UAI Staff News
Volume XI
Issue 05
September 25th, 2023
By the end of this week, we'll be about a third of the way through the first marking period, and it's a good time to pause to reflect how much our reality matches our plans. Inevitably, there is always a difference between goals and realities, and that gap is precisely what we look to examine, understand, and close.
Allow for the missteps. They are inevitable. They are opportunities for learning and growth. We continually find ways to improve and be better.
Allow for imperfection. It's easy to get things right, and to be right. It's hard, really hard, to mess up and feel like you've failed. But while being right feels good, being wrong leads to growth and strength. Being right a thousand times means you are hitting way below your weight class, and you're not challenging yourself to be better. So, take the brave step and allow yourself to make mistakes - so that you can take a deep look at those gaffs to learn and grow.
Allow for sharing your growth. Often students fall into the rut of not trying because they would rather not try than fail. It's rational thinking if you believe that failure is the worst thing ever. However, nobody can learn how to do anything well until they learn from mistakes. That lesson is probably the most important lesson you can share with students, and one of the best ways to teach that is to share your own experience and wisdom with trying, failing, learning and thriving.
As we turn into October, think about how you launched the year and evaluate what went well, what went left, and what you can do to learn and improve upon your work even more.
Ever onward and upward!!
Important Upcoming dates
- Tuesday, 26SEP23 - Affinity District IM Algebra I Learning Walk
- Wednesday, 27SEP23 - NYSED Enhancing Principal Leadership Visit - CEP Literacy Goal
- Thursday, 28SEP23 - Zoom Curriculum Night 5PM-8PM
- Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81765931467
- Meeting ID: 817 6593 1467
- Passcode: UAIZOOM
- Tuesday, 03OCT23 - High School Application Period Opens
- Monday, 09OCT23 - Indigenous People & Italian Heritage Day - NO SCHOOL
- Wednesday, 11OCT23 - 2nd Day of Elevate Study Skills in 6/7 and 8/9 Learning Labs
Announcements & To Dos
SyncGrades Attendance. I took a look through SyncGrades to see how folks were doing with attendance. Some folks missed some days, and some folks missed no days. Some folks missed more than some days....
Weekly Outreach Log. Please remember to complete the outreach log by midnight Sunday nights. You MUST document all 55 minutes of remote time. Some folks did not document all 55 minutes last week. I know we're learning a new system, so please make sure that you have fully documented all 55 minutes this week. Many, many thanks to so many of you who have already entered their information! It's much appreciated!
Academic Conferences and Grades This Week. Please make sure that you have entered Grades into SyncGrades this week. Students should have at least 1 progress grade in SyncGrades, and more importantly, please make sure you are conferencing with students and communicating home about student progress this week. If you have students who have less than a 75 in your class, please make sure you are meeting with them to help them turn their performance around. Also, please make sure you are contacting their homes to connect with families to explain how they can help their student thrive.
PLOPs Due. Plops are due tomorrow. Please make sure you have thoroughly complete your assigned PLOPs on time.
Lots of Visitors This Week. We have three big visits this week! Lots of folks are coming to see what we're up to in our math, english and history classes. Please help out your colleagues by planning structured classes and keeping an eye on the hallways to keep kids moving in and out of classes efficiently. Here's who is coming:
- Tuesday, 26SEP23 - Affinity Learning Walk to Algebra I classes. Teachers, District Staff, and School leaders will be visiting UAI from 12:30-3:30PM to see how our implementation of IM Algebra I is going. We're also hoping to connect with folks throughout the district to help our math team collaboratively problem solve their way through a brand new curriculum.
- Wednesday, 27SEP23 - NYSED Leadership Visit. Principals of other CSI schools from across the city are going to be taking a look at our CEP Literacy goal and visiting from 9AM-12PM to see how our work in ELA and Social Studies is helping us achieve that aim. In this work UAI school leaders & teacher leads will connect with other leaders at other schools to collaborative and get feedback on our work and find ways where we can improve and excel.
- Friday, 29SEP23. We have a brand new, super awesome course in AP African American History. We have our first visit from other teachers across the city also implementing the course and Ellis Valentino of the NYCDOE Office of Equity and Access to see Kelly's & Martine's work in the course thus far.
Curriculum Night. This Thursday's Curriculum Night will be from 5PM-8PM for all staff.
- 5:00-6:00PM
- All staff are expected to call TUESDAY FIRST PERIOD student families to remind them to join Curriculum Night (which begins at 6PM). Each section will be split in half with one staff calling the first half (A-L), and the other calling the latter half of kids (M-Z). We'll all hop on zoom at 5PM to share how use SyncGrades to find rosters and contact info. Then from 5:15-6PM folks will make phone calls to remind folks to join our curriculum zoom at 6PM.
Here are the assignments: - Middle School (Grades 6/7)
- [A] EENM6_1: Phillan (A-L); Mike (M-Z)
- [B] HSNM6_1: Fatima (A-L); Juelle (M-Z)
- [C] SSNM7_1: Sarah R (A-L); Alison (M-Z)
- [D] MMNM7_2: Dru (A-L); Matthew (M-Z)
- Lower House (Grades 8/9)
- ZJALG1_1: Danielle H(A-L); Kaitlyn (M-Z)
- ZJALG1_2: Amanda (A-L); Patti Gr. (M-Z)
- ZLGEO_1: Alexis (A-L); Noelle (M-Z)
- ZJPPNH1: Roger (A-L); Lia (M-Z)
- ZJQN21_4: Joanna (A-L); Tomas (M-Z)
- Upper House (Grades 10/11/12)
- HGN21_1: Kelly (A-L): Sarah M (M-Z)
- HFN11_1: Shan (A-L); Martine (M-Z)
- HGN22_1: Jake (A-L); Yasmeen (M-Z)
- SBN11X_1: Camryn (A-L); JRob (M-Z)
- SCN11_2: Liza (A-L); Crystal (M-Z)
- SPN11_1: Judy (A-L); Sue (M-Z)
- EEN42X_2: Freida (A-L); Pauline (M-Z)
- ZJEEN42_3: Marsah (A-L): Laura (M-Z)
- EEN43X_3: Patricia (A-L); Tom (M-Z)
- 6:00-6:30PM
- Welcome and State of the School Address for Families
- 6:30-7:45PM
- Breakout Room Open House. Families will be able to choose five rooms from each of the following rooms. If they need to speak to a certain teacher, we'll include a sign up form to share with staff, and then specific staff can reach out during outreach time in the upcoming week. Here are the rooms:
- Math Team
- Science Team
- English Team
- Social Studies Team
- Breadth Teachers (PE, Spanish, Theater)
- Student Opportunities (Girls Inc, UAI After School, and Other Opportunities)
- Student & Family Support Team: Counselors, Parent Coordinator, Deans, & Paras
- Information Share. All rooms should have the same agenda
- Introductions and Contact Information
- [FOR CORE & BREADTH CLASSES]
- Course Expectations. Please Provide an overview of their courses (AND invite to Google Classroom for Families), and share what families can expect students to learn, and how much at home work vs. in-class work they can expect to see from your classes.
- Family Engagement. Please Provide a list of resources and/or ideas for how families can support your class at home (e.g. math games, spaces for homework, encourage reading, practice speaking in spanish, running lines for theater, etc.)
- Share List of Resources & Tips for How Families can Help at Home
- [FOR COUNSELORS/DEANS/PARAS/ADMIN]
- Share overview of what your role is and what families can expect
- Save time for Q & A from families
- 7:45PM
- Closing And Thank Yous
After School. I want to strongly encourage folks to help our students out in after school. They are actively looking for staff to help them sponsor clubs, and for staff, clubs are the PERFECT way to forge connections with kids outside of the classroom. AND it is precisely those connections that make the relationships inside the classroom work better. Kids are asking for folks to head up the following
- Black Student Union
- Muslim Student Association
- Dance Club
- GSA Club
- Dungeons & Dragons Club
- Community Service Club
- Coding Club
- Art Club
- ANY Craft Club
- ANY other Culture Club
Check out the clubs that have already been GREEN LIT. Please sign up soon so that we can begin to advertise our after school opportunities to families and kids this week and during curriculum night!!
- Theater Production Club with Noelle
- Student Government with Sue, Marsha, Phillan, and Girls' Inc's Kassi
- Youth Leadership Council with Kelly
- Photo Club with Tom
- Cheer with Mary & Lia
- Anime Club with Adelle
- Visual Art with Francis
- Running Club with Camryn (after the marathon is over)
Please complete THIS form by EOD TUESDAY 26SEP23 if you are interested in running an after school club. Clubs are planned to launch the week of October 1st.
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.
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.
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