Sunday, September 11, 2022

Week of Sept 12th

UAI Staff News

Volume X
Issue 3
September 12th, 2022



Best First Days!  The first two days of this school year were two of the best school launch days I've ever experienced.  Many of you shared that same feeling with me during school and during our Friday meet up at Randolph (which was also an amazingly awesome time).  

I chalk up all of the success of those first 48 hours to each of you.  We all at UAI are, indeed, all rowing in the same direction to bring our young folks the best learning experience and environment that they need and deserve.  Each of you worked so hard to set up classrooms - making them as warm and welcoming as possible.  All of you greeted our kiddos with smiles and joy as they returned to school.  While many complained about new policies with phones and learning lab - each of you worked your best to hold students to our shared, rigorous expectations.  It was not easy at times, and it is still very much a work in progress, but together our shared consistency will weave a pattern for kids that will be easier to adapt to than buck.

I am particularly looking forward to the next two weeks.  Often September is chunked into many short bursts of days.  This year, we have the gift of two full weeks of instruction before the Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur breaks.  This is the perfect opportunity to lay strong foundations for routines that create equitable and powerful learning experiences, and experiences that bring both rigorous thinking and joy in classroom connections and community. 

Thank you to each of you for bringing your best these first two days of school!  Can't wait to see what you have in your plans for the weeks to come!


Important dates. 

  • Monday, 12SEP22  First PM PD day for all staff (See Q1 PD Dates)
    • 3:00-3:25PM - Staff Circle with ILT Leads
    • 3:30-4:10PM - All Staff
      • This week's Announcements
      • Attendance Application Review
      • Per Session Application Review
      • Mandated Reporter Responsibilities
      • Learning lab updates
  • Monday 12SEP-Friday23SEP Annie & Kiri visit classrooms to provide feedback on Danielson Domain 2D.  (See Q1 PD Plan)

  • Monday 12SEP-Friday23SEP Elevate Boot Camp in 10th/11th Grade Labs (7th pd)  
    • College Level Study Skills for UAI 10th & 11th graders (taught by near peers in college)
      • All LL meet in regular rooms, Elevate Facilitators come to you.  
      • All SETTS/ENL small groups meet in 205C
      • ALL Staff - please actively support the Elevate Facilitators to make sure all students are engaged and learning to master these study skills.
  • Friday, 23SEP22 IPC First Draft Goals are due.  Please submit via this FORM
  • Monday, 26SEP22 & Tuesday 27SEP22  Rosh Hashanah Observed - NO SCHOOL
  • Thursday, 29SEP22.  UAI Curriculum Night 5:30-7:30PM (Save the date - Details to come!)


Announcements & To Dos

Initial Planning Conferences.  Over the next two weeks, all teachers will be meeting with their point people (Kiri, Annie, Jen, or ILT leader) to discuss goals for the year around our key Danielson Indicators (2d:  Classroom Management, 3c: Engagement in Learning, 4e: Professional Growth & Development).   All non-teaching staff will also be making goals around these areas, more directly related to their roles (see next week's blog for that form!).


Attendance App Update  The DOE Attendance App is up and running.  It launched on Thursday.  A few staff have already begun playing around with it and using it.  It turns out that the DOE did something GOOD (and in TECH!!).  This App is very easy to access and use.  All you need to do is Log into TeachHub using your DOE credentials, and click on the Attendance App.  If you are not able to see your rosters, please let me know!


Cell Phone Policy & Learning Lab Expectations.  We are all still working with students around the Cell Phone Policy and with strongly establishing Learning Lab Expectations.   
  • We are all in our Cell Phone training period.  The kids will not like it, BUT if we have a united front and are consistent TOGETHER, then they will more rapidly adjust.  Please remember, if you do not uphold the policy you actually contribute to the difficulty in transitioning kids into this new habit of having their phones away during learning time.  Please open each of your classes this week with a reminder of the cellphone & electronics policy - ask all students to put phones off and away and to take out earpods/headphones and store them away.  Maintain consistency and high expectations in your ask.  Give them time to follow the expectations, as Joey mentioned during our PD opening- two minutes, and then subtly and respectfully follow up with students who are still not yet following the policy.
  • Learning Labs.  This week, learning labs had a STRONG start!  It is not easy, but you all did it!  The resistance is strong in the young ones, but just like cell phones, consistency among ALL staff will ensure that this norms take root.  10th/11th grade labs will be departing from norms this week to engage with Elevate and learn some key study skills.  All other learning labs (and 10/11 when Elevate completes) should continually reinforce the Learning Lab expectations daily.  Remember learning labs are 
    • Silent.  Please do not make exceptions - certainly not for these opening weeks.  The more we all have the SAME expectations and have fidelity to the norms, the easier it will be for all of us to help students learn and adjust to Learning Lab norms.
    • Independent.  When they raise their hand wanting to work with another student, explain that this is the only time in the day they can learn to be independent.  It needs to be valued and protected as independent time so that kids become stronger learners. 
    • Working Time.  All staff should begin assigning homework and fluency exercises this week that students can work on in Learning Lab.  Math & ELA teachers, please update THIS DOC with fluency and independent reading resources that Learning Lab teachers can use with students.  

Advisory.  This week's advisory continues to center on community & relationship building.  Please continue your wonderful work in creating a warm and welcoming space for our students.  Additionally, please review the announcements below.  Also linked below are the lessons for September.
  • Announcements for Advisory
    • Program Change Requests - Please have students complete THIS FORM to request changes.
    • Please help students reset their passwords to the DOE accounts if they cannot login.
      • THIS SITE may work for you. If it doesn't reach out to Annie to assist.
      • Go to the "Student Email Tab" on the UAI Schedule to find a student's email.


Program Updates.  I am working on processing student program updates as they come in from students, and still balancing classes (as our rosters settle).  For this week, I will include a link to all student programs that will be updated each morning.  You can open that link and search for a student's name to find their schedule.  For rosters, you *hopefully* will have daily updated rosters via the attendance app.  If that doesn't work - I'll share out a new plan.  In the interim, if a student comes to class who is not on your roster, please ask them for their program to verify their enrollment in your class. 


Review IEPs in SESIS.  You should be able to see your students with IEPs in SESIS, now (use DOE credentials).  All staff should review their students' IEPs to best understand their learning differences and needs.  Please make it a priority to use your prep time to review your students' IEPs this week.   If you need help navigating SESIS, please reach out to your ILT lead or Kiri/Annie/Jen. 

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities (view all 2022-23 postings here),
please complete Per Session Application Form

12SEP22
After School Professional Development.  Shortly, we will be launching Thursday after school professional development sessions.  These sessions are open to all staff, and will be training rate per session.  You do not need to apply - simply show up to the sessions you wish, and you'll get paid (provided you submit your per session correctly!). Stay tuned for the Thursday PM offerings.

UAI Testing Team.  We are looking for 1-3 people to support UAI testing.  This team will be responsible for Coordinating, planning, and executing all tasks to successfully execute:
  • AP & P/SAT Testing - March P/SAT exams, May AP Exams
  • Middle School Testing - April/May MS Math & ELA Exams
  • Interim Assessment Testing - DRP, MAP Math, and DESSA - three times a year
  • Regents Exam Testing - January & June Regent Exams

06SEP22
After School Opportunities.  Do you have a special talent or interest that you want to share with our kids?  Are you interesting in running a club or class after school?  Please sign up for UAI after school by completing the per session form and emailing Kiri.  We are looking for someone to run our Stoked after school program and we also have a ton of keyboards and drums in case any of you have hidden talents out there!  All other interests are welcome.  After school begins 19SEP.  You can select the days/hours you want to work (but it must Mon-Fri and be between 3PM-5:30PM)


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