UAI Staff News
Volume VIII
Issue 44
June 7th, 2021
Principal's Message
Final Weeks. This week we wrap up the culminating projects. We are well into the process of landing the ship, and putting an endpoint on this rollercoaster year!
On Tuesday 08JUN21, there are no instructional classes (neither culminating activities nor advisory), so staff should use the time to connect with students in need of support and also use time to do daily communication with families about student progress. Looking through your logs and hearing your meeting discussions on Friday, it's definitely evident that your efforts are having impact! For sure, there are always going to be those we have yet to find a way to reach, but equally certain, there are those who are beginning to thrive under your attention and support. Keep it up because it's working and they need you!
Attendance: All advisors are responsible for logging daily attendance by 2PM. If you have not heard from one of your advisees by 10AM, please reach out to check in, make sure they are engaging in their assigned activity for the day, and mark them present.
NX Classes: All NX classes proceed as normal through June 17th.
NX Students not in NX Classes: Teachers should be reaching out daily to students who currently have an NX in their class. Encourage students to attend in-person if they can. Work with students and families to analyze what support is needed for student, and then provide the support required to ensure the student successfully completes the course by the end of June. June IS summer school for your courses this year.
Recruit for Summer FUN! This year, summer school is about exciting, re-engagement into school. Screens have a way of taking the joy out of learning, especially for those who struggled the most with remote learning. This summer, we want to re-engage and re-ignite the love of learning in our students (and especially the ones who suffered the most during pandemic learning). Please encourage all of your advisees to join summer FUN at UAI this summer!
Remaining Dates for the Year
- Week of June 7th
- 4. Monday 07JUN - All Except 8th Grade - Science Cumulative Activity Day
- 8th Grade Cap & Face Shield Decorating via Zoom!
- **. Tuesday 08JUN - NO CLASSES - Grading Day for Teachers
- 12th Grade Senior Awards Ceremony via Zoom!
- 5. Wednesday 09JUN - All except 8th - SOC Cumulative Activity Day
- 8th Grade Meet Up at Brooklyn Bridge Park Roller Rink 10AM-12PM
- 6. Thursday 10JUN - Grade Specific Assignments
- 6th/7th Grade - Advisory Circles @12:10PM
- 8th - SOC Cumulative Activity Day
- 9th Grade - PE Culminating Activity Day
- 10th Grade - Spanish Culminating Activity Day
- 11th Grade - Theater Culminating Activity Day
- 12th Grade Graduation Box Pick Up & Cap/Face Shield Decorating @ UAI
- 7. Friday 11JUN - Grade Specific Assignments
- 6th & 7th Grade - PE Culminating Activity Day
- 8th Grade - Science Cumulative Activity Day
- 9th-11th Grade - Advisory Circles at 12:10PM
- 12th Grade: PE/Health Culminating Activity Day
- Week of June 14th - Vaccine CAMPAIGN WEEK
- 8. Monday 14JUN - Grade Specific Assignments
- 8th-11th Grade Adv. - VACCINE INFO ZOOM SESSION w/ Ms. Kiri @1:15PM
- 8th Grade Baby Pics Guess Who & Trivia Zoom - Time TBD
- 9. Tuesday 15JUN - Grade Specific Assignments
- 9th-11th Tech Collection Day for These Advisories
- Brodie, Cassandra, Emma, Rebecca C, Tiffany
- Danielle I, Nadine, Rachel
- Damon, Joey, Suzannah
- 12th: Senior Picnic Meet Up and Yearbook Signing Brooklyn Bridge Park @12PM
- 10. Wednesday 16JUN - Grade Specific Assignments
- 9th-11th Tech Collection Day for These Advisories
- Christina, Marni, Nina, Rebecca F
- Elena, Elana, Jean, Nakita
- Danielle R, Judy, Tom
- 12th Grade: Final Advisory Circle
- **. Thursday 17JUN - NO CLASSES for 8th-12th
- 6th/7th Grade Advisory. - VACCINE INFO ZOOM SESSION w/ Ms. Kiri @1:15PM
- **. Friday 18JUN - NO SCHOOL- JUNETEENTH!
- LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL - No classes for grades 8-12th (Regents Week)
- 11. Monday, 21JUN -
- 6th/7th Advisories at 12:10PM
- Mon/Tue In Person staff - clean out classrooms, lockers, mailboxes
- We're cleaning out ALL lockers & mailboxes & closets.
- Secure & Label everything you do not want tossed.
- 12. Tuesday, 22JUN -
- 6th/7th Advisories - Asynch (take attendance)
- Mon/Tue In Person teachers - 8th Graduation Assignments for All In person staff
- See email from Kelly & Team for assignments
- 13. Wednesday 23JUN
- 6th/7th Advisories at 12:10PM
- Wed/Thu In Person staff - clean out classrooms, lockers, mailboxes
- We're cleaning out ALL lockers & mailboxes & closets.
- Secure & Label everything you do not want tossed.
- 14. Thursday 24JUN
- 6th/7th Advisories - Asynch (take attendance)
- ALL In Person staff - 12th Graduation Assignments for All In person staff
- Mon/Tue staff DO come into UAI on Thursday 25JUN for Graduation
- See email from Kelly & Team for assignments
- Optional Staff Celebration at Randolph Bar
- Details TBD - but come and celebrate the end of the year after graduation ceremonies - purely voluntary!
- 15. Friday 25JUN
- Last day of school
- Remote ONLY
- Final Staff Meeting at 9AM
- Final Advisory Circles for All students at 11AM
- Then - ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't Forget To Scroll To the Bottom to See This Week's Per Session Postings
Birthdays This Week
Emma, Wednesday 09JUN
Jamie, Friday 11JUN
Student Birthdays
Monday, 07JUN: Ariel B(8)
Friday, 11JUN: Monet (12), Kaliyah J (7)
Saturday, 12JUN: Assia D(12), Adriana NH(6)
Committee Updates
Our final assessment of the work we have done in our committees and as a community showed overall improvement in our drive to moving UAI into an Anti-Racist and Fully Inclusive School. Here are some of the Key Take Aways from Thursday's workshops:
That our school is doing MUCH better than even just last year, but that there is also a lot of work to be done.
One significant take away is that we have ALL been working to make our school anti-racist and more equitable. It takes time, and [lots] of mistakes, but we are working toward something greater.
Evidence-based PDs are great! They really force you to get beyond your own biases of what the school is and how its running to come to supportable conclusions. In this case, it seems that we have made a clear move from a 3 to a 4 (ie we are identifying areas of need/reflection) and are beginning to make moves to remedy those areas we have identified (ie moving to a 5). Although there is a lot more work to be done, I hope the staff reflects on our work positively.
There have been some significant positive steps toward becoming an antiracist organization, but there are several barriers that still stand in our way. The next steps are CRUCIAL, and we have to show concrete progress; we can no longer claim to be laying the groundwork or taking steps in the right direction, we have to actually show more structural change.
Things are changing, but there is so much still to talk about and restructure. For example, what is our position on standardized testing and is that reflected in our systems? How do we want grades to look if we aren't looking for a normal distribution? How do we balance rigor and high expectations with the desire to see all our students get As and Bs? (like should B be the average grade? If everyone is getting an A is that evidence that the work was too easy or that everyone is excelling? How are we measuring success?) How are we going to partner with other organizations to help dismantle oppressive systems in our local communities, in our state, our country, etc.
Announcements and To Do
NYC School Survey. We are making great progress and are almost all a the goals. Please review the survey SHEET to see your own progress towards goals and to review which of your students & families have completed the survey. Please reach out this week to get at least 3 families and 90% of your advisees to complete by Friday 11JUN.
<<REPOST>> Summer Rising. We have the opportunity to return to school better, and that first opportunity is with our summer programming. It will be a long path back for our students to return to remembering what in-person school was really like, and we want summer to be the first taste of remembering that school can be fun and yes, it's cool to love learning! Please also announce in Advisory and Talk it Up as an opportunity for students!
For now, all programs are in-person. We really want kids to come into the building and re-experience how much fun in-person learning can be. We may have remote options...but that is still very much TBD. In Person learning is the priority. It will be safe (all existing protocols in place AND have weekly testing).
We have three summer offerings for students.
Octavia Project: A summer STEAM camp for Middle School students (female/female-identified/non-binary) focused on developing their creative inquiry through STEM projects with creative lenses. In addition the Octavia Project incorporates near-peer leadership opportunities, guest speakers, and leadership development throughout the summer program. This program is open to all current 6th-8th graders and incoming 5th graders. Visit the Octavia Project to Learn morePLEASE CONTACT MARSHA for directions on how to apply.
Girls Inc Summer Camp: A summer empowerment camp for Middle School Students (female/female-identified/non-binary) focused on developing our young people to become Strong, Smart and Bold! This summer's programs will be "Girl Boss" focusing on financial literacy, "Wellness Lounge" focusing on developing SEL skills, and "Summer Sports" which will be an exploration in various outdoors activities. In addition, Girls Inc is planning a wide variety of trips, speakers, and career exposure activities. This program is open to all current 6th-8th graders and incoming 5th graders.
PLEASE CONTACT MARSHA for directions on how to apply.
Schools for Kids by Kids: This homegrown summer seminar program was developed and will be taught by UAI staff. In this program, students will be invited to research and study how schools are currently structured, rethink how schools should be structured, abolish the structures that should no longer be there, and create an action project to make the changes they would like to see. You can talk to Rachel, Judy, Joey, or Nakita to learn more about the work! This program is open to any current 8th (or incoming 9th) through 12th gradesSIGN UP. https://forms.gle/ERx4r8F9RucKMZyA7
MP4 Log of Support. Continue working on the MP4 Log of Support. For ALL students who have an currently NX in your class, please log your daily outreach and intervention efforts for the month of June. If you are unable to reach or connect with a family or student, all staff are expected to reach out to Annie/Kiri/Jen for additional support. We will work to connect you with the families or students.
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.
Per Session Posting There are several curriculum development opportunities for summer per session. Please submit your interest via the Per Session Interest form and email Kiri. ELA & Other course offerings will be made available based on budget availability. FY 2021-22 budgets release in about two weeks.
NEW POST: English. I want to finalize course scope and sequencing - work that we began touching upon PRE covid this July. Primarily, I want to finalize course text titles, benchmark expectations, and materials lists by July 15th. All ELA and SPED/ENL ELA folks are invited to apply. This would be about 10 hours of work, all zoom, with a mix of meeting time and work time as determined by team. There is also an additional five hours for up to three team leaders of this work that will be selected based on their experience in the classroom, demonstrated expertise in a range of works, and depth of understanding or requirements for global assessments like the NYS Middle School exams, HS ELA Regents, and AP Lang, and Lit.
Social Studies. We need to build a course on African Studies - centering the cultures & histories of Africa in the study of Global History. This will be a Global History Course for students, leveraging the NYS Global History standards involving the study of African cultures, histories, and achievements on the world stage. Teachers selected for this Social Studies Course Planning will receive 40 hours to study & develop teacher mastery of African history and to plan and create
A Course Overview & Syllabus, with Course and Unit Objectives
Detailed Overview of first two units - with daily objectives, rubrics, and assessments.
Narrative Lesson Plans for all of of the first unit
Math & Science. Posting Closed
Applied: Nina, Nakita, Jamie, Rebecca F
Staffed: Nina, Nakita, Jamie, Rebecca F
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