UAI Staff News
Digging Deep. It's November at UAI, and MP1 is almost complete. The last of the first round of benchmarks are tomorrow and MP1 ends tomorrow. Our start-of-the-year honeymoon is pretty much over, and we are all settling in, and the kids are settling into their teenage selves! Frustrations flair as kids' learning gaps meet high expectations, and classroom staff are working harder than ever to meet kids where they are, push them to the next level, and do all the work necessary to bring our school and our community forward.
We're all a little bit tired.
Today, is the NYC marathon (go SHAN!!...and if others are also running today, you go too - I just didn't know!!). I've never run a marathon, but I do know what it is to push yourself to new limits and to dig deep just when you think you're done to finish and achieve the goal.
Thousands of folks who sign up to line up in the wee hours of the morning on what must be a very cold Verrazono Bridge. They have been training and some have so many years of experience in these endeavors. All those years don't make the task any easier - just more predictable. They know when they get tired, they know how to pace themselves to conserve energy, and they know when to dig deep to get up that hill or push to the finish.
We may not all be running a marathon today (GO SHAN!!), but we do all know how to plan for the long haul. Many of us have the years and experience to know what the year can hold for us, and we just have to remind ourselves that while we may know what is to come, it doesn't make what is here any easier. Kids are still going to push, challenge, and stretch our limits, and we will lean into our wealth of strategies, training, and experience to dig deep and meet them at that hill and at the finish.
One of the strategies I've seen runners use is running in groups. This tactic allows the runners to share the burden of pacing, and motivates everyone in the group to push and support each other. When runners run in group, they run faster, and can better conserve energy. They take their individual goals and work collaboratively so that all can achieve. Ultimately, it is a race, so the pack will dissipate at the end, but as they move towards the ultimate goal, runners who run together perform better.
For us, we have a shared goal - to make sure our kids have the power to achieve their dreams and goals, that we have rigorously challenged them to be prepared for whatever they encounter or choose to do after graduation, and that we have instilled within them a strong value of equity and joy so that they are equipped to bring our world into a better place. There is no single winner at the end of our journey. There are many if we do it right. So, for us at UAI, we dig deep to run in our pack so that we all find a way to win together.
In the weeks to come, turn to one another at UAI to find ways to uplift each other. Hold each other up and be accountable to one another in the shared work we do. Someone may trip up and drop the ball. Reach out and find a way to help. Some folks are stronger, more experienced and seasoned than others. Step up and take point from time to time, but also make it a point to show the way so that our newer folks learn the ropes and take on more chances to take the lead on their own.
I am proud to say that there isn't a single person at UAI who isn't working hard to make our extraordinary school the best place for our extraordinary kids. Of course we don't always agree on the how, but we all definitely agree on what we're trying to do, and that is making all the difference.
Welcome to MP2 everyone! Dig Deep and before you know it, the Fall will be over!
Important Upcoming Dates
- MON 04NOV - End of Marking Period MAT/SCI Benchmarks in MAT/SCI Classes
- TUE 05NOV - Remote PD Day (Election Day) - No Classes
- WED 06NOV - Marking Period 2 Begins
- THU 07NOV - Grades due at 3PM
- FRI 08NOV - MP1 Report Cards Distributed in 7th Period
- MON 11NOV - Veteran's Day - NO SCHOOL
- THU 21NOV - Evening Parent Conferences 5-8PM (remote)
- FRI 22NOV - Remote PD Morning (8:30-11:00AM) - NEWLY APPROVED!!
- FRI 22NOV - Afternoon Parent Conferences 12:00-2:50PM (remote)
- THU 28NOV and FRI 29NOV - Thanksgiving Recess
Announcements & To Dos
Monday PD, Benchmarks and End of MP1. Math & Science benchmarks will happen in Math & Science classes on Monday. MP1 ends on November 4th, and grades are due at 3PM on Thursday November 7th. MP2 begins on Wednesday, 06NOV. For PD on Monday, teachers should work together to grade (regents style) the following benchmarks: Algebra 1, Biology, Earth Science and USH, GLO, and ELA (if not already done). Once these exam are completely graded, please use any remaining PD & OPW time to work on MP1 grades. We'll be going over how to transfer them into GAMA and into STARS during Tuesday's PD
- Build classroom staff capacity in the Emotional Support Domain, particularly around Teacher Sensitivity & Regard for Adolescent Perspectives
- Provide time for staff to bring Pacing Guides current (i.e. at least 1 week planned in advance) so that all classroom staff, co-teachers, and planning partners have sufficient advanced notice to effectively support/deliver instruction for our students with IEPs, and English Language Learners.
- Zoom Link
- https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81765931467
- Meeting ID: 817 6593 1467
- Passcode: UAIZOOM
- Agenda
- 8:30-9:30 Welcome, Icebreaker, and Overview of the Day
- 9:30-11:00 Do you see what I need? Cultivating Social Awareness through Perspective
Taking, an PD by Urban Assembly's Danielle Reece & Lynn Jeudy - 11:00-12:00 Lunch
- 12:00-12:30 New State College & Career Metric
- 12:30-3:20 Team Meetings & Work Time
[REPOST] Save the Dates to Celebrate. Celebrating our students and our staff is core to the health of our school! Our central mission at UAI is the success and achievement of our students. One pathway to that goal is through building the efficacy, sense of belonging, and pride that our staff has in your work at UAI. That sense of worth and value is built both through achieving targeted student outcomes and in recognition of those achievements and efforts!
I was chitchatting with Paula the other day, and she was sharing some ideas she & Judy had had about raising up our colleagues. At the same time, I had already been thinking about creating our UAI calendar of the days to celebrate our people!! And since there really are no original ideas anymore - I googled and found this handy calendar! I've plucked the days celebrating people out of this calendar to create our own for the 24-25 school year.
- September 2024
- 17SEP24 - National IT Professional's Day (we missed this - so moved to October 17th!). This is the day to celebrate JASON's Amazing work with our school!!
- October 2024
- 02OCT24 - National Custodian Day (we missed this too - so moved to October 22nd for this year). Let's celebrate Carlos, Harry, Junior, & Mr. O!
- November 2024
- 21NOV24 - National Substitute Teacher Day. Let's celebrate Jermaine, Mahjabeen, and Sean!
- February 2025
- 03FEB-07FEB - National School Counselor's Week. WOOHOO to JJR, Tiffany, Jen, AND our Deans (who do a lot of our counseling) Jean, Alaisha and Nicole... AND to our interns, Lara, Carlene, and Emily
- 14FEB - National School Safety Office Day
- April 2025
- 03APR - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day - Time to appreciate Juelle, Bryanna, Aurora, Adelle, Nora, Ebony, Janiya, and Brenda!
- 07APR-11APR - National Assistant Principal's Week - Give it up to ANNIE!!!
- 20APR-26APR - Administrative Professionals Week - Many Thanks to Paula, Damaris, and Tracey!
- 21APR-25APR - Aterschool Professionals Week - Whooping it up for GIRLS INC!!
- May 2025
- 02MAY - School Lunch Hero Day - Give thanks for our amazing cafeteria staff
- 05MAY-09MAY - Teacher Appreciation Week - Big Ups to ALL of our amazing teachers!
- 07MAR - School Nurse Day - YAY for Nurse Cole
Per Session Postings
For ALL per session activities, please complete Per Session Application Form
Restorative Justice Coordinator
POSITION:
TITLE SOUGHT: TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS
JOB POSITION: SCHOOL BASED Restorative Justice Action Team Member
NYCDOE OFFICE REQUESTING THIS POSITION: OFFICE OF SAFETY AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT (OSYD)LOCATION: In Person at UAI
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
Licensed and appointed NYCDOE TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOl COUNSELORS, PARA PROFESSIONALS. Actively working as a Restorative Practitioner in NYC DOE
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Demonstrated knowledge of or willingness to learn pedagogical best practices in Restorative Practices (RP) and RP Implementation
Demonstrated prior training/professional development in Restorative Practices, or willingness to attend this school year.
Demonstrated ability or willingness to successfully support authentic youth-adult partnership
Excellent communication skills
Preferred Successful completion of Restorative Practices Tier 1 Training
Recommended by your school’s administration to be a member of the team
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: (All of the below duties are to be performed with the support of your OSYD hired SB-RJC)
Approximately 4 staff member(s) per identified school will be hired under this posting to:
Participate as a member of the school’s Restorative Justice Action Team (RJAT) OR Restorative Practices and Equity Team (RPET)
Developing short term and long term SMART goals for the team to support the growth of the school’s restorative culture
Attend all RJAT meetings and work collaboratively with the Team to develop extensive tools, systems, structures and practices to support school wide implementation of restorative practices
Work with the team to completes the OSYD-provided RJAT/RPET Action Plan
WORK SCHEDULE:
November 2024- June 2025 | Monday- Friday and weekends as needed, 7:00-21:00. Schedules will vary, up to approximately 80 hours. Schedules and total hours are dependent on assignment, but may not exceed 25 hours per month. WORK CANNOT START BEFORE THE APPLICATION DEADLINE. THE DEADLINE MUST BE A MINIMUM OF TWENTY (20) SCHOOL DAYS AFTER THE POST DATE. Hours up to, but not limited to the approximate number of hours listed. Additional hours may be granted upon the approval of the hiring manager.
