Week of May 3rd

UAI Staff News

Volume IX

Issue 30

May 3rd, 2022

Eid Mubarak!  Happy Eid to all who observe, and many happy warm celebrations to all in general!  

We have officially made it to May and are in our final 20 instructional days before reaching our final power up days in June.  I'll speak more to the end of the year calendar below, but first, I want to make this time to celebrate UAI, celebrate our staff, out students, and our community!

Prior to the break, Deputy Superintendent Debbie Afanadour came to do her final evaluative visit for the year.  Our instructional leadership team came together to show off our amazing teachers and programs!  In the middle of this visit, we had to shelter in for the morning to protect our community from external threats.  Despite the unexpected curveball, our teacher leaders rose to the occasion with calm, skill, and ease - making a deep impression with Debbie and leading her to write one of the best evaluations I've ever had as a school leader!  One of my biggest learnings over the last few years is that I don't have to do it all....our team is our truest strength, and having our superintendency recognize that strength in our school is amazing!  Thank you to:

• All the teachers whose classrooms we visited (Alison & Nica, Joey & Olympia, Shana & Claire) 
• Those who shared their curriculum (Marsha, Jenetta, and Kelly for African History)
• To those who shared our committee work (Nakita & Rebecca)
• To everyone who made the school run smoothly in the background of this visit with the backdrop of some crazy stuff on an insane day (Jen, Annie (from her sickbed!), Courtney, Jelissa, Nicole, Aisha, Dai, Jennifer, Marni, Danielle, Doris)

Like many schools, we have had a rough year.  Like a lot of schools, we have not been able to fill positions, teachers have resigned in the middle of the year, staff morale and health has been up and down, student health and morale has been up and down... It's been a roller coaster

BUT - our strength is in each other.  So many of you came together to showcase the amazing work we do in spite of the immense challenges we faced this year.  YET - this visit is only ONE part of the amazing work each of you do everyday

• Student Roundtables launched!  Months ago, Claire had the idea to launch this, and at the time, the weight of the year was a bit too much for folks.  Last Tuesday, all the staff who work with a particular student came together after school on Tuesday to discuss and share strategies that work, things tried but ineffective, and to collaboratively build a coherent approach to support this student to end the year with success.  It was a great and productive meeting for this student in particular!  Thank you to all who joined that meeting to set the bar and blueprint for how to work together to build effective intervention & support with our students with the highest needs (Nina, Jenetta, Freida, Joey, Nakita, Marsha, Kelly, Nadine, and Jean).  Nadine will be coordinating meetings on Tuesdays to continue this work.  We won't get to everyone, but we will begin creating a practice and structure to carry in to next year!!
  
  
• Lunchtime Connections and Main Office Shenanigans.  Over the last month, I've had the joy of spending many hours in the main office (while doing the very joyless job of MS test coordinating).  Dai, Denyea, Damaris, and Aisha have created a fabulous (and FUN) operations hub in our main office.  Their connections and support of one another is seamless and so inspiring to watch.  Similarly, the lunch crews that come in and out of the teachers lounge each day frequently erupt with laughter and joy.  I never heard what was said, but laughter is a balm that eases so many ills.  It is a true joy to hear it gurgling through the lounge and main office space at UAI.  It definitely shows the strength and trust that can build in unofficial, unmonitored settings - and often it is this informal community building that is the backbone of a much stronger and cohesive community.  I know COVID kept many out of the lounge, and we will endeavor to find other ways for folks to connect - maybe outside now that the weather is better - but the informal connections are in fact critical to our work.  It is important that we first recognize and see the humans we are and with whom we work!

It's time to make time to celebrate our community.  These stories are only the few (but amazing) that I've had the chance to see over the last couple of weeks.  This pandemic has been hard for so many.  It has become more common to commiserate than celebrate.

So, in the spirit of Eid al-Fitr, I invite us all to celebrate our community and ourselves this month.  Starting with

• Tuesday 03MAY - Friday 06MAY - It's Staff Appreciation Week!
  
  
• TUE 03MAY - Breakfast at UAI - Celebrate your Colleagues
• Grab some breakfast and leave a note of appreciation for a colleague!
• WED 04MAY - Lunch at UAI - Come Grab a Bite in the Backyard! 
• Join us in the backyard for a good old chat and chew
• THU 05MAY - Enjoy a Gift of Appreciation - Tiny Gifts of Thank Await You!
• Drop into the main office & teacher's lounge for a gift and a treat
• FRI 06MAY - Enjoy a Massage Break 
• Annie will be sending the sign up soon!  Sign up for some relaxation!
  
  
• Tuesday 03MAY @1PM:  Senior College Match Parade!
  
  
• At about 1:05 we are going to hold our Senior Commitment Day Parade - this is an opportunity for our amazing Seniors to show-off - loud & proud- their post secondary choices and celebrate their hard work and the quickly coming to an end 4 years of high school!
  
  The plan is that the Seniors will start on the 5th floor - showcasing some homemade banners (and some other fun surprises)  and loop down  and around to the 4th and 3rd floors before heading outside. Teachers on floors 5, 4 and 3 - we're asking that you begin lining students up outside of your classrooms in the hallways (along the walls) at 12:50  so that when Seniors come around they can be seen and cheered on by their classmates  - we will make an announcement to remind everyone.
  
  
• Teacher in the basement and 2nd floor - We are asking that you take your class outside the building and have them line-up outside - on Adams Street - starting at the corner of Adams and Johnson and have the line-UP move towards the Marriott - kids can be on both sides of the sidewalk, as long as the sidewalk is clear for people to walk .
  
  
• The whole process won't take more than 20 minutes - students will report to their last period class at the end of the parade.
  
  Any questions, please let Jen know..bring your cheer and excitement!
  
  
• Thursday, 26MAY @5:30PM:  Student Awards Night!
  
  
• We are finally able to hold an in-person ceremony to celebrate our amazing students!  BUT we need some help.  There are still quite a few  folks that have not nominated any students for our student awards ceremony. Please take a minute to complete This form so that we can formally invite students and families to the ceremony!

There are 20 school days in May.  Challenge yourself, your students, and your colleagues to find 20 different things to celebrate - at least one thing per day for the month of MAY!

 

Important dates this month.  

• May is UAI's Celebration of Islamic Heritage - Stay Tuned to Specific Updates from Jen!
• Wednesday, 04MAY:  8/9/10 Dance Field Trip to Moulin Rouge
• Monday, 09MAY:  Full Staff Meeting in the Library at 3PM
• Equity Team Presentation
• Monday, 16MAY:  Full Staff Meeting in the Library at 3PM
• Scheduling Committee Report Out
• Monday, 23MAY:  Full Staff Meeting in the Library at 3PM
• Hiring Committee Report Out
• Monday 30MAY:  Memorial Day
• No School

Committee Updates

Scheduling Committee. The scheduling committee met Wednesday to review the new schedule for the fall.  You can see the agenda and notes here.  

The Hiring Committee.  Our next fair is On May 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 19MAY -  at 3PM in room 403.  See consultation committee notes.   

Instructional Leadership Team. No Updates this week

Announcements

Monday Full Staff Meetings.  On Monday, we will once again meet in the library to continue our work to build up our general community connections.  This will continue each Monday for the remainder of the year.  For the upcoming Mondays, here are the topics of the meetings.

• 09MAY - Equity Team Workshop
• 16MAY - Scheduling Committee Presents
• 23MAY - DESSA Final round & Hiring Committee Presents
• 30MAY - No Meeting (Memorial Day - No School)
• 06JUN - Final Staff Circle
• 13JUN - Regents Schedule Review for HS Staff

Small Group Instruction.  All small groups are launched MP4 Small Groups.  Please reach out to families to discuss student progress during Tuesday outreach.  Please make these PHONE CALLS or TEXT MESSAGES.  It's important that we document family responses - not just our outreach. 

Promotional conversations are often complex, and families and students will sometimes begin with "But the teacher never contacted me". To avoid this, I need you to document the outreach you made and the parent/family member response so that we can have more productive end-of-year conversations with families.

   

Teachers are expected to make weekly outreach to each student in their small group and update the document each week.  If students are absent from small groups, there must be phone calls home to let families know.  Families are very much our partners in this work, and our neediest students require strong and open communication between school and home if they are to fight their footholds for success!

 

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!

Do Small Group Outreach.  All teachers with small groups must call families on Tuesday to let them know that small groups will launch on Tuesday.  Please update the form  HERE once outreach is complete.  If you have any issues or problems with outreach, please contact Kiri directly!  

Please Celebrate Our Students.  Jen and her team are working to create a student awards night to celebrate our students' hard work this year.  Nothing truly compares to the praise of their teachers.  So please take a few moments to COMPLETE THIS DOCUMENT by the end of this week.  It will mean so much to each student and their family AND it will make you feel great too! 

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.

School Organization.   We have received a TON of stuff from our various orders.  Also, we have a TON of closets in need of organization.  So, if you're interested in joining the UAI organization extravaganza please submit via the per session interest form (link above) and email Kiri.  We're looking for volunteers to organize the science closet, the basement closets and any other closet or storage area that we can locate in the building.  If you're available to work after school or Saturdays, please let me know.  Once we have the team of folks together, we'll put together the plan and get everyone targeted on specific projects!

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)/ Staffed: 

1. Jenetta (Summer School Coordinator, Social Justice Course) - Staffed - Social Justice Course
2. Kelly (Summer School Coordinator, Regents Prep Coordinator) - Staffed (Summer/Regents Coordinator)
3. Jelissa (SYEP, Student Recruitment) - Staffed - SYEP coordinator, Student Recruitment
4. Adelle (Student Recruitment) - Student Recruitment
5. Freida (Summer Arts Elective) = Staffed Summer Arts Elective
6. Nina (Regents Prep) - Staffed - Regents Prep
7. Nicole (SYEP, Student Recruitment)- Staffed - SYEP Support,Student Recruitment
8. Juelle (Student Recruitment) - Staff Student Recruitment
9. Brodie (Summer School Administrator) - Staffed - Summer School Admin
10. Shana (STEAM Summer Elective) - Staffed - STEAM Summer Elective
11. Rebecca (Pottery with a Wheel)- Staffed - Pottery
12. Olympia (Creative Writing) - Staffed - Creative Writing