Week of MAY 28th

UAI Staff News

Volume XI

Issue 34

May 28th, 2024

Closing Out the School Year. As we enter into the last week of May, we need to both work harder to make sure our kids make it strongly across the finish line AND make moves to close out the year to prepare for summer school and the launch of next fall.  

• Finishing Strong.  Once again, many thanks to all the hard work folks have done this past month, and especially last Thursday night to outreach to families and make sure they are looped in on their child's progress in your classes.  For the remainder of the year, please prioritize outreach to the students assigned to you on the "June Outreach Tab" of the MP4 Outreach log.  FYI - By the EOD on June 6th (Brooklyn Queens Day), you will need to complete a task completion sheet for each student which lists all the tasks (with descriptions) that the student needs to complete to meet minimal requirements and earn a 65 for the year.   Students will be required to attend during regents week to receive tutoring to finish these assignments, and failure to successfully complete the minimal requirements will result in being mandated to summer school and/or repeating the grade. We will be sending out these task sheets to families on June 7th, so please make sure you are keeping students and families in the loop this week and next so that they are not shocked or surprised when we send out that information.
  
  
• Closing Out the Year.  There are various tasks that are required each and every year for closing out!  So that we're all prepared for what is to come, here is a list of the things you'll be doing in the upcoming weeks as we prepare to close out the 2023-24 school year.
  
  
• Archive Gradebooks and share link with Admin for Course Record Keeping.  HS Staff will be given grading periods during Regents Week to complete this task.  MS Staff should use professional period time to complete this task.
  
  
• Catalog Lessons & Pacing of each course for the 23-24 school year with linked lessons, materials, and assessments for the school year in UAI pacing Guide.  CORE (ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies) Subject Teams will be given planning days.
  
  
• Technology. This summer we are going to collect all tech from staff.  If staff would like to hold onto their computers for the summer, that can happen, but we'll have to have folks complete a formal request.  We need to revamp our tech tracking tools this summer, and so, we need to pull back in all tech from kids and staff.  Please make sure that you're pulling off any personal items that may (but should really not be) stored on your computer.  We'll also be doing an overhaul of tech this summer to get things ready for next fall.  
  
  
• Classrooms.  Our classrooms are always used for the summer.  So any personal items cannot be stored in the classroom.  We have no way of securing or monitoring personal items in the summer.  In addition, all UAI classroom materials must be stored and secured in locked closets (or on bookshelves that turn to face walls/are covered.  
  
  
• Checkout List.  This was last year's checkout list which hasn't been updated for this June yet, but it will give you an idea of what to expect on the last day of school.  We will have a staff meeting at 10AM on June 26th where we will collect these sheets.  Staff will be assigned to their rooms to pass out final report cards between 8:30 and 10AM.  During that time, staff should also work to finalize the checkout list.

Important Upcoming Dates

• THU   30MAY -31MAY - Senior Trip (12th Grade)

• Upcoming June Dates
• TUE  04JUN - Algebra 1 Regent Exam - no classes 8-12
• THU 06JUN - Brooklyn Queens PD Day - NO CLASSES
• MON 10JUN - Math MAP Testing - 2nd & 3rd Period (8-12); 4th/5th Pd (MS)
• This counts as the final exam for all math classes
• TUE 11JUN - ELA MAP Testing  - 2nd & 3rd Period (8-12); 4th/5th Pd (MS)
• This counts as the final exam for all ELA classes
• WED 12JUN - Science & Spanish Finals (in regular class periods)
• THU 13JUN - Social Studies, Art, Comp Sci, Health, PE Finals (in regular class periods)
• FRI 14JUN - Regents Week Begins 
• MON 17JUN - Eid Al Adha - NO SCHOOL
• WED 19JUN - Juneteenth - NO SCHOOL
• MON 24JUN - High School Graduation
• TUE 25JUN - 8th Grade Stepping Up
• WED 26JUN - Last Day of School

Announcements & To Dos

June Regents Schedule.  Please review the June Regents schedule for your own programming, and for student lists.  As an FYI, this program is still being built, and if you have any conflicts, please reach out.

Because we have so many more teachers and paras available during Regents testing days, our need for sub paras and sub teachers is significantly less.  So, some of our subs will not be called in for Regents Testing days.  You can also review the lists with students.  This schedule is still being finalized, so please do reach out to Kiri & Liza with questions or concerns! As an FYI

• Any student who scored >50 on an April mock exam is automatically registered for the June exam.
• Any HS student who is in a course that terminates in a regent exam (GLO, USH, 10th ELA, LIV, EARTH, ALG1) is automatically registered for that regent exam (even if they don't score>50) unless they have already met their graduation requirements in the exam area (e.g they already have a social studies regent exam).
• Anyone who is not automatically registered for the exam MUST get teacher recommendation. (So, e.g. all GEO and ALG2 test takers are teacher recommendations).  

Per Session Activities End This Week.  Except for ILT & Deans, all per session activities end this Friday, 31MAY.  We need to close out per session for the school year, and the final pay period for after school activities will be 31MAY.  This includes IEP, Advisory, Clubs, and any other per session activity that is not related to ILT or Dean support.   If you have any questions or a specific need, please see Annie or Kiri in person!  

<REPOST> Save the Dates. As we will every year, we will have training rate per session set aside for all folks who want to come in next year to set up classrooms and get a jump on planning.  Please save the Tue-Thu during the last week of August!

<<REPOST>> Grading Policy Reminder.  As a reminder, our grading policy has shifted a little bit this year.  Check out the "LOWEST FINAL GRADES" tab of the MP4 Outreach Log

CHANGE:  Each marking period is now independent of the others.  So MP4 is a separate grade from MP1, MP2, and MP3.

CHANGE:   We are still annualized, so grades need to be cumulative.  So, the final grade for the school year is an average of all four marking periods. 

SAME:  The lowest failing grade we use (anywhere) is a 55.  We do not use zeros or grades less than 55 to indicate failure.  

NOTE:  It is possible for a student to fail MP4 but pass for the year, depending on how strong their grades were for the other three MPs.  Conversely, if a students failed 3 marking periods, they would have to have very strong MP4 grades to even have a hope of passing.  On the "Lowest Final Grades" tab you can also see the MIN MP4 Grade that students need to pass (>65) for the year.

Per Session Postings

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

NO New Activities at present

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.