Week of September 23rd

UAI Staff News

Volume XII

Issue 4

September 23rd,  2024

Mindsets, Patterns and Habits.  This week is our last full week of September.  This is the time that we firm up classroom routines and habits that support students learning and achievement, AND it is the time to challenge our own assumptions to make sure we are disrupting any mindsets or biases that may be inhibiting student growth.

• RIGOR & POWER [& Teacher Sensitivity].  Ultimately, we need our students to be able to read independently and tackle complex tasks on their own.  What they can do on their own today must be a stepping stone to where they need to be tomorrow.  Thus, scaffolds, expectations, and support that you give them today MUST necessarily decrease on a timeline that gets them to June with the skills and knowledge they need to have.
  
  Challenge your assumptions - Do you think the task is too hard or that the students require more support ... Pause your thinking [Disrupt a pattern]...What did you do yesterday or the day before or last week to support them?  Is what you're doing today LESS?  If not, why not?  If not, how can you make it less so that your students remain on the path to enduring independence?
  
  
  
• EQUITY & JOY [Positive Climate].  It's time to do a quick reflection on your classes.  Are the lessons and activities you're executing providing ample places for thinking, discourse, and fun?  BTW - when I say fun ... there is fun social fun (and that's not what I'm talking about) and then there is fun academic fun (and that's what I'm talking about!).  Are kids having the experience of feeling smart in your class?  Have they productively struggled through a task or challenge and arrived at the other end proud of their work and having attained new thinking?  Kids should have
• Rich tasks
• Lots of opportunities to consider multiple perspectives (other kids' ideas, other ways of seeing a situation, other sources of information)
• Ways to find and get the help they need (from peers, supports, teachers)
• Ways to independently check their learning (rubrics, answers keys, peers)
• Pathways for extra help (extra work, learning lab small groups, study hall, etc.)
  
  

Revisit & Amplify Your Routines.  What instructional routines are in place to make sure these opportunities persist and students are becoming accustomed to thinking in your classroom?  What routines and habits exist such that students are in a safe, well-cared for learning environment and are supported in taking the intellectual risks.  Check out Rhonda Bondie's Agile Teacher Lab for more on instructional routines.  Rhonda worked with the Urban Assembly ages ago to support instruction in UA schools.  She went to teach at Harvard School of Education where she did a lot of work with Project Zero.  I'm thrilled that she is now back in NYC at Hunter College.  She is absolutely brilliant!  Look to her work for instructional and classroom management support in promoting a positive climate in your classroom! 

• CURIOSITY, PROBLEM SOLVING, INNOVATION [STEM].  It's also time to take stock of STEM thinking.   For this check in, look inward.  By now, you have encountered some student dilemmas...kids are late to class/school (or absent from your class), kids are falling behind in their work, colleague communication may not be perfect...
  
  Challenge your assumptions - Disrupt your usual thinkings with Curiosity.  Try wondering what else the issues could be (as opposed to your first instincts - which may be correct...but also may not be...)?  How many different ways can you come up with to solve the problem?  Which one of those ways would be the most effective?  Which one of those ideas is within your locus of control? (those two may also be different- start within your own locus of control, first - what you can do and do well is most empowering).  Finally, when you do arrive at a solution that works - share your innovation with your peers.  It may be obvious to you - but to another it could be a new and brilliant idea!
  
  You are all scientists - any challenge or problem that arises - science the shizzles out of it, and come up with solutions and approaches that make our school better for all!

Important Upcoming Dates

• THU 26SEP24 - IN PERSON Curriculum Night 5-8PM
  
• THU 03OCT - FRI 04OCT - Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL
• 30SEP-01OCT - MAP ELA and Math Testing (in Math & ELA Classes)
• MON - 14OCT - Indigenous Peoples/Italian American Heritage Day
• MON 28OCT-MON 04OCT - 1st Benchmark (in Subject Classes - no special schedule)
• FRI 01NOV - Diwali - NO SCHOOL
• MON 04NOV - End of Marking Period 1
• TUE 05NOV - Remote PD Day (Election Day) - No Classes

Announcements & To Dos

Staff Shout Outs.  Today, I want to say, many, many thanks to those folks who go above and beyond their regularly scheduled and contracted day to help make our school incredible and help make our kids' experiences the absolute best.  Your actions really do make a huge differences when we are all working to make things better.  Certainly, UAI has much work to do!  It's one thing to stand back and point at the problems. It's another to give your time and energy to step up and do something that makes a difference.  Thank you to all that are stepping up (and if you haven't yet, there's still time to join!!)

• Clubs
• Theater Club - Noelle
• Double Dutch & Dance - Denyda
• Running Club -  Mike (MS) (Camryn - can't wait until you come of the DL!)
• STEAM Clubs - Liza (HS); Sarah R (MS)
• Cheer - Mary
• GSA - Freida
• National Honor Society - Amanda
• Green Teams - Tom
• Farm to Table - Phillan & Sarah R
• Photography - Tom
• Student Government -  Marsha
• Youth Leadership Council - Kelly
  
  
• Committees
• School Culture.  Thank you Shan for Taking the Lead!  Thank you also to Marsha, Yasmeen, Elena, Denyda, Patricia, Patti, Fatima, and Phillan for stepping up to join!
  
  
• School Equity Team.  Thank you Sue & Kelly for Taking the steps to get the team up and running.  Thank you to Elena & Crystal for joining.  We're still looking for folks to join this really important work.  There are still open positions so please fill out THIS FORM to join us for our first meeting on Tuesday, September 24th at 3pm. Room tbd!
  
  
• UAI Staff Sunshine.  Thank you Jasmine and Amanda for stepping up!!  We're still looking for more folks and for someone to take lead in finding ways to keep up our staff morale through the year!
  
  
• UAI Student Recruitment.  Thank you Jen for taking the Lead.  Thank you Judy, Mary, Mike, Juelle, Tiffany, Sarah R, Freida, and Shan for pitching in to help!
  
  
• Unsung Heroes In addition to the folks above who are stepping in to go above and beyond the call of duty, I also want to shout out some of the folks whose work in the background often leaves them out of the spotlight.  As a school, the spotlight is always going to be on the classroom and the kids, but without the efforts of the folks outside of the classrooms spaces, our classrooms & our kids wouldn't be as successful as they are!
  
  
• Counselors.  Our counselors have been logging in hours to connect with our families and also learn new skills.  Tiffany has been working hard to fast track her College Counseling know how to b ready to support the Class of 2025.  JJR has been working furiously to resolve and smooth out the final programming bumps and glitches - and both them are now shouldering larger counseling caseloads now that our guidance department is half the size!
  
  
• Deans.  Now that Alaisha is on leave, Jean & Nicole are working to cover!  They are working hard to be everywhere when needed, and they are reaching out after school to connect with families to quickly resolve issues and ensure that our students adjust well to the expectations of the new year!
  
  
• Secretary.  Paula has already accomplished so much from behind the scenes.  Orders are moving quickly, and so many other background logistics (permits, payroll, etc.) is moving along swimmingly because of her attention to detail and wonderful follow through and follow up.  Paula's addition to the main office support team has been truly magnificent!
  
  
• Transportation Team. Janiya & Tracey executed miracle steps to make sure our kids were getting to and from school safely.  This year, that was no small feat.  There was a whole new system of metro cards and with that came the usual fog of confusion from the DOE - Tracy was the lighthouse in that storm and pulled us all through!  Janiya's bussing load basically tripled this year and we had our fair share of hiccups at the beginning.  
  
  
• ILT & Admin Team:  Phillan, Judy, Liza, Marsha, Phillan - Thank you for your leadership and support for all of our instructional team!  Also many thanks to Annie and Jen who are constantly ON to be there for you and our students any time and for any reason that is needed!

Monday PD.  Monday staff PD will start promptly at 3:30PM in the farm.  Mary will hold office hours for our Special Ed teachers needing support in preparing IEPs.  We will be reviewing the schedule and expectations for Curriculum Night and giving you time to prepare during Monday's PD.

IPCs.  IPCs are beginning.  All invites have been sent out.  I know it's coming to you as a block of time, but each meeting will only be 15MIN max.  I'm still trying to figure out the ins and outs of this calendar.  So bear with me as I ramp up that learning.  Judy's CLASS PD from our Opening PD is a good refresher to prep for the meeting.  

1. Agenda

• 2Min - Reflection of the Year So Far -
  How's it going with The Emotional Support Domain  - Glows and Grows
• 3Min- Selecting a Level of Coaching Support
• 5Min - open discussison & Q & A

Folks can expect for the first round of formal observations to start at the end of next week.  Everyone will have their first observation by October 18th, with a 2nd round (for those who need 2 in the fall) completed before Xmas break.  (At least that's the goal!!)

Tech Requests for Support:

In order to streamline support for the full building and ensure all staff receive what they need, Jason will no longer fulfill tech requests that are not uploaded into this form. Jason will post the QR code to the form on all doors, on all floors to make sure you have easy access. Please do not text, call, or email Jason with requests - this makes the tracking of his work very challenging; he has been directed to only use form submissions when prioritizing his work. 

Per Session Postings

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

Classroom SetUp and Planning.  12 hours total.  All Classroom Staff (Teachers & Paras) are eligible.  Tue 27-29Aug .