Week of January 25th

UAI Staff News

Volume VIII

Issue 27

January 25th, 2021

Principal's Message

As we bring this semester to a close, each of you have worked so hard to reach through the silica screens to connect with and challenge our students.  Each day, you have wracked your minds to find new ways to help our students achieve the standards you have set.

Yet, each day, I know if feels as if it is just not enough.  Each day, I know I ask more of you and you feel overwhelmed and frustrated.  That sense of endless giving for little reward can be oppressive and darkening to your efforts and mood.

However, each day I see what is hard for you to see.  I see your faces, your love, and your care shine through the screens to your students.  I hear our families speak of the warmth and care our staff has when you reach out to them.  I can witness this easier than you.  As the amazing Ms. Gorman said, "There is always light if you are brave enough to see it."  I imagine that for each of you it is hard to see the light, because you are the light.  

So, today, as we begin our pivot to the Spring Term, I want to pause and be your mirror and encourage you to be brave enough to see yourself through the eyes of our students and families.  You are the light in their darkness!  You are the one who brings the structure of normalcy (classes, learning...and school).  You are the light who brings warmth and love when you call home and when you put firmly push for excellence - as Dr. Carrerra always called it - your firmth!  You are the light that brings reason and sense to their world that has been upended, blended, and just plain crazy.

Next week, we begin the Spring term and take our steps on the path back to some normalcy.  Make sure to create time to tend to your light and to be brave and strong enough to let it blaze fiercely.  You are leading us all back to a more just, culturally responsive, and enriching learning environment!  This Spring, allow yourself the joy of exploring the possibilities of teaching & learning and push yourself to achieving true wonder in your classes.   That is when your light shines brightest and when your students and our families find inspiration, love and support to grow and achieve!

 

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

There's QUITE A FEW NEW ONES this week!!!

Birthdays This Week

No Staff Birthdays This Week

Wednesday, 27JAN:  Bashair (6), Sapphire (8)

Thursday, 28JAN:  Jamara (6)

Friday, 29JAN:  Aysha A (8)

Saturday, 30JAN:  Elysia (10), Haneen (10)

                                                         

UAI Committee Updates.  Please see updated dates for Spring 2021 Staff Meetings.

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 will meet on Monday 25JAN to review plans for moving forward with Sub Committee work on Hiring, Scheduling, and Thinking about what to Keep from our Lessons learned during COVID and Remote Learning.

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 met on Tuesday 1/19 to compare 8th grade ELA and Math Scores and GPA to ELA and Math Regents Scores and GPA throughout high school.  We identified that most students who enter UAI in 9th grade do make academic gains, but there is still disproportionality between our Black and Asian students' grades.  

We continue our work by breaking off into two teams to do research.  One group will be reading Fair Isn't Always Equal to explore and discuss what it means to equitable grade.  The other group will work with students and teachers to interview about our current grading policy and how it is implemented.

Last Chance!  Thank you to all who provided feedback on the Grading, Zoom, and Google Classroom Policies.  We got 32 responses!!  There's still a few more that we would like to hear from.  Please take a minute to complete this survey as soon as you can!

NX Communication.  MP2 ends this Wednesday, 27JAN21.  For any students who will be receiving an NX for your course, please make sure to do the following by Friday 29JAN21:

1. Please contact home and discuss with the families why the student has not yet met course standards and what they need to do in MP3 in order to meet standards by the end of MP3.
2. For any family that you are unable to speak to, please let Kiri, Annie or Jen know and we will provide you with assistance and support.  It's super important that you have conversations with families so that they understand why their child is not yet passing and they understand what they can do to better support learning at home!

 

Weekly Grade Upload.  This week, please work on finalizing MP2 grades.  If you can upload grades from last week, great!  If not, prioritize finalizing MP2 grades for upload into Skedula and for submission into PADs by next Monday.

Planning Ahead.  As you prepare to plan for the Spring Term, remember to be the light!  You are sanctioned to take a break from the "typical" curriculum path.  On Friday Pedro Noguera tweeted a quote that perfectly encapsulates the why this is so important now.

Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine the world anew. This one is is a portal between one world and the next. We can walk through dragging our prejudice and hatred, or we can walk through ready to imagine a new world.- Arundhati Roy (author of The God of Small Things)

No one is mandated to work collaboratively on interdisciplinary projects, but all are actively encouraged to find ways to take advantage of the current state of the world.  Whether is it within your discipline or alongside a peer, reach through the world's current events to maximize the relevance of the historical moment we are all living through to hook the excitement and engagement of our students.  Here are some ideas that Annie & I have had the opportunity to discuss with teachers during check-ins in the last couple of weeks.

• How do vaccines work and how is the COVID vaccine a huge scientific leap forward (and very different) from traditional vaccines?  How can I educate my community to better understand and thus feel safer about taking the vaccine when it becomes available?
  
  
• What is the "Point of No Return" when it comes to climate change?  Why do they describe it so and how close are we really?  How do we know? What can I as a young person do to help reverse our trajectory towards this point?
  
  
• How have the structures and laws put in place by America's "Founding Fathers" created the institutionalized racism that exists today? What changes need to happen today to demolish these structures and rebuild a more equitable and just nation?
  
  
• What impact does social isolation have on mental health?  What are the symptoms of these impacts and what can I do to support myself and my community in rectifying these negative impacts?
  
  
• What is the socio-economic impact of a college education for black and brown students living in poverty?  How can I know if college is a good investment for me and my family?

There's a bajillion other things to do.  You could analyze Amanda Gorman's speech in your English classes, take a deep dive into the Impeachment process, or study the Paris Climate Accords.  You could analyze the impact on of COVID on communities of color and conduct a research project on why that is and what needs to happen to ensure that those same communities are not further oppressed as vaccination begins to be more wide-spread.  Allow yourself to dream, and then reign it in to make it achievable and exciting for you and your students!  Above all, if you find something that excites and inspires you, you'll be giving yourself a little chicken soup for your own soul, and in so doing, you'll be strengthening your light!

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.  

Peer Mentoring Program.  In a dual effort to provide students with academic support AND opportunities for leadership, we are launching a peer-mentoring program.  We are looking for 1-3 staff members to develop & lead this program that will be able to provide students with academic support from peers as well as provide students with leadership and mentoring experience.  In addition to building academic and mentoring skills, the goal of this program is to build student relationships and school community.  Please complete the per session form and email Annie with your interest.  Hours will range from 1-3 hours per week per staff member. Posting closes 01FEB.

Summer School Curriculum Writers.  In preparation for summer school, we need teachers to work collaboratively to write units and lessons plans for summer school NX students.  These curriculum writers will be expected to work 1-2 hours per week to meet/write/review units and lesson plans for the summer.  The goal will be to have fully complete lessons that can be reviewed with summer school staff by Monday, 14JUN21.  The team will be working on core subjects and working in conjunction with Annie and Kiri.  There will be 4-6 positions available.  Posting closes on 25JAN21.  Please complete the per session form and email Kiri to apply. Posting closes 25JAN.

SRC Sub Committees.  Positions Staffed

Applied: Scheduling Subcommittee - Damon, Brodie, Jean COVID Lessons Learned - Damon

Staffed: Scheduling Subcommittee - Damon, Brodie, Jean COVID Lessons Learned - Damon

Data Team.  The Equity Team and SRC are in need of data support.  We need a team of folks who have experience with basic functions in excel (using formulas, sorting, filtering, creating charts, etc.) and have a willingness to learn to master DOE data platforms (ATS, STARS, New Visions Data Portal).   The job will be to access DOE data platforms to pull requested data (as requested by the Equity Team or SRC) and use tools (like Excel) to present that data in accessible formats for the Equity & SRC teams and for the staff and community in general.  Hours will vary as needed, but will average at 1-2 hours per week (in training and working).  Posting is open through 25JAN, please complete the per session interest form and email Kiri if interested. Posting closes 25JAN.

Academic Skill Development Advisory Lesson Developer. The Counseling Team is looking for on person to help create advisory lessons that will support student academic skill building. Topics include, but are not limited to: Navigating GC efficiently, How to use Google Calendar to support time management and work submission, How to Navigate Pupil Path to support Informed decision making. The Ideal candidate will create at least 1 unit of lessons (8-10 lessons) . Lessons must include both the lesson plan for advisors and accompanying slides and student activities. Approx 20 hours of per session total. Posting closes on 25JAN. Please complete the per session interest form and email Jen if interested. Posting closes 25JAN.

Black History Month Community Activity Submissions. The Culture Committee is beginning to plan Black History Community Activities and we are looking for a wider range of staff voice and ideas. If you would like to help plan a community event for February, please complete the per session form ASAP. This year’s theme for Black History Month this year is: The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity. Approx 10 hours of per session total per position with a minimum of two positions. Posting closes 25JAN.

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