Week

Happy Birthday Cherry!!
Saturday, 07NOV20

Sunday, 01NOV: Fatima (11), 

Monday, 02OCT20:  Janiya (7), Tyshawna (9)

        Thursday, 05NOV20:  Jaydelle (9), Arifa (10)

Friday, 06NOV20:  Cynnia (9), Katherine (10), Sasha (12)

Reset Procedures.  In preparation for wrapping up MP1 and preparing for a strong, fresh start for MP2, teachers should do the following things:

• Advisors THIS WEEK
• Advisees Failing 2 or more courses.  If you have any student failing 2 or more classes, please connect with home to analyze the root of the problems and problem solve with families.
• Does the student have reliable access to a working iPad or UAI Chromebook?
• If no, email Courtney/Annie to coordinate pick up/tech service with Phil.
• Does the student have a routine at home and a working learning space for zooms?
• If no, work with the parents/family to support setting up a routine and space.
• If you need help with this conversation, please reach out to grade counselor for support (JJR = 6th/7th, Jen = 8th, Marni=9th, Danielle I=10th, Jen=11th Grade, Doris=12th Grade).
• If you have attempted to correct these issues and/or your attempts have failed, please reach out to Annie (via the parking lot, accompanied with what you've tried and what has happened).  Annie will then assign Courtney or Pauline for additional support.
• PLEASE NOTE:  Please use multiple forms of contact.  If you cannot reach home via email, use text. If text (or Remind) fails, call or zoom.  If email, text, calls, and zoom fail, then escalate.  Repeated email fails are not multiple attempts.  That is only email.  We have to try multiple methods.
  
  
• Advisees Passing All Classes.  For all your students who are passing their classes, celebrate them AND push them find ways to be even better for next marking period.  Counsel them to advocate with their teachers during office hours or via email.  Help them learn the skills of self-advocacy needed to enrich their skills and grow beyond "just passing" or "breezing through" to self-challenge and growth!

• Course Teachers THIS WEEK
• For ALL students in danger of failing.
• Analyze why are they failing?
• Are they coming to Live Zooms regularly?  
• If no, email Advisor for Tech/Home Routine support (log in Skedula)
• Are they coming to zooms but not turning in work OR are they coming to zooms but turning in work that is missing the mark?
• Are students coming to office hours?
• If no, call home.
• If yes and this is still not working, refer to Grade Small Groups
• For ALL students who are passing
• Provide feedback targeting 1 or 2 things students could do to improve performance in your course.  Celebrate their achievements, and encourage sustaining the work they've already done, too!

Preparing for Parent Conferences.  Advisors should all message home this week (and class teachers and in-person teachers should reiterate) that we will not be having in-person classes next week.  We are using that time for teachers to connect with students and families - both as advisors AND as classroom teachers.  

During the week of 09NOV, there is no new instruction.  However, there will be asynchronous lessons (enrichment for those who have already mastered MP1 standards, and re-teaching small group zooms for those who are still behind).  

• MONDAY 09NOV20 AND TUESDAY 10NOV20 - 8:30AM-2:50PM
• Classroom Staff Family Conferences
• Individual Zooms or Calls 
• For Students who are coming to Zooms, but still failing, schedule Live Zooms with the student and parent to discuss what support can happen at home and what the student should be working on to improve performance.
• Students who are not coming to Zooms should be referred to Advisors for tech or routine support (e.g. they're not waking up in time or their wifi is unreliable...etc)
• Emails or Remind Texts (or calls/zooms if preferred)
• For students who are passing, email (or use Remind) to provide families an update of students' progress and how they can improve (this is an opportunity to reiterate and underscore the improvement conversation you are having with students this week).
• Please be sure to COMBAT mediocrity!  We want all of our students to EXCEL to be their best (even in this situation which is far from ideal!).  Make sure to find ways families can help our students push beyond "just passing" to THRIVING! 

• WEDNESDAY 11NOV20
• NO SCHOOL - Veteran's Day
  
  
• THURSDAY 12NOV20 8:30AM-8PM and FRIDAY 13NOV20 8:30AM-2:50PM
• Advisor Family Conferences
• Individual Zooms or Calls 
• By the end of the day on Friday, 13NOV, all advisors should have successfully made contact and met with ALL advisees.  Please reach out to Annie/Kiri/Jen prior by the EOD Tuesday 03NOV20 if you have not been able to connect with an advisee.
• Advisors should focus on making sure all advisees have
• Working tech and reliable WiFi (UAI can provide if needed)
• Routines for Learning in Place at Home

Girls Inc Updates

This is a newly added section to the blog to help us connect with all the components of UAI in these physically isolated times!  Here are some updates from Girls Inc this week!!  Please help us push out these notifications to our students so they can know more about what's happening and get involved!

• Student Highlights: 
• Starasia Carvey - Hired to work as a assistant at the Boys & Girls Club 
• Yasmine Francois - Shoutout for being focused and driven in Daytime Class & Afterschool 
• Events
• This week we hosted a Fall Pumpkin Painting Event for Afterschool: 
• Kate Spade College & Career Panel:   Tuesday, October 27th 4:30pm 
• Opportunities: 
• Mentorship Medical Field Opportunity: 
• Girls Inc is partnering with Allergan to provide mentoring opportunities for girls interested in medicine.  Students have an opportunity to engage with physicians around their experience and how they got started in the medical field. 3 students will be selected to participate. 
• Kate Spade Hiring Opportunity 
• Kate Spade is hiring season workers for their foundation. Further information is soon to follow. 

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Per Session Postings

To Apply for any of the following per session opportunities, please COMPLETE THIS FORM and email the appropriate point person listed in this posting.  

Student Attendance and Academic Intervention Committee.  We are looking for at least one representative from each grade-team to meet help innovate and provide Tier 3 supports for students who are non-responsive to Tier 1 and 2 interventions provided to classroom staff.  Posting will close on November 9th.  To apply, email Kiri directly AND COMPLETE THIS FORM.

Student Newspaper Advisors.  Jen is looking to recruit teachers to be advisors and supports for a student run newspaper.  Hours will be 1-2 per week.  PLEASE NOTE - even if you have already been working with Jen on the Newspaper, you MUST apply to the posting if you wish to be paid.  Posting will close on November 2nd.  To apply,  email Jen directly AND COMPLETE THIS FORM.