Week of December 18th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 18

December 18th, 2023

The Give and Take of Teaching & Learning.   This is the final school week of 2023, and as we wrap up the final weeks of the fall term, now is the time to take a beat a reflect on the work we have been doing thus far!

One-third of teaching is planning engaging lessons, practicing for delivery, and prepping materials for the classroom.  Another third of teaching is seeing how that teaching lands with students - student learning, and the final third of our jobs if figuring out what to do if our teaching doesn't land with students (or they are not responsive to our moves).  It is a perpetual cycle of give and take - giving lessons and taking the temp of how those lessons land.

Teaching is a constant carousel of problem identification, analysis, and solving.  It's part of what makes the job constantly challenging and constantly engaging.  There's never a dull moment in teaching and learning.

Because it's persistent, the job can also get tiring.  So, we all sometimes point to causes that do not require our decision making and analysis because it's easier to do so.  That's a totally human response and completely expected - particularly when we're all extremely tired (and literally sick ... see what I did there ... sick and tired..lol)...and <<drum roll...wait for it....>>>>

BUT...

We have to level up our own self-awareness and catch ourselves when we slip into that habit.  Two key SEL strategies can help us maintain focus on the problems that we can solve - Perspective taking and Self Awareness.  Students can be held to high standards with empathy and understanding - but it requires that their teachers make the time to see their struggles from the student perspective and exercise sufficient self-awareness to see how teacher tone can sometimes be the root to student disengagement.

In looking at the interventions and root causes listed in the MP2 Interventions overwhelming point at student behaviors, but few point to the underlying root causes of those behaviors.  If a student hasn't submitted an assignment, do you know why?  If a student is absent of late, why did that happen? 

Sit in their shoes for a minute.  Assuming positive intent (another SEL core strategy), what could possibly be some of the reasons why students are not turning in work?  Assuming that no student intentionally chooses to fail, what could be the other reasons students are not showing up to class on time?  

For example, do your students believe coming to class everyday on time positively impacts their performance in class?  How could you find out from them? What if they believed "NO"?  Why would they believe that and what could you change to move their answer from No to YES?  Stay on the positive side and avoid punitive causes.  

For kids who aren't performing well on assignments or who are not turning work in, why would they choose to do that?  What are they afraid of?  What do they not want to see?  Why?  What could you change to help them overcome their fears and the stereotype threat that exists inside their heads?

Finally, we need to be architects of a new american dream.  The idea of pulling oneself up by their bootstraps - on their own- is a system in our culture that has been used to oppress and blame marginalized peoples (mostly black, brown, and poor) for centuries.  We need to be on high alert in our own heads (self-awareness) to guard against this ideological bias.  It is so pervasive in American culture that each of us have it operating within us as an unconscious bias at some level.

In place of "Just Do It!" (Nike's take on bootstrapism), we need to help our young people remember that we want them to achieve and push themselves to achieve on their own AND that we are there alongside them to cheer, guide, and support where needed - but only when needed.  This is a shift from America's dogged myth of independence to a community-based, loving, and joyous approach to rigor.

So, tomorrow, we will be completing the MP2 Intervention Log during PD (in school this time).  As you complete the log for the rest of your classes, push yourself to exercise perspective taking, assuming positive intent, and your own self-awareness.  Find root causes that imply student positive intent and causes that you can control in your work. 

For example, if students don't come because it's not clear how being in class impacts their learning and achievement, then you could schedule 1:1 or small group conferences with those students to help them connect their attendance issues to their performance on class assignments.  Show them that when they come to class, they thrive and understand and that when they miss class, the depth and quality of their learning suffers.

In the end, our goal is shared. We want our students to thrive and achieve on their own.  In pursuing this, we need to make sure that we are not unintentionally pushing kids out of the realm of success by exercising internalized biases around student choices and bootstrap thinking.  Find and lean into strengths. Analyze and provide interventions for learning gaps (SEL and Academic).  Through those actions, we'll all be able to balance accountability with support and we'll collaboratively help all of our students thrive and achieve independently!

Important Upcoming dates

• Tuesday, 19DEC23 - 8-12 Iceskating Trip
• Friday, 22DEC23 - Rapid Dismissal at 2:15
  
  
• For Future Calendar NOTES
• January Benchmark Schedule
• For Grades 8-12:  2nd AND 3rd period Regents Mock
• Wed 17JAN23 ELA Regents
• Thu 18JAN23 USH or GLO Regents
• Fri 19JAN23 LIV or EARTH Regents
• Mon 22JAN23 ALG 1 Regent
• All other classes should give their end of MP2 benchmark at some point during the week of Tue 16JAN- Mon 22JAN - any period EXCEPT 2nd and 3rd.
• For Grades 6 & 7th graders:
• 2nd & 3rd will be benchmark periods - lunch will be moved to 4th
• Tuesday 23JAN will be the ELA benchmark
• Wednesday 24JAN will be the Math benchmark
  
• All staff will have grading time build into their Regents Week Schedules.
  
  
• Please Prepare your students for these benchmarks
• They should be seeing spiral review of MP1 and MP2 topics throughout all of MP2
• They should have practice with Benchmark questions for BOTH content and literacy
• You should schedule some type of practice benchmark prior to the actual benchmark so students have an idea of what to study.  This could be in any form you choose - but you need to provide it for them.  Please see your ILT lead or Kiri or Annie if you need more support on this

Announcements & To Dos

Hanging Signs.  Everyone needs to help out on this one.  Please DO NOT TAPE anything to the newly wrapped doors - or any doors for that matter.  You can tape onto glass or tiles ONLY in the school.  Please only hang signs and tell any students you see hanging signs that they can only tape things to the wall tiles, the glass on doors, or the big silver poles in the middle of the hallways on 3, 4, and 5).  Tape will ruin these doors - so please do not let anyone tape anything on they at any time.      THANK YOU!

RPET Work.  RPET is beginning to put together plans for a school wide teach-in around antisemitism and racial bias.  We are in the early stages of these plans, but look for details when we return from the holiday break!

Monday PD.  We have about 5 weeks remaining in MP2, and so now is the time to take stock of how students are doing and to step in now for folks who may be missing the mark.  For PD this week and next Monday, you'll have time to meet with your co-teachers and with student paras to 

• First - find the root causes of why students are struggling
• Assume positive intent
• Then - develop an intervention plan to address student needs and support them towards reaching the goal of having a 75 or better by the end of MP2
• Focus on what you can do to improve student connection to class and close student academic learning gaps

All co and solo taught courses will need to have completed THIS FORM for the 2nd half of the courses by the end of 18DEC.  Our SST (Student support team) and Advisors will be using this form to follow up with students and families.  The team roles are such:  Classroom folks (teachers and paras) provide the supports; SST folks conference with students to help them reflect on their progress; Advisors will connect with homes to communicate progress (using SyncGrades and conference data) with families.  Families should also be hearing directly from teachers so that they can support at home.

Preps, Professional, and OPW Time.  There seems to be a little confusion for folks on non-classroom assigned time.  Here's some clarifications:

• Prep Time, Professional Periods, and Other Professional Work Time is time programmed into the work week for professional activities.  This includes small group work (tutoring or intervention), grading and feedback, planning, lesson run-throughs, and lesson prep (copying, etc.).  
• Family outreach during your prep or Advisory Prep time is part of your in-day schedule and not part of your 55 minute outreach time.  The 55 minute family outreach time should occur after the school day ends.

Trips. 

• Tuesday, 19DEC - 
• Grades 8-12 School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing
• 7th Grade Trip to Pfizer (SSNM7 - all sections)
  
  

Friday Dismissal.  Students will report to 7th period on Friday.  They should help you put the chairs up and store materials (e.g. put things in lockers for safe keeping) for over the break.  Any food items that you may have in the refrigerator (or your desks) MUST be removed.  

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form"

After School Clubs.   If you are interested in running an after school club, please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23  AND submit the Per Session Application Form.  Clubs are slated to start next week.  Clubs must have a steady roster of at least 8-10 students per week in order to NOT be cancelled.  Rosters & Attendance lists MUST be submitted with per session time cards.  If your club goes three consecutive weeks with less than 8 students, your club will need to be cancelled (so that we can optimize funds for other uses - so sorry...wish we could fund everything all the time, but unfortunately, we don't have endless sums of funds).  After school sessions can be 3-4PM or 3-4:30PM or 3-5:30PM (teacher's choice)up to three days per week.  So per session hours can range from 1-7.5hrs per week).  Posting Expires 10OCT23.

Please continue to help promote your after school clubs.  Please make sure you are getting a reliable group of at least 10 students.  Help our after school classes get off the ground! - I will be collecting final rosters on 30NOV - you have additional time to recruit!!

• Black Student Union - Joanna & Pauline (Rm 411) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-4:30
• Arts & Crafts Club - Tiffany & Jennifer (Rm 311) - Mon/Tue/Weds - 3-4:15PM
• Theater Production Club - Noelle (Rm 315) - Tues/Thurs/Fri - 3-5:30PM
• Student Government - Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi (Rm 309) - Tuesdays - 3-4PM
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly  (Rm 307) - Tuesdays 3-4PM
• Photo Club - Tom(Rm 205F) - Wednesdays 3-4:30
• Cheer - Mary & Lia - Various days depending on Game Days
• Anime & Art Club - Adelle & Francis (Rm 409) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5PM
• Running Club with Camryn (starts after the marathon is over)
• Dance Club - Girls Inc - Room 503
• Students Against Racism & Bias Club - Jelissa (Rm 305) Tuesdays & Thursday 3-4PM
• Muslim Student Association - Laura (Rm 404) TBD
• GSA Club - Amanda - Rm 407

PSAL Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. PSAL Games are starting up soon. Please submit the Per Session Application Form if you are interested in supervising student spectators.  Hours vary depending on games.  Each game (basketball or volleyball) is usually 4-6pm (is) so each supervision session is about 2hours.  Staff are welcome to sign up for as many games as they'd like.  Please see UAI calendar or PSAL website for game dates. Duties include making sure

• students remain safe and orderly during games
• only eligible students are admitted to games
• all students fully dismiss from the building at the conclusion of the games

CSI Planning & Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. This posting if for supervision per session to plan, supervise, monitor and coordinate extra improvement efforts to address UAI achievement gaps and improve student performance in target metrics.  Activities include analyzing and reviewing data, planning and executing professional development experiences to improve staff performance, analyzing and editing video footage to improve teacher lesson execution and lesson implementation, and supervising out of school activities - including recruitment, staff planning, and after school activities.  Hours vary per week depending on task and work completed.  Hours range 1-7.5 hours per week.

Classroom SetUp.  All classroom staff are invited to come in to set up and plan for up to 10 hours all together any day this week Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM.  Staff must clock in AND out each day, and cannot be in the building after 2PM.  Please adhere to guidelines set out in the blog post above.  All Staff MUST also apply to this position by completing the "Per Session Application From" - see link above.  [Posted 27AUG23] - Posting CLOSED and JOB is over.

Week of December 11th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 17

December 11th, 2023

Learning for Growth & Purpose.   Over the last month, we've had two groups of UAI staff visit our classrooms looking at the Quality of Feedback and its impact on student learning and achievement. These visits can feel overwhelming - particularly if you're hosting the visit.  That's a lot of folks coming into your room all at once!  

However, in order for us all to bring the quality of teaching and learning to the next level at UAI, we all have to step into that vulnerability and share our work so we can all learn and become stronger, together.  These visits are purely for learning - not evaluation.  Our goal is to be able to pull new understandings to shift instructional practice for the better in all of our classrooms.

To that end, two big ideas have already percolated up from the visits.  

• Feedback Loops push student learning and serve as tools for formative feedback.  
• Back and forth exchanges between students and between students & teachers are key ways for student understanding and skill mastery to develop AND key ways for teachers to gauge how well students are acquiring new knowledge (formative assessment tools). Feedback loops aren't just for learning - but they can also be used for assessment.  Making time for these critical exchanges is key for successful learning throughout the lesson - not just at the end!
• Explicit expectations around quality & purpose of the process is just as important 
• In planning, folks are doing excellent work in anticipating student responses - in terms of content and skill targets.  However, students are still stopping short of getting to deeper and more complex levels of discourse and work.  Prior to sending students off to turn and talks or group work time, it's important to set clear expectations not only about the task (or question) itself, but also challenge students to level the quality of their work.  Keep it simply by using ready tools like mentor texts to model the quality of responses students could push to attain.  OR, make tools like accountable talk stems available to kids if they need some extra support in deepening or extending their conversations with one another.

Most importantly across both classroom visits is the theme that our kids are truly amazing! 

If we ask more of them, they always find their way to get there.  If they are not achieving - likely the source may be that teachers are not asking enough of them vs. what they are actually capable of doing.

Make these next two weeks  place where you level up your own instruction with these learnings. Think about places where you can be more clear about the quality of work you are expecting (in addition to accuracy and completion).  Find more places to allow students to show you their thinking within each lesson (via talking or writing).  These places will give you opportunities to build and assess student thinking throughout the entire class period!

Important Upcoming dates

• Thurs & Friday 14 & 15DEC23 - Doodle Piqueno Premiers!
• Thursday 14DEC23 - Winterfest
• Friday 15DEC23 - UAI Holiday Staff Party at Henry Street Ale House. 
• Tuesday, 19DEC23 - 8-12 Iceskating Trip
• Friday, 22DEC23 - Rapid Dismissal at 2:15
  
  
• For Future Calendar NOTES
• January Benchmark Schedule
• For Grades 8-12:  2nd AND 3rd period Regents Mock
• Wed 17JAN23 ELA Regents
• Thu 18JAN23 USH or GLO Regents
• Fri 19JAN23 LIV or EARTH Regents
• Mon 22JAN23 ALG 1 Regent
• All other classes should give their end of MP2 benchmark at some point during the week of Tue 16JAN- Mon 22JAN - any period EXCEPT 2nd and 3rd.
• For Grades 6 & 7th graders:
• 2nd & 3rd will be benchmark periods - lunch will be moved to 4th
• Tuesday 23JAN will be the ELA benchmark
• Wednesday 24JAN will be the Math benchmark
  
• All staff will have grading time build into their Regents Week Schedules.
  
  
• Please Prepare your students for these benchmarks
• They should be seeing spiral review of MP1 and MP2 topics throughout all of MP2
• They should have practice with Benchmark questions for BOTH content and literacy
• You should schedule some type of practice benchmark prior to the actual benchmark so students have an idea of what to study.  This could be in any form you choose - but you need to provide it for them.  Please see your ILT lead or Kiri or Annie if you need more support on this

Announcements & To Dos

RPET Work.  We have begun the work of healing and addressing the harm caused by one of our community spreading antisemitism during a student protest.  First and foremost we are centered are righting the wrong and healing the hurt without causing more pain.  To that end, we are being intentional in building up our tools and structures that strengthen our capacity to have productive, informative, and educational exchanges that improve our own understandings of others and our ability to root out racism, combat our implicit biases, and work collectively to create a fully inclusive community.  There are many levers in development to build those tools.  Annie's email on Friday shared what those were.  In case you missed it, here they are again:

Peer Mediation Training.  With Sue's leadership (and support by RJ specialists) we now have 13 students from our student government trained as peer mediators. Creating a safe, stable school environment promotes higher academic achievement and well-being for all students and builds greater student connectedness and investment in the school community.  As a result of this work student will play a key role in the following:

• Resolving disagreements and conflicts
• Creating a peaceful environment to learn
• Developing conflict resolution skills
• Encouraging students to work together
• Improving student-staff relationships
• Reducing tension among staff and students
• Decreasing the pressure on teachers to serve as constant disciplinarians
• Helping parties involved feel heard and understood
• Helping parties involved develop a mutual understanding and respect for each other, regardless of differing identities 
• Students involved in the process of peer mediation can improve their own conflict resolution skills, give peer feedback, feel listened to, and feel a sense of empowerment

COOP Hired Students.   OSYD (Office of Safety and Youth Development) agreed to fund the salary of 5 students (yet to be selected) to work in supporting Restorative Practices at our school. These students will be paid $15 an hour for 200 hours each to do this work. Since this is a brand new initiative to us, more information is to come regarding the selection of students and their scope of work - stay tuned.

Updates on completed work within RPET.  The RPET (Freida, Jelissa, Joanna, Sue, Elena, Sarah R, Jean, Annie & Kiri) have been hard at work, meeting weekly, to establish next steps for our community in our work to heal and become more inclusive of folx from all backgrounds and identities. In the last few weeks we've worked on the following:

• Facilitated (by La'Chelle from OSYD) a Table Talk Circle with students where we asked questions to understand more about their fears, concerns and hopes in light of the anti-semitic incident 
• Engaged in our own staff Circle  (by La'Chelle from OSYD) with the same prompts and goals as the student Circle
• Debriefed the Circles as a team to establish next steps for the work
• Established key takeaways which mirrored what was shared by students
• Co-created a Mission/Vision for RPET which will drive the work for this year
• Mission: The Restorative Practices Equity Team (RPET) is responsible for providing an inclusive, culturally aware, and equitable environment for all students/staff. Our mission is to educate our community on how we can foster an environment where different perspectives and cultures are accepted and respected despite differences. Our three main objectives are:
• 1) Create structures and systems of support that empower our community to continue to become one where all stakeholders of all backgrounds feel that they belong and are valued.
• 2) Educate all students and staff about our diverse backgrounds and learn how to respect and accept all who are different from us
• 3) We will work actively towards becoming an anti-racist, fully inclusive, caring community that proactively builds community and education to reduce instances of all types of identity-based bias. 
• Vision: By the end of this year all staff will have a deep understanding of Restorative Practices so that community building happens everywhere. The RPET will serve as a proactive body to which the school community is able to rely on for resources and support in our work to create a wider community centering radical love and acceptance of people of all identities. The RPET will lead the school (both student and staff) education where we learn about identity biases like antisemitism, islamophobia, and racism, etc.
• RPET Next Steps
• The team is working to create a scope and sequence in alignment with our stated mission and vision. This will be shared out once completed

Trainings for Staff.  Since we know that our way to healing and strengthening our community is through Restorative Practices, we've begun sending staff to Restorative Practices trainings

• All counselors and advisors have either attended or are attending TIER 1 Restorative Practices Training
• Jelissa, Sarah R, Mike, Phillan and Fatima have completed TIER 1 & 2 Restorative Practices Training
• Five additional staff have signed up to attend the Socio-Emotional Learning and Trauma-Informed Approaches (this is open to all staff for training rate persession)

Monday PD.  We have about 5 weeks remaining in MP2, and so now is the time to take stock of how students are doing and to step in now for folks who may be missing the mark.  For PD this week and next Monday, you'll have time to meet with your co-teachers and with student paras to 

• First - find the root causes of why students are struggling
• Then - develop an intervention plan to address student needs and support them towards reaching the goal of having a 75 or better by the end of MP2

All co and solo taught courses will need to have completed THIS FORM for at least half of the courses by the end of 11DEC and the other half by the end of 18DEC.  Our SST (Student support team) and Advisors will be using this form to follow up with students and families.  The team roles are such:  Classroom folks (teachers and paras) provide the supports; SST folks conference with students to help them reflect on their progress; Advisors will connect with homes to communicate progress (using SyncGrades and conference data) with families.  Families should also be hearing directly from teachers so that they can support at home.

Trips. 

• Friday, 15DEC - Civics Trip - Details to come
• Tuesday, 19DEC - 
• Grades 8-12 School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing
• 7th Grade Trip to Pfizer (SSNM7 - all sections)

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form"

After School Clubs.   If you are interested in running an after school club, please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23  AND submit the Per Session Application Form.  Clubs are slated to start next week.  Clubs must have a steady roster of at least 8-10 students per week in order to NOT be cancelled.  Rosters & Attendance lists MUST be submitted with per session time cards.  If your club goes three consecutive weeks with less than 8 students, your club will need to be cancelled (so that we can optimize funds for other uses - so sorry...wish we could fund everything all the time, but unfortunately, we don't have endless sums of funds).  After school sessions can be 3-4PM or 3-4:30PM or 3-5:30PM (teacher's choice)up to three days per week.  So per session hours can range from 1-7.5hrs per week).  Posting Expires 10OCT23.

Please continue to help promote your after school clubs.  Please make sure you are getting a reliable group of at least 10 students.  Help our after school classes get off the ground! - I will be collecting final rosters on 30NOV - you have additional time to recruit!!

• Black Student Union - Joanna & Pauline (Rm 411) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-4:30
• Arts & Crafts Club - Tiffany & Jennifer (Rm 311) - Mon/Tue/Weds - 3-4:15PM
• Theater Production Club - Noelle (Rm 315) - Tues/Thurs/Fri - 3-5:30PM
• Student Government - Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi (Rm 309) - Tuesdays - 3-4PM
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly  (Rm 307) - Tuesdays 3-4PM
• Photo Club - Tom(Rm 205F) - Wednesdays 3-4:30
• Cheer - Mary & Lia - Various days depending on Game Days
• Anime & Art Club - Adelle & Francis (Rm 409) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5PM
• Running Club with Camryn (starts after the marathon is over)
• Dance Club - Girls Inc - Room 503
• Students Against Racism & Bias Club - Jelissa (Rm 305) Tuesdays & Thursday 3-4PM
• Muslim Student Association - Laura (Rm 404) TBD
• GSA Club - Amanda - Rm 407

PSAL Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. PSAL Games are starting up soon. Please submit the Per Session Application Form if you are interested in supervising student spectators.  Hours vary depending on games.  Each game (basketball or volleyball) is usually 4-6pm (is) so each supervision session is about 2hours.  Staff are welcome to sign up for as many games as they'd like.  Please see UAI calendar or PSAL website for game dates. Duties include making sure

• students remain safe and orderly during games
• only eligible students are admitted to games
• all students fully dismiss from the building at the conclusion of the games

CSI Planning & Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. This posting if for supervision per session to plan, supervise, monitor and coordinate extra improvement efforts to address UAI achievement gaps and improve student performance in target metrics.  Activities include analyzing and reviewing data, planning and executing professional development experiences to improve staff performance, analyzing and editing video footage to improve teacher lesson execution and lesson implementation, and supervising out of school activities - including recruitment, staff planning, and after school activities.  Hours vary per week depending on task and work completed.  Hours range 1-7.5 hours per week.

Classroom SetUp.  All classroom staff are invited to come in to set up and plan for up to 10 hours all together any day this week Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM.  Staff must clock in AND out each day, and cannot be in the building after 2PM.  Please adhere to guidelines set out in the blog post above.  All Staff MUST also apply to this position by completing the "Per Session Application From" - see link above.  [Posted 27AUG23] - Posting CLOSED and JOB is over.

Week of December 4th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 16

December 4th, 2023

UAI WOW!   We're in December, people!!  December brings the hoidays and so many moments of warm and fuzzy joy.  Joy is also something we have rising up at UA.  So many folks are doing so many incredible things, it's long past time for me to stop and recognize them!

• AMNH Residents.  Liza worked hard to get our partnership with the American Museum of Natural History solidified and launched this year.  In September, we welcomed four wonderful residents (Mariana, Mateo, Steven, and Quin).  Our all-star science team took these folks under their wings to mentor them and help them develop the skills needed to be fabulous science teachers in their own right.  Many thanks to Tom, Sarah R, Judy, Liza, Mary, Thomas, and Camryn for working to uplift the next generation of science teachers and helping UAI and the city at large develop a pipeline of future science teachers for our kids!!
  
  
• Math Team & BTCM.  Since last year's Citywide Lighthouse Visit, our HS math team has been trying out a variety of new strategies that flip traditional math teaching on its head and get our kids up and on their feet and actively thinking and learning math!  Using practices from Buiding Thinking Classrooms the team hit it out of the park for Superintendent Fred Walsh's visit on Thursday and Deputy Chancellor Carolyn Quintana's Visit last Tuesday.  Judy, Amanda, Alexis, Danielle H, Sue, and Kaitlyn are getting geared up to be awesome AGAIN this week as they host CUNY LINCT teachers and admin from around the city + CUNY professors to share their work in our Quantitative Reasoning and Statistics classes!  
  
  
• Social Studies & AP African American Studies (APAAS).  This is the second year of a 2-year pilot for the AP African American Studies course.  The College Board selected UAI to be part of the pilot, and we are 1 of 50 schools in the city.  AP for All is so impressed with the quality of work that Kelly & Martine have delivered in their lessons, and in the amazing reactions of our kids!  As a reminder, this is and ICT AP course, and the kids are rising to the challenge because of how Martine & Kelly have structured their lessons, held high expectations and provided supports where needed AND perhaps most important - they have removed them where they are NOT needed so that students can more readily do the work on their own.  Their course is the model of this pilot AND the model of the "for All" piece of "AP for All".  For this, the AP for All folks invited the Deputy Chancellor to highlight their work 

• RPET Work.  Our Restorative Practice Equity Team has stepped bravely into the work of how we as a community educate ourselves and our students around the Hamas-Israeli conflict and now they are stepping forward to lead the work to equip ourselves and our students with the skills needed to engage in this work effectively and prodcutively (developing our RJ skills and practices).  Joanna, Sue, Elena, Jelissa, Freida, Jean, and Sarah R have stepped into this hard work and are giving so much of themselves and their time to take it on.  There's not enough words to describe my appreciation.  It's hard, complicated work, fraught with so many pitfalls for error.  However, it is extremely vital and necessary work and we are all lucky that you are there to lead the way!

• Student Leadership.  This year our Youth Leadership Council and our Student Government have launched as two new student leadership organizations.  They have already shone so brightly in their short time of existing.  The YLC were the ones to bring Elite Learners to our neighborhood and create a safe passage for our campus and others in the downtown area.  In a few short months, they have had lasting impact on their community! Many thanks to Kelly (YLC) and Sue, Marsha, and Phillan (Student Government) for their work to support our young leaders!  I cannot wait to see what they do next!
  
  
• Senior Activities.  Most folks have no idea what it takes to manage an entire class of kids who expect (and deserve) to be treated like royalty as the enjoy their ultimate year (in MS or HS).  It's a LOT.  However, our senior advisors (Patricia, Freida, and Jelissa) have been working hard to plan out all of the activities, get all of their pictures taken, and coordinating collecting their due to pay for all this fun and joy.  Because of their work and coordination, our kids are going to have a most memorable senior experience to take with them for the rest of their lives!  Thank you!!
  
  
• One-Person Theater Magician.  Noelle is a magical machine!! Single-handedly Noelle has built our theater department from the ground up and our students are now on the precipice of another fabulous production (The Transition of Doodle Piqueno).  Theater production isn't just getting the kids ready to act on stage.  It is that, and Noelle is particularly talented at cultivating our students' talents.  Theater production is also making sure everything around the acting is also up and running beautiful - the technical theater, backdrops, sets, lighting, etc.  That's a WHOLE other skill set AND Noelle has done that too! Then on top of all of that, this play celebrates queer and BIPOC youth, creating a place where our students feel valued, loved, and seen!
  
  Like I said - magical MACHINE!  Thank you Noelle - I for one cannot wait for the premier (on 14DEC23 at UA Unison) - also.. I have a car and can help you move set pieces ;-)
  
  
• Student Recruitment.  Jen is a powerhouse of recruitment.  Tracey has also been working hard to boost up our MS enrollment.  Over the last two months, Jen coordinated so many different efforts to showcase our school and convince families and students to choose UAI!  Tracy connected with countless elementary schools to share the awesomeness of UAI.
  
  It's such important work since all of our funding is tied to students choosing UAI.  Many, many thanks and high fives to the work Jen does, and also to the work that Tracey & Jen have done this fall!

There are so many more WOWs, I am just running out of blog time and space!  Some fast ones:  Mary's most excellent management of our IEPs, Sarah R's launch of the trout farm, Annie's work with Lincoln Restler's office, Roger & Patti setting up a badminton tournament!!   All of it is so amazing - and we have quite the stellar staff!  Please DO reach out to me with more. I'm not able to see everything all the time (turns out I am not omniscient - lol).  Don't be shy - do share!

You all are awesome - I am WOWed!!

Important Upcoming dates

• Wednesday, 06DEC23 - Trips to AMNH and Hamilton
• Thursday, 07DEC23 - Math Team Hosts CUNY QR and Stats Folks for BTCM Visit
• Friday, 08DEC23 - MS Applications Due
• Tuesday, 12DEC23 - MS Iceskating Trip
• Thurs & Friday 14 & 15DEC23 - Doodle Piqueno Premiers!
• Thursday 14DEC23 - Winterfest
• Friday 15DEC23 - UAI Holiday Staff Party at Henry Street Ale House. 
• Tuesday, 19DEC23 - 8-12 Iceskating Trip
• Friday, 22DEC23 - Rapid Dismissal at 2:15
  
  
• For Future Calendar NOTES
• January Benchmark Schedule
• For Grades 8-12:  2nd AND 3rd period Regents Mock
• Wed 17JAN23 ELA Regents
• Thu 18JAN23 USH or GLO Regents
• Fri 19JAN23 LIV or EARTH Regents
• Mon 22JAN23 ALG 1 Regent
• All other classes should give their end of MP2 benchmark at some point during the week of Tue 16JAN- Mon 22JAN - any period EXCEPT 2nd and 3rd.
• For Grades 6 & 7th graders:
• 2nd & 3rd will be benchmark periods - lunch will be moved to 4th
• Tuesday 23JAN will be the ELA benchmark
• Wednesday 24JAN will be the Math benchmark
  
• All staff will have grading time build into their Regents Week Schedules.
  
  
• Please Prepare your students for these benchmarks
• They should be seeing spiral review of MP1 and MP2 topics throughout all of MP2
• They should have practice with Benchmark questions for BOTH content and literacy
• You should schedule some type of practice benchmark prior to the actual benchmark so students have an idea of what to study.  This could be in any form you choose - but you need to provide it for them.  Please see your ILT lead or Kiri or Annie if you need more support on this

Announcements & To Dos

RPET Work.  The RPET met with LaChelle on Monday to pilot the circle/table talk structure.  The team discussed how there is tension between wanted to dive straight into the work and the need to not cause more harm.  This structure is a tool that is aimed at doing that.  It is the beginning of the work.  

After the session, the team met to form the missions statement and scope and sequence for the work this year and in the longterm.  Look to next week's blog for a more complete share and plan.

Monday PD.  In compliance with the 2022 N.G. Class Action settlement agreement, the DOE is required to provide training regarding transition planning annually for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to ensure that all staff are trained on quality transition planning.  Mary will be leading us through this training on Monday.  See you all in the farm on Monday at 3:30PM.

More Visitors.   This week we have more visitors who are coming to see our amazing UAI!

• CUNY Folks:   CUNY LINCT QR & STATS teachers, admin, and professors
  
• Thursday 07DEC:   For many years now, we have had a partnership with CUNY College Now that gives our students the opportunity to strengthen their math skills AND earn college credit.  CUNY hires our teachers as adjunct professors to be able provide that credit.  Our QR, Stats, and Geometry teachers (Alexis, Judy & Kaitlyn, and Amanda) will be hosting teachers and their admin from school from around the City who also have QR & Stats classes in their programs.  Professors from CUNY will also join in to see how the team is using practices from Peter Liljedahl's book Building Thinking Classroom in Math to engage students and get them thinking and learning.
  
  
• Thursday 07DEC and Friday 08DEC.  We have been selected by OSYDs Office of Restorative Justice to be part of their professional learning community and to participate in their various training to bring programs and systems into our school building.  This Thursday & Friday our students will be working with Sue to learn about and extend their own skills around conflict mediation and circle keeping.  They'll be training with other students-teacher teams from around the city!

Instructional Rounds.   Our next round of Instructional Rounds will be on Tuesday 05DEC23.  Judy will be leading that round with Amanda, Laura, Martine, Mike, Patricia, Camryn, Dru, Roger, and Shan.  We'll be looking at the quality of feedback that happens during class and how students leverage that feedback to improve understanding and deepen skills.   

Trips.   We heard your feedback and are streamlining communications around trips!  Please click the links to see trip details below:

• Monday, 04DEC - 
• APES and AP Bio Trip to AMNH
• Wed, 06DEC - 
• USH & APAAS to Hamilton
• Chem Trip to AMNH (Link to come)
• Tuesday, 12DEC - 
• MS School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing (Details to com)
• Tuesday, 19DEC - 
• Grades 8-12 School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing
• 7th Grade Trip to Pfizer (SSNM7 - all sections)

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form"

After School Clubs.   If you are interested in running an after school club, please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23  AND submit the Per Session Application Form.  Clubs are slated to start next week.  Clubs must have a steady roster of at least 8-10 students per week in order to NOT be cancelled.  Rosters & Attendance lists MUST be submitted with per session time cards.  If your club goes three consecutive weeks with less than 8 students, your club will need to be cancelled (so that we can optimize funds for other uses - so sorry...wish we could fund everything all the time, but unfortunately, we don't have endless sums of funds).  After school sessions can be 3-4PM or 3-4:30PM or 3-5:30PM (teacher's choice)up to three days per week.  So per session hours can range from 1-7.5hrs per week).  Posting Expires 10OCT23.

Finalize After School Rosters.  Please continue to help promote your after school clubs.  Please make sure you are getting a reliable group of at least 10 students.  Help our after school classes get off the ground! - I will be collecting final rosters on 30NOV - you have additional time to recruit!!

• Black Student Union - Joanna & Pauline (Rm 411) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-4:30
• Arts & Crafts Club - Tiffany & Jennifer (Rm 311) - Mon/Tue/Weds - 3-4:15PM
• Theater Production Club - Noelle (Rm 315) - Tues/Thurs/Fri - 3-5:30PM
• Student Government - Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi (Rm 309) - Tuesdays - 3-4PM
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly  (Rm 307) - Tuesdays 3-4PM
• Photo Club - Tom(Rm 205F) - Wednesdays 3-4:30
• Cheer - Mary & Lia - Various days depending on Game Days
• Anime & Art Club - Adelle & Francis (Rm 409) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5PM
• Running Club with Camryn (starts after the marathon is over)
• Dance Club - Girls Inc - Room 503
• Students Against Racism & Bias Club - Jelissa (Rm 305) Tuesdays & Thursday 3-4PM
• Muslim Student Association - Laura (Rm 404) TBD
• GSA Club - Amanda - Rm 407

PSAL Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. PSAL Games are starting up soon. Please submit the Per Session Application Form if you are interested in supervising student spectators.  Hours vary depending on games.  Each game (basketball or volleyball) is usually 4-6pm (is) so each supervision session is about 2hours.  Staff are welcome to sign up for as many games as they'd like.  Please see UAI calendar or PSAL website for game dates. Duties include making sure

• students remain safe and orderly during games
• only eligible students are admitted to games
• all students fully dismiss from the building at the conclusion of the games

CSI Planning & Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. This posting if for supervision per session to plan, supervise, monitor and coordinate extra improvement efforts to address UAI achievement gaps and improve student performance in target metrics.  Activities include analyzing and reviewing data, planning and executing professional development experiences to improve staff performance, analyzing and editing video footage to improve teacher lesson execution and lesson implementation, and supervising out of school activities - including recruitment, staff planning, and after school activities.  Hours vary per week depending on task and work completed.  Hours range 1-7.5 hours per week.

Classroom SetUp.  All classroom staff are invited to come in to set up and plan for up to 10 hours all together any day this week Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM.  Staff must clock in AND out each day, and cannot be in the building after 2PM.  Please adhere to guidelines set out in the blog post above.  All Staff MUST also apply to this position by completing the "Per Session Application From" - see link above.  [Posted 27AUG23] - Posting CLOSED and JOB is over.

Week of November 27th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 15

November 27th, 2023

Four Weeks of WOW.   We are back from the Thanksgiving Recess with an opportunity of 4 weeks of instruction before the next break.  There will be ebbs and flows in the instructional patterns with several field trips peppered throughout the next few weeks - but this is also an excellent opportunity to really make strides with student learning.  Challenge yourself and your students to be amazing with their learning and to push for deeper undertandings and higher achievement!  Expect connections, creativity, and new perspectives - push through the doldrums of compliance and just getting things done - encourage and drive students to want to reach for excellence & achievement.

• Conferences & Feedback Loops.  Make sure to plan to make time to talk to kids.  Make time in each class period to look at the quality of what your students are saying & writing.  Help them move beyond just getting it done to getting it right & good.  
  
  
• Limit Teacher Talk in order to Maximize Student-Student Discourse.  By inserting simple Turn & Talks and pair or small group work time, you create time for your own circulation to look at student work and time for you to provide feedback & hold conferences.  You need to limit the time you are talking (either lecturing or holding teacher-student discourse - or teacher moderated student discourse).  Aim to keep your full-class talking to less than 10min total per period.
  
  
• Practice Makes Performance.  Everyone needs multiple at-bats in order to actually get good at anything.  In the upcoming units, you should be providing students with opportunities to independently and without scaffolds practice new skills and knowledge (e.g. exit tickets and practice tests).  In particular, you want to make sure all the practice happens PRIOR to the summative assessment and you don't rely on corrections on summative assessments.  Corrections should really be happening on review or practice tests (aka if this were the real benchmark....you would have received this grade...but it's practice, so you can do corrections..).  Kids do not naturally know how to study and practie - it's a skill that we all need to teach them - again and again and again.
  
  
• Stay Connected with Families.  You've all done some pretty amazing work keeping in touch with our families.  Keep that up!  For the next four weeks try to making 1 call a day.  Shoot for this make-up:
• 2 calls to families of kids who have <75 in your class
• 2 calls to families of kids who are cruising and >75, but you know they could do way better
• 2 calls to families of kids who blowing it out of the park in your class
• 1 calls to families of kids who simply make teaching joyous

You can focus on these four areas to level up your own practice this month, and in so doing, you will be well on your way to creating Four Weeks of WOW!!!!

Important Upcoming dates

• Monday, 27NOV23 - UAI Pacing Calendars Due & SESIS Progress Reports Due
• Tuesday, 28NOV23 - Trip and Visit
• 8:30-2PM   6th Grade Field Trip to the Met Museum (Fatima, Mike, Phillan, Sarah R)
• 1:30P-2PM Deputy Chancellor Visits Kelly & Martine (APAAS) and Freida (AP Lang)
• 1:30PM-2:30PM - MS 915 Visits UAI
• Wednesday, 29NOV2 - Dock Street Visits UAI
• Thursday, 30NOV2 - 12:30-5PM PPO Visit with Fred Walsh
• Friday, 01DEC23 - High School Application Due
• Wednesday, 06DEC23 - Trips to AMNH and Hamilton
• Thursday, 07DEC23 - Math Team Hosts CUNY QR and Stats Folks for BTCM Visit
• Friday, 08DEC23 - MS Applications Due
• Tuesday, 12DEC23 - MS Iceskating Trip
• Thurs & Friday 14 & 15DEC23 - Doodle Piqueno Premiers!
• Thursday 14DEC23 - Winterfest
• Friday 15DEC23 - UAI Holiday Staff Party at Henry Street Ale House. 
• Tuesday, 19DEC23 - 8-12 Iceskating Trip
• Friday, 22DEC23 - Rapid Dismissal at 2:15
  
  
• For Future Calendar NOTES
• January Benchmark Schedule
• For Grades 8-12:  2nd AND 3rd period Regents Mock
• Wed 17JAN23 ELA Regents
• Thu 18JAN23 USH or GLO Regents
• Fri 19JAN23 LIV or EARTH Regents
• Mon 22JAN23 ALG 1 Regent
• All other classes should give their end of MP2 benchmark at some point during the week of Tue 16JAN- Mon 22JAN - any period EXCEPT 2nd and 3rd.
• For Grades 6 & 7th graders:
• 2nd & 3rd will be benchmark periods - lunch will be moved to 4th
• Tuesday 23JAN will be the ELA benchmark
• Wednesday 24JAN will be the Math benchmark
  
• All staff will have grading time build into their Regents Week Schedules.
  
  
• Please Prepare your students for these benchmarks
• They should be seeing spiral review of MP1 and MP2 topics throughout all of MP2
• They should have practice with Benchmark questions for BOTH content and literacy
• You should schedule some type of practice benchmark prior to the actual benchmark so students have an idea of what to study.  This could be in any form you choose - but you need to provide it for them.  Please see your ILT lead or Kiri or Annie if you need more support on this

Announcements & To Dos

Monday PD & RPET Work.  Kiri & Annie met with La'Chelle and David from OSYD's RJ Team.  They are working slowly and intentionally with us to build our schools' capacity to carry through this work on our own.  They shared with us some more resources to help our community learn more about the Israel-Hamas conflict and also to gain more generalized knowledge about anti-semetism and islamaphobia. 

We are having our first round of Table Talks (which are more circle like to start so that we can ramp our way up into this new kind of tool) on Monday.  We'll be pulling students from the YLC and Student Government during 6th & 7th period on Monday, and we'll be working with the RPET during PD.  

For the rest of staff during Monday PD, there are two options:

• All SPED Teacehrs, Paras, and Counselors - Meet with Mary in Room 205F to work on Progress Report Updates for IEPs in SESIS.
• All other staff report to these rooms to work on Pacing Calendars with the support of your ILT
• ELA - Room 309
• Math - Room 405
• Science - Room 205C
• Social Studies - Room 507
• Language - Room 409
• Theater - Room 315
• PE - Room 503
  
  NOTE: 
  Pacing Calendars should be uploaded into THIS FOLDER at the end of PD tomorrow.
  RPET folks can turn them in on Wednesday 29NOV23.
  
  

Special Visitors.   This week we have lots of visitors who are coming to see our amazing UAI!

• DOE Folks:   Deputry Chancellor Carolyn Quintana and Superintendent Fred Walsh
  
  
• Tuesday 28NOV23:  Martine & Kelly have been working hard on our newest AP class AP African American Studies, and their efforts have caught the eye of our Deputy Chancellor of Teaching and Learning - Carolyn Quintana.    They are hosting the DC and AP for All folks on Tuesday, and we're excited to support their amazing work!!!
  
  
• Tuesday & Wednesday 28NOV & 29NOV;  Students and Counselors from MS 915 and Dock Street are coming to visit UAI as a prospective High School for next year.  They'll be around to visit classes and our special spaces (gym, farm, cafe) etc.  We're looking forward to showing off how awesome our school is!!
  
  
• Thursday 30NOV23:  Superintendent Fred Walk is coming to visit for his Fall Evaluative visit.  He'll be vising SLJ in the AM and coming by UAI in the PM at 12:30.  Here's the agenda for his visit
  
  
• 12:30-2:45 Classroom Visits [7] - Room 401
• 12:30 - Amanda - Algebra I - Room 407
• 12:45 - Danielle & Sue - Algebra I - Room 405
• 1:00 - Principal mini-meeting
• 1:15 - Kelly & Martine - AP Afr Amer St - Rm 507 
• 1:30 - Marsha - Into Lit 89 - Room 309
• 1:45 - Sarah & Lia - Into Lit 89 - Room 303
• 2:00 - Fatima - 6th Gr Soc St - Rm B43
• 2:15 - Alison & Matthew - 7th Gr Math  - Room B57
• 2:30 - Sarah - 6th Gr Science - Room B49

• • 2:40-4:20 Distributive Leadership & Capacity Building
  • 2:40 - Youth Leadership Council & Student Government
  • 3:10 - Instructional Leadership Team & Restorative Practices Equity Team
  • 3:40 - Student Support Team
  • 4:00 - School Leadership Team
    
    
• 4:15-5:00 Evaluator Reflection & Final Principal Debrief
• 4:20 - Evaluator Reflection - Room 147 
• 4:50 - Final Debrief with Kiri in Room 147

Trips.   We also have a fair number of trips this month!  Our AMNH Residents are each planning trips to the American Museum of Natural History, plus there's our return of our Hamilton Trip, please we have some school culture building ice-skating trips in the offing!  You can see which students are going by looking at the class list tab on the UAI schedule and look for the codes (in parentheses).

• MS ONLY Tuesday, 28NOV - 6th Grade Trip to the Met - Whole Day (HSNM6 - both sections)
• 8-9 ONLY Wednesday 29NOV - Earth Science Trip to AMNH (SEN11 - all sections)
• 10-12 ONLY Monday, 04DEC - APES and AP Bio Trip to AMNH (SLN11X and SBN11X - all)
• 8-12 ONLY Wed, 06DEC - USH & APAAS to Hamilton/Chem to AMNH (Hamilton - SCN11)
• MS ONLY Tuesday, 12DEC - MS School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing
• 7-12 ONLY Tuesday, 19DEC - Grades 8-12 School Culture Ice-Skating Trip - Jen is Organizing
                                                    7th Grade Trip to Pfizer (SSNM7 - all sections)

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form"

After School Clubs.   If you are interested in running an after school club, please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23  AND submit the Per Session Application Form.  Clubs are slated to start next week.  Clubs must have a steady roster of at least 8-10 students per week in order to NOT be cancelled.  Rosters & Attendance lists MUST be submitted with per session time cards.  If your club goes three consecutive weeks with less than 8 students, your club will need to be cancelled (so that we can optimize funds for other uses - so sorry...wish we could fund everything all the time, but unfortunately, we don't have endless sums of funds).  After school sessions can be 3-4PM or 3-4:30PM or 3-5:30PM (teacher's choice)up to three days per week.  So per session hours can range from 1-7.5hrs per week).  Posting Expires 10OCT23.

Finalize After School Rosters.  Please continue to help promote your after school clubs.  Please make sure you are getting a reliable group of at least 10 students.  Help our after school classes get off the ground! - I will be collecting final rosters on 30NOV - you have additional time to recruit!!

• Black Student Union - Joanna & Pauline (Rm 411) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-4:30
• Arts & Crafts Club - Tiffany & Jennifer (Rm 311) - Mon/Tue/Weds - 3-4:15PM
• Theater Production Club - Noelle (Rm 315) - Tues/Thurs/Fri - 3-5:30PM
• Student Government - Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi (Rm 309) - Tuesdays - 3-4PM
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly  (Rm 307) - Tuesdays 3-4PM
• Photo Club - Tom(Rm 205F) - Wednesdays 3-4:30
• Cheer - Mary & Lia - Various days depending on Game Days
• Anime & Art Club - Adelle & Francis (Rm 409) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5PM
• Running Club with Camryn (starts after the marathon is over)
• Dance Club - Girls Inc - Room 503
• Students Against Racism & Bias Club - Jelissa (Rm 305) Tuesdays & Thursday 3-4PM
• Muslim Student Association - Laura (Rm 404) TBD
• GSA Club - Amanda - Rm 407

PSAL Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. PSAL Games are starting up soon. Please submit the Per Session Application Form if you are interested in supervising student spectators.  Hours vary depending on games.  Each game (basketball or volleyball) is usually 4-6pm (is) so each supervision session is about 2hours.  Staff are welcome to sign up for as many games as they'd like.  Please see UAI calendar or PSAL website for game dates. Duties include making sure

• students remain safe and orderly during games
• only eligible students are admitted to games
• all students fully dismiss from the building at the conclusion of the games

CSI Planning & Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. This posting if for supervision per session to plan, supervise, monitor and coordinate extra improvement efforts to address UAI achievement gaps and improve student performance in target metrics.  Activities include analyzing and reviewing data, planning and executing professional development experiences to improve staff performance, analyzing and editing video footage to improve teacher lesson execution and lesson implementation, and supervising out of school activities - including recruitment, staff planning, and after school activities.  Hours vary per week depending on task and work completed.  Hours range 1-7.5 hours per week.

Classroom SetUp.  All classroom staff are invited to come in to set up and plan for up to 10 hours all together any day this week Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM.  Staff must clock in AND out each day, and cannot be in the building after 2PM.  Please adhere to guidelines set out in the blog post above.  All Staff MUST also apply to this position by completing the "Per Session Application From" - see link above.  [Posted 27AUG23] - Posting CLOSED and JOB is over.

Week of November 20th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 14

November 20th, 2023

Gratitude.  This week leads us into the Thanksgiving break.  It's a natural time to make time to pause, take stock, and be gracious for what we have.  The hustle and bustle of every day, the pressures of needing to do X or Y, and the anxiety of what is yet to come lead us to places where we let gratitude slide off the plate.

Let's upend that this week and take stock from the outside in

• Lasting Impact of understanding Global Politics & combatting Antisemitism - These last few weeks, UAI has been thrust into the spotlight of a complex geo-political landscape intertwined with the weight and injustices of bias & hate.   Our inboxes have been inundated, our school plastered across social media - none of the attention focusing on our achievements - only this failure.
  
  Yet - I am grateful.  I realize that sounds insane.. but take a minute to think about it.  This is another challenge, another trial that our community is working to find a path through.  Though this path was thrust upon us, I can see how the impact of the work we do towards the goals of this path will have untold benefits and amazing outcomes. 
  
  
  
• Our Staff, Students, and Families & Our UA & Affinity Friends.  When things go south, you really know who your friends and family are - or so that saying goes.  I am incredibly thankful to all of the staff who weathered their own stress from these last few weeks and showed up for our students, families and each other.  I am particularly thankful to
• Our UA and Affinity Friends - Many, many thanks to David Adams & the UA team for having our backs and supporting us in thinking about how to plan and structure the healing for our community.  Thank you to La'Chelle & David from the Affinity Restorative Justice team for taking us under their wings and being at our side for the longterm work.
• Jen & Annie - Many thanks to Annie & Jen for their leadership through these last few weeks.  They are invaluable thought partners and ceaselessly dedicated to the well-being of each of our students - even when the mistakes loom large - and their families, and our staff!
• ILT - Each of our teacher leaders were there for our staff and students as we processed the various outcomes and emotions of the last few weeks.  They showed empathy & understanding and made sure to elevate concerns to leadership so that our plan could be more informed and inclusive.
• RPET- The newly transformed Equity Team bravely expanded their work and mission to take on the weight of carrying our school forward - improving UAI's ability to move to 
• confronting our implicit and unconscious biases, 
• improving our own education about key issues & histories 
• developing our self & social awareness and respective roles & responsibilities
• building systems and structures that enable our community to productively manage discourse and perspective taking - key strategies to building tolerance and understanding and dismantling the impact of bias and hate.
• Student Leaders- Still our students shine.  I make a point to remember this everyday, and find ways to see their brilliance each day.  Here again in their own words...
  
  
• The events of last week left many of us hurt, angry, and scared. As leaders of the UAI student body, we want to acknowledge the harm that was caused to our own community and to the Jewish community around the world.
  
  We express our unwavering commitment to upholding basic human rights and promoting an environment of inclusivity and tolerance.  In standing for basic human rights, we also stand against hate and discrimination, unequivocally denouncing antisemitism and all forms of oppression. Together, as student body leaders, we are committed towards building a future of mutual respect, empathy, and justice.
  
  Moving forward, we will work with school administration and outside organizations to: increase understanding about global issues, create an environment of dialogue and open-mindedness, and uplift our diverse sisterhood. We will support students who raise their collective voices to urge governments and international organizations to halt the cycle of violence across all borders and against people of all races, religions, and ethnicities. We believe that leading with love, compassion, and empathy is our path forward. Together, as UAI student leaders, we stand for humanity.
  
  
• Our Amazing Staff - Finally, I'm incredibly and everlastingly appreciative of each one of our staff.  Throughout all of the challenges and emotion, each of you has found your way to make time for students to let them know they have someone in their corner, and that they are safe and loved at UAI.  On top of your own stress and anxiety, you found your way to continue to create lessons and experiences to push their learning and growth.  You also made the time to connect with families around common goals- particularly around the success of our children.  It hasn't been easy - far from it.  But yet, each of you persisted!
  
  And that is the true secret sauce of UAI's power, rigor, equity, and joy!  Joy may have been on a ebb lately, but you were each digging deep to find the power to keep up the challenge and push for what is right.  Thank you - I am soooo thankful for each of you.

And because of all of this and all of you... I for one, am happily opening the door for Joy as we move from Thanksgiving to the Winter Holidays . 

Important Upcoming dates

• Monday, 20NOV23 - UAI Staff Holiday Snack Luck 
• For our PD on Monday, we'll be gathering in the farm at 3PM for a celebration of thanks and just being together in community.  We'll be doing some fun activities and just enjoying time together.  
• Each person should bring their favorite snack to share.  If you're a baker, and you feel up to it, please bake!  If you're a chef - cook up something tasty.  If you're neither, bring someone else's confections (purchased or family made!) - The idea is to bring whatever you can and most importantly - bring you and your fun self!
  
  
• Monday, 27NOV23 - UAI Pacing Calendars Due
• Thu&Fri 23/24NOV - Thanksgiving Recess (Rapid Dismissal 22NOV)
  
  
• For Future Calendar NOTES
• January Benchmark Schedule
• For Grades 8-12:  2nd AND 3rd period Regents Mock
• Wed 17JAN23 ELA Regents
• Thu 18JAN23 USH or GLO Regents
• Fri 19JAN23 LIV or EARTH Regents
• Mon 22JAN23 ALG 1 Regent
• All other classes should give their end of MP2 benchmark at some point during the week of Tue 16JAN- Mon 22JAN - any period EXCEPT 2nd and 3rd.
• For Grades 6 & 7th graders:
• 2nd & 3rd will be benchmark periods - lunch will be moved to 4th
• Tuesday 23JAN will be the ELA benchmark
• Wednesday 24JAN will be the Math benchmark
  
• All staff will have grading time build into their Regents Week Schedules.
  
  
• Please Prepare your students for these benchmarks
• They should be seeing spiral review of MP1 and MP2 topics throughout all of MP2
• They should have practice with Benchmark questions for BOTH content and literacy
• You should schedule some type of practice benchmark prior to the actual benchmark so students have an idea of what to study.  This could be in any form you choose - but you need to provide it for them.  Please see your ILT lead or Kiri or Annie if you need more support on this

Announcements & To Dos

Restorative Practices Equity Team (RPET).  Our RPET met last week to review responses to the survey. 1/3 of staff members responded (you can still reply here!).  While the team has collected resources from a variety of mediums, we ultimately decided it’s best to share the DOE vetted resource list as we are still being cautious in what we distribute given the polarization of the Israel-Hamas conflict. We also recognize the inherent opinion that’s being suggested if member of the RPET curate and distribute our own list and while we can do that (as there is a lot of misinformation out there), the DOE list is a starting place.  This is a first step to sharing resources to help us all become more informed on Anti-Semitism and the war between Israel and Hamas.  Here are those DOE Resources:

• General social studies/current events guidance: NYCPS Social Studies webpage

• Resources specific to the conflict: Israel-Hamas War Resource Guide

• Facing History educator guidance: Processing Attacks in Israel and the Outbreak of War in the Region | Facing History & Ourselves

As mentioned in last week's blog, Kiri and Annie will be meeting with La'Chelle and David from OSYD to begin planning our first table top. This planning meeting is scheduled for 21 NOV and the table top to first occur will be with RPET on 27 NOV. The first pilot student table top will also be on 27NOV and students from the YLC, Student Government, and the leadership of the protest have been selected to join . As we learn from these Table Tops and if it works, we aim to expand this practice so that the whole community can experience this type of discourse and develop their individual capacity to productively engage in conversations with staff and students. 

Lastly, we will soon be creating an action plan which will include the RPET's current work on educating our community and build up our restorative practices for the long term. 

Snack Luck.   Next Monday it's time to make space for an important UAI core value - JOY.   We have weathered much in the last few weeks, and as we near Thanksgiving, it's time for us to come together as a community to find the joy that persists in our school.  We do have joy, still, and for that I am most grateful!  For Monday (20NOV23), please bring a snack that brings you joy.  It could be something that you used to have as a child or something that is your go-to munchie whenever you're feelings stressed or blue.  Be ready to share your snack and snack story in PD on the 20th.  We'll be meeting in the farm at 3PM

Conferences and Outreach Log.  I'm working on reviewing outreach for MP1.  As a reminder, one of our main goals is to work to make sure all of our students have >75 in their classes.  One of the core pieces of the action plan is leverage Outreach and Office hours to intervene on students who are not yet reaching the goal of having >75. 

To that end, outreach and office hours for MP2 will center on following up on students who are not yet achieving the goal of >75.  Clear communication with homes (outreach) and direct instructional support (office hours) are two critical levers for helping our students thrive.

MP2 Grades and Google Classroom Conundrum.  Also in line with the CEP, we are separating the Marking Periods to support student capacity to strive for course competency and grades that are >75.  So, grades should start fresh for MP2.

HOWEVER - There's a conundrum.....

SyncGrades will automatically populate MP2 with any graded work that happens after MP1 closed (so after November 10th).  So, you can continue entering grades in Google Classrooms BUT.... Google will make MP1 and MP2 cumulative - whereas SyncGrades will separate them.  So, kids will see one grade in Google and another in SyncGrades.

Keep communications clear - the best practice is to ONLY enter MP2 grades in SYNCGRADES.

NOTE - if you are insistent on keeping grades in Google classrooms, you can.  BUT then it is your job to tell the students that the real grade is in SyncGrades, and it will be your job to continually remind kids about that throughout the entire marking period and for all remaining marking period.

OR - if there's another solution - please let me know!

Per Session Postings

For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form"

After School Clubs.   If you are interested in running an after school club, please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23  AND submit the Per Session Application Form.  Clubs are slated to start next week.  Clubs must have a steady roster of at least 8-10 students per week in order to NOT be cancelled.  Rosters & Attendance lists MUST be submitted with per session time cards.  If your club goes three consecutive weeks with less than 8 students, your club will need to be cancelled (so that we can optimize funds for other uses - so sorry...wish we could fund everything all the time, but unfortunately, we don't have endless sums of funds).  After school sessions can be 3-4PM or 3-4:30PM or 3-5:30PM (teacher's choice)up to three days per week.  So per session hours can range from 1-7.5hrs per week).  Posting Expires 10OCT23.

Finalize After School Rosters.  Please continue to help promote your after school clubs.  Please make sure you are getting a reliable group of at least 10 students.  Help our after school classes get off the ground! - I will be collecting final rosters on 30NOV - you have additional time to recruit!!

• Black Student Union - Joanna & Pauline (Rm 411) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-4:30
• Arts & Crafts Club - Tiffany & Jennifer (Rm 311) - Mon/Tue/Weds - 3-4:15PM
• Theater Production Club - Noelle (Rm 315) - Tues/Thurs/Fri - 3-5:30PM
• Student Government - Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi (Rm 309) - Tuesdays - 3-4PM
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly  (Rm 307) - Tuesdays 3-4PM
• Photo Club - Tom(Rm 205F) - Wednesdays 3-4:30
• Cheer - Mary & Lia - Various days depending on Game Days
• Anime & Art Club - Adelle & Francis (Rm 409) - Tuesdays & Thursdays 3-5PM
• Running Club with Camryn (starts after the marathon is over)
• Dance Club - Girls Inc - Room 503
• Students Against Racism & Bias Club - Jelissa (Rm 305) Tuesdays & Thursday 3-4PM
• Muslim Student Association - Laura (Rm 404) TBD
• GSA Club - Amanda - Rm 407

PSAL Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. PSAL Games are starting up soon. Please submit the Per Session Application Form if you are interested in supervising student spectators.  Hours vary depending on games.  Each game (basketball or volleyball) is usually 4-6pm (is) so each supervision session is about 2hours.  Staff are welcome to sign up for as many games as they'd like.  Please see UAI calendar or PSAL website for game dates. Duties include making sure

• students remain safe and orderly during games
• only eligible students are admitted to games
• all students fully dismiss from the building at the conclusion of the games

CSI Planning & Supervision.   Posting Expires 10OCT23. This posting if for supervision per session to plan, supervise, monitor and coordinate extra improvement efforts to address UAI achievement gaps and improve student performance in target metrics.  Activities include analyzing and reviewing data, planning and executing professional development experiences to improve staff performance, analyzing and editing video footage to improve teacher lesson execution and lesson implementation, and supervising out of school activities - including recruitment, staff planning, and after school activities.  Hours vary per week depending on task and work completed.  Hours range 1-7.5 hours per week.

Classroom SetUp.  All classroom staff are invited to come in to set up and plan for up to 10 hours all together any day this week Monday-Friday 9AM-2PM.  Staff must clock in AND out each day, and cannot be in the building after 2PM.  Please adhere to guidelines set out in the blog post above.  All Staff MUST also apply to this position by completing the "Per Session Application From" - see link above.  [Posted 27AUG23] - Posting CLOSED and JOB is over.