Week of December 21st

 UAI Staff News

Volume VIII

Issue 22

December 21st, 2020

Principal's Message

This is the last blog post of 2020.  Looking at last year's blog post, it was pretty amazing to see exactly how much has changed for our community in the last 12 months.  

Looking back at last year's post, the goals are certainly things for which we still strive, but this year, our goals of connecting with one another, our students, and their families and holding together as we navigate the COVID Global Pandemic together.  The strength of our relationships is the core of what sustains us as we moved through this year.  It has not been easy, but through it all, we have pulled together to learn and teach our students and ourselves so many different things this year.

Please enjoy a look back...

 

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

Birthdays This Week

No Staff Birthdays this Week

Sunday, 20DEC:  Kemisha (10)

Tuesday, 22DEC: Trecie (8)

Wednesday 23DEC:  Adara (9)

Friday, 25DEC: Cynthia A (6), Luzmaria (7), Jazmine W (7), Wen (8) Alyra (10)

Saturday, 26DEC:  Ashley S (11)

Sunday, 27DEC:  Jacquelynn (9), Shante R (10), Isabella V (12)
Monday, 28DEC:  Cherrell (9)

                                     Tuesday, 29DEC:  Jidiann (8), Blessence (9)

                                                                                                               Wednesday, 30DEC:  Stephanie U (10)

                                                                                                        Thursday 31DEC:  Olivia W (8), Sania S (31)

                                                         

UAI Committee Updates.  

Staff Circles Committee (Members: Annie, Jennifer, Juelle, Marsha, & Nakita) No updates this week.

School Restructuring Committee (Members: Annie, Courtney, Jen, Kiri, Laura, Marsha, Nadine, Nina, and SarahM).  The SRC met on Monday and explored how the labels of "SPED" or "ENL" may be activating our unconscious biases.  The committee explored the immediate reactions we have when we first learn that students have IEPs or are learning English and how these reactions play out in our teaching and interactions with students.  This week, we are planning activities to engage staff in similar explorations for the next time we meet in January. 

The Equity Team (Suzannah, Nina, Elana, Kelly, Phillan, Annie, Nakita, Rebecca C, Damon, Ms. King (Kianna’s mom), Ms. Barnes (Alyssa’s mom), Ms. Martuscello (Veronica’s mom), Kianna King, Emily Payamps, Jerlai Tyner, Jamilah Alshawish, Salia Naschel).  The Equity Team just met to take a closer look at UAI's grading policy and grade books.  We were able to look at the grade books of students from each grade and found that there are vast differences amongst grade books.  Next, we ask that advisors share the Student Questionaire with their advisees next week to gather more qualitative data about how students experience and perceive the UAI grading policy.  We are still looking to further analyze data to identify the root cause of the disparities of grades and grade inflation between our Black and Latinx students and white and Asian students.  

Connections & Celebrations.  This upcoming break will be the longest break away from our students since the summer.  It is a time to recharge and relax, but before we sign off on 2020, please make time this week with your students to connect, take stock, and celebrate what you have been able to collectively achieve as a learning community this fall.  A simple prompt in the chat, pear deck slide, or even a whip around (ask students to pass the "talking" piece off to a peer - use the protocols we use in Circles to support the experience).   It is so easy to focus on the things that are hard and that are problematic.  It takes discipline and intention to remember the accomplishments and to celebrate them.  When we do make that time, we nourish our hearts, minds and souls!  So, make time for some celebrations this week!

 

>>REPOST<< Weekly Grade Upload.  As a reminder, please upload your grades by the end of the day on Monday.  At this point, students should have at least 2 participation and 2 progress grades, and at least 1 performance posted up into Skedula.  As a reminder, this does NOT mean 5 assignments necessarily.  Individual assignments can have multiple grades.  For example, a single summative assessment could have participation grade (yes/no - for completion), a progress grade (how well did they implement feedback to show growth), and performance evaluation (how well did they master the content/skills being assessed).  

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.  

No postings this week

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