Week of 28FEB22

UAI Staff News

Volume IX

Issue 24

February 28th, 2022

Celebrating Women's History.  Welcome back from what I hope was a relaxing and recharging February break!  

As we return from the vacation, we wrap up our celebrations of Black History and welcome in a month of celebrating Women's History.  

In addition to reaching into the archives of history & current events to center amazing women like Kentanji Brown Jackson (woot!! WOOT!!), this month, I encourage you to find the smaller, daily heroes to highlight and celebrate.  In your personal life or professional circles - who are the women who lift you up, teach you things, and inspire you to be better?  For which women (or young women) in your personal life or professional circles would you play that role?  Take a minute - right now - pull out that journal and funky pen that you got in January; jot down some ideas for those two questions...

Then make it a priority this month to find your hope.  It can start with those who are top of your mind or in your sphere almost everyday.  For example, here are some of mine today...

Hope comes from the people who inspire me

• Annie inspires me to be a better listener, to always pauses to hear - not just to be heard
• Jen inspires me to be a better empathizer, to remember that everyone's problems are the biggest ones... to them (Phillan is my other muse here, too)
• Elana inspires me with her endless personal strength and endurance.  She shows me daily that in spite of incredible odds and what seem like insurmountable obstacles, there is always a way through.  

Hope comes from the people who teach me

• Dai teaches me how to be more clear in my expectations & to be more intentional in my support.  AND she always teaches me how to find the laughter in the insanity
• Nakita teaches me the importance of remembering how folks perceive and learn and that slowing down is just as powerful (if not more so) than racing on.

There are so many more that come to mind once you get started... The first step is to just think about it.  When you do, jot them down in the journal - and then reach out to them to let them know.   We never really know how we impact others - positively.  We more often hear about the negative impact we have.  It's probably related to the fact that we often do not make it a priority to do that positive feedback loop.  

This month - celebrate women in history AND celebrate the women and people in your life who make you the stronger version you are today.  When you do, you may find messages like this one coming back to you.  Those are the messages that are the embodiment of hope and light that fuel the reason why we come to work at UAI each day.

Here's a message I just received from Khamiya Wilson, Class of 2014.

I’m not sure if you remember me but I have been thinking a lot about UAI, how it shaped me to be the person I am today. I was hoping to come to the school and speak with the students one of these days! Also, as we get closer to our 10 year milestone I wanted to know if you’ve ever considered doing a high school reunion? I think it would be very nice to see where we all ended up, and how similar yet different we all still are. It would also be great to see some of our old teachers who really changed our lives like Mr.Brodie, Ms.Denise, Mr.Hassan, Mr.Noam, Ms.Doris, etc. I miss you all so much and I always wonder if you all knew just how much you meant to us. I don’t know where I would be at this moment if I never attended UAI! 

Messages like these make all the crazy hard times worth it! So, this month, make it a point and your mission to share your messages of gratitude and hope with those who teach, inspire, and awe you. Think about it in the adult sphere and with your students. Inspiration and education comes to us from all directions - all you need to do is see.

Happy Women's History Month UAI!

Important dates this month.  

• Monday, 28FEB22:   Staff Meeting:  Scheduling Committee Focus Group #1
• Thursday, 03MAR22:  Consultation Committee Meeting
• Monday, 07MAR22:  First Monday of the Month Staff Meeting
• Monday, 14MAR22:  Second Monday of the Month Staff Meeting
• Wednesday, 16MAR22:  Evening Remote Parent Conferences 5-8PM
• Friday, 18MAR22:  Afternoon Zoom Parent Conferences 12-2:50PM
• Monday, 21MAR22: Staff Meeting:  Committee Report
• Wednesday, 23MAR22:  PSAT/SAT Day for grades 10 & 11; Trip day for all other grades
• Monday, 28MAR22:  MP3 Power Up Week Begins
• Monday, 28MAR22: Staff Meeting:  Committee Report
• Tues-Thur 29Mar-31Mar22:  NYS Middle School ELA Exams
• Friday, 01APR22:  MP3 Ends

Committee Updates

Scheduling Committee. The Scheduling Committee will be starting to engage school constituencies in the creation of next year's program.  In order to effectively engage with teachers, there will be a series of focus groups in person during Monday extended time.  The first focus group will be aimed at gathering staff input on what we need to keep, stop, or start for next year's schedule.  This move is in line with the committee's goal

• Incorporating Constituency Voices. By using focus groups with each constituency (Families/students/staff) at least once per quarter to give feedback and weigh in on decisions to move from where we are on the continuum to “Implements structures, policies and practices with inclusive decision making and other forms of power sharing on all levels of the institutions life and work"

As a reminder, you can always track progress by following the agenda and notes.  Please do share your feedback with any member of the scheduling committee (Brodie, Marsha, Jelissa, Liza or Kiri):

The Hiring Committee.  Our next fair is On March 12, 2022.  Please SHARE OUT THIS FLIER to anyone you know who may be looking for a job in teaching next year!  We begin demo lessons this week.

Equity Team.  Please see the meeting agenda and notes to review the highlights of our discussion.  Here are the draft goals for the Equity Team:

Circles Committee. No Updates this week.

Consultation Committee.  Next meeting is on Thursday 03MAR22 at 3PM in room 403.  See consultation committee notes.   Goals for this committee are still TBD

Instructional Leadership Team. Draft Goals are still TBD

Announcements

Resetting Flex Time.  At the start of this year, I made the executive decision to give you flexibility to use your extended time on Mondays and Tuesdays remotely.  As we enter into the remainder of the spring term, conditions have changed as have the needs of the school.  As a result, today, I'm amending that decision to apply only to address our current conditions and school community needs.

There are many committees working on mechanisms that will determine programming, staffing, and school wide policies for the upcoming school year.  In commitment to creating a fully inclusive and anti-racist school, staff voice in these processes is the highest priority - staff voice both on the committees and staff voice in the community at large.   To make that voice centered and heard, we need to meet.  Surveys are great, but they are limited in what they can accomplish.  Conversations, activity, and discussion provide more robust and rich mechanisms to engage staff in the building of programs & policies.

Here are the changes:

Tuesday extended time and family outreach will remain flexible for the rest of the Spring Term.  Advisors and Classroom teachers are expected to make weekly contact to their students updating families on student academic and social emotional growth in school.  All outreach must be documented in Skedula.

Mondays will revert to contractual agreement.  We will be needing these days to 

• engage staff in decisions regarding next year's program, 
• meet with instructional leaders to improve ENL/SPED strategy implementation
• engage staff in community building and ABAR work
• gather feedback from staff on program, hiring, and policy work in prep for 2022-23 school year

Monday Schedule for the Remainder for the Year

1. 28FEB   - Scheduling Committee
2. 07MAR - Staff Circles Committee
3. 14MAR - Staff Circles Committee
4. 21MAR - Co-Planning Team Meetings - In Person with Instructional Leaders
5. 28MAR - Co-Planning Team Meetings - In Person with Instructional Leaders
6. 04APR  - Staff Circles Committee
7. 11APR  - All Committee Benchmarking Report
   18APR - SPRING VACATION
8. 25APR - Co-Planning Team Meetings - In Person with Instructional Leaders
   02MAY - NO SCHOOL (Eid al-Fitr)
9. 09MAY - Staff Circles Committee
10. 16MAY - Staff Circles Committee
11. 23MAY - Scheduling Committee
    30MAY - NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
12. 06JUN - Staff Circles Committee
13. 13JUN - All Committee Final Benchmarking Report
14. 20JUN - Staff Work Time- Room Packing & Readying for Summer
15. 27JUN - Final Full Staff Meeting - Staff Celebration!

MP3, MP4, and June Summer School.  MP3 like MP1 and MP2 will have a power up week (starting March 28th), and MP3 will end of Friday, April 1st.  

MP4 begins on Monday, April 4th and will end on Friday June 17th.  Power-Up Week for MP4 will be extended in calendar time due to all the breaks & testing in June.  MP4 Power UP will be the month of June.

• Week of 06JUN - 3 days (Tues 07JUN is a Clerical Day, Thur 09JUN is a PD Day)  
• Week of 13JUN
• 2 days for all (Regents Week begins on 15Jun)
• Special Programming for MS begins on 15JUN (see June Summer School below)

June Summer School will replace mandatory academic summer school.  July summer school will focus on enrichment opportunities and foundational skill building for students who are still closing learning gaps.  June Summer School will be time dedicated to students who need extra time to make up work for failed classes.

• HS Mandated June Summer School Students - will be required to attend school in person during ALL regents testing days.  HS Teachers will have special programs to work directly with those students who are failing their classes in place of Regents Week programs.  Additionally, per session will be available to all staff who provide extra support and tutoring for those students in need of extra support.
• MS Mandated June Summer School (grades 6/7) - will have special programming beginning 15JUN

To Do This Week

PAY ATTENTION TO THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHTS
This is the stuff that requires your attention AND it's stuff you need to do!

Take Skedula Attendance For ALL CLASSES.  Now that we are not asking advisors to make attendance outreach, we are heavily relying on all teachers to accurately take attendance IN SKEDULA.  Now that Skedula is back to working, please make sure that Skedula attendance is accurately reflected for each period.

Celebrate, Validate, and Include.  During outreach time this week, find time to call the homes of at least 5 students who

• Make you really love coming to UAI everyday AND/OR
• Have really impressed you in their growth over this year AND/OR
• Play a strong leadership role in your class or advisory AND/OR
• Inspire you to be their cheerleader - always AND/OR
• Do (or are) anything else that inspires you in some way..

Call home.  Share your thoughts with their families.  Focus on the specific concrete examples of how they are wonderful and why they are important to UAI and your class.  

Challenge yourself to also think about one thing your most challenging students do that merits a celebration.  Pull them aside in class or in the hall to share it quickly.  Give a call or send a text home to let their family know, too.

Upload Grades into Skedula.  This year, we will not have report cards given out during parent conferences.  Instead (like in the fall), we will be reviewing student progress, using Skedula, to help communicate with families.  Please make sure both your attendance and grades are up today date.  All grades and attendance data MUST BE ACCURATE as of 16MAR, the first of the parent conference dates.

Per Session Postings

Please complete THS PER SESSION INTEREST FORM and email Kiri to let her know that you are applying for a per session position.

2022 UAI SUMMER Camp.  This summer will build on what we started last summer in our effort to create highly engaging and challenging summer programming for our students.  Mandatory make-up programs have been moved into June and we are replacing the punitive form of summer school with programming that is aimed at enriching, exciting, and getting kids thrilled to be in school again!

We are looking for summer school teachers to offer programming this summer.  We will offer elective credit to the courses.  The courses can be anything that interests you, and classes will be limited no more than 15 students per class.  

We are looking for teachers to teach elective classes in:

• Arts:  Creative Writing, Art (visual, performing, or movement), Poetry, Storytelling, Photography etc.
• Social Justice:  Community Organizing, Protest Art, Social Media Campaigns, Etc.
• STEM:  Finance, Engineering, Drones, Rockets, 
• EntrepreneurialMedia:  Podcasting, YouTubing, Social Media Management, Documentary Film Making
• Open Call:  Have an Idea?  Submit it!!
  
  

Days:  11JUL-29JUL , Mondays-Thursdays ONLY

Hours (Max) 5 hrs per day 

    (90 min classes with an hour prep for each class up to two classes a day)

    Total possible hours = 60 hours    Minimum possible hours = 30 hours

Regents Prep 2022.  This summer we hope to offer Regents Prep in Algebra I, Geometry, Living Environment, Earth Science, US History, and English.  

Regents Prep consists of working with students on Regents Test prep to prepare them to take and pass the August Regent Exams AND then proctoring and grading those exams.

• Days:  08AUG-17AUG, Mondays - Thursdays ONLY
• Hours: 5 hrs per day (max) (90 min classes w/ hour prep per class, max of 2 classes per day)
• Total Possible Hours = 35 hours

 Summer Staffing.  Our summer programs require out-of-classroom staffing.  We are looking for folks to

• Supervise UAI Summer Camp (must have Admin License) and/or Regents Prep
• Coordinate UAI Summer Camp (teacher license ok) and/or Regents Prep
• Supervise SYEP Program (teacher/counselor/para license ok)
• Provide Waitlist Management and Student Recruitment Support (teacher/counselor/para license ok)