Week of April 4th

UAI Staff News

Volume IX

Issue 28

April 4th, 2022

9 DAYS TO SPRING BREAK.    The stretch between February break and April break is always the longest, hardest, and most draining part of the year.  These last few weeks demanded each of us to dig deep to find energy and grit that we didn't think we have, and now, we are finally looking down the final laps to get us to spring break.

Well done!  Keep Pushing!  Just a few more days!!

We are now in our final marking period of the year. When we return from Spring break, there's only 5 short weeks until June and in June, there are only 7 instructional days for grades 8-12 and 14 for grades 6 & 7.  We are very near to the end of this 3rd COVID year!

It hasn't been an easy one, and these last few weeks will no doubt present new challenges, still.  However, each of you have shown your depth of love and commitment to our students in the incredible ways you have found to summon the energy, creativity and patience needed to best support our students and close the gaps that COVID caused in their learning pathways.  It's been quite remarkable and amazing work in the face of immense challenge.  You are so appreciated!!!  Thank you!!

We have 9 school days until break.  We got this!  Let's GO!!!

Important dates this month.  

• Monday, 04APR:  Full Staff Meeting:  ABAR Community Building Work
• NEW MEETING Tuesday, 05APR:  Full Staff Meeting - Course Selection Review
• Wednesday, 06APR:  Grades Due @ 3pm
• Friday, 08APR:  Report Cards Distributed (Advisors email home)
• Monday 11-14APR:  UAI Spirit Week
• Thursday 12APR @ 4PM-6PM:  UAI Hiring Fair
• Friday 15APR:  Spring Break Begins - NO SCHOOL
• Monday 25APR:  Return from Spring Break

Committee Updates

Scheduling Committee. The scheduling committee will meet Wednesday to review course selections and establish a process of student course selections for the fall.  You can see the agenda and notes here.  

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!   

• You can always view our notes and decisions on THIS DOC. 
  
  

Equity Team.  The Equity Team read another passage from Pushout this week to start thinking about which specific policies are causing disproportionality in our discipline data and how we might revise these policies.  The team will reconvene to discuss the reading this week.  Agenda

Circles Committee.  No Updates this week

Consultation Committee.  Next meeting is on Thursday 07APR22 at 3PM in room 403.  See consultation committee notes.   Goals for this committee are still TBD

Instructional Leadership Team. All teams completed course catalog components except English.  That team will meet today to make final edits.

Announcements

ADDITIONAL STAFF MEETING.  The Scheduling Committee needs to meet with Advisors to review the course selection process.  In place of Tuesday outreach, all staff should meet in their assigned ABAR rooms to learn about how the course selection process will occur this year.

It's National Assistant Principal's Week!  April 5-9th is National Assistant Principal's Week.  Annie is our Amazing Assistant Principal, and Jen (while she doesn't have the title) also does the hard work of assisting me in leading the school!  Each day this week, please take a moment to send a text, share a note, or stop by to share your appreciation with them this week!  

Small Group Instruction To Resume.  Small groups are relaunching after the Spring Break.  Teachers will be assigned students (up to 10).  Professional Periods assigned to be "Flex" or extra outreach or feedback time will be reassigned to do small group work to provide intervention support to students who failed MP3.    Final grades are due Wednesday 06APR.  Small groups will be made using this data.  Teacher and students programs will be updated to have small groups launch on Monday, April 25th.

June Remediation.  In addition to Small Group Intervention, students who are still failing as of May 27th will be mandated to attend school to work with their classroom teacher(s) during any and clerical, professional development, and assessment days in June.  These days and the small group instruction periods are aimed at providing students opportunities for success during the school year.

Start Summer Vacation Early.  If you have not already used up your allotted vacation days, I am giving the blanket approval to any and all staff who wish to use any or all of their vacation days for the last 7 days of June.  This means that if you haven't used any of your days yet, your last day of school this year could be June 17th (instead of June 28th).    Please email Kiri by the end of next week (April 8th) if you are interested!

 

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!

REPOST Teacher Preference Sheets.  Teacher preference sheets are due next Monday, April 4th by the end of the day.  Please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings

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

After School Small Groups.   If you do not have enough space in your in-day small groups (they are limited to 10 students per group) and/or  you wish to hold additional small groups after school, please complete the above per session interested form and email Kiri with the days and hours you would like to work.

Applied:  Shana

Staffed:  Shana

Curriculum Organization.  All teachers are eligible to earn up to 50 hours of per session to organize and submit their current curricula by the end of June 2022.  Curricula will be submitting using UAI pacing templates with sharable links to lesson plans, assessments, and associated materials.  Please complete the per session interest form above and email Kiri if you are interested!

Applied:  Nakita, Jamie, Nina

Staffed:  Nakita (Earth Science), Jamie (Algebra I), Nina (Geometry)

Position is still open if you are interested!

2022 UAI SUMMER Camp.  <STILL OPEN> 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

Applied:   

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
• Summer School Staff
• Applied:  Jenetta, Olympia, Rebecca, Freida
• Staffed:  Jenetta, Olympia, Rebecca, Freida
• Coordinate UAI Summer Camp (teacher license ok) and/or Regents Prep
• Applied:  Jenetta, Kelly
• Staffed:  Kelly
• Supervise SYEP Program (teacher/counselor/para license ok)
• Applied:  Jelissa
• Provide Waitlist Management and Student Recruitment Support (teacher/counselor/para license ok)
• Applied:  Jelissa, Adelle
• Staffed:  Jelissa, Adelle