Week of April 12th

UAI Staff News

Volume VIII

Issue 36

April 12th, 2021

Principal's Message

This week is the final week of the 3rd marking period.  The 4th Marking Period will be shorter than the other marking periods, and the SRC will finalize the schedule during our meeting tomorrow so that we can get the final End-of-Year calendar to everyone this week.

Much has been written about the gaps and deficits that expanded during this year of COVID.  However, as Annie & I are meeting with each of you in our summative teacher evaluations, we are hearing countless stories of achievement and growth.  In short, what we used to value and seek out as excellence before the pandemic was linked to standards and assigned significance of a different time.  This pandemic has shown us many things, but with respect to instruction, while we haven't covered as much content as pre-COVID state standards dictate, we have all definitely delved deeper than ever into investing in our relationships with students & families and we have refined our skills at uncovering and better understanding students struggles and hurdles to learning. 

As we wrap up this 3rd marking period and prepare for the final grading period, I recognize the question many of you have around grade standards and students achievement.  When we step back and think about it, there is no student in our building this year that mastered all the content that is outlined by NY State Standards.  However, that doesn't mean that we failed.  The NYS standards were build for another era - not one that was mostly remote, physically isolated learning.  Therefore, that metric is the wrong metric, and as a result the state exams are the wrong tools - even the state and city recognize this.

So, it's time for us to do the same.  Assess student achievement with an eye to the current context of learning.  What have students done and achieved that may not be currently measured by NYS standards (because they have yet to catch up to a world where nearly 100% of students are now learning through technology)?  As you move into MP4, what are the key skills and knowledge required for students to begin next year with the strongest footing and the best chance to accelerate their growth (for example, now is the time to push on skills (closing learning gaps, extending critical thinking, etc.).  

The goal is to end the year honoring what our students have achieved in light of incredible challenge and to provide them with clear, honest, and forthright feedback about what they need to do in order to continue to maximize their growth.   In so doing, you will also find ways to honor your own achievements and hone in on the areas where you, too, want to continue to grow.

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

Birthdays This Week

No Birthdays this week!

If you have a Bday this week, I don't have it on my calendar!

Send me an email So I can Add it!

Student Birthdays

Sunday, 11APR21:  Ashley GC (9)

Monday, 12APR21: Abigail P (11)

Tuesday, 13APR21: Ayama P (10)

Wednesday, 14APR21: Krimson (8), TiaYana (8), Hikari (6)
             Thursday, 15APR21: Jamia D (15)

 Saturday, 17APR21: Kiara C (8)

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 agendas & minutes are always open for staff access.  The SRC will be finalizing the EOY calendar for sharing out to staff on Tuesday, and we will be reviewing our progress on planned goals and work to share back with staff in next week's blog.

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).   This week the Equity Team met with teacher leaders from The Unison school to pick their brains about their recent grading policy change.  The Unison school is also working towards a mastery-based grading approach and just embarked on implementing grading policy changes this year.  The UAI Equity Team has started drafting our new grading policy and will test the mastery-based grading approach starting the 4th quarter with some of the 10th-grade teachers. Also on Friday during Grade Teams, we will announce changes to the Participation category in the grading policy that will be starting the 4th quarter.  Based on our research and feedback from the staff we have found that the participation grade is highly subjective to implicit bias and removing it is one step we can take to increase equity in our grading policy.  Please see the attached agenda slideshow to review our notes on the readings.   

 

Ramadan Begins. On Monday (12APR), the period of fasting, reflection and community commemorating revelation of the Q'uran begins for many of our Muslim students and families.  During this time, many of our students will be fasting throughout the day with only two meals (suhoor - an early morning pre-fast meal and iftar - the meal breaking the daily fast at sunset).  Many of our young students will be at home participating in family events throughout this month, and we should certainly increase communication and flexibility to this month to help our students successfully complete quality work.  This week, check in with your students to see if they have any special needs during this month and work with them and families to support them all during Ramadan.

Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Last Thursday (08APR21) was Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Over 60 years ago, WWII ended and nearly 2/3 of the Jewish population (nearly 6 million people) lost their lives to the atrocities of Nazi Germany.  Today, we continue to see atrocities and genocide occur, remembering and connecting the suffering of those at the hands of others convinced of their "right" can be emotionally weighty and difficult, but simultaneously, turning away only adds to the persistence of this in our world.  This week, I encourage you to first take time to educate yourself more about the Holocaust (if you don't already feel well-versed).  The connections of the suffering of Jews in Nazi Germany to the suffering and genocide of cultures that came before them (African Diaspora & Slavery and the Eradication of Native American Peoples) and after (the Rwandan genocide of 1994) are many, and demonstrate what happens when those in power are able to proceed unchecked.  In the end, the study of the Holocaust and remembering what happened to the millions who dies is the study of stopping it from happening again.  So, this week, make time to first education and deepen your understanding in remembrance of the Holocaust.  Then, make time in advisory this week during a circle to remember the events and actions of a period in history that can never be repeated again.

The Peer Mentoring Team (Damon, Emma, Jelissa, Kristina, Laura, Nina, Phillan, and Krystal - Girls Inc.)  
The Peer Mentoring Team has successfully launched the Peer Mentoring program! Mentors have been selected from all grades and they began meeting and training as mentors on March 8th. The week before break they were matched with and met their mentees to create a weekly check in schedule and collaborate on where their mentee needs support. A HUGE thanks to all of you who have been referring mentees to us and encouraging them to take the big step of reaching out and accepting support from a peer. The team could not have launched this without you and the students will ultimately be the beneficiaries of all of your collaboration and work behind the scenes.   Going forward we will be contacting you about mentees who are your advisees who may not be connecting with their mentors. It takes a village, and your ongoing support and encouragement of mentees to stay engaged with their mentor will be a crucial role we will all play in making this a successful and sustainable program that we can continue to expand next year. The team is already talking about ways to expand and refine the program next school year and the future looks exciting! 

School Opening.  The results of the opt-in survey  are in, and all names have been added to the program. This week, we need your help to finalize all changes so that we can welcome back all students on Monday 19APR21.

• Names in Blue.  According to the survey, several students have opted back in.  However, I do know that there have been conversations that may supercede what they put on the survey. The problem is, I don't know which is most current.  Your conversation or the survey.  Accurate lists are key to creating the program.  So, unless we hear from you otherwise, we'll assume that the list that we have is accurate.  So, advisors, by EOD on Tuesday, 13APR21, please do the following:
• Look at the "Student Groups & Advisors" tab on the Spring 2021 Program. 
• For the students in blue, please confirm with the (1) they want to be in person, and (2) the number of days (4 is assumed) they want to come in.
• Also review all of your students.  Please make sure the lists are accurate.  
• If you see something that needs to be updated, please record your notes on the tab called "Advisor Notes 13APR21"
• Program Changes. As I announced in Grade Team meetings, all staff who are not currently on staff accommodations should expect to report back to school on Monday, 19APR21, the 1st day of MP4.  As I receive notifications of student list changes, this will mean that teacher programs may change. Continue with your current programs as is this week.  You will see changes happening in live time, but these changes will not go into action until Monday, 19APR21.

Post Grades Weekly. Please review the UAI grading policy and make time in your week to grade and provide feedback to students each week.  Grades should be posted weekly, as a reminder.

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.  

Summer College Advisor

This position is for 48 hours this summer to work with bridging students to college and supporting

11th grade onboarding to the college application process. Must be a DOE pedagogue and have

college counseling expertise. Please complete per session interest form and email Kiri.

Graduation Assistants.

Position Closed: Staffed to Danielle R and Jen

Summer School Per Session Post.

We are still looking for teachers, but here are the postings so far.

Please complete the per session interest form and email Kiri by March 23, 2021. 

• 2 Administrators (Must have Admin certification) - Marsha & Brodie

• 1 Teacher Coordinator of Summer School - Kelly

• 4-7 Teachers (subject to student enrollment): Suzannah, Nadine, Cherry, Joey

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