Week of May 1st

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 28

May 1st, 2023

Celebrating AAPI Month.  May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Month!  This month we celebrate the rich cultural histories and contributions of AAPI peoples from all over the world.

Today, I think about my Dad.  My dad was born in Molokai, Hawaii.  Like so many island children, he was a hodgepodge of cultures.  Mostly Filipino & Chinese with a sprinkling of Native Hawaiian tossed in there generations back (or so the story goes...most likely - that part was just a story).  

My father was a chemist, and he firmly believed in the power of education and learning.  He used to buy me all sorts of little puzzles and get me to solve riddles since my earliest memories as a child.  They started off as little metal puzzle (you know - those ones where you have to separate pieces mysteriously locked together), and the puzzles graduated to more complex games (like chess), and riddles.

I definitely didn't realize it at the time, but those games and challenges laid the ground work for the confidence I've always had in math and my facility with problem solving.  Just like reading to babies builds the foundation for literacy in children, my father's puzzles, riddles, and challenges built my foundational reasoning & problem solving skills.  

Don't get me wrong...he carried strong beliefs around the superiority of boys and the prioritization of having sons (he had 3 daughters before he had his boy... I was the "oops" baby after my brother!).  But he also valued more the importance of learning and the belief that all of his children should and could learn and thrive in all disciplines.

There are lots of stereotypes for AAPI folks around excellence in school, and in particular in STEM.  As a product of my father's parenting, I can say, from personal experience, that it stemmed not from a belief and value in learning, and all learning - including math & science.

Our American culture allows folks to shy away and fear math, especially.  However, when you're raised with a dad who believes otherwise, you find ways to be shielded from that messed up cultural value.

Not everyone had my dad (and trust - that's probably a good thing LOL), but all of our students do deserve the right to grow up fearless in math, and thinking about themselves as adept and capable problem solvers.  

As I look to observe and celebrate AAPI month - I will raise up this piece of my own history to share with our whole community.  If even a little bit of it results in an increased confidence and bravery of our students in math and science, then I will count that as a real reason to celebrate!

Important dates. 

• Tuesday, May 2nd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #1 Grade Entry
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May 2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• May 15th-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Washington DC Trip Success.  Many thanks to Kelly who worked hard to organize and coordinate our FIRST trip out of state since the pandemic.  For many of our kids, this was the FIRST time they spent the night away from home!!!  Experiences like these are sooooo important for our young people as they grow their dreams.  Thank you Kelly for making that magic happen.

Thank you also to Tiffany, Freida, Danielle, and Lia for chaperoning.  It is a big ask to keep the kids safe, and your willingness to step up to go on the trip is very much appreciated.  THANK YOU, TOO!!

Support our UAI Math Team Lighthouse.  Judy, Tiffany, Amanda, and Danielle H have been working with the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl to improve their instruction and student outcomes.  Not many folks have signed up yet.  Please help them get the word out by sharing this brief May the 4th Be With You in Math promo, and please help them get the word out by directing folks to register using THIS LINK.

Mock Regents Exams.  Update - Math will have a special schedule mock regent on May 5th.  Students will report to 2nd period, and then remain there for 2nd & 3rd, taking a mock regent.  All other classes will conduct mock regent exams in their regular class periods (so no class time loss!)

MP4 Log of Support.  Thank you ALL for updating the log of support.  Our counselors are also providing 1:1 support for our students who are on the list to make sure that they are getting additional help. Please continue to record your intervention and support by updating the  MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week. Supports can be:

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly. 

Monday PD.  We will be continuing our work in our CEP groups.  We did have some conflict with Girls Inc Rooms.  So please reach out to your CEP team lead to get updated room assignments.

Tuesday Outreach  Please print and distribute your Advisory's MP3 report cards from
THIS FOLDER.  Please distribute during Advisory on Monday or Tuesday.  To print

• Open the grade file
• Find your advisee's report cards (you can search for their names and print 1 by 1 or you can find your first and last advisee's names (sorted by last name) and print the range.  If you don't know how to print a range, just print 1 name at a time.  It will be easier and most likely, it will take about the same amount of time it would take you to find someone to help you to print the range (LOL)!
  
• Alternately, you can take screen shots of the report cards or pics on your phone and text or email the report cards to kids and families.

HS AP Testing Begins This Week.  Beginning Tuesday, 02MAY, we will be holding AP exams in room 147.  All classes in 147 will have to be relocated for the week.   Please review the   AP Exams and AP Exam Roster.  Rebecca and Danielle I will be point people for these exams.

MS Math Testing This Week.  The Middle School will be taking the MS Math exam on 02&03MAY.   All Math teachers MUST review the lists, room assignments and schedule with kids on Monday.  For all students in grades 6, 7, or 8, this the annual Math test they take in grades 3-8.  8th graders wanting to take the Regent exam, may also take the Algebra Regent exam in June.   

Per Session Postings

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

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of April 24

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 27

April 24th, 2023

Wrapping Up & Looking Ahead.  As we wrap up April and enter into May, this is the time to reflect on the lessons we learned this year and look ahead to next.

Each year our school generates a Comprehensive Education Plan (CEP).  Typically, this is something that I do during the summer, simply because time always gets away, and the document, historically, has played more of a compliance role than a driving force.

This year is different.  This year, we have been classified as a school in need of Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI).  This designation only applies to Title I schools, so schools that have large percentages of poor students, and CSI applies to the schools in the bottom 5% of these poor schools, according to various metrics.

In the middle school, those metrics are the NYS Middle School exams in ELA and Math.  Last year, many parents were still wary of sending students to school right after the Omicron and Delta waves of COVID, and many felt that because their child had missed so much school, they preferred opting students out of the exams.  As a result, many of our students opted out.

• Opting out meant Low Participation  
• NYS MS ELA:  (6th: 12/36.   7th: 12/58.    8th:  8/45).  
• MYS MS Math: (6th: 9/36.   7th: 11/58.    8th:  0/45). 
  
  
• Our CSI designation is based on the number of kids who are enrolled not tested.  So, because we had such high levels of opt out, those students are counted as being a Level 1, and thus it appears that our school has extremely low proficiency when in fact, we really had high refusal rates.
  
  
• Additionally, the state measures proficiency on the Regents exams as scores that are >80 if they take the exam in middle school.  If they pass the exam in high school, they are considered proficient, but if they take it in 8th grade, then they are not considered proficient unless they get an 80 or higher.   So even though, 86% of our 8th graders who took the Algebra I Regents satisfied their graduation requirement, and 19% scored College Ready scores, NONE of them were considered proficient by the state. 

The math of all of this makes zero sense and there seems to be an underlying political agenda at work that seems intent on shaming schools with high numbers of poor kids.  But that's a whole other blog post one day.

For now, as I do with any low blow, I choose to look for the opportunities that arise.  Even a gut punch gives you the chance to bend over and stretch your legs, right?

So, taking hold of the silver lined reigns, we going to make the most of what we have to do as a CSI school to better understand our school, galvanize our community, and make UAI that much stronger.

As a CSI, we need to engage our full community in a schoolwide needs assessment and in the writing of plans (the CEP) to address those needs in the upcoming school year.  While our designation is based on data points in the middle school, we have areas throughout the school that can always be better. 

The CEP has required priorities, dictated by the DOE, for which we need to submit a needs analysis, priority goals & relevant action plans.  We will be split into teams to address each priority:

• Priority #1:  All Students Learn to Read Well
• Team Leaders: Marsha & Kelly (Annie)
• Team Members: Rebecca, Laura, Sarah M, Mike, Jake, JRob, Fatima
  NOTE:  Must in
  
  
• Priority #2:  All Students are Physically and Emotionally Safe
• Team Leaders: Jen & Jean
• Team Members:  JJR, Nicole, Alaisha, Leonela, Roger, Denyea, Marni. Noelle
  
  
• Priority #3:  All Students have a High-Quality Academic Experience
• Team Leaders:  Phillan & Judy
• Team Members:  Kaitlyn, Joanna, Amanda, Danielle, Tiffany, Alison, Lillie, Matthew
  
  
• Priority #4:  All Students Graduate College & Career Ready and Have a Strong Plan and Pathway to Economic Security
• Team Leaders:  Liza, Danielle I (Kiri)
• Team Members:  Jelissa, Camryn, Thomas, Tom, Sarah R, Junior
  
  
• Chronic Absenteeism
• Team Leader:  Freida (Annie)
• Team Members:  Elena, Shan, Patti, Pauline, Adelle
  
  
• Quality Individualized Education Program
• Team Leader:  Mary (Kiri)
• Team Members:  Christina, Martine, Lia, Juelle, Brenda

Each team, with the support of their team leaders (and admin), will be charged with completing the same tasks within their assigned Priority/Topic:

• Identify Priority Needs and Root Causes
• Indicate the high leverage priority needs determined by your school that, if resolved, will advance equity and result in measurable, positive impact on student outcomes. 
• Summarize the data trends (gaps in student and school performance) for each priority need. Use the most current data available and cite the data source and year.
• Identify the root causes (and/or contributing factors, theories, hypotheses) that explain the current student and school outcomes.

• Establish Progress Measures and Targets
• There must be a priority target for General Ed, Special Ed, and ENL Students
• There also must be interim targets for each end of year target.
  
  
• Develop a Fall and Spring Action Plan
• Once goals and interim benchmarks are set, the team must come up with an action plan of how to get there AND
• The Action Plan MUST include Multi-tiered Supports & Intervention plans AND
• The Action Plan MUST include a plan for Family and Community Engagement

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be using our Monday PD time to reflect on our school's performance.  We will look squarely at the data that illustrates needs and the root causes of those areas where we fall short.  We will also closely examine our strengths.  We certainly are not perfect, and like every other school in the city, we have a lot to improve upon.  That said, we also have a a fair amount to celebrate.  Our task is to figure out how to leverage our strengths to optimally improve our school as a whole.

During tomorrow's PD, we will begin our work promptly at 3PM in the farm.  We will be breaking up into teams to do this work, but we will start together to make sure we establish a shared understanding and vision of our work.  Here is the schedule for the next five Mondays.

• Monday, 24APR23 - Launching the Work, Norming & Initial Data Analysis
• Monday, 01MAY23 - Root Cause Analysis
• Monday, 08MAY23 - Prioritization of Goals
• Monday, 15MAY23 - Action Plan & Progress Monitoring
• Monday, 22MAY23 - Team Presentations to full staff

While we may not have ended up with this task from the best source, the task is extremely worthwhile.  We have the opportunity to come together to take a strong hard look at our work and at UAI.  Through this, we also have the chance to work with a group of super talented, smart, and committed professionals who will collectively set the goals and actions for our year to come.  I have always wanted to do this work with our entire community, and I always let other priorities take the front seat.

But now, we are here and about to finally engage in our school improvement work together, and I for one am super excited about doing this work with you all!

The goal is definitely to complete this work within our PD time.  However, your team may need more time to meet.  That is OK!  

You can use Tuesday time to reconvene your committee.  Then, you will each have an hour of per session to complete your outreach at a later time that works for you (yes outreach can be done at home).  (Team Leaders will be charged to report Tuesday attendance to Dai for per session purposes, FYI)

Important dates. 

• Wednesday, 26APR23 - Affinity Lever Visit to Math Team
• Wednesday, 26-28APR23 - Trip to Washington DC
• Tuesday, May 2nd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #1 Grade Entry
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May 2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• May 15st-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Support our UAI Math Team Lighthouse.  Judy, Tiffany, Amanda, and Danielle H have been working with the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl to improve their instruction and student outcomes.  Not many folks have signed up yet.  Please help them get the word out by sharing this brief May the 4th Be With You in Math promo, and please help them get the word out by directing folks to register using THIS LINK.

Mock Regents Exams.  There was an April 26th & April 28th Mock Math & Science regent on the calendar for Tuesday but I took it off, because we just don't have enough time to thoughtfully plan that out!  I will double check that with Judy & Liza, but if that sticks - no worries we'll put those mocks back on the calendar soon.  This week, I'll be meeting with the teams to figure out Mock Regents plans and get that info out to everyone by the end of the day tomorrow (Monday)!

MP4 Log of Support.  We're going to pivot from the MP4 Outreach Log to an MP4 Log of Intervention & Support.  Outreach is only 1 form of support.  What we really need to track is the wholistic record of intervention & support that our students are receiving to prevent failure.  These interventions can be things such as (but not limited to): 

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

All classroom teachers must update this MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week.  Teachers should use regular planning & prep time to update this log.  Entries can be brief (e.g. "Held 1:1 Conference about xyz", or "spoke to mom saying student did abc").  I am asking that folks complete this form weekly so that I can track the support any student who failed a course in MP3 is receiving and so we can better support teachers who need extra help in intervening on failure with students & families.

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly to 

• Have them show you their grades and outstanding assignments
• Review their attendance
• Make a plan for completing assignments and improving course grades
• Call home 1x per week to update family on progress. 
  You can even call with the student during advisory - or text together during your conference.

Classroom Teachers:  For any student that is failing your class and listed on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support, please update this document weekly.  For any 8th grader or 12th grader that is failing your class, you MUST make weekly contact home to inform students of progress in class.  You must share a weekly progress report towards graduation.  Because they are in matriculating grades, failing your course may mean that they will not graduate.  So, please emphasize the importance of passing your course with the student and their families each week.

Monday PD.  Monday PD will be our next meeting in circles, planned by our Equity Team.  This week's circles will develop our understanding what "culturally relevant pedagogy" is and what it means within our own professional practice. In circles, staff will explore and discuss Culturally Responsive Teaching: 4 Misconceptions, interview with Zaretta Hammond.

MP3 Report Cards.  Please print and distribute your Advisory's MP3 report cards from
THIS FOLDER.  Please distribute during Advisory on Monday or Tuesday.  To print

• Open the grade file
• Find your advisee's report cards (you can search for their names and print 1 by 1 or you can find your first and last advisee's names (sorted by last name) and print the range.  If you don't know how to print a range, just print 1 name at a time.  It will be easier and most likely, it will take about the same amount of time it would take you to find someone to help you to print the range (LOL)!
  
• Alternately, you can take screen shots of the report cards or pics on your phone and text or email the report cards to kids and families.

MS ELA Testing.  Beginning Wednesday 19APR, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be taking the NYS Middle School ELA exam.  All ELA teachers MUST review the lists, room assignments and schedule with kids on Monday &/or Tuesday.  For all students in grades 6, 7, or 8, this the annual English test they take in grades 3-8.  8th graders wanting to take the Regent exam, may also take the English Regent exam in June.   Liza & Judy will be managing this exam with Annie's support.  Any questions or concerns should be directed to them.


Mock Regents & MS Math Testing Next Week.  In 2 weeks, the Middle School will be taking the MS Math exam on 02&03MAY.  We'll also be holding mock regents on those two days.  For Grades 8-12 there will be a special schedule on those two days.  Please stay tuned!  We will be offering Per Session for grading of these mock regent exams.  MS exams are sent out for central grading.

Attendance & Lateness to Your Classes.  Please make sure to keep showing students how important it is to get to class ON TIME.

• Start classes on time - no matter how many kids you have.  The ones who are there came on time. Honor that.  Don't make them wait.  Make a plan for catching kids up that doesn't require making those kids wait.  
  
  
• Show Them Why it Matters.  Remember our kids need to know that you care (first and foremost) and that you don't want them to fail.  Being in class is the best way for them to thrive academically, and they miss a lot when they're not in class on time (which is why you need to start your class on time).   So, when kids come late, go directly to them, find out what happened and why they were late, and then catch them up and make sure to get a commitment to being on time to class tomorrow.  Keep at it - even if they are late again.  Your persistence will pay out!
  
  
• Celebrate the Win.   When a students starts coming to class on time, connect that effort to their understanding in your class.  Help them see how good feels, and how they can keep it going.
• 
  
• Be their Model.  For this last marking period, make it a point to model excellent attendance.  Please schedule all appointments OUTSIDE of the school day (or at least during non-instructional days - like Regents Days, or Brooklyn Queens Day). If you're going to be out, avoid calling out on Fridays or Mondays.   
  
  NOTE:  Please try really hard NOT to be absent during MS Testing Days (19APR, 20APR and 02MAY, 03MAY, 04MAY).  We are using our in-house subs to support proctoring, and if folks call out, we will have to ask teachers to cover classes.
  
  Also, be clear to your students as to what is happening and why - post it up on Google Classrooms or send out class emails so students are clear why you are out.  
  
  
• If you are out for a Professional Development activity - please make sure your students understand that you are not absent, but that you are fulfilling your professional responsibilities elsewhere.
  
  
• If you are out sick or on personal business, please let them know that and remind them that you have only been out x number of days for the year - which gives you an overall attendance rate of y (put it in their terms of understanding)
  
  

Per Session Postings

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

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of April 17th

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 26

April 17th, 2023

Be That One...  Welcome back from the spring break!  I do hope you all had a wonderful rest and were able to spend good time with family and loved ones.  It's hard to believe, but we are so close to the end of the school year.  It's certainly crunch time.

As we enter this high pressure time, it's super important to pause for a minute and consider our role and who we are in the eyes of our students and families.  

I say this a lot, and I will continue to applaud each of you on this -because frankly, it's amazing and awesome.   Whenever visitors come to our school, one of the first things they notice is how warm and welcoming our community is.  At UAI, our kids are loved, and despite their surly teenage personas at times, they know it.

Now, more than ever, we need to find ways to lean into that strength and extend that love to the kids who need us the most.  They are the ones who aren't in school or the ones who, when they are in school are often not in classes.  They are those few who don't feel our love and support - even though it is totally there for them.  Now more than ever, we need to see through their eyes, and look for a way to
be the one 

• who reaches out with love & support so they know cares about them and their future
• who is there to both hold them to high expectations AND the support they need meet those expectations successfully
• who they hug tightly at graduation, saying thank you for believing in me

From the CLASS Rubrics, this is known as Teacher Sensitivity:

For these last few weeks, now, more than ever, we need to take the time to lean into our strengths around Teacher Sensitivity to connect with our kids who need us the most.  Survey your class lists.  Who in your class is faltering or failing?  Why is that happening?  What do they need and what can you do to help them?

As you start this reflection on each of your students, challenge yourself to steer clear of assumptions.  Making assumptions is our brain's way of trying to efficiently manage loads of information.  However, our brains can also pause, be intentional, and dig deeper into that same information to better understand and address issues.  Are there cues that you may have misread, and may be in fact calls for help?  What information can you find out about the student (e.g. from conferences, communications with home, talking to other teachers of classes where the student might have success) to gain a better understanding of their strengths and how to leverage them?  

Holding students to high standards without matching those expectations with high levels of Teacher Sensitivity will lead only to negative outcomes (e.g. course failure, behavior outbursts, class avoidance, etc.).  Our kids need both to make it across that finish line successfully - they need our rigorous expectations and our love and sensitivity.  They need us to be their ones. 

Important dates. 

• Wednesday, 19APR-20APR - MS ELA Exams
• Friday, 21APR23 - Eid al-Fitr - No School
• Tuesday, 25APR23 - HS Mock Regent Day 1 (Math)
• Wednesday, 26APR23 - Affinity Lever Visit to Math Team
• Wednesday, 26-28APR23 - Trip to Washington DC
• Thursday, 27APR23 - HS Mock Regent Day 2 (Science)
• Tuesday, May 2nd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #1 Grade Entry
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May 2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster
• Monday, May 8th and Tuesday May 9th - Progress Report #1 Distributed
• May 15st-22nd - NYSESLAT Testing
• Tuesday, May 23rd - Tuesday Outreach Time - MP4 Progress Report #2 Grade Entry
• Monday, May 29th - Memorial Day - NO School
• Tuesday, May 30th & Wednesday May 31st - Progress Report #2 Distributed
• Thursday, Jun 1st - US History Regents - NO School - grades 8-12
• Friday, Jun 2nd - 8th Grade Prom
• June 5th - 12th - Final Exam Week
• Monday 05JUN - English Final Exams
• Tuesday, 06JUN - Math Final Exams
• Wednesday, 07JUN - Social Studies Final Exams
• Thursday, 08JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO Classes
• Friday, 09JUN - Science Final Exam
• Monday, 12JUN - Breadth/Elective Final Exams
• Tuesday, 13JUN22 - Last day of High School Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Support our UAI Math Team Lighthouse.  Judy, Tiffany, Amanda, and Danielle H have been working with the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl to improve their instruction and student outcomes.  They have only been working for a couple of months, but the tweaks and moves they've made so far have had amazing impact on student engagement and thinking ALREADY!   I could not be more proud of the work they are doing, and I could not be more happy for their students.  They are gearing up to share their work citywide with teachers, principals, and educators from across New York City on May 4th.  Please help them get the word out by sharing this brief
May the 4th Be With You in Math promo, and please help them get the word out by directing folks to register using THIS LINK.

MP4 Log of Support.  We're going to pivot from the MP4 Outreach Log to an MP4 Log of Intervention & Support.  Outreach is only 1 form of support.  What we really need to track is the wholistic record of intervention & support that our students are receiving to prevent failure.  These interventions can be things such as (but not limited to): 

• In-Class Supports:  1:1 Conferences, Individualized Assignments, Small Group Intervention, 
• Advisor Academic 1:1 Coaching (regular grade checks and conferences about course progress)
• Family Outreach: Calls Home, Texts of Progress (e.g. screenshot of grades), Emails home

All classroom teachers must update this MP4 Log of Intervention and Support each week.  Teachers should use regular planning & prep time to update this log.  Entries can be brief (e.g. "Held 1:1 Conference about xyz", or "spoke to mom saying student did abc").  I am asking that folks complete this form weekly so that I can track the support any student who failed a course in MP3 is receiving and so we can better support teachers who need extra help in intervening on failure with students & families.

Advisors:  For any advisee that is on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support please make sure that you are meeting with them weekly to 

• Have them show you their grades and outstanding assignments
• Review their attendance
• Make a plan for completing assignments and improving course grades
• Call home 1x per week to update family on progress. 
  You can even call with the student during advisory - or text together during your conference.

Classroom Teachers:  For any student that is failing your class and listed on the MP4 Log of Intervention and Support, please update this document weekly.  For any 8th grader or 12th grader that is failing your class, you MUST make weekly contact home to inform students of progress in class.  You must share a weekly progress report towards graduation.  Because they are in matriculating grades, failing your course may mean that they will not graduate.  So, please emphasize the importance of passing your course with the student and their families each week.

Monday PD.  Monday PD will be our next meeting in circles, planned by our Equity Team.  This week's circles will develop our understanding what "culturally relevant pedagogy" is and what it means within our own professional practice. In circles, staff will explore and discuss Culturally Responsive Teaching: 4 Misconceptions, interview with Zaretta Hammond.

MP3 Report Cards.  Please print and distribute your Advisory's MP3 report cards from
THIS FOLDER.  Please distribute during Advisory on Monday or Tuesday.  To print

• Open the grade file
• Find your advisee's report cards (you can search for their names and print 1 by 1 or you can find your first and last advisee's names (sorted by last name) and print the range.  If you don't know how to print a range, just print 1 name at a time.  It will be easier and most likely, it will take about the same amount of time it would take you to find someone to help you to print the range (LOL)!
  
• Alternately, you can take screen shots of the report cards or pics on your phone and text or email the report cards to kids and families.

MS ELA Testing.  Beginning Wednesday 19APR, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will be taking the NYS Middle School ELA exam.  All ELA teachers MUST review the lists, room assignments and schedule with kids on Monday &/or Tuesday.  For all students in grades 6, 7, or 8, this the annual English test they take in grades 3-8.  8th graders wanting to take the Regent exam, may also take the English Regent exam in June.   Liza & Judy will be managing this exam with Annie's support.  Any questions or concerns should be directed to them.


Mock Regents & MS Math Testing Next Week.  In 2 weeks, the Middle School will be taking the MS Math exam on 02&03MAY.  We'll also be holding mock regents on those two days.  For Grades 8-12 there will be a special schedule on those two days.  Please stay tuned!  We will be offering Per Session for grading of these mock regent exams.  MS exams are sent out for central grading.

Attendance & Lateness to Your Classes.  Please make sure to keep showing students how important it is to get to class ON TIME.

• Start classes on time - no matter how many kids you have.  The ones who are there came on time. Honor that.  Don't make them wait.  Make a plan for catching kids up that doesn't require making those kids wait.  
  
  
• Show Them Why it Matters.  Remember our kids need to know that you care (first and foremost) and that you don't want them to fail.  Being in class is the best way for them to thrive academically, and they miss a lot when they're not in class on time (which is why you need to start your class on time).   So, when kids come late, go directly to them, find out what happened and why they were late, and then catch them up and make sure to get a commitment to being on time to class tomorrow.  Keep at it - even if they are late again.  Your persistence will pay out!
  
  
• Celebrate the Win.   When a students starts coming to class on time, connect that effort to their understanding in your class.  Help them see how good feels, and how they can keep it going.
• 
  
• Be their Model.  For this last marking period, make it a point to model excellent attendance.  Please schedule all appointments OUTSIDE of the school day (or at least during non-instructional days - like Regents Days, or Brooklyn Queens Day). If you're going to be out, avoid calling out on Fridays or Mondays.   
  
  NOTE:  Please try really hard NOT to be absent during MS Testing Days (19APR, 20APR and 02MAY, 03MAY, 04MAY).  We are using our in-house subs to support proctoring, and if folks call out, we will have to ask teachers to cover classes.
  
  Also, be clear to your students as to what is happening and why - post it up on Google Classrooms or send out class emails so students are clear why you are out.  
  
  
• If you are out for a Professional Development activity - please make sure your students understand that you are not absent, but that you are fulfilling your professional responsibilities elsewhere.
  
  
• If you are out sick or on personal business, please let them know that and remind them that you have only been out x number of days for the year - which gives you an overall attendance rate of y (put it in their terms of understanding)
  
  

Per Session Postings

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

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed

Week of April 3rd

 UAI Staff News

Volume X

Issue 25

April 3rd, 2023

The Final Marking Period.  There are 40 days until Year End Final Exams.  NYS Middle School Exams, Mock Regents, and AP Exams are happening during this marking period, and this is the final marking period that will result in students earning credit for the year.

It is time to lean in on our students with love and support.  We have worked hard all year long to build strong relationships and support students in closing learning gaps that COVID caused.  Now, we have the capital required to push our students to achieve what they are more than capable of achieving!

We want to see what our students can do and we want to praise their achievements to build confidence and give constructive feedback that helps them find the power to continue to close gaps and end the year strong!

This week and everyday this marking period, we need to help kids understand that this is a very important marking period, and that being in school every day, and on time is exactly what they need to do in order to achieve.  

For most of our students, it is pushing them to move their grades from just passing to quite good or from quite good to great.  For some of our students, it's getting them and their families to understand that not showing up this marking period may mean summer school or repeating the entire year.

For this marking period which starts tomorrow, please make sure that you are clear in your daily communication how important being in class on time each day will connect with their performance in your class and on the upcoming major assessments.  Set up small achievable goals.  For example, structure required activities at the beginning of your class for the next few days before break that are high-impact and high-value.  Then COMMUNICATE.  Connect their attendance to their performance.  Explain the connection between attendance and performance to parents and use these leverage points to show parents how their grades are impacted.

If you are confronted with "Why are you suddenly doing this?", explain that this is the final marking period and the run up to major exams.  We are in the final lap of the year, and that means turning up the heat a bit to make sure our kids are ready.  We know that they have it in them to succeed.  Now we need our families' support to help us push their kids to their next level of excellence.

Remember - with every push you give, you also need to provide encouragement, guidance, and instill confidence.  Pushing without that support only results in kids feeling betrayed and angry that they feel unready.  We have valued our Joy and relationships so that we can lean into pushing our students to find their Power and meet the Rigor with which we challenge them.  This means that we TOO need to believe in them.  We ALSO need to believe that they will excel and achieve.  When we do, we realize all of our values - we bring Equity to the Joy, Power, and Rigor of our school.

Unbelievably, the longest stretch of the year from February break to April break moved within the blink of an eye.  This next stretch will be filled with so many things, the time will fly.  I have watch each of you work hard to build your lessons and classroom cultures.  I know that you are all ready to push and support our students to cross the finish line strong!  You have your ILT folks to lean on, and always, Annie, Jen, and I are here to support!  Let's go team UAI.  We got this!

Here are the important dates for kids

• 4 Middle School Testing Days (AM testing schedule, PM normal schedule)
• NYS MS ELA Exam for Grades 6-8:  April 19th & 20th
• NYS MS Math Exam for Grades 6-8:  May 2nd & 3rd
  
  
• 3 High School Mock Testing Days (AM Testing schedule, PM normal schedule)
  
• HS Testing Day 1:  April 25th
• 8:30-11:10 AM:   Math Regent*
• Senior Graduation Conferences and Homework Catchup
• HS Testing Day 2:  April 27th
• 8:30-11:10 AM:  Science Regent*
• Senior Graduation Conferences and Homework Catchup
• HS Testing Day 3:  May 2nd
• 8:30-11:10 AM:  Social Studies Regent*
  
  
• *Students who are in a class that does not have a required regent (e.g. African History, LINCT QR, Pre-Calc, Physics/Chem, APES), they will be assigned to take an alternate activity in the following order
• If they are in 10th/11th grade OR 8th/9th Grade & in African History
• --> ELA Regent Exam (if they have <75)
• If they are in 12th grade 
• --> Graduation Conference with Counselors, Advisors & Admin

Important dates. 

• Wednesday, 05APR23.  Rapid Dismissal 
• Thursday 06APR23 - 16APR23 - Spring Recess
• Wednesday, 19APR-20APR - MS ELA Exams
• Friday, 21APR23 - Eid al-Fitr - No School
• Tuesday, 25APR23 - HS Mock Regent Day 1 (Math)
• Wednesday, 26APR23 - Affinity Lever Visit to Math Team
• Wednesday, 26-28APR23 - Trip to Washington DC
• Thursday, 27APR23 - HS Mock Regent Day 2 (Science)
• Tuesday, 03MAY23 - HS Mock Regent Day 3 (Social Studies)
• Thursday, 04MAY23 - UAI Math Team Citywide Lighthouse Visit
• May2, 3, 4, 9 - AP Exams and AP Exam Roster

Announcements & To Dos

Weekly Outreach Logs.  For all students who failed MP3, all classroom teachers will be required to provide weekly outreach to families to give them updates on how students are progressing and keeping families apprised of what needs to happen in order for students to pass.   Please cc advisors on any written communication home so that they are also aware of what students need to do.

Weekly outreach will begin on Tuesday.  All outreach needs to be a conversation with families (so - confirmed contact - phone call or text conversation is fine).  If you are unable to contact the family during Tuesday outreach, please use one of your professional periods to pull student from class and call with student during the Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday following the Tuesday outreach.

Advisor Conferencing.  For all advisees who fail a course in MP3, we need to keep families extra aware of student progress for MP 3.  Advisors must call, email or text t give a weekly update of the student's grade & attendance to families.  In advisory, Advisors need to also have weekly conferences with students around barriers to their success (e.g. if they aren't coming to school, why not?  How can they fix it?  What needs to happen?).  With ample communication and support, we will be able to circle the wagons around our neediest kids and help them get successfully over the finish line!

CEP Writing.  After the Spring Break, we will be engaging our entire school community in writing our school's annual Comprehensive Education Plan.  The Comprehensive Education Plan is the tool that guides the goals and action plans we have each year.  We will be working on this plan during Monday PD time starting April 24th, and if more time is needed teams will also meet on Tuesdays and get per session to conduct family outreach.    We are meeting with the ILT on Tuesday to finalize exact plans and will share with the entire school when those are ready!

Attendance & Lateness to Your Classes.  Students regularly receive calls home when they are late or absent to school from our Attendance Team, Deans, and Parent Coordinator.  These calls have limited impact without your help.  We need teachers to help us get kids to want to come in to school on time everyday.  So, what can you do?

• Start classes on time - no matter how many kids you have.  The ones who are there came on time. Honor that.  Don't make them wait.  Make a plan for catching kids up that doesn't require making those kids wait.  Touch base with your ILT lead or with Annie or Kiri to brainstorm ideas if you're getting stuck!
  
  
• Show Kids Why it Matters.  Sometimes kids really just don't get it.  Sometimes they need a little help to see what's happening and why.  Kids need to know that you care (first and foremost) and that you don't want them to fail.  Being in class is the best way for them to thrive academically, and they miss a lot when they're not in class on time (which is why you need to start your class on time).   So, when kids come late, go directly to them, find out what happened and why they were late, and then catch them up and make sure to get a commitment to being on time to class tomorrow.  Keep at it - even if they are late again tomorrow.  Your persistence will pay out.  We will begin to see changes in folks if we all keep pushing on it together.
  
  
• Celebrate the Win.   When a students starts coming to class on time, connect that effort to their understanding in your class.  Ask them how much they understand and feel confident in your class now that they are coming more?  How good does that feel, and how can they keep it going?  For example, Some ideas to help them understand why Early Birds get the worm.
  
  
• a mini-quiz to start the class - kids who are on time get to revise at the end of class.  Kids who are not on time have only the one shot at the end of class.  Then you could ask kids to share how much easier it was to revise and why being on time helped!
  
  
• incentivize being on time - Go over problems/questions/prompts that will be on the unit summative assessment at the start of each class leading up to the test.  Kids who are on time get a leg up in their summative performance grade - have them and YOU make that clear to everyone who is late (don't post those reviews on Google Classroom).  That way, kids have to be on time and in class to get the extra boost.
  
  
• Be their Model.  We need to model what we want to see.  On average, we have had 4-5 staff out each day this year.  On Fridays and Mondays in particular, our average soars up to 7-8 staff out.  That means that our students have had a sub in at least one of their classes everyday this year.  From the adult perspective, it feels like you're not out that much.  However, from the student perspective, they see adults out almost everyday they come to school.  So, they naturally take that as an approval for their own attendance habits.
  
  For this marking period, let's all make it a point to model excellent attendance.  Please try your hardest to have all appointments OUTSIDE of the school day (or at least during non-instructional days - like Spring Break, Regents Days, or Brooklyn Queens Day)
  
  If you're going to be out, avoid calling out on Fridays or Mondays.   
  
  Also, be clear to your students as to what is happening and why - post it up on Google Classrooms or send out class emails so students are clear why you are out.  Please make sure that if you are out, you provide students with work that will COUNT TOWARDS THEIR FINAL GRADE, and you are clear that the work is completed by the end of the period and submitted to the sub - or submitted on line at the end of the period.
  
  
• If you are out for a Professional Development activity - please make sure your students understand that you are not absent, but that you are fulfilling your professional responsibilities elsewhere.
  
  
• If you are out sick or on personal business, please let them know that and remind them that you have only been out x number of days for the year - which gives you an overall attendance rate of y (put it in their terms of understanding)
  
  

We are in the final lap, too. 

We got this, too.  This final marking period will go faster than you think, and before you know it, summer vacation will be stretching before you like a beautiful beach basking in the late afternoon sun.

Per Session Postings

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

Summer School.  If you are interested in working summer school, please complete THIS FORM.

Per Session Postings Now Closed